The room the sisters had given me was small, but it was warm. A modest bed pushed against the wall, a chest for clothes, and a single candle that flickered as if it knew I wasn't going to sleep.
I sat there for a long while, armor half removed, staring at the ceiling. Endarie's words echoed in my mind, mixing with Taarie's sharp tone from earlier. The guilt pressed down on me like a heavy stone.
I thought I could stay here. That maybe—just maybe—I could pretend to live a normal life. Carrying dresses, helping in the shop, going to festivals. It was simple. It was comfortable. It was… safe.
But it wasn't.
That presence tonight proved it. The same foul stench of something watching, waiting. Miraak. Mora. Their eyes were still on me, and nothing I did could shake them off.
I clenched my fist.
Cleansing Meridia's temple should have been the end of that darkness, but all it did was open the door wider. I wasn't free. I was a target. And if I stayed here, then Solitude would be dragged into it too. Radiant Raiment. The sisters. Taarie.
Especially Taarie.
I leaned forward, burying my face in my hands. "Damn it…"
Part of me wanted to ignore it, to let myself enjoy a few more weeks of this simple work. But every time I pictured her smiling—or worse, her walking away from me like she did earlier—it twisted into a nightmare where that smile was gone forever, stolen by something far darker.
No. I couldn't let that happen.
If Miraak was out there… if Mora had set his gaze on me… then I couldn't keep running from it. Eventually, I'd have to face them. To do that, I'd need power. Knowledge. The Black Books. Just like in the game.
But unlike the game, I wasn't Dragonborn. I wasn't some chosen hero with shouts that shook mountains. I was just me. And right now? I was too weak.
Staying here wouldn't change that.
I drew in a shaky breath, forcing myself to my feet. The decision was made. I'd leave Solitude soon. Before I could endanger anyone else.
But first… I owed Taarie an apology.
The morning sun filtered into the shop through narrow windows, casting golden light over the displays of fine dresses and tunics. Radiant Raiment was quiet, save for the rustle of fabric and the faint sound of Solitude waking outside.
Taarie was already there, adjusting a mannequin with her usual focus. She didn't look up when I approached, her expression sharp as ever. But I could feel it—the coldness that hadn't been there before.
I swallowed, steadying myself. "Taarie."
She paused, glancing at me only briefly before going back to her work. "You're up early."
"Couldn't sleep," I admitted. I shifted awkwardly, unsure how to start. Words always came easily in my head, but getting them out? That was the real battle. "About last night… I'm sorry."
Her hands froze on the fabric. Slowly, she turned to face me, her expression guarded. "Sorry for what, exactly?"
"For making you feel like I didn't want to be there," I said. "That wasn't it. At all. I just… had things on my mind. Things I can't explain. But it was never about you."
She studied me for a long moment, her golden eyes sharp as if trying to read between the cracks of what I wasn't saying. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. "You have a way of complicating things, Chad."
A weak smile tugged at my lips. "Yeah. I'm good at that."
She almost smiled back, almost—but then her usual composure returned. "Don't do it again."
"I won't," I said. Then I hesitated, the weight of the next words heavy on my tongue. "But… I also need to tell you something."
Her brow arched, skeptical. "Go on."
"In a few days, I'll be leaving."
The words hung between us, heavy and final.
Taarie blinked, her expression unreadable. "Leaving? What do you mean?"
"I mean I can't stay here. Not for long." I forced myself to meet her eyes. "You and Endarie have been… more than kind to me. Letting me stay, giving me work. I'll never forget that. But I can't keep taking advantage of it. I need to… move on. Continue my journey."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "You're quitting."
I nodded. "Yeah."
She looked away, folding her arms across her chest. "Figures. I should have known you wouldn't last."
The sting of her words was sharper than I expected, but I held my ground. "It's not because I don't want to be here. It's because I do. Too much. And that's the problem."
Her eyes flicked back to me, narrowing slightly as if she wanted to push for more. For the truth. But I couldn't give it to her. If she knew the kind of danger circling me, she'd be caught in it too. Better for her to think I was just restless, or unreliable. Anything but the truth.
Silence stretched between us, thick and uneasy. Finally, Taarie turned back to the mannequin, her voice clipped. "Do what you want. It's your life."
I nodded again, though the tightness in my chest grew heavier.
Leaving was the right choice. I had to believe that.
But as I stood there, watching her smooth out the folds of the dress she was working on, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd already regret it.