A bucket of cold water swallowed their dreams and the peace of the night. Renji was the first to flinch, gasping and trying to wipe his wet face with his sleeve. Tiberku, still caught in sleep, rolled off the bed straight onto the floor, letting out a short groan.
In front of them, with the bucket still dripping, stood the innkeeper's child, arms crossed and wearing a satisfied look.
— "Mother said to wake you. You've slept enough, and the sun is already high in the sky. If you don't come down right away, be ready to clean the whole inn by yourselves."
Renji stood up slowly, teeth chattering.
— "Did it really have to be water? Couldn't it just have been a shout?"
The boy shrugged and gave a short smile.
— "This is the method that always works. Nothing else does with you."
Tiberku shook his wet hair, still upset, but his voice remained calm.
— "At least he woke us up. Come on, Renji, otherwise we'll end up doing double work today."
The elf, who had slept curled up near the pillows, came out of the pocket and looked at the child with wide eyes.
— "If you splash my blanket next time, your dessert will disappear from your plate."
The boy stepped back, laughing shortly, then ran down the hall, leaving them wet and unrested.
Renji sighed and pulled his coat over his shoulders.
— "I feel this day will not be easy at all."
Tiberku gave him a serious look.
— "All the more reason we must hurry. We already have enough to deal with after finding that letter last night."
Renji nodded, clenching his fists lightly. The start of the day gave them no respite, no peace. But perhaps that was exactly what pushed them faster toward what awaited them.
Renji and Tiberku went down the stairs with still damp clothes. Their steps creaked on the old wood, and the smell of warm bread and fresh soup hit them immediately. The inn was already full, the tables buzzing with hurried customers, and the innkeeper moved among them with a sharp gaze.
When she spotted them, she raised her eyebrows.
— "You've finally decided to show up. If you thought about lazing around, know that it doesn't happen here. Take the trays and clear the corner tables. And Renji, you're needed in the stable as well."
Renji swallowed hard, taking the first tray.
— "Understood… I'll take care of it right away."
Tiberku leaned toward him, whispering shortly.
— "Be careful not to draw attention. After we finish here, we head to the northern well."
The elf had popped his head out of the pocket, staring at the steaming sausages in a bowl on the counter.
— "Since you're working, grab something for me too. I don't want to stay hungry until evening."
Renji nearly dropped the tray and clenched his teeth, trying not to laugh. Tiberku pretended to stay serious, but his mouth curved slightly.
The customers spoke loudly, quarreled over seats, and asked for more wine. A merchant banged his fist on the table, demanding his portion faster. Renji hurried to clean the nearby place, but his eyes kept darting to the door. He expected the mysterious man from yesterday morning or some soldier from the marketplace to walk in at any moment.
Tiberku moved among the tables with calculated steps, setting chairs back and gathering plates. At one point, he stopped near Renji and whispered:
— "Look discreetly, but the man by the fireplace has been watching us since we came down."
Renji pretended to be busy with a rag but turned his gaze just enough to see. An old man, wearing a thick cloak and holding a cane, sipped from a glass without blinking. His cloudy gray eyes were fixed on them.
The elf pressed against Renji's chest, whispering in a barely audible voice:
— "He's not a regular customer. I can feel his presence. He has a cold energy."
Renji tightened his grip on the tray and took a deep breath.
— "Tiberku, we need to finish quickly here and leave. I don't want to find out too late what that man is after."
The innkeeper clapped her hands, shouting over the noise:
— "Hey, you two! Tables don't clean themselves! Come on, people don't wait!"
Renji and Tiberku rushed to continue their work, but they both knew the day was only beginning and every second in the inn was heavy with a tension only they could feel.
The customers laughed and drank, but the atmosphere began to shift. At a table near the door, two men dressed as travelers argued louder and louder. Their voices drowned out the rest of the din, and wine spilled across the table.
— "I told you I won't pay double! You cheated me at dice!" one of them shouted, standing abruptly.
The other slammed his fist on the table.
— "You're a liar, everyone saw it! I'll smash your face now so you'll learn not to cheat!"
Chairs toppled, and a few customers stepped aside. Renji placed his tray on the counter and rushed forward before things got out of control. Tiberku stayed behind, ready to intervene if needed.
Renji grabbed the arm of the one who had already raised his fists.
— "Enough! If you have a score to settle, do it outside. In here, no blood is spilled."
The man jerked, trying to break free.
— "Let go of me, boy, it's none of your business!"
Renji stared straight at him and tightened his grip.
