The entire room fell into a heavy, tense silence. Heads turned sharply, eyes scanning every hooded stranger and shadowed corner.
They found only one hooded figure — me.
My heart slammed against my ribs. Cold fear flooded my veins as the men started walking straight toward me. I was completely out of options. Panic exploded in my chest, making my breathing shallow and ragged. My mind screamed at me to run, but I couldn't move a muscle. If I stood up now, it would be the same as admitting I was the fifth hero they were hunting or knew something.
The burly man's heavy footsteps grew louder. Closer. Each step felt like a hammer striking my chest.
Don't move. Don't breathe. Just stay calm, I begged myself.
One of the men stopped right in front of my table. I could see his worn boots and the edge of his sword from under my hood.
"You there?" he growled. "Take off the hood. Let me see your face."
My throat went dry. The dark energy within me surged even more strongly, begging me to use it. Dave was upstairs sleeping. If I lost control here, everything would be over.
I slowly raised my hand and pulled my hood down just enough to reveal my face, but kept my head slightly lowered so the dim light of the inn barely touched my features. My heart was hammering so violently I was sure the entire room could hear it. Cold sweat trickled down my spine as I forced my voice to come out steady and calm.
"Is there a problem, sir?" I asked, keeping my tone low and respectful.
The burly man narrowed his eyes, studying me carefully. Behind him, two other rough-looking men stepped closer, their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons. The whole common room had gone deathly quiet. Even the fire in the hearth seemed to crackle more softly.
"You look familiar," the man grunted, leaning in. "We're looking for a young man. Dark powers. The King's offering of five hundred thousand gold for the fifth hero. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that… would you?"
My stomach twisted painfully. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my expression neutral even as panic clawed at my throat.
"I'm serious," I said, trying to hide how nervous I was. "What would a beggar like me know about the dangerous fifth hero? Look at how broke I am. Do you think I would pass up an offer to make that kind of money?"
After a second of deathly silence, the burly man retracted his gaze. "Nah, a beggar like you wouldn't be worth the fifth hero's time," he spoke, "and those greedy eyes of yours look like you could betray anyone for money." He let out a loud "Tch" of disappointment before turning and walking out of the inn with his men.
After he left, I released a breath I never knew I was holding. My hands were still shaking as I hurriedly finished my stew and went back upstairs as fast as my legs could carry me. I collapsed onto the bed from pure relief. Dave was still sleeping soundly, his chest rising and falling with ease. A weak smile touched my lips. For a moment, the weight on my chest felt a little lighter.
I closed my eyes, pulled out the map from my belongings, and tried to find where we could go next. But nothing stood out. I needed more information about the curse and where I could find it, which meant I had to stay here longer. With so many things happening, I decided to sleep first. I still had a very long way to go.
The next morning, the sun shone brightly through the window, blinding me and making me growl in protest. I didn't want to stand up, but things needed to be done. Reluctantly, I got out of bed, wincing at the pain in my shoulder, ribs, and legs. I turned toward Dave, who was still rubbing his small hands over his face to clear his sleepy eyes. When he heard the sound of movement, he jumped up, smiling at me with pure excitement.
"Brother Lucius, good morning!" he spoke, excitement laced in his tone.
I smiled back. "Good morning, Dave. Did you sleep well?"
"Hmmm," the boy replied with a big smile.
"Why don't we go downstairs to eat?" I said as I took the boy's small hand in mine, leading him downstairs. Upon reaching the ground floor, we met a young girl about twelve years old sitting behind the counter.
Noticing us, the girl quickly came over. "Would you like to eat in our inn or would you like to eat outside? We have a lot of good food here, like oat porridge, roasted boar, fresh bread, cheese-and-onion pie, spiced apple cider, and roasted meat, and much more. There is also ale, wine, and other drinks. We have anything you would want to eat, so what would you like?" she said in just two breaths, not even waiting for us to answer. Then she continued, "Don't you want to eat here? We are the best inn in all of Oakfield. We provide a lot of things, even information!
Before she could say anything more, I spoke in a loud tone. "We will eat here."
"Oh, really? Then come here, sit! Here is the menu for today," she said, bringing the large menu toward us. "We have slow-cooked venison stew, fresh bread, and warm honey cakes."
"Please just stop talking for a second," I spoke, a hint of annoyance in my tone.
"But why? It's good to talk, and many customers never complained about how I talk, so why can't I…" She said, but was stopped mid-sentence by my voice again.
"If you keep talking, I won't buy food here," I said, anger laced in my tone. My heart was pumping fast with rage, and my face was getting red.
When she noticed this, she kept quiet.
"Who was that woman from yesterday? I also need information about merchants around here, and would you stop talking while I am here?
"How about letting my mother come? The person you saw yesterday," the girl replied.
A middle-aged woman with kind but sharp eyes soon appeared from the back. She wiped her hands on her apron and smiled warmly at us. "Good morning. My daughter can be a little too excited sometimes. My name is Mira. You're looking for information about merchants?"
I nodded, keeping my voice low. "Yes. I want to start trading small goods on the road. Nothing dangerous. I need to know which caravans are reliable, what routes they take, and how someone like me can join them."
Mira leaned on the counter and lowered her voice as well. "The Ironwood Trading Company is the biggest and safest one around here. They leave every seven days heading west toward the bigger cities. They mostly carry herbs, information and curse-resistant materials. The pay is decent if you help guard the wagons or handle loading. They prefer people who keep quiet and don't ask too many questions."
She paused, studying me carefully. "You have a child with you. That makes things harder. Most caravans don't like taking families because of the risk, but Ironwood sometimes allows it if you prove you can pull your weight. Their next caravan leaves in three days. If you're serious, I can introduce you to the captain tonight. He owes me a favour."
I felt a small wave of relief. "That would help a lot. Thank you."
Mira smiled. "Just remember — out on the road, people don't care who you were before. They only care if you can keep the cargo safe and your mouth shut. If you're running from something… make sure it doesn't follow you to my inn. The King's men have been asking questions all week. They're offering a fortune for the fifth hero. You seem like a decent man. I'd hate to see you and the boy get caught up in that mess."
I swallowed and nodded. "I understand. Thank you for the warning."
By the time we finished breakfast, I had the names of two reliable merchants, the exact departure time of the next caravan, and a clear plan forming in my head.
I was no longer just running.
I would become a merchant.
From today onward, Lucius and Dave would travel under the disguise of a humble trader and his little brother. It would let us move freely, gather information about the curse, and stay one step ahead of the King's bounty hunters and the other heroes.
For the first time in days, a small spark of hope flickered in my chest.
But as we stepped out of the inn to meet Mira's contact, I noticed a familiar figure across the street — one of the rough men from last night. He was staring straight at us, whispering something to another guard while pointing in our direction.
My blood ran cold.
They hadn't believed me after all.