Garrek throws an arm out, gesturing with dramatic flourish toward the street. [b]"This way, Kalila! Miller's got the best deals, and they’re tough! You won't be ruining these new clothes."[/b]

You step out of the back entrance of The Panther’s Rest with Garrek, clutching the mysterious bottle close. The morning air feels crisp and clean, a stark contrast to the stifling tension of the kitchen.

As you follow Garrek, your eyes instinctively scan the immediate area, searching for any sign of Vulture eyes. You don't see anyone obviously following you.

Garrek bounces on his toes, still clearly buzzing from the fight. [b]"Seriously, that was incredible. That glowing light you shot? It was like the stars came down. You have to teach me how to do that sometime! I’ve tried throwing knives, but magic? That’s way cooler."[/b]

Your sharp gaze catches a detail that makes your blood run cold. Just a few feet from the doorway, tiny, dark drops of blood stain the cobblestones. They are faint, almost invisible against the stone, but your focus locks onto them. The trail leads away from the tavern, heading back down the path you took last night when you first stumbled in from the alley.

Garrek pulls you slightly ahead. [b]"Miller’s isn't far. We’ll take the main road just like Aunt Gerta said. Did you even see Vane's face when you stabbed him? He was [b]screaming[/b]!"[/b]

You are close enough to the main road to see a shop across the way. The forge chimney is already billowing smoke, and the heavy clang of iron on iron echoes faintly. Standing in the doorway is a massive, burly man with soot on his apron. He is currently holding a pipe and grimacing. A woman stands directly in his face, her hands on her hips, her voice too sharp and high to make out the exact words. You strain your ears and catch fragments of her loud complaints: [b]"...how will you deliver the spikes if you're standing around smoking all day!?"[/b] The rest is lost in the morning noise.

Garrek nudges your arm gently. [b]"Hey, did you even notice that weird bottle you're carrying? What is that thing? Is that where the magic lives? You know, the red glow when you cursed him? That was savage."[/b]

Just as you prepare to move fully onto the main thoroughfare, your gaze flicks upward one last time, checking the rooflines of The Panther’s Rest. For a fleeting instant, a shadow moves. It’s too quick to identify, but the sheer [i]darkness[/i] of the shape is what unnerves you. It seems to absorb the sunlight, a smudge of absolute black against the bright blue sky. You can’t tell if it’s a trick of the light, your nerves, or something genuinely impossible, but it is gone as fast as it appeared.

[hr]

[b]"Come on, the market's just up here!"[/b] Garrek says, sounding eager to shop. [b]"We can get you a proper working clothes. That dress is going to get torn to shreds!"[/b]