— "It is my business. You won't disturb the peace here or bring shame to the innkeeper. If you want to solve your quarrel, go outside. But here, you stop."
For a moment, it seemed things would escalate. The other customers watched silently, waiting for a blow. But the man restrained by Renji sighed, pulled back his arm, and shoved the chair.
— "Fine… not worth wasting time here. I've lost enough today."
He grabbed his cloak and retreated to the door, grumbling. The other sat back down, still angry but silent. The inn's murmur slowly returned to normal, though curious eyes lingered on Renji.
The innkeeper appeared beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
— "You did well. If they had started fighting, we'd have lost half the customers. Thank you."
Renji bowed his head slightly, trying to steady his breathing.
— "I just didn't want the inn turning into a battlefield."
The elf, hidden in his pocket, chuckled softly.
— "Renji, your face is red as if you held back a bull, not a drunk."
Tiberku came closer and nudged him with his elbow.
— "Good job. But see, the man by the fireplace is still watching us. He didn't miss a thing."
Renji drew in a breath and bit his lip. As much as he wanted to enjoy the innkeeper's gratitude, he knew that cold stare was no simple detail.
Murmurs of discontent faded, and the customers gradually returned to their meals. Still, a few banged their fists on the tables, approving Renji's resolve.
A fat merchant with a greasy beard raised his glass and shouted:
— "That's how it's done! This young man has more sense than two drunkards combined!"
An older woman holding her granddaughter on her lap looked at Renji and smiled warmly.
— "Thank you, dear. Children don't need to see fists and scandal."
Even two young blacksmith apprentices in a corner banged the table and looked at him with respect.
— "Bravo, lad! You should've thrown them out the window if they kept shouting."
The noise in the inn shifted, no longer tense but filled with a new energy. For a moment, Renji felt not only the innkeeper but the entire room looking at him. He straightened, embarrassed, and tried to lose himself among the tables with his tray.
The customers slowly returned to their business, though some still glanced at him with gratitude. For the first time since he had worked there, Renji felt the inn accepted him, that he was not just a tolerated stranger but someone useful.
The elf, barely holding back laughter, whispered:
— "You earned a few admiring looks. Maybe they'll give you an extra portion at dinner."
Tiberku gave a short smile, then said quietly:
— "Don't be fooled. The customers' respect fades quickly. What matters is that you earned the innkeeper's. That keeps the roof over our heads."
Renji drew a deep breath, ready to continue working. Yet his eyes again strayed to the table by the fireplace. The old man with the cloak and cane hadn't moved, and his cold gaze remained fixed on them.
The day stretched longer than they expected. Renji and Tiberku ran from table to table, lifted plates, brought pitchers, and gathered chairs. Customers came and went in a constant flow, and the innkeeper gave them no rest.
Renji felt his legs burn and his arms tremble with fatigue, but he didn't stop. Whenever he tried to catch his breath, the innkeeper's stare pushed him back to work. Tiberku, more restrained by nature, kept his calm, but his forehead was damp and his movements slower.
The elf, hidden in the pocket, commented playfully:
— "If I had hands like you, I'd have washed all the dishes already. But as it is… I can only watch."
Renji poked him lightly with a finger and kept carrying a tray.
When the sun set completely and only a few drunk customers remained asleep at the tables, the innkeeper raised her voice:
— "Enough for today. Clear the rest and then go upstairs. You've earned your beds."
Renji placed the last tray on the counter and leaned back, breathing heavily. Tiberku wiped his hands on a towel and gave a short nod, glad the day ended without more conflict.
On the stairs to the upper floor, Renji dragged his feet as if they were filled with lead.
— "I can't feel my toes. Tomorrow I'll collapse on the tables instead of wiping them."
Tiberku glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
— "You held up better than I thought. But don't forget, tomorrow we meet at the northern well. We can't be exhausted when we get there."
Renji nodded, though his eyes were half-closed.
Entering the room, the door creaked softly. The calm evening air drifted through the half-open window. Renji threw his coat on the chair and dropped on the bed without even removing his boots. Tiberku sat on the edge of the other bed, slowly peeling off his sweat-soaked sleeves.
The elf jumped out of the pocket and perched on the pillow with a solemn air.
— "This day was harder than a fight. But at least we gained something: a good dinner and the innkeeper's gratitude."
Renji closed his eyes, letting his head sink into the pillow.
— "Listen. I can't make it to the blacksmith today. The meeting at the well is more important. But after we finish there, I'll go straight to the workshop. I'll prepare the tools and the fire for tomorrow. The blacksmith expects everything ready, and if I show I planned ahead, maybe he'll see me differently."
