NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: Chapter 7
Sunlight streamed through the windows as Zedd woke up with a sharp headache. He opened his eyes slowly and sat up, groaning. "Why didn't Kayden or Murray come to wake me up?" He glanced around and then remembered what happened yesterday.
Right... He sighed, muttering to himself, "I should get used to waking up alone."
Zedd stood and stretched, feeling his muscles loosen. The headache lingered for a moment but soon faded, leaving him feeling refreshed. His throat, however, was dry and screamed for water.
He stepped outside and looked around. Villagers were already starting their day, getting ready for work. Nearby, a well caught his attention. "Perfect," he muttered to himself.
He walked over and peered inside, relieved to see water. He pulled up a bucket, tilted it, and began drinking. Before he knew it, the entire bucket was empty.
Then, a voice interrupted him—a girl's voice. "Hey! How dare you use my bucket without asking?"
Zedd looked up, spotting the girl. She had long red hair and piercing red eyes. Though she appeared to be in her late teens, she gave off a mature vibe—perhaps around his age.
Zedd, momentarily distracted by her striking appearance, quickly regained his composure. With a smirk, he replied, "What's your name written on this bucket? You're claiming it's yours?"
The girl's eyes narrowed, and she snapped, "Speak with respect, outsider. And what are you doing here?"
Zedd raised an eyebrow. "I don't need to explain myself to a brat like you."
Without waiting for her response, he replaced the bucket where he found it and started to walk away. He had no time to argue with some girl.
"I need to stay low for a while," Zedd thought to himself. "The academy's probably sent shadow agents to track me down. But even if they do find me, I can handle them. They're trained for intelligence, not for combat."
His next task was to earn some money for supplies. He could easily use his own savings, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself. Instead, he decided to look for odd jobs around the village.
As he wandered, a thought crossed his mind. "What should I do?"
That's when he saw an old man struggling to repair a fence. Zedd walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. "I can fix this for you, in exchange for two silver coins."
The man gave a silent nod of approval.
Zedd got to work with the tools the man provided. The job was simple enough, and before long, it was finished. He held out his hand. "Two silver coins, please."
The man handed him the coins, and Zedd nodded, walking away. "Silver coins... seems like these are the currency of choice here. I expected that—it's a small village after all."
In bigger towns or the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, gold coins were more common, but not here.
Not far from the fence, Zedd spotted a woman in her late 40s picking vegetables from a nearby field. He approached her and offered to help in exchange for 10 silver coins. The woman agreed, and once he finished, Zedd asked for his payment.
She grinned mischievously. "When did I say I would pay you? You were helping me for free, so thank you. Now, leave."
Zedd's smirk deepened as he reached into his pocket and pulled out her wedding ring. The woman's eyes widened in shock. "When did you—"
"I suspected this might happen," Zedd said, his voice calm but firm. "I trust my instincts. Now, give me my payment, or I'll throw your ring into the river."
Her face paled. "You wouldn't.
Zedd gave her a cold look. "I will. You've got 10 seconds to decide."
The woman panicked. "Please don't! It's the only memory I have of my husband..."
The seconds ticked down, and just as Zedd was about to count down to zero, the woman relented. "I'll pay! I'll pay!"
Zedd extended his hand, and she placed the 10 silver coins in his palm. He nodded in satisfaction, returning the ring to her before walking away.
By the end of the day, Zedd had earned 30 silver coins—a decent amount. He entered a local restaurant, ordered some simple food, and began to eat. As his gaze wandered around the room, he spotted the girl from earlier, the one who had caused a scene over the bucket.
He couldn't help but notice what she was eating: pineapple pie and a strawberry milkshake. Zedd frowned. "What kind of order is that? Is she a kid or something?" He scoffed.
The girl, however, seemed to enjoy her meal, smiling as she dipped slices of the pineapple pie into the milkshake without a second thought.
Zedd, though not one to judge, couldn't help but remember his own odd habits back at the academy. He once dipped biscuits in lemon juice, enjoying the unusual flavor. So he shrugged, letting it go.
But the peaceful atmosphere didn't last long. The door swung open, and the village thug entered. His gaze immediately fixed on the girl.