“I guess I’m a night owl.”
“Right. Well, sorry again about the hands. If you need another round of healing salve, just let me know.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Kizzi, for this.” I held my hands out as an explanation. “This really is incredible.”
She brushed me off. “It’s just a quick enchantment and a few herbs. Nothing special.”
“Still, thank you.”
Her cheeks darkened slightly, but she said nothing else. With a nod in her direction, I unlocked the door and stepped out into the night. I resisted the urge to peek over my shoulder to catch another glimpse of the woman in her dressing gown. I heard the glide of metal on metal as the lock clicked into place behind me.
The cool night air was pleasant against my warm ears. I let out a deep breath, allowing the tension to drain from my shoulders, my forearms, my wrists.
The walk to my cabin would be a much-needed distraction.
Surprisingly, a few folk were still out and about, even though the moons were high in the sky, and it was far past the time when most of Moonvale settled down for sleep. I even saw a fluffy white cat scurrying around the corner, chasing something I couldn’t see. I thought it might’ve been the same cat from earlier, the one that rubbed against Kizzi’s ankles.
I took a slight detour to pass through the park in town square, checking for any heavy items that still needed to be returned to their proper homes. The park benches were all that remained.
On the closest bench sat Linc, hunched in on himself, staring at his shoes. His gaze was fixed but not focused, and his eyes still held a strange, glossy sheen. His eyebrows were pinched as though he was upset, but his mouth was lax.
Was he… waiting for something?
A glance around the park showed nobody else looking at him or heading in his direction. He was on his own, it seemed.
My jaw clenched. Was he waiting for Kizzi?
Absolutely not.
“Hey, Linc!” I called out as I approached the man. “What are you up to?”
He didn’t look at me when I stepped closer. “Oh, nothing, really.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he answered simply.
“You don’t look okay, man. Are you going to sit here all night?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.” His gaze remained unfixed, pointed at the ground.
“You should really get home,” I said hesitantly. “Can you walk?”
He nodded. “I can. But no, thank you.”
“I’ll help you,” I insisted. I placed a hand tentatively on his shoulder. He didn’t even flinch. His muscles were loose and relaxed. “Would that be alright?”
He simply shrugged again. Nervously, slowly, I grabbed Linc’s arm and pulled it over my head, around my shoulders. He let me. “I’m going to help you stand, okay?”
I secured my arm around his middle, grasped his wrist, and gently hoisted him to his feet. He was not very heavy, but I had to crouch to keep his feet from hovering above the ground.
“Do you still live over by the river?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Okay, then. I’ll take you there.” I began walking in that direction. He walked with me—clumsily but willingly. His feet moved as though commanded by an external force.
The human was silent the entire way, gazing off into the distance with glossy eyes and pinprick pupils. He didn’t seem drunk.
