Chapter 38: The Price of Continuing

  The men hesitated.

  Not because of mercy.

  Because the math had changed.

  They had planned this carefully.

  the crowd, the accusation, the weight of authority turned sideways.

  They could have pressed it further.

  Dragged her.

  Sold her.

  If it were just an orphan.

  But it wasn’t.

  Not anymore.

  The appearance of a Brave real or not, was not part of the calculation.

  And around them now.

  Townspeople had gathered.

  Guards watched from a distance.

  Merchants whispered.

  One wrong move.

  And this stopped being profit.

  It became an example.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  The leader clicked his tongue.

  “…Fine.”

  The boot lifted.

  Ivaline sucked in air sharply, pain flaring through her chest, but she stayed silent.

  The men crouched, gathering the scattered coins from the dirt—quick, practiced.

  The last man looked at her.

  Spite.

  Promise.

  Not finished.

  Then they turned and left.

  For now.

  “Girl!”

  Tomas came running down the alley.

  When he saw her still on the ground, his face drained of color.

  “Girl!”

  He reached her first, lifting her carefully.

  Brannic was there a heartbeat later.

  “You alright?”

  “Damn it… I should’ve acted.”

  “You stupid girl,” Tomas snapped, voice breaking, “why didn’t you cry out!?”

  The dye shop owner knelt beside her.

  “You don’t have to be strong all the time,” he said roughly.

  “Next time. cry. Scream. Ask.”

  Another bakery owner joined them, shaking his head.

  “You’re too young for this. Too young.”

  Hands brushed dust from her clothes.

  Someone steadied her shoulders.

  Someone else checked her head.

  Ivaline listened.

  But her eyes had already found someone else.

  She gently freed herself from their hands.

  Steady now.

  She walked slowly toward the boy at the alley’s edge.

  Ray E. Shine.

  She stopped in front of him.

  And bowed.

  Deep.

  “Thank you for saving me.”

  “That’s… alright.”

  Ray blinked, surprised.

  Not by the words.

  By the way she said them.

  No trembling.

  No dramatics.

  Behind her.

  Four grown men stood watching her with open concern.

  Protective.

  Furious on her behalf.

  That alone told him enough.

  Five accusers.

  No proof.

  And a girl this town clearly cared for.

  Ray’s hand relaxed at his side.

  He had no evidence.

  Not yet.

  But he was already certain.

  Those men had not been delivering justice.

  They had been testing how far they could go.

  And today.

  They had decided not to find out.

  Ray turned his gaze down the alley where the men had vanished.

  Not finished, he thought.

  But not today.