Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Rhett

Still, the girl, who hadn’t said a word since they left Stoneford, tightened her grip on Lira’s sleeve as they passed through the gates.

“It’s alright,” Lira whispered. “You’re safe here.”

The girl didn’t respond, but she didn’t resist either.

Inside, Virel City was alive.

Vendors called out from their stalls, the smell of cooked food filled the air, and people moved about like nothing was wrong in the world. It felt almost unreal after what they had just seen.

“…Feels strange,” Kellan said quietly. “Going from that… to this.”

“Get used to it,” Doran replied. “That’s just how it is.”

At the front, the leader, Rhett. Glanced around before pointing down a street.

“There. We’ll stay at that inn.”

The sign above the building swayed slightly in the breeze, painted with a faded image of a resting stag.

They stepped inside.

The inn was warm and lively, filled with low chatter and the clinking of cups. A few heads turned toward them as they entered, mostly out of curiosity, but the attention didn’t last long.

Rhett approached the counter.

“We need two rooms,” he said, placing a few coins down. “One of them quiet.”

The innkeeper, a middle-aged man with tired eyes, glanced at the group his gaze lingering briefly on the girl clinging to Lira.

“…Rough road?” he asked.”You could say that,” Rhett replied.

The innkeeper didn’t press further. He simply nodded and handed over two keys.

“Upstairs. End of the hall.”

“Thanks.”

Rhett took the keys and motioned for the others to follow.

They moved upstairs without wasting time. The hallway was quieter, the noise from below fading into a dull murmur.

Lira guided the girl into one of the rooms. It was simple, two beds, a small table, and a window, but clean.

“…Here,” Lira said gently, helping her sit on the edge of the bed.

The girl hesitated for a moment before slowly lying down, her body still tense.

“It’s okay,” Lira added softly. “You can rest.”

The girl curled slightly on her side, her hands gripping the edge of the blanket. Her eyes stayed open, staring at nothing.

“…We’re not asking anything yet,” Rhett said from the doorway.

Kellan leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Yeah. She looks like she’ll break if we push her now.”

Bram nodded. “Let her calm down first.”

Doran let out a quiet sigh. “…Whatever she saw back there, it messed her up bad.”

Rhett glanced at the girl one more time before turning away.

“We’ll talk later,” he said. “For now, she rests.”

Lira stayed by the bedside, gently pulling the blanket over the girl.

“You’re safe,” she whispered again.

This time, the girl’s eyes slowly closed.

Not fully at ease, but exhausted enough to give in.

The others quietly stepped out of the room, closing the door behind them.

In the hallway, silence lingered for a moment.

Kellan finally spoke.

“…Monsters, huh?”

No one answered right away.

Rhett leaned against the wall, his gaze distant.

“…We’ll hear the full story soon enough.”

The next morning, soft light slipped through the cracks in the curtains, casting a pale glow across the room.

Lira was already awake.

She sat quietly by the small table, watching the girl on the bed. The night had been restless, murmurs, sudden flinches, the kind of sleep that never truly lets you rest.

“…At least she slept,” Lira muttered under her breath.

A gentle knock came from the door.

“It’s me,” Kellan’s voice followed.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open, and Kellan stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. Fresh bread, a bowl of stew, and a cup of water. The smell alone filled the room.

“Got something warm,” he said, setting it down. “Figured she’d need it.”

Lira nodded. “Thanks.”

The scent must have reached her.

The girl stirred.

Her eyes slowly opened, unfocused at first, then snapping into awareness. She sat up abruptly, her breathing uneven, as if expecting something to jump out at her.

“Hey, hey,” Lira said quickly, raising a hand.

The girl’s gaze darted around the room before settling on Lira. Her shoulders trembled, but she didn’t panic this time.

“…Where…” her voice came out dry and weak.

“Virel City,” Lira answered gently. “You’re in an inn. We brought you here yesterday.”

The girl blinked, trying to process it.

Then, her eyes landed on the food.

She froze.

For a brief second, she just stared at it.

Then her stomach growled loudly.

Kellan let out a quiet breath. “…Yeah. Thought so.”

Lira slowly picked up the bowl and held it out.

“Here. Eat.”

The girl hesitated, only for a moment.

Then she grabbed the bowl with both hands.

And started eating.

No hesitation. No manners. She shoveled the food into her mouth like she hadn’t eaten in days, like she was afraid it would disappear if she slowed down.

The girl finished the bowl in minutes. Then the bread. Every last piece.

Only when there was nothing left did she finally slow down.

Her hands trembled slightly as she lowered them, her breathing still uneven.

For a moment, she just sat there, staring at the empty tray.

Then her eyes started to water.

“…Thank you…” she whispered.

Lira softened a little.

“You’re fine,” she said. “You needed it.”

The girl nodded weakly, clutching the edge of the blanket again, but this time, her grip wasn’t as desperate.

Kellan pushed himself off the wall.

“…Alright,” he said quietly. “When you’re ready… we’re going to need to talk about what happened.”

The girl flinched slightly at that.

The word happened clearly brought something back.

Her fingers tightened.

“…Monsters…” she whispered again, her voice shaking.

Lira placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

“Then tell us,” she said softly. “What did you see?”

Lira didn’t rush her.

She let the silence settle first, giving the girl time to breathe, to steady herself after eating. The tension in the room had eased a little, but it was still there, thin, fragile.

Lira pulled a chair closer and sat in front of her.

“…Hey,” she said gently. “Before anything else… what’s your name?”

The girl hesitated.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the blanket, her eyes lowering.

“…M-Mira,” she whispered.

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