Blood and Burden

A quiet hum of the bar's ambience—the soft creak of the floorboards, the distant rustle of the wind outside—filled the space.

"Well now, dear customers," the lycan said, his tone light but carrying an undercurrent of curiosity, "is there anything else you'd like to know? I'm at your service, for the right price, of course."

Nathanael opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, Amara interjected, her voice practical and firm. "We need a place to bunk up for the night," she said, her eyes flicking toward the dimming light outside. "It's getting dark, and we're not keen on sleeping in the wagon."

Felzys's ears twitched, his golden eyes glinting with amusement. "Ah, of course," he said, his tone almost jovial. "This establishment does offer accommodations, as it happens. We've got a few rooms available, if you're interested."

Nathanael hesitated, his instincts prickling with unease. "Is there… another place we could stay?" he asked, his voice cautious. "Another inn, perhaps?"

Felzys's expression shifted, a flicker of something—disappointment, perhaps, or resignation—crossing his features. "I'm afraid not," he said, his tone more subdued now. "Most of the innkeepers in Horgzene have left. This is the only place still open for travelers. The others… well, they didn't see much point in staying, given the state of things."

He paused, his claws tapping lightly against the counter as if weighing his next words. "In fact," he began, his voice lowering slightly, "there's more to it than that, but—" He stopped abruptly, his lips curling into a wry smile. "Ah, but I almost gave away something valuable without proper compensation. Can't have that, now can we?"

Nathanael's eyes narrowed, his curiosity piqued despite himself as the lycan's words were tantalizing.

But before he could press further, Amara spoke up again, her tone pragmatic. "We'll stay here," she said, her gaze steady as she met Felzys's eyes. "If it's the only option, we'll take it."

Felzys's smile widened, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. "Excellent," he said, his tone warm but carrying a faint edge of triumph. "Welcome to the Whisker Wright Inn. I hope you'll find your stay… comfortable."

Nathanael exchanged a glance with Amara, they had little choice, after all. The night was falling fast, and the prospect of sleeping in the wagon, exposed and vulnerable, was far less appealing than the relative safety of the inn—even if it came with its own set of uncertainties.

*****

Felzys led them up a narrow staircase, the wooden steps creaking softly under their weight. The hallway above was dimly lit, the flickering glow of a single lantern casting long shadows on the walls. The lycan stopped in front of a door, his clawed hand resting on the handle as he turned to face them. "Here we are," he said, his voice low and smooth. "Your room for the night. I hope it suits your needs."

He pushed the door open, revealing a modest but tidy space—a bed large enough for two, a small table with a basin of water, and a window that looked out onto the darkened street below. It was simple, but it was clean, and for that, Nathanael was grateful.

"I'll leave you to settle in," Felzys said, his golden eyes glinting in the lantern light. "And as for the goods… I'll take just enough to cover the cost of the information. Fair is fair, after all."

Nathanael nodded, though his unease lingered. "Thank you," he said, his voice quiet but sincere.

Felzys inclined his head, his sharp teeth flashing in a brief smile. "Sleep well. And remember—not everyone in Horgzene is as friendly as I am."

With that, he turned and disappeared down the hallway, his footsteps fading into the silence. Nathanael closed the door behind him, the latch clicking softly into place. He turned to Amara, who was already inspecting the room, her sharp eyes taking in every detail.

"What now?" she asked, her voice low. "We're stuck here for the night, but we still don't know what's really going on in this town."

Nathanael sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know," he admitted. "But we need to be careful. Felzys might be helpful, but he's not exactly trustworthy. We—"

He was cut off by the sudden sound of horses outside, the rhythmic clatter of hooves against cobblestones growing louder by the second. Amara's head snapped toward the window, her body tense. "What's that?" she whispered, moving to peer through the glass.

Nathan joined her, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene below. A group of soldiers had arrived, their uniforms unfamiliar—dark and sleek, with insignias that neither of them recognized. They moved with a precision that spoke of discipline and training, their presence commanding and ominous.

One of the carriages came to a halt, and a man and a woman stepped out, their military attire more elaborate than the others. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, his face stern and unreadable, while the woman was sharp-featured, her eyes scanning the area with a calculating gaze. They exchanged a few words with the soldiers before striding toward the inn, their boots echoing against the stone steps.

"Who are they?" Amara murmured, her voice barely audible. "I've never seen uniforms like that before."

"Neither have I," Nathanael replied, his tone grim. "But they're not from the empire, that's for sure."

The sound of voices rose from downstairs, the tone sharp and authoritative. Nathanael and Amara exchanged a glance, their unease growing. The footsteps grew louder, climbing the stairs with a deliberate cadence. They were coming closer.

Nathan's heart pounded as he glanced at the door, the shadow of someone's feet visible beneath the crack. Without a word, he grabbed Amara's arm and pulled her toward the far side of the room. 

"Empty," a man's voice said, his tone clipped. "But the bed's been used."

"Check the rest of the inn," the woman replied, her voice cold and commanding. "We need rooms for the night. Make sure they're clean and secure."

The footsteps retreated, the sound fading as the soldiers moved on. Nathan exhaled slowly, his body tense as he turned to Amara. "They're not looking for us," he whispered, his voice low but tinged with relief. "They just want rooms."

Amara nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly, though her eyes remained sharp. "Still, we should stay out of sight. Whoever they are, they're not from around here, and they don't look like the friendly type."

Nathan agreed, his mind still racing as he considered their options. "We'll stay quiet and keep to ourselves. No need to draw attention."

He peered out the window, his eyes scanning the street below as the soldiers had formed a loose perimeter around the inn.

Seems like they come from the south judging by how they are not tired nor their clothing dirtied up. A few townsfolk lingered in the shadows, their faces wary as they watched the newcomers with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

Townsfolk doesn't know them either, which means they're from Klythen.

They settled into the room, the tension between them palpable as they listened to the sounds of the inn below. The soldiers' voices were muffled but distinct, their tone brisk and no-nonsense as they coordinated their arrangements. Felzys's voice occasionally rose above the din, his tone smooth and accommodating.

As the night wore on, the activity in the inn gradually subsided, the soldiers retreating to their rooms and the streets outside falling into an uneasy silence. 

Finally, when the inn was quiet and the only sound was the faint creak of the floorboards, Nathanael turned to Amara. "We should get some rest," he said, his voice low. "From what I see just now, they're probably soldiers from Klythen. So, it's best if we let them be... for now."

Amara nodded, though her expression was still wary. "Should we take turns? Figure it would be the best, I don't really have a good memories of waking up with a gag in my mouth."

Nathanael shook his head. "No, we'll have to trust that Lycan. I'm sure he has something to do with this ordeal."

She hesitated, then nodded while letting a big sigh. "Fine."