Chapter 15

  Meetings plus luna's pov

  I fold the ragged cloth once, twice, then slip it deep into my borrowed satchel, the word Tonight burning in my mind even when I can’t see it.

  "Yeah, I’ll lock up," I call back to Garrick, latching the wagon’s tailboard and giving it a final once-over. By the time I step inside, he’s already fussing over the clock parts, muttering to himself. I exchange a few casual words before parting ways—no suspicion, no questions.

  From there, I head straight back to the Lantern’s Rest. The innkeeper looks mildly surprised to see me mid-day but shrugs when I explain I’d like to extend my stay.

  "For how long?" she asks, quill poised."Long enough to keep my room secure."

  I slide the coins across the counter—2 silver for the extension, but she breaks it down and returns some copper for the partial days.

  By the time i'm done, I’ve got 1 silver and 34 copper left jangling in my pouch. Not much of a cushion.

  The innkeeper hands me the key back, and i make my way to my room. The window still faces the alley, though from the second floor now—I can’t help wondering if Luna will still find her way to it when night falls.

  I decide moving around town now will draw less attention than waiting idly at the inn.

  First stop is Garrick’s. He’s bent over a table when you step inside, adjusting a delicate gear with a jeweler’s loupe perched in one eye. Without looking up, he grunts, "Back already?"

  I set the satchel on the counter. "Figured I’d return this before I forgot again. Don’t want you thinking I’m a thief."

  That gets a quick glance and a dry chuckle. "Wouldn’t have crossed my mind—but I’ll take it."

  Leaving him to his work, I head deeper into Springvale’s market district. The air’s rich with scents of fresh bread, leather, and spices. Eventually, I find a local leatherworker selling sturdy satchels. I haggle briefly, but between the quality and the lack of options, I part with enough coins to make me wince.

  Next, I wander toward the smithy, where the rhythmic clang-clang of hammer on steel rings through the street. The smith, a broad-shouldered dwarf with a face half-hidden behind a thick beard, shows me a selection of blades. Most are far beyond my budget, but I settle on a short sword—plain, well-balanced, nothing fancy. Exactly the sort of thing that won’t stand out but will serve in a fight.

  By the time I’ve slung the new satchel over my shoulder and sheathed the sword at my side, my pouch feels painfully light. A quick count confirms it: 8 copper coins remain.

  The sun’s already starting its slow drop toward the rooftops, the sky shifting into late-afternoon gold.

  Luna's pov from earlyer today.

  The forest just beyond Springvale’s edge had always been her refuge. A place where the smell of pine drowned out the stench of the streets and the quiet could almost make her forget the collar that had once dug into her neck.

  This morning, though, there was no peace in the rustling leaves. Not after what had happened at the Baron’s manor.She could still see him—that human—slamming through that door, moving with a precision and violence she didn’t expect from someone who seemed… softer. No hesitation. No questions. The human’s knife had struck fast and sure, ending the Baron’s son before his voice could summon help.

  Luna had untied Seven as quickly as her claws would allow, her hands steady despite the tremors in the girl’s shoulders. The blood on the floor, the ragged breathing—it had all felt far too familiar.Once they’d slipped into the bushes, she’d led Seven toward the outskirts. It wasn’t safe in the village yet; the Baron’s men would be searching, and humans had a habit of believing the word of their own over any demi-human’s.

  They hid in a half-collapsed barn until the sounds of pursuit faded. The younger catgirl clung to her, her amber eyes dull with exhaustion. Luna had stroked her hair and whispered, "You’re safe for now."But her thoughts kept drifting back to Nathan. Humans, elves, dwarves—she’d seen them all. Most wouldn’t even spare a glance at a demi-human in chains. Some would laugh. Others would bid.

  That human had looked horrified. And that horror had been real enough for her to decide something rare: maybe… maybe she could trust him.

  By midday, she had slipped them both into the wagon beneath the tarp, timing it so the human driver wouldn’t notice. But the human that sparked her intrest had caught her eye just once during the ride he hadn’t given her away, hadn’t even so much as shifted in alarm.

  When they reached Springvale, she’d slipped the blood-marked cloth into the wagon bed where he’d find it. Not a letter, not an invitation.

  Just a word. Tonight.Because if he meant what she thought he did… he’d come. And if he didn’t, she’d know.

  Now, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, Luna perched unseen on a rooftop overlooking the Lantern’s Rest. Seven was hidden elsewhere, safe for now. Her eyes stayed fixed on that second-floor window.She was waiting.

  Lux's pov

  i pace my small room, the fading orange light from the setting sun bleeding in through the window. The short sword rests on the bed, newly oiled, the satchel hanging ready over my shoulder.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  The cloth still sits in my hand. Tonight. No place. No time. No instructions.I turn it over again, as if some hidden meaning might reveal itself in the ragged weave. It doesn’t.

  If she wanted me to come, she would’ve chosen somewhere I’d know. And the only place that makes sense—the only place she’s ever appeared without warning—is the alley.

  I strap the short sword to my hip, slide the pocket knife into its usual place, and pull on my coat. The sky outside is already deepening to indigo, lanterns being lit one by one down the main street.

  Stepping out of the Lantern’s Rest, I keep my head low and my pace casual, weaving through the crowd until I can slip into the narrow side street. The familiar smell of damp stone and faint woodsmoke hangs here, quiet except for the distant hum of the town behind me.

  I take up a position halfway down, leaning against the wall where the shadows are thickest, eyes flicking between the mouth of the alley and the rooftops above.

  If she’s coming… this is where she’ll show.

  I stay perfectly still, letting the cool night air settle in the alley. A few muffled voices drift from the street, but here, it’s quiet.

