Inside the inn, the fire in the hearth blazed strong, casting a golden glow over the room, but Raelyn kept her hood up all the same. Wet strands of hair clung to her cheek, which she quickly adjusted back to behind her ears. She stepped carefully across the wood floor, leaving puddles in her wake. Hovan limped in behind her, eyes sweeping the tavern's mostly empty common room. Only two other patrons sat huddled near the fire, their eyes flicking over the newcomers with guarded interest.

Behind the counter stood a middle-aged woman, her gray-streaked hair tied back in a loose knot. "What can I do for you?" she asked, eyeing their soaked cloaks.

"Room for the night," Hovan said. "And if you've got something warm to eat, all the better."

The woman nodded, wiping her hands on the apron tied at her waist. "That'd be twenty riyans for the two of you. Food's included."

She gave them both a once-over, then added, "Did you come by horse?"

Hovan gave a small nod. "Two. They're already in the stables out back."

The woman's brow arched. "Then it's twenty-five, with feed and space for the night."

Hovan didn't argue. He reached into a pouch in his satchel and counted out the coins without complaint, the riyans clinking softly as he placed them in her outstretched hand.

She tucked the coins away and gave a satisfied nod. "All right. What'll it be for supper? We've still got some vegetable stew on the fire, or stuffed peppers if you don't mind them cold. Could warm up some mashed turnips too, if you're set on something hearty."

Hovan's brow creased. "No meat?" he repeated, the faintest edge of hope in his voice. "You don't have any hare? Or boar? Nothing caught today?"

The innkeeper gave a short laugh. "You're not from around here, are you?"

Hovan blinked, the question catching him off guard. "No. We're passing through."

She nodded, already reaching for a pair of bowls. "That explains it, then. Hunting's forbidden in Anderwyn. One of the elf-laws. Protects the woodland beasts."

There was a beat of silence as Hovan absorbed the answer. He glanced at Raelyn, trying to mask his disappointment. "Right," he muttered, clearing his throat. "Of course."

The woman leaned a hand on the bar. "That said... one of our sheep died this morning. Old thing, but still good meat. If you don't mind mutton, I can roast a cut for you."

"That'll do," Hovan said, his mood lifting. "The biggest piece you've got."

The woman tilted her head, and scribbled something down on a small scrap of parchment with a stub of charcoal. "You want any greens or potatoes with it?"

Hovan shook his head. "No greens. Had enough of those to last a lifetime. But I wouldn't mind some potatoes."

The woman turned to Raelyn. "And what about you, girl?"

Raelyn hesitated, then softly said, "I'll have the stew, please. Thank you."

The woman gave a nod, and finished writing down the order. "It'll be brought up to your room when it's ready. Name's Mara. If you need anything, just ask."

Raelyn hesitated, fingers curled slightly against the edge of the counter. She had been holding the question in for a long time, but now that they were no longer secluded in Caelluma, she had to ask. She shifted forward a little, lowering her voice. "Have you heard about a demon attack on Ardesco in Kaiswen?" Her throat tightened, anxiously awaiting the answer.

Mara frowned and shook her head. "We don't get much news from Kaiswen out here. Those magi keep their business within that barrier of theirs. Sorry, love."

Raelyn's heart sank. She nodded, trying not to show how much the answer stung.

"But..." Mara added, her voice lowering slightly. "We did hear there was fire Misty Woods, not far from here. Word is it was demons that started it."

Raelyn and Hovan looked at one another and Raelyn pulled her hood tighter. Even a glimpse of her white hair could cause suspicion. With demons nearby these people would likely kick them out in the rain in an attempt to avoid the wrath of the gods. Rakz gave a soft, uneasy chirp from within the folds of her cloak, and she gently reached up to soothe him.

"That's why we're rebuilding the outer walls, you see," Mara added. "The elves say they'll protect us, but if Caelluma falls, the next tribe is days away. We'd be on our own."

"Smart," Hovan said. "Wouldn't want to be caught out here defenseless."

Mara retrieved a small iron key from behind the bar and handed it to Hovan. "Upstairs, last room on the right at the end of the hall. I'll bring your meals when they're done."

Hovan nodded his thanks and gestured for Raelyn to follow. Together, they climbed the creaking steps, their boots leaving wet prints on the door.

At the end of the hall they found their room. The door creaked open, revealing a modest room with two beds, a low table, and an unlit hearth. Raelyn stepped inside, dripping, chilled to the bone. Their cloaks, heavy with rain, fell to the floor with a wet slap. Raelyn wrung out the ends of her hair with both hands, strands clinging to her neck and cheeks. Hovan ran a hand back through his mohawk, now plastered flat and dripping onto his shoulders.

Rakz skittered across the wooden floor and came to a stop before the unlit fireplace. He gave a soft series of chirps, tail flicking as he stared into the cold hearth. Raelyn knelt beside him, brushing her hair behind her ear as she reached for the firewood stacked nearby. Her fingers moved slowly, arranging kindling and logs as she had seen Hovan do so many times before.

