The rest of the walk passed with Clover idly quizzing me on herbs and medicinal knowledge. To my surprise, I did better than expected.

  After hours of back-and-forth questions, she nodded in satisfaction. “You weren’t giving yourself enough credit before, Darling. You know all the common herbs, their uses, and where to find them. That’s more than some herbalists start with.”

  Warmth rolled through me at her praise. “I still have a long way to go if I want to be any real help to you.”

  She shrugged. “True, but I’ve been doing this for years. Give me a few months, and you’ll be up to snuff in no time.”

  Her gaze shifted to the road ahead, and she straightened. “Looks like we’re finally here.”

  I followed her line of sight, taking in Starkfell. It wasn’t all that different from Dawncrest. The structure of the homes and roads were nearly identical. The only real difference was that Starkfell was bigger.

  As we got closer, I noticed the activity—people working in the fields, carrying goods, and bustling about, the buzz offering a bit of life to the town.

  And all of it stopped the second we crossed the town's threshold.

  Dozens of eyes turned our way, suspicion thickening the air. Curious stares and outright hostile glares bore into me, their weight pressing down on my shoulders. My skin crawled under the scrutiny.

  “You weren’t kidding about them hating outsiders,” I muttered.

  Clover’s face hardened into a determined mask. “No, I wasn’t. Don’t worry, though—I won’t let any of them lay a finger on you.” Raising her voice, she addressed the onlookers. “Only fools or ungrateful idiots would attack the man who’s risking his life to find Veridanis without any promise of reward.”

  She grabbed my hand, glaring right back at them as if daring anyone to try something. Slowly, the tension ebbed. Most of the glares lightened, though they didn’t disappear entirely. At least now I could breathe through it.

  “Thanks,” I murmured.

  She leaned into my side. “Nothing to thank me for, Darling. Let’s find the mayor and captain.”

  We continued down the main road, and I did my best to ignore the lingering stares. Though now more curious than hostile, they still prickled at the back of my neck.

  I’d take what I could get.

  A large noticeboard caught my attention. Dozens of papers were nailed to its surface, all bearing different requests.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  One detail stuck out—they didn’t list any rewards.

  Clover sighed beside me. “Thanks to the influx of refugees, there’s not enough resources to go around, and no one can afford to pay for help. Usually, people would pitch in without payment, but…”

  Azurith’s warning rang in my head. They resent the strain on their food stocks. And people rarely handle ‘different’ well–especially when it disrupts their lives.

  I clenched my fists, determination surging as I scanned the board again. Most of the jobs were for essentials—hides for blankets, meat for food, even toys for children. Without a second thought, I pulled half the papers from the board.

  “There is someone willing to help: me.” Turning to Clover, I pushed down the flicker of anger and smiled. “I was already looking for something to do while you tend to the sick. Rock Snakes are easy enough to hunt, and as for hides…” I shrugged. “I’ll see what tries to kill me first.”

  She eyed the damaged armor I wore. “I appreciate that you want to help, but that hole in your chestplate is going to be an issue.”

  I traced the rim of the puncture. “I know. But I doubt Starkfell’s blacksmith—if they have one—will sell me new armor. I’ll hunt, sell whatever I don’t use, and see if it’s enough to afford repairs.”

  She didn’t look entirely convinced, but after a moment, she nodded. “Alright. But be careful. I have plans for you that require you’re in one piece, Darling.”

  Before we could resume our path, a faint movement behind Clover caught my eye. I shifted sideways to get a better view and found a boy, no taller than Clover’s hip, peeking out from her shadow. His brown hair stuck out in every direction, and his thin frame made my chest ache with a sudden urge to feed him. Wariness radiated off him, but past that, curiosity gleamed in his wide eyes as he stared at me.

  Clover followed my gaze, her features softening. “Ah, I was wondering when you’d show up. Your Adan is still sick, sweetling, but this nice man and I are going to fetch the herb he needs.”

  The boy glanced at her, nodded, then returned his focus to me, his curiosity undimmed. I shifted under his gaze, acutely aware of the villagers’ eyes sharpening on me again. Taking a cautious step back, I tried to convey that I meant no harm.

  “He’s probably fascinated with how shiny your armor is.” She knelt to his height and gently shooed him. “It’s not safe for you to wander alone. Go back inside with the others.”

  The boy pouted but obeyed, giving me one last lingering look before vanishing into a nearby building.

  Once he was gone, the tension eased again. I rolled my shoulders, working out the stiffness. “I hope the hostility dies down soon. I’ll be stiffer than a board if this keeps up.”

  Clover looped her arm through mine and began walking again. “It should. But if anyone gives you trouble, let me know. I’ll straighten them out.”

  Her tone brimmed with protective promise. I kissed the top of her head. “Will do.”

  When we reached the town’s largest building, the town hall, Clover led me inside. My jaw nearly dropped at the sight before me.

  A human man greeted us with a tired smile. His disheveled black hair streaked with grey and weary eyes made him seem much older than he probably was. But he wasn’t what caught my attention.

  No, the beastfolk man next to him that captured all my focus.

  I’d seen dozens of his race pass through Dawncrest, but none had ever been whatever breed of beast he was.

  He was powerful, dangerous… and huge.