Ironhelm Awaits, and So Do Its Shadows

Chapter - 141

As Jacob stepped out of the room, the cool night air greeted him, along with the anxious faces of the freed villagers. They had gathered in the courtyard, forming a semi-circle around him, their expressions a mixture of relief, gratitude, and deep-seated worry. Most of them held onto their loved ones, looking to Jacob for guidance.

An older man with graying hair stepped forward. "Thank you, sir," he said. "We owe you our lives. But… what now? We can't stay here forever. If we try to escape through barbarian-controlled lands, we could be intercepted. And most of us aren't fighters."

Jacob crossed his arms, scanning the group. Roughly fifty of them. Men, women, children—people who had suffered at the hands of these savages. He considered their options. Leaving them here was out of the question. And letting them travel alone through hostile land? That would be just as reckless.

"How close is the nearest Drahgorian-controlled city?" he asked.