Behind her, Hovan exhaled with effort as he sank down onto a wooden chair by the window. The groan he gave was half exhaustion, half discomfort. With a wince, he peeled the soaked fabric of his tunic away from his torso. Beneath it, the bandages clung wetly to his skin, darkened with moisture. He paused, then carefully began to unwind them, slow and deliberate, revealing the wound beneath. It was healing well, the edges had closed, raw pink now rather than angry red, though the skin around it was still bruised and swollen from the fight with Abigor. He fished out the bundle of pain-dulling leaves Elowen had given him, took one into his mouth, and began to chew. His face twisted immediately.

"Riding a horse didn't used to hurt this much," he muttered. "Grateful for these things, even if they taste like old boots."

He reached into his satchel, pulling free the jar Elowen had given him. The paste inside was dark and thick, smelling faintly of crushed herbs and damp earth. He dipped two fingers into it and began to apply it to the wound. The moment it touched the raw skin, he sucked air in through his teeth, shoulders tightening.

A spark of flint against steel cracked twice before the fire caught. Raelyn coaxed the flame to life, her breath soft against the flickering tinder. The logs began to glow at the edges, crackling faintly. Rakz gave a pleased hum and curled up beside the hearth, his scaled body stretched toward the warmth. Raelyn smiled gently at the sight.

Then something stirred. A prickle at the base of her neck, the kind that made her spine straighten and her breath pause. She turned, slow, cautious, but the room remained unassuming. Hovan was still at the window, pressing the poultice to his side.

"It'll take us a couple of days to reach Brystwy Forest," he said, not looking up. "Might prove difficult to find the elves once we're there, though. They don't exactly hang up signs."

Raelyn nodded faintly but her eyes wandered to the far corners of the room. Her gaze flicked toward the door, then the shuttered windows and the ceiling beams, but couldn't pinpoint where her unease was coming from.

Hovan shifted, re-wrapping his side with fresh, dry bandages. "The elves of Caelluma will keep the demons busy for two days, at least. Even then, they've no clue where we're headed. Anderwyn is a big realm, they won't be able to find us."

But Raelyn wasn't listening anymore. Her fingers moved to her tunic, drawing out the locket hidden beneath the damp fabric. The white metal pulsed faintly. She held it in both hands, brows furrowing. The locket felt warm. Was it reacting to her and her growing anxiety? Or to something else?

"Raelyn?" Hovan's voice drew her back. She looked over her shoulder. He had noticed the change in her demeanor. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know what it is," she said, quietly. "But I've felt it before. This feeling... like we're not alone. Like I'm being watched." She looked down at the locket again. "And I think the locket can feel it too."

Hovan straightened slightly, alert now. "Feel what?"

She didn't answer immediately. The pulse in her hands was stronger now, no longer subtle. "I think it's trying to tell me something," she said. Her thumb brushed along the edge of the locket, and her heart picked up pace. Corix had told her to trust her instincts, and her instincts were telling her something was off.

She looked to Hovan. "I'm going to try something."

Hovan pushed himself up from the chair with a soft grunt. He took a slow step closer, his gaze flicking from Raelyn to the locket.

Raelyn closed her eyes. The locket's weight settled in her palms, its metal warm against her skin. She inhaled through her nose, held the breath, and let her focus slip inward, toward her medial. There, the current of magic stirred, and with careful intent she guided it towards her palms. The locket responded immediately. Its pulse quickened, and the vibrations running through it surged up her arm like a wave, filling her chest with a low, resonant hum.

She kept her grip steady, grounding herself as the cloudy stone at the center of the locket began to swirl. The motion inside it spun faster, stormlike, the currents of energy no longer confined. They spilled outward, growing with every heartbeat. The hum thickened into a layered sound, rising in pitch. Light burst outward with a suddenness that tore a gasp from her lips.

Blinding, searing, brilliant. It poured from the locket in a radiant explosion that swallowed the room whole. Shadows vanished in an instant. The corners of the room, the cracks between floorboards, even the space beneath the bed, were swept clean by the blast. The walls shook with a low tremor. Static prickled along Raelyn's skin. Her breath caught as the force of it rushed past her.

She squeezed her eyes shut. Somewhere in the brightness, Rakz yelped and scurried backward. Hovan let out a grunt and shielded his face with one arm, followed by a third scream.

It was a raw, guttural sound of fury and pain. It echoed through the room, and for a moment, the only thing Raelyn felt was the sharp, unmistakable bite of fear. Her grip tightened around the locket. And then, as suddenly as it started, the scream stopped.

The light began to fade, until the glow of the locket dulled to a soft white. The humming stopped. The air grew still. Raelyn opened her eyes slowly, though her vision swam with afterimages. She blinked hard, her breath shallow, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady herself.

"Hovan?" she whispered, voice unsteady.

