Chapter 30

Eska walks beside Valen, finally out of the infirmary.

She clutches her bag tightly, her fingers curled around the strap like it's the only thing keeping her grounded. Her eyes remain locked on the path below, wide and unblinking.

She dares not look at Valen.

She's back in her usual clothes—patched up, slightly worn, but familiar. A relief after the stiff infirmary garments, though it does little to ease the tension pressing against her chest.

Valen turns to her, his voice calm. "We'll sto—"

Eska flinches at his words, her stomach coils. She takes a few steps back as if she was about to fight a beast from the forest.

A second slowly passes, as it time itself resists moving forward.

Valen stands still, turned toward her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not goi—"

She flinches again, the words cutting off as her gaze drops to the ground. Her body tenses, every instinct screaming at her to run like she would from any dangerous creature.

Would they chase? Kill?

Her mind goes to her mom. What would they do if she ran?

No. She has to fight the urge to flee. Running won't help. Not this time.

A sigh escapes Valen. Then—he moves.

Her shoulders stiffen as he steps closer, stopping just in front of her. Too close. Her breath hitches, her pulse hammering as her eyes dart to the side.

He's right there. He lowers himself to her level, forcing her eyes to meet his.

Eska's breath stills as she is still looking downward.

"I promise I won't hurt you," he says calmly. "That rarely does anything for anyone, but I can assure you that I won't try to harm you. The Speaker gave me his orders to treat you like a fellow knight, and you already saved my people. I owe you a great deal, and I am grateful for it."

The weight behind his words, calm and certain, but never forceful. His deep red eyes pin her in place—like a blade hovering just close enough to remind her how easily it could strike.

But his expression—something shifts, almost imperceptibly.

His brows relax, the sharpness in his gaze dulled ever so slightly. His lips part a tad, like he meant to speak but thought better of it. A flicker of something she didn't expect—hesitation. Worry?

The tension in her shoulders doesn't disappear, but it loosens, unraveling thread by thread. Her chest still feels tight, but not crushing.

Her breath comes easier.

She exhales, no longer holding her breath. She's still wary. Still scared. But for now… she listens.

Eska slowly raises her gaze and as she does, Valen straightens—his posture returning to its usual composed stance.

"Come," he says, beckoning her to follow. She hesitates, her feet rooted in place for just a second longer, then finally begins to move.

This time, when he speaks again, she listens.

"As I was saying. We'll stop at Sven's store first—I need to grab some materials for the alchemists at the church. Afterward, we'll head to the Cathedral."

As she hears the word Cathedral, her eyes dart toward him. Curiosity creeps into her chest, unbidden, but she keeps it controlled.

She nods, giving nothing away.

They move forward, their path gradually leading them into a busier street. Little by little, more people appear. A few sweep their porches, bundled against the cold, while others walk, their breath visible in the crisp air.

Children dart past, shrieking with laughter as they play tag. The sound startles Eska, drawing her attention. She watches as they weave through the street, their carefree energy stark against the quiet restraint of the adults around them.

Eska pulls her bag closer, but her grip loosens as she looks around, her eyes wide with quiet awe.

She turns her head, taking in every detail. The brick houses, the flickering lanterns hanging from doorways, the wisps of smoke curling from chimneys. Everything feels so... alive.

Her gaze lingers on the children playing, their laughter ringing through the cold air. For a moment, she forgets herself. The nervous weight in her chest lightens as she watches them run through the streets, their world untouched by worry.

She exhales, not realizing she had been holding her breath. So this is the city.

Valen then tells her "There are usually more kids outside, but most stay indoors when it's this cold."

Eska's eyes widen. That sounds… nice. Staying inside, warm, with nothing outside demanding attention.

They keep walking and finally arrive at the Market District, its sign proudly displayed at the corner. Eska freezes as the scene before her unfolds.

The street is alive with voices—shouts of merchants advertising wares, laughter and conversations blending into an overwhelming din. Stalls crowd the pathways, colorful banners flutter above them, while buildings with ornate signboards line the perimeter.

Eska's awe shifts to unease.

Her eyes dart between the mass of people. The noise pounds at her ears, and the chaos of the crowd disorients her.

She instinctively raises her hands to cover her ears, her breaths quickening. She lowers herself, trying to steady herself.

"Eska?"

The voice reaches her through the overwhelming din. She blinks, her breath still uneven, and looks up.

Valen kneels in front of her, eye-level, his face as calm as always—but something is different. His expression, barely changed, holds a flicker of something else. Surprise.

Then, he moves, extending his arm and placing a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" he asks.

Eska looks up, her eyes wide and her senses overwhelmed. "I don't know," she says softly, struggling to process her surroundings.

Valen studies her, piecing together the situation. "You've never been around this many people, have you?" He asks.

