The djinn's final words still echoed in my head.
"I truly did care for you... You humans… you really are selfish. And treacherous."
The forest was alive again with the sound of birdsong. Wind whispered through the branches, leaves rustling as if nothing had happened. Nature had returned to its rhythm, yet the silence inside me was heavy, suffocating. With every step I took, the stench of the cave clung to me, the looming shadow over stone, those eyes swirling gold and black, and the weight of their gaze.
Mnex said nothing. Perhaps because I didn't want to talk. Or perhaps because even he didn't want to chase questions without answers.
At the bend in the path, figures emerged in the distance. At first, they seemed part of the forest's shadow, but as they drew closer the weight in their steps and the steady rhythm of hooves became clear. My hand drifted instinctively to the hilt of my sword.
When they broke through the tree line and into sunlight, familiar faces appeared astride their horses. Gareth led the group, shoulders squared, expression weary yet confident. Behind him rode Theo and Doyle, followed by five more soldiers. All urged their mounts forward quickly toward us.
The moment Gareth reached me, he spoke.
"As you commanded, I brought the others."
My brows knit together. "What?"
"You sent me back... to call for reinforcements, didn't you?"
From behind me, Mnex's dry voice cut in.
"Oh genius. See? At this point you don't even need a brain, random people are volunteering to do the thinking for you."
It didn't take long to piece it together. I had actually sent him back to start preparations for the dam, but he must have taken it as a request for help. Either way, I wasn't going to waste the opportunity.
"No," I said firmly. "The situation was already under control. I allowed the djinn to lead me deeper so I could wipe them out completely." I lied through my teeth.
"Smooth delivery. If lying were a sport, you'd have a medal by now." Mnex chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.
Theo raised his brows. "And... did you?"
I smiled with pride. "Yes."
Theo glanced at Jideon. Jideon nodded silently, short and certain.
The two exchanged no further words, but their wary eyes lingered on me. Behind them, the soldiers traded glances, their hands careful to stay clear of their weapons.
Murmurs spread among the soldiers. A young one in front blurted out with awe, "Alone?"
"Not alone," I corrected with a flourish. "Jideon was by my side. We fought as one... Together we ended it."
Another whispered, "Was it really that big and strong, like Gareth said?"
Mnex scoffed inside my head. "Congratulations, you're a legend now, just not the kind you actually earned. But hey, enjoy the applause."
I straightened my shoulders a little more, savoring the stares and whispers. "What matters now," I declared, "is that the danger has passed. Preparations for the dam will continue without delay."
Theo's expression hardened. He turned to me, his voice sharp.
"From now on, young lord, you don't go anywhere without either me or Doyle."
I shrugged lightly. "Of course... though that means you'll be hogging all the fun."
Theo narrowed his eyes. "Fun like this usually costs people their heads."
"My head's still attached," I said with a grin. "Besides, this time no one could keep up with me."
Doyle shook his head, trying not to laugh. "That's why we're here, to make sure it stays attached."
A few soldiers chuckled quietly, but Theo's gaze never softened. Still, the tension gave way to a brief, much-needed lift in mood after the long ride.
When the city walls came into view, the weight of exhaustion gave way to an odd sense of calm. Godfrey's Cross gleamed under the late afternoon sun, its stone walls catching the warm light while the noise of the marketplace carried even from afar. Hooves clattered against the stone road, each strike echoing like a herald of our return.
At the gates, soldiers saluted while townsfolk stared with curious eyes. Whispers rippled through the crowd, the words "troll" and "djinn" floating between them. Gareth's dramatic retelling had clearly beaten us home.
We headed straight for the mansion. My father, Richard Frederick Godfrey, was waiting in the entrance hall, arms folded, his expression caught between relief and interrogation. Beside him stood my grandfather, Percival Galahad Godfrey, leaning on his cane, though his sharp eyes were unwavering.
"You've returned," my father said, his voice both relieved and probing. "And the troll... or the djinn, whichever it was, where is it?"
"This journey was different," I said as I approached with deliberate steps. "We encountered a troll... and a djinn."
My grandfather's brows lifted slightly. "A djinn, truly?"
"Yes," I confirmed, straightening further and adding the pride he expected from me. "I destroyed them both. The situation is under control."
My father narrowed his eyes. "Destroyed... completely?"
Theo stepped forward. "The young lord did as he claimed. Jideon witnessed it."
Jideon inclined his head. "I was there."
