Chapter 43

Zedd, Elara, and Reina left the tavern, looking around for odd jobs to do. Zedd needed a new glove for his left hand.

He scanned the market and noticed a stall selling gloves and clothes. Approaching the stall, he saw a woman in her early 40s standing behind it.

"I need a glove for my left hand," Zedd said.

The woman nodded and showed him her collection of gloves. Zedd scanned the options and chose one—a dark black glove, matching the color of his cloak.

"I want this one," he said.

The woman handed it to him and said, "10 silver coins."

Zedd raised an eyebrow. "What? For just one glove? 10 coins?"

The woman replied, "You seem new here, so you don't know the market prices. Pay up, kid."

Zedd wasn't easily fooled. He understood that she was trying to scam him just because he looked young. "I'll pay 3 coins. Will that work?"

The woman shook her head. "No, only 10."

Zedd's expression hardened. "And if I refuse?"

The woman scowled. "Then you'll return the glove."

Zedd smirked. "No, I won't."

The woman's eyes narrowed. "I'll scream, gather a crowd, and they'll give you a good thrashing."

Zedd chuckled to himself. He was a man capable of taking down an army of trained soldiers. His record was 5 minutes and 20 seconds—he'd slaughtered a squad of 40 soldiers in that time. What could a crowd of ordinary townsfolk do to him? But he wasn't about to reveal his past or his abilities, as it would draw unwanted attention. He was doing his best to blend in.

Instead, he replied casually, "Well, let's go to the town head office. The fixed prices for every shop, stall, and market are listed there. If you charge more than the established price, you'll be punished."

The woman faltered, stepping back, clearly frightened by his calm demeanor. Zedd took out three coins, handed them to her, and got the glove. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

He slipped the glove onto his left hand, making sure it fit perfectly. "Perfect," he muttered to himself.

He then met up with Elara and Reina. The trio spent the day walking around the town, doing small jobs to earn a few coins. As they worked, Zedd finished his tasks effortlessly.

Tiredness was a foreign concept to him now. His synthetic tissue, which extended from his left arm to his left hip, allowed him to work long hours without fatigue. He had no limitations like ordinary humans.

But what Zedd didn't know was that he wasn't human from the start.

As the day went on, Zedd noticed something strange. While Reina was growing tired, Elara seemed to be pushing through without slowing down. She finished tasks just as quickly as he did, and with ease.

Zedd couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about Elara he didn't quite understand. The way she moved, the way she handled herself, it all seemed... off.

Their eyes met for a brief moment. Zedd quickly looked away, brushing off his thoughts. He couldn't let himself get distracted. He had work to do, but the feeling lingered, gnawing at him.

What was it about Elara?

He remembered how they had first met. Elara had made a comment when he told her his name. She had said, "Humans give each other weird names." That stuck with him. It was a strange comment, and he wondered what she meant by it. It almost felt like she wasn't human herself.

Zedd's mind wandered back to that night, when he was about to place a few coins beside the sleeping Elara and Reina. Elara had caught his wrist just as he was about to leave. Her grip had been firm, her eyes sharp even in her sleep. There was something about her that didn't add up, and Zedd couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something.

Now, as they worked together in the town, he noticed something else. Elara was physically exerting herself, but she wasn't tiring like Reina. It wasn't normal.

Zedd decided he would ask Reina about Elara later. He needed to know more, but he couldn't be sure what to think yet. All he knew was that Elara was definitely hiding something. His gut was telling him that there was more to her than she let on. Something wasn't right, and Zedd was determined to figure out what it was.