Chapter 263: Shadow Escort

“You know I’m getting tired of following you around, I mean, I lost the job because you barged in and decided we had work. What is it that was this important?”

He knew he had been the one who told Kade to try and get a job at the Inn, but at the same time, he knew he wasn’t going to need to do that. With this job, it would have been useless for him to get it, since they were going to have enough money, and after they got the shard, they were going to leave the city either way.

“To keep it short, I got us a job, one that will pay us, and be ready when I say this, four hundred embers.”

Kade froze in place, his mouth almost reaching the ground. It would have been pretty funny if a fly had entered his mouth right now…

“H-how much?”

Aether chuckled at his reaction. One worthy to see over and over again, he wondered if the boy had even seen so much money in his life, for someone who lived on the lowest island in Veyr, it must be an impossible amount to have at once.

“We have to escort a family to the Great Harbor, which made me think that they want to set sail on the sea and leave Stormfell.”

Though you had to wonder, since four hundred was definitely money, just how rich was this family? After all, this bone city wasn’t that rich, so were there actually people in this place who were rich?

“Apparently, they are waiting for us at the gate, ready to leave whenever we want, which makes me wonder if this is their home, or something else, since they really want to leave, and as soon as possible.”

Really, everything led him to believe that there was some sort of rich family who had decided to check out the mighty Stormfell as a vacation, since they heard many cool stories about it, only to get stranded somehow, maybe their guide or the person who was protecting them died, but in the end, they had to live in this city.

…

…

Once they reached the gate, Aether noticed five people standing by the gate; they seemed prepared to leave.

The man who stood at the front was unmistakably the father. Somewhere in his forties, he carried himself with a quiet, deliberate posture, as if every movement had already been considered before it was made. His black hair was parted cleanly down the middle, combed flat against his scalp with careful precision, not a single strand daring to fall out of place.

It mad him a little jealous, he had to say, since his hair was very rebellious, and it was always sticking out, it was good that he could grow it with his relic, since most of the time instead of trying to style it, he just grew it and put it in a bun or a ponytail in the back, and let his bangs just as they reached his eyes. If it got too long, he would cut it and then grow it back for fresh hair.

The clothes of the man were modest at a glance, but too well-fitted, too clean for this city, the kind of simplicity that came from choice rather than necessity.

’Definitely not from the city… and it’s not just his clothes, or how he carried himself, his eyes… I see a light.’

Though it did make him wonder if it was because of him, the small flame in his eyes, had they been the ones who made him hope again.

His eyes moved often, sharp and measuring, lingering just a second longer than needed on Aether and Kade.

Beside him stood the woman, and unlike him, she made no attempt to blend into anything.

She held her chin slightly raised, not enough to seem forced, but enough that it never dropped. Her posture was straight, almost rigid, like the world existed to meet her gaze rather than the other way around. Even in stillness, there was something deliberate in the way she stood, shoulders set back, movements controlled, each gesture carrying an unspoken confidence.

’Are they nobles? No, that wouldn’t make sense, if they were people, they would have come to save the, and they wouldn’t have to make a job for it.

Her clothes were more refined, layered with small details that caught the eye without being excessive, the kind meant to be noticed. There was a faint tension in her expression, not fear, but impatience, like everything around her was slower than it should be.

’They are just pretending to be nobles, or at least she is… I already know I’m going to have trouble with her…’

The boy stood a step behind them, around twelve, so younger than him and Kade, and by a good amount, almost four whole years younger. But at the time, he was one year younger than he was when he first started challenging books on his own, one year younger than the him from Frozen Crown.

So it was reasonable to say he might be weaker than Kade was.

The kid’s eyes wandered around, as if it was the first time he was anything like it, taking in the gate, the guards, Aether, and Kade, but each time they lingered too long, he pulled them back, as if remembering he shouldn’t stare.

’Must be something his parents taught him.’

He tried to stand straight like his father, but there was a slight looseness to it, something not yet practiced, his hands shifting now and then without knowing where to settle.

It was funny, it was… for a second, until he remembered his father; his mood got killed.

…

He really did miss him, and seeing someone else have fun with their parents, well, he wasn’t sure they were having fun right now, but you get the idea. It reminded him of his past.

Aether put his hand on the pin in his hair, rubbing it with his thumb.

It was the only thing he had from home, something that was worn by his mother and given to him by his dad. It was the only thing that reminded him of both.

Next to the boy was a girl, smaller, no older than nine.

’They brought a nine-year-old to Stormfell… crazy lunatics.’

Before this, he knew it would be hard to keep them safe, but now things had changed: they had an actual child to protect.

’This is going to be tough…’

She stayed close to the woman, almost within arm’s reach, her presence quieter but not withdrawn. Her gaze was softer, less guarded than the boy’s, drifting more freely as she looked around, though she often glanced back toward her mother, like an anchor. There was a stillness to her, but not the same controlled stillness as the adults, something more natural, more unshaped.

She must have a really strong bond with her mother; it was to be expected. It looked like a family that would have a really strong connection.

A few steps behind them stood the last man, carrying their belongings.

Aether squinted his eyes.

’Is he part of the family?’

The man kept a respectful distance, shoulders slightly lowered, his grip firm on the luggage. His clothes were plain, worn in a way that suggested use rather than neglect. He didn’t look around much, his attention fixed ahead or on the ground, as if his role here was clear and required no deviation. Even so, there was a quiet steadiness to him, the kind that came from long familiarity with this kind of work.

’Probably not.’

If he had to say, this was someone working for them, to carry their luggage specifically, he must really be regretting this job, now that he has probably been trapped in this city for a while.

The father stepped up.

“You two must be the ones who decided to help us… Thank you, I’m eternally grateful.” Then he bowed, which surprised Aether.

He was… modest, surprisingly.

But who wasn’t, however, was his wife.

She rolled her eyes.

“Cassian, stand up. We don’t even know if they are able to protect us in the first place.” She sighed, embarrassed by her husband.

“What Wills do you two even have?”

…

…

…

“Well?”

Aether put his hand on his hip.

“Were Will-less.”

…

…

There was a long silence that followed after that. The whole family looked surprised, but also confused about what to do next.

“You have to be kidding me… we waited so long for someone to accept our job and their weak…”

Aether frowned, but didn’t respond.

The father turned to his wife, trying to calm her down. “Well, I’m sure they were still going to get us safely, and without any injury to the Harbor, right?”

He turned to them.

“Mayb-”

Kade quickly stopped him and spoke for himself.

“We will do our best… though I’ve only recently begun my training… so recommend standing close to him.”

He pointed to Aether.

…

Looking at their faces, they didn’t seem happy at all.

’You handled this really well, Kade.’ He chuckled.

…

’This is going to be interesting.’

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