"I'm here," came his voice, rough but clear. "What in the gods' names was that?"

Her vision sharpened by degrees. She turned, blinking past the veil of light still imprinted on her eyes, when she saw it. There, in the center of the room, lay something that hadn't been there before.

A small, twisted figure, curled in on itself. Its skin was pale and leathery, stretched thin over wiry limbs. Clawed fingers hung limp against its sunken chest. Its eyes, cloudy and milky white, stared blankly upward, unseeing. Smoke rose faintly from its flesh where the skin had blackened and charred. The smell that followed was acrid.

Hovan stared at it, mouth slightly agape. He reached for his sword, unsheathing it with a soft scrape. With measured steps, he approached the body and prodded it with the tip of the blade. The creature didn't move.

"By the gods," he murmured. "What is that?"

Rakz crept closer, head lowered, sniffing with caution. He circled the body once, then gave it an experimental nibble. His small teeth tested the edge of the creature's arm before Raelyn stepped forward and scooped him up.

"Don't do that," she said softly, cradling him close.

Hovan hadn't taken his eyes off the corpse. "Is that a demon?"

Raelyn nodded slowly. "It looks like one. A smaller one, like Massah."

"Where did it come from?" he asked, glancing toward the door, then the window.

"I think..." she paused, her eyes settling on the locket still glowing faintly in her hand. "I think it was already here."

"An invisible demon?" Hovan looked around again, more sharply this time. "How did you know it was there?"

"I don't know." She lowered her gaze to the stone, watching as a thread of grey mist within it vanished, replaced once more by the locket's familiar, quiet white. "I think it was hiding in the shadows. And the locket...sensed it somehow. And forced it out."

They both turned back to the body. It looked so small now. So pitiful. The way its limbs curled inward, the dull slackness of its mouth, the blank stare. But there was no mistaking what it had been. The thing had been watching them.

"I think it was watching us," she said quietly. "Listening."

Hovan's eyes widened, brow furrowing with a dawning grimness. "That's how the demons knew we had left Kaiswen for Anderwyn," he said. "How they found us in that barn outside Misty Woods. And in Caelluma, they knew exactly in which direction we fled. They weren't tracking us." he looked down at the dead creature. "They were being told."

Raelyn's stomach churned. "It must've been relaying everything we said. Everything we did."

Hovan looked down at the thing again, his face hardening. He gave it another small prod with the tip of his blade. "Well. It won't anymore," he muttered. "Good riddance."

But Raelyn shook her head. "We can't assume this is the only one." She looked to the locket, still nestled in her palm. "Whenever the locket reacts like that, we use it. We can't take any chances."

Hovan gave a slow nod. "Agreed. Before we discuss anything important. Before we plan anything. We use the locket to kill any demons hiding in the shadows."

Raelyn lowered her gaze. "Do you think they know we're heading for Eryndoriel?"

"We have to assume they do." Hovan sheathed his sword. "But they don't know we left Caelluma. You probably killed it before it could relay the information. At least that bought us some time."

"Not enough," she said under her breath.

Her eyes flicked between the locket and the demon's body, the two now inextricably linked in her mind. The locket had protected them. It had reacted to the threat. And somehow, she had been able to use it to kill the demon.

"There's more to this locket than we thought," she said, almost to herself. "It's not just the key to finding the weapon. It's more than that."

The locket had always reacted to Raelyn, but this time she was the one that activated it using her magic. That had to mean something. Maybe Corix and Keardath had been right all along. Maybe she really was able to do something no one else could. If she could really channel the magic of the gods, maybe she really could find this weapon. Only time would tell.

"If anyone's going to figure it out," Hovan said. "it's going to be you."

The corner of her mouth tugged upward, but it didn't reach her eyes. The locket felt heavier now, like it had revealed a new layer of responsibility she hadn't seen before. The idea that something had been listening to them this whole time made her skin crawl. The memory of the barn, of their escape from Caelluma, all of it took on a darker hue.

The locket had protected them this time, but the truth was painfully clear now; their enemy had always been a step ahead. From the moment the casket arrived at Ardesco. First someone had attempted to steal it, then someone let the demons into Kaiswen and since then the demons have been right on their heels.

She shifted Rakz in her arms as he wriggled, still intent on returning to the corpse. She held him tighter. "Not a snack," she muttered. "Absolutely not."

"We should get rid of it," Hovan said. "Before the innkeeper comes with our food. I don't want to explain why there's a dead demon on the floor."

Raelyn exhaled and moved toward the bed to grab one of the spare blankets. Rakz squirmed in her arms and chirped softly, clearly still rattled. She gave him a gentle stroke and set him down by the fire again, away from the corpse. He nestled close to the heat, though his eyes stayed locked on the thing.

As Hovan crouched beside her and helped roll the twisted body into the blanket, Raelyn cast one last glance at the locket. Its glow was gone now, its surface quiet. But she knew there were many more secrets left within to uncover.