The world came back to me slowly. At first, it was just the sharp sound of metal striking metal, followed by the deep hum of a forge fire. Then the smell—smoke, sweat, and hot iron. My eyes flickered open, and the rough surface of the ground beneath me came into focus. I groaned softly, stiff from the uncomfortable night's sleep.
A voice startled me fully awake. "Oi, what're you doing here, girl?" The deep, gruff tone of a man hovered over me, and I jerked upright, instinctively reaching for the dagger at my waist.
Standing before me was a hulking figure, arms crossed, his face shadowed by the early morning light streaming in from the forge. He was broad-shouldered, with soot-covered hands and a beard flecked with ash. His sharp eyes were fixed on me, and suspicion was written all over his weathered face.
"I thought you were a thief at first," he grumbled, eyeing me warily. "Or maybe worse. You've got the look of trouble about you."
I stayed still for a moment, quickly assessing the situation. I had no time to explain the truth, not that it would matter to him. A street girl, hiding under his shop, armed? I knew how that looked. I forced myself to stand, though my muscles ached with the effort. "I'm not a thief," I said, sheathing the dagger and raising my hands in what I hoped was a non-threatening gesture. "I just needed a place to sleep. I didn't mean any harm."
His eyes narrowed. "You look half-dead, and not like you've been up to honest work, either. What's your name?"
"Zara," I replied, swallowing my discomfort under his scrutinizing gaze. I wiped the dirt from my clothes and steadied myself. "I've been on the move for a while now. Just needed a place to hide for the night."
He snorted, clearly unconvinced but not entirely hostile. "Zara, huh? Well, you don't look like a common beggar. But I don't need trouble in my shop. There's enough of that around these parts already."
"Understood," I said quickly. "I'll be on my way."
"Good," he said, but then his gaze softened slightly. "Just don't let me catch you sneakin' around here again. And mind yourself—there's more than one kind of trouble in this city."
With that, he turned and went back to his work at the forge, the clanging of metal once again filling the air. I exhaled in relief, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The city was waking up around me, the quiet stillness of dawn giving way to the hum of life in the streets. I needed to find food. After everything that had happened the night before—sneaking into the palace library, being chased by the guards—I felt drained, my body weak with hunger.
The problem was, I had no money. What little I had left had been used up days ago. But if there was one thing I was good at, it was surviving. The streets were familiar to me; I knew how to move through them, how to find what I needed when the odds were against me.
I made my way into the crowded market district, the smells of fresh bread and roasting meats making my stomach growl painfully. I walked past vendors shouting about their wares—ripe fruit, freshly caught fish, colorful fabrics—but I couldn't afford any of it. I needed a plan.
As I wandered through the market, I kept my eyes open for an opportunity. My gaze landed on a small stall selling bread and dried meats, manned by an elderly woman who seemed more focused on chatting with her neighbors than watching her goods. A distraction, that's all I needed. I waited for the right moment, my heart pounding as I carefully edged closer to the stall.
A group of rowdy kids suddenly ran past, knocking over a basket of apples. The old woman turned to shout at them, and in that split second, I reached out and snatched a small loaf of bread and a handful of dried meat from her stall. I tucked them under my cloak and moved swiftly away, weaving through the crowd before she could even realize something was missing.
It wasn't glamorous, but it was enough to keep me going for another day.
I found a quiet corner near the outskirts of the market to sit and eat, the stolen bread and meat giving me enough strength to keep my mind sharp. As I ate, I thought about my next move. The prophecy I had read in the palace library weighed heavily on me. The kingdom was teetering on the edge of chaos, the Watcher's power fading, and the darkness spreading. And now, I was caught in the middle of it. I needed to stay hidden, to gather more information. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that simply staying hidden wasn't enough. I needed to be proactive.
But first, I needed to get back to Hei Hei. I had left her hidden near the blacksmith's shop, and with everything that had happened, I felt uneasy being separated from her for too long.
As I made my way back, I felt a subtle shift in the air, a strange sensation creeping up the back of my neck. The streets were bustling with people, but there was something off. I could feel eyes on me, not the usual curious glances, but something more menacing. I quickened my pace, scanning the crowd.
That's when I saw them—three rough-looking men, lingering near the entrance of a nearby alley. Their eyes were fixed on me, their postures tense. I knew that look. They were bandits, and they had marked me, but the reason I couldn't fix a thing to; I had no money nor any precious belongings. Of course, the darkness was taking hold of the kingdom I concluded.
I cursed under my breath and adjusted my cloak, keeping my head down as I walked. Maybe they'd lose interest if I didn't engage. But as I passed by the alley, I heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind me, quick and purposeful.
I broke into a run.
The footsteps behind me sped up, and I knew they weren't going to let me go that easily. I darted around a corner, my heart pounding in my chest. I had dealt with men like them before—thieves who preyed on those they thought were weak or vulnerable. But I wasn't weak, and I wasn't going to let them catch me.
I sprinted down a narrow street, dodging market carts and weaving through crowds of people. The bandits were close behind, but I had the advantage of knowing the streets well. I turned sharply into another alley and spotted an overturned cart, its contents spilled across the cobblestones. With a swift kick, I knocked the cart into their path, blocking their way and giving me a precious few seconds to put more distance between us.
But they weren't giving up. As I reached a clearing near the blacksmith's shop, I saw Hei Hei standing exactly where I had left her, her eyes alert and aware. Without hesitating, I ran to her and leaped onto her back.
"Come on, girl, we need to move!" I urged, and she responded immediately, taking off at a gallop just as the bandits rounded the corner.
I heard them shout behind me, but Hei Hei was fast—faster than any horse I had ever seen. She weaved through the narrow streets with an ease that defied reason, her hooves barely making a sound as we moved. The bandits didn't stand a chance of catching us.