Grandfather struck his cane against the floor with a firm thud, the new rhythm of it only recently added to his step, yet the hall already seemed to recognize its authority. "Ha! That's my grandson." His eyes gleamed, though caution lingered in his tone. "Still, such threats should never be taken lightly."
My father exhaled deeply. "We'll discuss this in detail at dinner. For now, rest."
I allowed a faint smile. "I will... but preparations for the dam must begin immediately."
After my father left the hall, I retreated to my room. The dust of the road still clung to me, but rest was the farthest thing from my mind. All that acting in front of the people had drained me more than I cared to admit. I cracked the window open, the hum of city life spilled in from outside.
Three knocks rapped against the door.
"Enter," I called.
The tap of a cane accompanied my grandfather's arrival. He stepped inside, his dark coat crisp, his posture unyielding despite his age. Closing the door behind him, he moved to stand near the window.
"Djinn," he said, pronouncing the word with care. "It was truly a djinn?"
I narrowed my eyes. "It took the troll's body. That's how they introduced themselves."
For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze lost beyond the glass. "When I was young, there were always djinn stories. Most dismissed them as fairy tales. Yet... some held a grain of truth. They were not just beings of power, but of cunning and patience. Their most dangerous gift..." He turned his eyes to me, sharp and steady. "The ability to read a man's heart."
"I killed it," I replied, a hard edge slipping into my tone.
He fixed me with a piercing look. "If you truly killed it, then peace will follow. But if by chance it yet lives... this city faces ruin."
In my mind, those swirling eyes flashed again, gold and black entwined. A shiver crawled up my spine, but my voice did not falter.
"I killed it," I repeated. "It's gone."
He leaned a little heavier on his cane, stepping closer. "Then your path is clear. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you must grow stronger. If it crosses your path again... there will be no second chance."
Mnex's dry voice coiled in my head. "Smooth. Keep saying it with that tone and you might even convince yourself one day."
He turned for the door, then paused, glancing back.
"And Henry... well done. I don't know how much of it is true, but djinn are creatures of legend."
When the door shut behind him, I was alone again.
Mnex finally broke his silence. "Not sure if you noticed, but the old man's been carrying that cane around a lot lately."
Mnex, don't you dare start with another 'your grandpa's halfway to the grave' joke!
"On the contrary... I just ran a quick analysis. The geezer's healthier than you are, probably bury you himself."
Seriously?
"Yep. Heart, lungs, everything's steady. I think the cane's just for show. Your whole family, honestly... masters of theatrics."
I smirked faintly. Your influence runs deeper than you admit.
"Wrong. Those are just facts. Your weak brain hears bragging because it can't process anything above mediocrity. Don't blame me for the limits of your kind."
Sure, sure...
- - - -
Elsewhere, the land kept its own secrets... Villagers froze when the riders came into view. Sunlight glinted off the iron plates, each breastpiece stamped with the same sigil: a proud peacock spreading jeweled feathers. The crest caught every eye, though no one dared speak it aloud.
The squad leader reined in his horse, scanning the thatched roofs, the frightened faces. "Where is the sick child?" His tone carried no patience.
A bent farmer lifted a trembling hand and pointed toward a hut near the well. "T…there, ser. The family has kept him inside."
The leader dismounted, boots crunching on dry earth. He pushed past the hesitant parents, ignoring their pleas. Within, the smell of fever and sweat lingered. The boy lay curled on straw, breath ragged, eyes glazed. For a moment the soldier simply looked, then turned back to the threshold.
He fixed his gaze on the boy's mother. "Prepare his meals as usual, but leave them on the table near the door. He will eat. You will not step closer."
Then his head snapped toward his men. "Do not touch him. Do not go near him. Do not let anyone go near him. Post a guard at the door. I will inform my lord."
Two soldiers took position at once, spears grounded, eyes hard. The family wept quietly as they were herded away.
Days passed. The boy inside grew weaker, and still the guards stood at the threshold, iron shadows unmoving in the sun and rain alike. The hut became a place no one dared glance at for long.
On the fifth morning, the squad leader returned, this time not alone. Another man rode beside him, with a pale-haired boy perched on his saddle. The stranger swung down, his smile fixed and too wide.
"Go inside, son," he said lightly. "They say the boy in there is lonely, waiting for a friend. Play with him a while. I'll speak with the soldier."
The boy slipped into the hut, door creaking shut behind him.
The leader's voice dropped low. "When all this is finished, you will have one thousand solmar… and a farmstead of your own."
The man's grin widened, sly and hungry.
And the deal was sealed in silence.