The darkness stretched over Vekara like a thick blanket, the moon a mere sliver in the sky, offering little light to guide Leon as he moved through the village. The air was cooler now, a breeze sweeping in from the mountains, whispering through the half-built walls and stirring the trees at the village's edge. The quiet was unsettling, as though the entire world was holding its breath.
Leon's mind, however, was far from calm. His conversation with Mara had provided a brief reprieve, but reality crashed back down on him the moment he left the clinic. The weight of responsibility had a way of creeping up, digging into his mind with relentless precision. The village needed him—his strength, his strategy, his leadership. But tonight, something gnawed at the edges of his thoughts, something he couldn't quite put his finger on.
He walked the perimeter of the village, his eyes scanning the shadows, always alert. The construction of the walls had progressed, but the southern end was still too exposed for his liking. They had men working on it day and night, but time was not their ally. And now, with the revelation from Jerik, Leon knew they had even less time than he had anticipated. The king's eyes were already searching for them.
As he reached the southern gate, Leon paused, his eyes narrowing at the sight of movement in the distance. A figure, cloaked and hunched, was slipping through the shadows toward the village. He tensed immediately, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of the knife at his side. It could be a villager—someone on a late-night errand or perhaps one of the workers returning from the fields—but the way the figure moved, slow and cautious, made Leon's instincts flare with suspicion.
Without hesitation, Leon melted into the shadows, his body moving silently along the edge of the wall as he followed the figure from a distance. His heartbeat quickened, not from fear, but from the familiar rush of adrenaline that always accompanied moments like this. He kept his eyes locked on the stranger, his mind already calculating the possibilities.
The figure slipped closer to the wall, moving with purpose but clearly trying to remain unseen. Whoever it was, they didn't want to be noticed.
Leon circled around, careful to stay out of sight as he positioned himself closer to the intruder. The figure paused near a gap in the southern wall—the weakest part of the village's defenses. A small sack hung at their side, and Leon could just make out the sound of something metallic shifting inside. His breath caught. Weapons? Tools? A bribe? His mind raced with questions as he drew his knife, ready to confront the stranger.
With one swift motion, Leon stepped forward, the blade gleaming in the faint light as he pressed it against the intruder's neck. "Don't move," he growled, his voice low and deadly. "Turn around slowly."
The figure froze, their body stiffening under Leon's grip. Slowly, they turned, and as the hood fell away, Leon's eyes widened in surprise.
It was a young woman—no older than eighteen, with tangled dark hair and wild eyes that shone with fear. She was dressed in rough clothing, her face smeared with dirt, but it was the look in her eyes that caught Leon off guard. There was no malice, no defiance—only desperation.
"Who are you?" Leon demanded, his voice still hard but edged with curiosity. "What are you doing here?"
The woman's lips trembled as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please… I'm not here to hurt anyone. I swear."
Leon studied her face, searching for any sign of deceit. Her hands trembled, clutching the sack tightly to her chest. He glanced down at it, suspicion still gnawing at him. "What's in the bag?"
The woman hesitated, her eyes flicking to the sack before meeting Leon's gaze again. "It's… it's medicine."
Leon's brow furrowed. "Medicine?"
The woman nodded frantically. "Yes. My brother—he's sick. We've been hiding in the forest, trying to stay out of sight. He's burning up with fever. I came here because I heard there's a healer in the village. Please, I'm begging you. I didn't mean to sneak in. I just didn't know if I'd be allowed inside."
Leon's grip on the knife loosened slightly as he considered her words. His eyes narrowed, trying to gauge if she was telling the truth. "You came here for medicine. Why sneak around in the shadows?"
The woman's shoulders slumped, her fear giving way to exhaustion. "I didn't know if I'd be welcome. We've been running for days, trying to avoid the king's soldiers. I didn't want to cause trouble, but I didn't have a choice. He's all I have left."
Leon's mind raced. He couldn't afford to be careless, not with the village's safety hanging in the balance. But as he looked into the woman's eyes, he saw the raw desperation that only came from someone with nowhere else to turn. He lowered the knife, but his voice remained cautious. "Where's your brother?"
"In the forest," she replied, her voice shaky. "Not far from here. I left him in a small shelter we found. He's too weak to move. I've been caring for him, but I don't have enough supplies."
Leon's mind shifted gears, quickly calculating the risks and benefits. If her story was true, he couldn't turn her away—not with his commitment to healing. But if she was lying, it could mean danger for everyone in Vekara.
He took a deep breath, sheathing his knife. "I'll take you to the healer. But if you're lying to me—if this is some kind of trap—I'll find out. And you won't get another chance."
The woman's eyes widened, relief flooding her features. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
"Don't thank me yet," Leon muttered, his tone still sharp. He gestured for her to follow as he turned toward the village. "What's your name?"
"Lina," she whispered. "My name is Lina."
As they made their way back toward the clinic, Leon's mind continued to race. If this was a genuine plea for help, then perhaps they could save the woman's brother and offer them refuge in Vekara. But if it was something more—if Lina had been sent to spy on them or to gather information—then Leon would have to be ready to act.
As they approached the clinic, the familiar flicker of lantern light greeted them. Mara was still inside, finishing up her nightly tasks. When she saw Leon enter with Lina at his side, her brow furrowed in confusion, but she said nothing, waiting for Leon to speak.
"She's here for medicine," Leon explained, his voice low. "Her brother is sick, hiding in the forest. I need you to check her out."
Mara's eyes flicked to Lina, taking in the young woman's disheveled appearance. She nodded, her expression softening as she gestured for Lina to sit down.
As Mara began her examination, Leon stood near the door, his hand still resting on the hilt of his knife. He wasn't taking any chances, not until he knew the truth.
But in the back of his mind, something gnawed at him—a sense that this encounter was only the beginning of something larger, something darker that would soon come crashing down on them all.
And when it did, Leon would be ready.
Or so he hoped.