The elf shook his tiny head, as if it was madness.
— "So we go to the well at night, and after that you want to stay up a few more hours to prepare the workshop? You'll end up sleeping on the anvil."
Renji smiled tiredly, but determined.
— "Doesn't matter how much I sleep. If I want to stay with the blacksmith, I have to be more devoted than the others. And if we lose the night at the well, I'd rather lose it with purpose."
Tiberku watched him for a few moments, then placed his hand on Renji's shoulder.
— "Fine. But don't complain later that your legs give out. And don't forget, the blacksmith doesn't just want you present, he wants results. Make sure you don't step into the workshop so tired that you mess up the first nail."
Renji got up slowly from the bed, throwing his cloak over his shoulder and glancing at Tiberku.
— "What time is it?" he asked, his voice betraying both impatience and fatigue.
Tiberku looked at the wall clock and answered shortly:
— "Almost eight. If we don't leave now, the meeting at the well will catch us unprepared."
The elf turned on the pillow, looking at them with wide, uneasy eyes.
— "Renji… something doesn't sit right with me. That letter… the meeting… the man at the inn… I feel something bad is hidden behind it all. I don't like it at all."
Renji looked at him for a moment, feeling the same chill.
— "I know… I feel it too. But we don't have time to stay still. If we're late, we risk losing everything."
The elf muttered tensely, his gaze buried in the pillows.
— "We must be careful. Something here isn't right. The well… the man… it's like a trap. I feel it through my whole body."
Renji inhaled deeply, pulled on his boots, and fixed his cloak over his shoulders.
— "Fine. We'll be careful. But we must go now. By the way… should I take your sword with me, in case something happens?"
Tiberku looked at him seriously and said:
— "No. If you take the sword, you'll draw attention. If a soldier or anyone sees, they'll stop us before we can do anything. We must go discreetly and avoid being noticed."
Renji nodded slowly, feeling the weight of the advice.
Renji and Tiberku left the room, quietly going down the inn's stairs. Their cloaks covered their figures, and their steps blended with the distant sound of lanterns. No knife or sword accompanied them, only their alertness and their effort to avoid the gaze of passersby.
— "We must be very careful of everything that moves around," said Tiberku, his eyes scanning the street shadows.
— "I know… without a sword we're more vulnerable, but we have no other choice," Renji replied, clutching the cloak closer to his body.
In their room, the elf left behind let out a muffled sigh. A strange unease pressed against his chest. After a few seconds, he opened his delicate, transparent wings and lifted into the air. He flew nimbly after Renji and Tiberku, gliding above the dark streets, ready to intervene or warn them if danger appeared.
Every beat of his wings brought him closer to the two, and the moonlight outlined his fragile yet determined silhouette. The elf felt the night's tension and the unease that grew with every step of the people below.
Renji and Tiberku had nearly reached the well when a soldier stepped from a dark corner and stopped them.
— "What are you doing at this hour on the city streets?" he asked firmly.
Renji shrugged, trying to appear calm:
— "We're just walking… that's all."
Tiberku stayed silent, but his eyes scanned the area carefully. The soldier looked them over and realized they were not locals, though he kept his suspicions:
— "You don't look like you're from this city. What are you doing here at this hour?"
Renji felt the tension rise, and the thought of the well pushed him to find a solution. At that moment, the elf, already flying above the street, spotted a pitcher on a distant porch. With a quick dive, he knocked it over, and it fell, shattering loudly.
The soldier flinched and turned immediately toward the house, moving to check the noise. Renji and Tiberku stood still, seizing the distraction. The path to the well grew clearer, and the elf kept flying above, ready to act if the soldier returned.
Renji and Tiberku moved slowly through the nearly empty streets, each step cautious, feeling the night shadows cling to their cloaks. In the distance, the northern well appeared under the pale moonlight, their footsteps echoing with the sounds of the sleeping city.
As they approached, Renji saw something glimmering by the well's edge. He came closer and found a letter pinned with a stone. Picking it up, he read in a low voice:
— "Lunarc"
Tiberku froze on the spot, his eyes locked on the word. In a cry that seemed to shatter the silence of the night, he exclaimed:
— "Eris!!!"
At that moment, a strong wave of dizziness struck him. Tiberku collapsed, unconscious, without realizing what was happening. Renji jolted, but before he could react, he too felt a sudden weakness, and the world around him went completely dark.