While that would have fooled any forest creature, it shouldn’t have fooled me.
I’d been so focused on spotting the ghost that I disregarded the speck of brown fur I noticed in the outlook. I figured the animal would run away if anything—never had I considered it being a young fae hunter.
Both brothers looked exhausted, like they’d been hunting for days. They were also cautious, Batto pulling out something from his pouch and enveloping it in his hand. It was a reveal crystal, and he pointed it toward me first, and then Rufian. “Fae,” he said straightforwardly. “You can never be too careful.”
Rufian smirked. “I admire your thoroughness.”
“What are the both of you doing here in Citron Village?”
“We are actually on our way out,” Rufian said, eager to leave.
“Ugh, actually, we were wondering if you’d seen a woman in white,” I asked politely.
“No, we haven’t. Why? Who is she?”
Rufian turned to me, and I exchanged the same look of defeat on his face before turning back to the kid. “Heh. It’s nothing, actually. Sorry to mess up your setup here. We’ll be out of your hair in a sec.”
“Carry on,” Rufian said, but as I was about to turn back around, I noticed Creed nudging Batto with his elbow.
“Ask him,” the boy whispered, my head pivoting back around.
“Ask me what?”
“What? Oh, it’s nothing,” Batto said sheepishly. “Good luck on finding that lady in white and all.”
Batto waved, and Creed’s stomach protested. I didn’t know why I hadn’t noticed it before but the boys were hungry…
It was then I put two and two together. World storms, plagues, sicknesses, dead crops and dry lands—then there was the harbinger of death. This village was suffering, and these boys probably hadn’t had a decent meal in a while.
So I stepped forth and asked, “You two hungry?”
“Yes please!” Creed beamed, and then Batto intercepted his over-eagerness with a polite declining wave.
“Ugh, no thanks. We are good. Really.”
“What’s the matter? Parents told you not to take rations from strangers?” Rufian teased.
“Shut up,” I hissed back lightheartedly. “There’s nothing wrong with two good kids following the rules of Thalian.”
“But Batto, I’m starving,” Creed whined as he rubbed his aching belly.
“No worries. How about we help you catch something instead?”
“Good luck with that,” Batto scoffed. “Everything we ever catch for the village is either dead or dying. And it’s not the good type of meat, either. The animals here are tainted. We have no idea why. This started happening just a few days ago. Must be a curse…”
“Yes, that certainly must be it,” Rufian said sarcastically, knowing full well it wasn’t related to any curses but the fact that Alzera-Kar was dying.
I prodded the kids for more answers. “Is it just this area or have you searched elsewhere?”
“The crops are sickly in the next village, too. We’ve heard tell of other places, and it all sounds the same—dying lands, dead animals and no plants sprouting from the ground. People here have been eating what they can find, even though it’s not very healthy. Some of the desperate ones end up dead in mere hours. All we can do is hope that whatever is happening will stop soon, or else we may never see our land flourish again…”
“Maybe you didn’t search far enough. I can’t imagine you had for such young kids. I’d like to help.”
“Erm, Si—I mean, Syodas, a word, if you will?” Rufian said, pulling me aside. I pardoned myself from the boys while Rufian took a few steps away from them with me, his head bowing down and his voice in a hush tone. “You cannot expect me to join you on this side quest!”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“I am serious, Silas! We cannot loiter here!”
“So you want me to turn my back on kids?”
“What we are doing here is more important. They will survive, and survive even longer once we secure the shields!”
“Thanks for thinking about the long game, Rufian. I appreciate it,” I said almost smugly. “Now let me worry about the short term and feed these hungry mouths.”
“Silas, I forbid you to divert from the mission!”
I smirked. “Forbid me?”
“Doing so will hinder our process!”
“You were once on borrowed time, Rufian. At least what I’m doing here is selfless,” I said, walking away from him while he grunted my name through his teeth, trying to fetch me.
It was satisfying watching his face turn red as I moved myself to help the boys. I told them I will be back in under an hour with a reward, a fresh kill big enough that will last them for days.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
After minimal persuading, Rufian agreed to join me. My argument was that we shouldn’t split up. Even though I didn’t care if he tagged along, I still needed him for the shards, and I wasn’t about to waste time looking for him again. I stressed that it was best that he didn’t stray far from the dungeon core’s crystal shield. Once I mentioned that, wrangling him was easy. I also reminded him who was in charge, and if a little side quest would put my mind at ease, so be it.