Eska shakes her head, still visibly shaken. Valen lets out a small sigh of relief as he begins to understand what's happening.

"Come," he says firmly. "We can't stay here forever. Stay close to me."

Eska hesitates, her fingers curling at her sides as she looks back at the crowded market. Noise, movement, too many people. It presses in from all directions, a storm she has no way of navigating.

She swallows hard, then steps closer to Valen.

A better alternative.

Her hands hover uncertainly before she finally grips onto the fabric of his shirt, clutching it like an anchor against the chaos around her. She keeps her head low, walking close to his side, matching his steps as they move forward.

Valen doesn't react at first, only adjusting his pace slightly to account for her smaller strides.

"Good," he murmurs. "Just stay close."

She doesn't respond, too focused on blocking out the overwhelming noise, but for now, she moves.

They weave through the bustling crowds. Eska glances nervously at the sea of people, her grip on Valen's shirt tightening.

Gradually, the streets give way to a more orderly row of buildings, and soon they arrive at one that stands out with a sign reading "Sven's Alchemy."

Valen pushes open the double doors, and a small bell jingles as they enter. The noise from outside fades, replaced by the quiet hum of activity inside.

Workers move between shelves, organizing jars and wiping down counters. Eska breathes a little easier as the muffled atmosphere soothes her nerves.

"Welcome," calls a voice from the front counter, though the tone lacks enthusiasm. A burly man with a perpetually furrowed brow sits with his cheek resting on his fist.

Valen walks over. "Sven, good morning. I'm here to pick up Adevi's order."

Sven snaps out of his daze and moves to the door behind him, shouting, "Adevi's order!" He turns back, his eyes drifting toward a jar containing a dimly glowing blue mushroom about the size of an adult's head.

Valen tilts his head, noticing Sven's distracted demeanor. "Are you alright, Sven?"

"I'm not," Sven admits with a sigh. "But there's nothing you can do—unless you can get me two hundred fresh moonlit mushrooms, about this size, in three days?" He gestures to the jar, his tone half hopeful, half defeated.

Valen raises a brow. "I don't think that's possible. You'd be hard-pressed to find that many in the city's forests, let alone of that size."

"Yeah, I figured," Sven mutters, slumping slightly. "Normally, I'd be prepared but my regular group is in the middle of a… regrouping, after running into some Thaxil," he says with clear regret on his expression "I hired a new group of hunters. But they are clearly inexperienced, they didn't even use the proper storage."

Valen crosses his arms. "Thaxil again, huh?"

Sven 's attention shifts to Eska as she steps closer from behind Valen. "And who's this young lady?"

"This is Eska," Valen says, gesturing to her. "She's new to the city and recovering from a past hunt."

Sven softens, offering a hearty laugh. "Well, welcome, Eska! I hope you bring me some good business."

Eska's gaze lingers on the glowing mushroom in the jar, curiosity tugging at her. "Aren't those the mushrooms that grow on the palebark aspens north of here?" she asks curiously.

Sven blinks, surprised. "Why, yes," he says, glancing at Valen. "A well-informed young hunter. Peculiar."

Eska tilts her head thoughtfully. "If you want them to get brighter again, you could soak the aspen's root in water and let the mushrooms drink it."

Sven frowns. "Drink it?"

"Yeah," Eska says. "When I was a little younger, I used to play with these mushrooms underground. They'd dim by the end of the day, but I was told that soaking the root in water and giving it to the mushroom would make it glow again.

Sven narrows his eyes in thought, muttering, "That's…I've never…" Without another word, he rushes into the back room, leaving the group puzzled.

Sven returns moments later, carrying a thick, pale root wrapped in cloth. Its fibrous surface looks slightly dry, and he places it carefully on the counter.

Without a word, he grabs the jar and pours some water from a nearby pitcher, his hands moving quickly with a mix of excitement and skepticism.

He takes the root and examines it closely. Then, with a steady hand, he places the root into the water, ensuring it's fully submerged.

Air bubbles start to stream steadily from the root.

The group watches silently as Sven turns back to the dimly glowing mushroom on the counter. Gently, he opens the jar holding the mushroom and tips it to place the water-filled root in without disturbing the fungus.

As soon as the root touches the mushroom inside, it radiates a soft, pulsating blue light.

Sven's eyes widen as he stares at the jar. "Well, I'll be damned…" he murmurs, his voice low with amazement.

He glances up at Eska, his expression a mix of disbelief and gratitude.

"You weren't kidding," he says, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I've been working with these mushrooms for years, and I've never seen anything like this."

Eska shrugs, a little shy from the sudden attention.

Sven chuckles, shaking his head as he seals the jar carefully.

"Well, you just saved me a lot of trouble, kid." He holds up the jar, now glowing slightly brighter and places it on a nearby shelf. "Looks like I might be able to save the rest of the batch, after all."