At the whims of A God.

Lira's PoV:

Maren led me into her inn, the lively hum of conversation fading as we stepped into a quieter corner. She gestured toward a chair.

"Take a seat," she said, her tone softer than usual, though her ever-present smile stayed firmly in place.

I hesitated for a moment before sitting across from her.

"Relax, dear," she said, her sharp eyes studying me with a mix of amusement and scrutiny. "I have a task for you. It's not an easy one, but I think you're up for it."

From beneath the table, she produced a piece of paper and slid it toward me. It was a sketch—rough but detailed enough to depict a young man's face.

I picked it up, my brow furrowing as I studied it. "What's this about?"

"He's missing," Maren said plainly. "The blacksmith's apprentice. And the blacksmith is beside himself with worry."

I glanced back at the drawing, taking note of the boy's sharp features and disheveled hair. He looked no older than me, though his expression carried a weariness beyond his years.

"The forest is safer these days," Maren continued, "thanks to Seok-Hyun, the so-called divine beast. But the forest folks still linger, and they're not exactly known for their hospitality. They've been known to take hostile stance against us humans."

Her voice dropped, and her smile faded slightly. "If they've caught him, it might already be too late. But Maeve mentioned you've been through the forest yourself. That you might be able to help."

I sighed, setting the drawing back on the table. "Don't worry too much," I said finally. "I saw him earlier when I was gathering herbs. He was digging a hole—didn't seem like he was in trouble, so I left him to it. I'll bring him back."

Relief softened the lines of Maren's face, and her smile returned. "I knew I could count on you, Lira. Thank you."

Without another word, I stood and left the inn. The forest loomed on the horizon, dense and unpredictable. It was alive in ways that still unsettled me, its presence always heavy, always watching.

As I stepped past the town's outskirts and into the shadows of the forest, Maren's urgency echoed in my mind. The blacksmith's apprentice didn't know it yet, but he was lucky.

The forest wasn't a place for anyone to linger too long.

The forest was darker than I'd anticipated, the trees casting long, reaching shadows that seemed alive with whispers. I had found the hole the apprentice had been digging, but he was nowhere in sight.

I searched the nearby areas, my steps steady but cautious. At the end of the day, this was just a task—a way to earn my keep in the town. If I failed, I'd lose some coin, nothing more.

Yet, despite myself, something gnawed at me—a strange urgency pushing me forward. It wasn't logical, but it was loud, insistent. It screamed at me to keep searching.

And then, I found him.

The apprentice lay motionless on the forest floor, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. He was alive, but barely.

Relief and frustration warred within me as I knelt beside him. "What were you even doing out here?" I muttered under my breath, lifting him onto my back.

As I adjusted his weight, a voice slipped from the shadows, low and resonant, curling around me like smoke.

"Come back after you send him away."

I froze, my eyes scanning the darkness. The trees seemed to lean closer, their branches creaking softly.

"If you want to save lives, you'll come back."

The voice was neither a whisper nor a shout—just a quiet, commanding presence that felt impossible to ignore.

"There is more at stake than this boy. If you care for them, you'll return."

I shuddered, clutching the apprentice tighter. The air felt colder, heavier. The forest seemed to hold its breath, waiting for my response.

But I didn't answer. I turned and walked, the boy's weight a grounding reminder of the life I had saved, even as the forest's words echoed in my mind.

By the time I emerged from the forest, the town was shrouded in darkness. Torches flickered against the night, their light illuminating the worried faces of the townsfolk gathered near the Reader's Inn.

Kira and Lily were the first to reach me.

"Sister!" Lily sobbed, throwing herself into my arms. "I thought—I thought you were caught! I thought you wouldn't come back!"

Her small hands clung to me with desperate strength, her tears soaking into my shirt. I knelt, wrapping my arms around her as tightly as I could.

"I'm here," I whispered, stroking her hair. "I'm here, Lily. I'm okay."

Kira stood beside us, his expression strained with worry, though he tried to act brave. "We told Maeve you'd come back," he said, his voice trembling despite his effort to sound steady. "But Lily... she was really scared."

"I was scared too," I admitted softly, pulling him into the embrace. "But I promised I'd come back, didn't I?"

Lily pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face looking up at me. "Don't go back to the forest," she begged, her voice breaking. "Please. It's too dangerous."

I smiled, though my heart ached at her words. "I'll be careful," I said, brushing her hair from her face. "I promise."

Maeve and Maren stood in the background, their faces calm but watchful, letting the children have their moment.

Even the butcher, Jack, was here, his burly frame illuminated by torchlight. Beside him stood John the barber, Hyrie the tailor, and others I'd only seen in passing.

But none were as relieved as Bob the blacksmith.

He rushed forward, tears streaming down his rugged face, as he took the apprentice from my arms. "Thank you," he choked out, holding the boy close. "Thank you for bringing him back."

The boy stirred slightly, murmuring something incoherent as Bob hugged him tightly. The blacksmith's sobs were raw, filled with a mixture of gratitude and relief that seemed to echo through the gathered crowd.

I stood there, Lily's hand in mine and Kira's quiet presence at my side, as the town slowly returned to life around us.

But amidst the warmth and relief a whisper came to me.

"Come back."