Inside the carriage, I remained unusually quiet throughout the journey.
My thoughts were all over the place.
Had I really made the right choice?
How would my parents react when they found out I was gone? What about Jane? I hadn't even gotten the chance to say a proper goodbye to anyone.
What if I ended up dead on this journey into the unknown?
And then there was Dave.
My heart ached at the thought of him.
Dylan seemed to notice the shift in my mood.
"You don't have to be afraid," he said softly. "I'm here, and I will always protect you."
I looked up at him.
"I understand how you feel right now," he continued. "But if you choose to walk this path, you must leave everything behind… and trust me."
Trust him?
I lowered my gaze for a moment before lifting it again, searching his face.
Could I really trust Dylan?
But just like always, his expression was unreadable—cold, calm, and almost completely blank.
Just then, the carriage jolted violently after running over something hard.
I was thrown off balance and crashed straight into Dylan's chest.
"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, quickly trying to pull away.
He steadied me effortlessly before straightening himself.
Dylan leaned out through the carriage window.
"What was that?" he asked Bruno, who sat above, controlling the horses.
"We hit a stone, sir. Nothing serious," Bruno replied.
"Are we close to the next inn?" Dylan asked.
"Almost, sir."
"We'll rest there tonight and set off early tomorrow morning."
"Yes, sir."
We had been riding for nearly fifteen hours straight, and exhaustion was beginning to weigh heavily on all of us. Even the horses needed rest and feeding.
Dylan turned back to me.
"Are you alright? We'll stop soon."
I simply nodded.
The ride continued for another hour.
And the entire time, I kept stealing glances at Dylan whenever I thought he wasn't looking.
Only to quickly look away whenever I got caught.
Oh God. This was embarrassing.
"We're here," Bruno announced at last.
The carriage came to a stop.
Dylan stepped down first, then stretched out his hand toward me.
I took it and carefully stepped down—only to nearly trip.
But before I could fall, Dylan caught me again.
A smug smile tugged at his lips.
"Seems you're really enjoying falling into my arms lately."
I scoffed.
He was truly unbelievable.
If not for his ridiculously handsome face, I was sure I would hardly tolerate him at all.
"Don't be so full of yourself," I shot back.
"Oh?" he murmured, leaning closer.
Then he bent toward my ear, his warm breath brushing against my skin.
"That's interesting… considering you spent the entire ride stealing glances at me."
My heart skipped.
I could practically hear the pride in his voice.
And if I had to describe Dylan in one word at that moment, it would be:
Insufferable.
He pulled back with a satisfied smirk, clearly pleased with himself.
I rolled my eyes.
"Have you located Gina?" Dylan asked Bruno in a low voice.
"No, sir. I haven't heard from her."
Dylan gave a slight nod.
"Let's go."
The three of us headed toward the inn.
An old gray-haired woman stepped outside to welcome us. She looked to be in her late seventies, her back slightly bent with age, but there was something unsettling about the way her eyes lingered on us.
I greeted her politely, and she ushered us inside.
We paid for three rooms, and soon everyone retired for the night.
Inside my room, however, sleep refused to come.
A strange uneasiness settled in my chest.
Maybe it was because I still hadn't adjusted to this new life.
All my life, I had never been apart from my parents for this long.
And now, everything felt unfamiliar.
Too unfamiliar.
I stood up and stepped outside to get some air.
The cool night breeze kissed my skin as I walked out, only to find the old woman from earlier sitting alone on a wooden bench, staring up at the stars.
I approached her slowly.
She looked at me, smiled warmly, and motioned for me to sit beside her.
I sat down.
"Why are you out here alone, watching the stars?" I asked. "What about your children?"
"There," she said, lifting a wrinkled finger toward the sky.
I looked up.
All I could see was a sky full of bright stars.
For a moment, I wondered how the stars could keep shining so beautifully even when the world itself felt like it was slowly falling apart.
Or perhaps…
Maybe the heavens were mocking us.
"You seem to be human," the old woman said suddenly.
I stiffened.
I turned to look at her, unsure whether to be alarmed or calm.
"You should be careful out there," she continued. "You should be very careful of demons."
I said nothing.
"I have welcomed many travelers over the years," she went on, her eyes still fixed on the sky. "I can tell which is which."
A chill ran down my spine.
"I stayed here because I had no choice. This was once my family home. I lived here with my children… and my grandchildren. We were all happy."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"What happened to them?" I asked quietly.
"They were killed."
Her gaze darkened.
"By demons… and witches."
Pain flickered in her eyes.
"They took everything from me. They made me homeless."
My chest tightened.
"But you still welcome travelers of all kinds into your home," I said. "Does that mean you've forgiven them?"
She was silent for a long moment.
Then she finally answered.
"Yes. I had to."
I studied her face.
There was something strange about her.
Something that didn't sit right with me.
"You are very kind," I said softly. "And… I'm sorry for the loss of your family, ma'am."
I stood up.
"I should go back inside now."
She smiled at me again.
But this time…
That smile felt wrong.
A shiver crawled down my spine as I turned and hurried back into my room.
That old woman was creepy.
I lay down, closed my eyes, and eventually drifted into sleep.
The next morning, we were preparing to leave when we discovered something was terribly wrong.
The horses were gone.
"I guess thieves broke in last night," the old woman said, sounding remorseful.
Dylan's expression hardened.
"Is there a nearby village where I can buy horses?" he asked.
The old woman nodded.
"There is. But it's a long walk. If you wish, you can wait here. I'll have someone bring them for you."
After a brief pause, Dylan agreed.
And that was when I noticed something else.
Bruno looked pale.
Very pale.
He had been strangely weak since morning, barely able to sit upright.
I moved closer and sat beside him.
"What are we going to do now?" I asked immediately the old woman left, glancing at Dylan.
Dylan's eyes darkened.
My heart dropped.
He turned to look at Bruno.
"He's been enchanted."
His voice grew heavier.
"That is the Snake Clan's strongest spell."
A chill tore through me.
"If we don't break it quickly…"
Dylan's jaw tightened.
"Bruno will be served as dinner to the serpents tonight."