I am providing this book for free here on Royal Road because I love my fans! If you wish to buy to support me, or want physical media, buy books from my Gumroad shop (some are free!), or support me on Kofi. It would be so appreciated! I want to make a living off doing what I love. Windchaser specifically is in print!

----------------------------------------

Kieran stepped into the tavern, his boots creaking in protest as they made contact with the ancient and mismatched floor planks. The room was smokey and dimly lit; people were smoking cigars tonight, it seemed.

It smelled like vanilla and coffee beans.

‘Now that’s lovely,’ Kieran thought, a subtle smile crossing his lips. He was tempted to deviate from his mission to sit down and enjoy one with the men, but he had to stay focused. The minty-furred male straightened his leather clothing and continued to the bar.

Isabella did not seem to be working tonight, or if she was then she was elsewhere doing something. In her place was a gray fox girl with green eyes, dressed in a white gown. Kieran thought she was very pretty.

“Evening, Miss. I’m looking for Tessa, is she still in?”

“I just saw her, I think she went down to the local coffee shop down the road. Are you her boyfriend, or somethin’?” the gray fox chuffed.

“Nah, I’m a bounty hunter, I just need to ask her some questions,” he responded, nonchalantly.

“Oh!” The gray fox girl put her palms to her mouth in shock. “Did she do somethin’? I always told Tessa that she needs to keep a low profile, gosh darn it!”

“No, no, she hasn’t done anything, I just need to ask her about something she might be able to help me with,” Kieran corrected gently. “Now, you have a good shift, Miss. Thank you for the help.”

Kieran turned to walk out”

“Wait!”

He turned around to see the gray fox blushing and smiling. “Y-you know, I’m, uh… I’m single!”

Kieran winked at her. “I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding someone nice.” With that, he headed out the door in search of Tessa.

----------------------------------------

Kieran soon found himself standing at the entrance of a cozy-looking coffee shop with an assortment of pastries in the window display. He did not know the names of the items, but he saw cookies with raspberry jellies on them, donuts with all sorts of delicious-looking toppings like powdered sugar, and cakes of many varieties.

There was almost too much for his brain to take in.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

One dessert stood out to him; a cookie with chocolate pieces in it as well as chunks of white.

He had no idea what the white was supposed to be, but it intrigued him nonetheless. With intention, he ambled into the quaint coffee shop and was greeted by a waft of fresh bakery scent, causing him to salivate at the mouth.

Kieran, greeted by a comforting fusion of warmth and earthiness, felt a rush of happiness envelop him. The gentle symphony of water bubbling and the soft hum of lo-fi melodies embraced him as he scanned the room. His eyes swept across the cozy nooks adorned with flourishing plants until they settled on Tessa.

Yes! He had located her.

Before he talked with her, though, the minty fox wanted—no, needed—to get his hands on something that tasted good from this place.

Kieran strode up to the bakery section and asked the shopkeeper to grab him a vanilla cream stuffed donut; the kindly old shopkeeper obliged and handed it to him in pleasant packaging with a warm smile.

Kieran paid for it with a gold coin.

“Thank you for ordering! Have a good night, sir.”

Kieran held and stared at the donut. The thing was huge and smelled like Heaven.

He delayed his gratification, as was good practice for one’s benefit, until he could sit down with Tessa. He darted his eyes to where he remembered she was.

Green ivy leaves on vines draped the walls beside her.

She occupied a corner booth, a secluded sanctuary veiled by lush foliage. There, nestled against her chest, was Perseus, the small yet incredibly dangerous dragon; he was fast asleep, in all likelihood still tired from the night before dealing with Malachai. He would need rest after something like that.

In their private hideaway, they observed the ebb and flow of customers interacting with the amiable shopkeeper—a fox with yellow clothing—and contemplating the array of goods on display. The atmosphere hummed with a shared sense of community, a haven where moments unfolded in the aromatic embrace of coffee-scented air.

Kieran approached her carefully, making sure to be noticed by her afar to not startle the girl, keeping last night’s events in the forefront of his mind. He was a considerate fox when he needed to be. “Hey, Tessa.”

The dark blue celestial fox looked at him with her stunning green eyes. “Kieran. Hey. I hope you’re doing well tonight.”

Perseus blinked awake from his snooze and acknowledged the bounty hunter with a head flick and a plume of smoke that came from his nostrils, then he laid his head down to sleep again but not before a long/ feline-like stretch. The trust was there in the golden dragon’s heart, and it did not go unappreciated by Dravenholm.

“I am,” Kieran responded to her. “I hope you are too. I’m sorry to barge in, I just had some questions I wanted to ask.”

“Oh?” her brows raised in intrigue. “About what? Also, please sit down, you’re welcome to.”

So far she did not seem any different than last night before the incident, but he knew that people could hide things pretty well, especially emotional things. He hoped she was alright.

Kieran obliged her request.

“So. What do you need to ask me?” Tessa looked curious.

Kieran leaned in. “Consider it that I’m on the job right now; I’m going to be professional. This is in indirect relation to last night. Can you handle that?”

He swore he could see a flash of adrenaline in the celestial fox’s eyes. She paused, and lost a fair bit of her cheerfulness, as was naturally expected, but this has to be done.

“Yes.”

“Okay. Good.”

Kieran took a deep breath, contemplating for a moment how he would start this off. “Earlier, I was invited to the interrogation of Malachai,” he began. “He claimed that you hold the key.