  Then—soft as silk—there’s a purr-eow right behind me.

  I turn just enough to catch her in my peripheral vision. Luna stands barely an arm’s length away, tail swaying lazily, eyes gleaming gold in the lamplight. There’s a faint, almost teasing smile tugging at her lips.

  "You’re not like the others," she says, her voice a playful lilt, the words almost purring themselves.

  It’s the first time I’ve heard her speak more than a handful of words at once, and there’s something in her tone—curiosity, maybe even a hint of approval—but it’s wrapped in that guarded wariness she always carries.

  The alley feels narrower now, her presence pulling all my focus.

  I let a slow smirk creep onto my face, meeting her gaze without flinching.

  "Guess I’ll take that as a compliment," I say lightly, tilting my head. "Though… if I’m not like the others, you’ll have to tell me—what exactly am I like?"

  Her tail gives a single flick, ears angling forward as if weighing my words. She steps closer, close enough that I catch the faint scent of rain-washed fur and something wild beneath it.

  "Hmm…" she hums, circling halfway around me, her eyes never leaving mine. "Still deciding."

  It’s a game—one she’s in control of—but there’s something else in her gaze too. Testing. Measuring.

  I push off the wall just enough to face her more directly, keeping that half-smile in place.

  "Still deciding? That’s a dangerous thing to tell a man—you might keep him up all night wondering what the verdict’s going to be."

  Her ears twitch, and there’s the faintest sparkle of amusement in her eyes. She steps past me, trailing her fingers lightly along the wall as she does, then glances back over her shoulder.

  "Maybe I want you wondering," she says, voice dropping almost to a whisper.

  "Oh, so it’s a game then?" I reply, taking a slow step in her direction. "I’ve been told I’m good at those."

  Her tail swishes again, and she cocks her head. "We’ll see. You talk differently than most… but words are easy. Actions are harder."

  The playful edge is still there, but it’s tempered now—like she’s offering me a chance to prove something without quite saying it outright.

  I take another step toward her, matching the lazy, deliberate way she moves.

  "Actions, huh? You saying I’m all talk?" I let just enough mock offense slip into my tone to make it clear i'm playing along.

  Her eyes narrow, but it’s not suspicion—it’s the kind of look a cat gives a dangling string. "Maybe."

  I chuckle under my breath. "Careful. If you keep daring me like that, I might just surprise you."

  Her tail gives a slow curl, her voice soft but edged with challenge. "Surprise me, then."She’s close enough now that the lamplight catches in her eyes, those gold irises practically glowing in the dark. It’s still a game—but one where I can feel the shift in the air, like she’s testing whether I’ll flinch or step closer to the fire.

  I let the smirk fade, just a little, enough to show you’re not entirely playing anymore.

  "In case you hadn’t heard…", I say quietly, leaning in so only she can catch the words, "I killed the Baron’s son—for you."

  The playful curve of her mouth freezes, her eyes locking onto mibe. Her tail stills, and for a heartbeat, the air between us is taut as a drawn bowstring.

  She studies me with a colder gaze. Then, slowly, her ears tilt forward again.

  "I’d heard he was dead," she murmurs, voice low and unreadable. I knew it was him in that room."

  I can’t tell if it’s approval, caution, or something darker in her tone—but the game has changed. She steps even closer, her gaze sharp now, cutting past the teasing veneer.

  "That’s a dangerous truth to carry, human."

  I let the tension hang for just a second longer before letting a half-grin tug at the corner of my mouth.

  "Well… we both know—that’s who was forcing himself on Seven."

  Her eyes flicker, something sharp flashing there, but I catch the faintest twitch at the edge of her lips, like she’s trying not to smirk.

  "Mm… then I suppose I should thank you," she says, the purr slipping back into her voice.

  "Suppose you should," I reply, tilting my head.

  "But I’m guessing you’re not the type to hand out thanks too easily."

  She leans just slightly forward, her voice dropping into that low, velvety tone again.

  "Maybe you’ll earn it."

  The golden light in her eyes is back, playful and challenging all at once, but now there’s an unspoken understanding beneath it—I’ve proven something to her tonight.

  I let the grin linger, softening it just enough to sound like i'm offering a olive branch rather than a fact.

  "Call me Lux," you say, voice low but still playful. "Human is to cluncky… and I think I can earn it that way."

  Her ears twitch at that, and for a moment she just studies me, tail swaying in a slow, deliberate arc. "Lux," she repeats, almost tasting the sound of it. "Better than human."

  I shrug with mock modesty. "Told you I’m good at games."

  She turns away, taking a few steps toward the darker end of the alley, glancing back over her shoulder. "Then follow, Lux. Let’s see how good you really are."

  The playful tone is still there—but underneath it is a quiet invitation, and maybe a test.

  I don’t hesitate. The moment she turns, i'm moving, boots whispering against the cobblestones as I match her pace.

  The alley grows darker with each step, lanternlight fading behind me. Luna moves like water—silent, fluid, always just a few paces ahead—but she’s not losing me this time. Every so often, she glances back, her eyes glinting in the dim light, as if measuring whether I’ll keep up.

  She cuts down a narrow gap between two leaning buildings, the scent of damp wood and earth thick here. I follow without a word.

  Eventually, the cramped passage spills out into a small, hidden courtyard hemmed in by walls. The only illumination comes from a single, crooked lantern nailed to a post, its light spilling over crates, broken barrels, and a half-collapsed stairway.

  Luna stops at the far edge of the lantern’s glow, turning to face me fully. Her arms cross loosely over her chest, and her tail flicks once.

  "You want answers, Lux?" she says, her voice soft but edged. "Then tonight, you’ll see something no human here dares to acknowledge ."