Gerta frowns at your little joke. She uncrosses her arms and steps closer. She puts a heavy hand on your shoulder. Her face is stern but her eyes are worried.

"Hush now," Gerta says sharp. "Don't you be makin' jokes about that. These men are dangerous pigs. Them wantin' you is not a good thing, sugar. Not for Garrek and certainly not for you. You don't want that kind of attention."

She sighs and looks at the door where Vane left. She rubs her forehead.

"I sure hope you are right about his pride," she says. "Maybe he will keep his mouth shut to save face. We can only pray his ego is bigger than his anger."

When you ask about the guards Gerta shakes her head. She looks tired.

"It ain't that simple, honey," she explains. "The Vultures are organized. They watch us. The guards can't be everywhere at once. If we call the guards they might come for a day. But the moment they leave? The Vultures will be waitin'. They strike when nobody is lookin'. Snitchin' just makes them meaner."

Light starts to stream in through the windows. The sun has finally risen. The room looks different in the daylight. Less scary but still messy.

Gerta looks at the sunlight and then back at you. She glances at your hands where the magic was.

"We got a lot more to talk about, Kalila," she says serious. "About... whatever that was you did. But right now we got patrons wakin' up hungry. We got work to do."

She turns to Garrek. The boy is already standing up. He looks ready to go.

"Garrek you take her down to the market," Gerta orders. "Take her to Miller's shop. She needs sturdy work clothes not a ballgown. And listen to me good."

She points a finger at both of you.

"You stick to the main roads. Walk where the guards walk. Do not take any shortcuts and stay out of the alleys. You hear me?"

Garrek nods fast. "Yes Aunt Gerta! We will be careful!"

He looks at you with a big grin. He seems to have forgot about the knife at his throat already.

"Come on Kalila!" Garrek says. "Let's go spend that gold!"

---

What do you do?

Kalila had half-expected Gerta to be indifferent to the joke, or to have simply thrown her out for the magic. But instead, Gerta told her to stop and informed her that them wanting her isn't a good thing. She knew, but...she thought Gerta would have cared less about her now that Kalila actively hurt someone.

She listens patiently as Gerta answered her question about the guards. After hearing the Vultures' methods in response to the Guards being called, Kalila began thinking over other methods of informing the guards.

She blinks when she finally notices that the sunlight is finally lighting up the room. It feels like being in a different room now that the sun has risen; Safe, but messy from the early morning's events. She looks back to Gerta as she speaks once more. After she tells her that there is more to talk about later, regarding the magic Kalila just used, Kalila nods in understanding.

Despite everything that just happened...Gerta was still willing to help her! Kalila wasn't sure what she felt at the moment other than surprise. The best description she could give was someone squeezing her heart in their fist. Thankfully, Gerta drew attention to that unknown emotion when she told Kalila and Garrek to listen to her warning seriously. She answers Gerta as well, with a nod and a small smile, "We hear you. We'll take the main roads,"

She looks to Garrek, and she answers his cheerful words, "Let's! Please lead the way, Garrek,"

Before leaving, Kalila does grab the bottle once again. She thought about leaving it behind, but a part of her knew that she would need it if the Vultures attacked them in broad daylight. With the bottle in hand, she heads out with Garrek to Miller's Shop.

As they walk on, Kalila looks around, trying to see if she can see any of the Vultures watching. She wanted to see if the Vultures were truly watching, or if it was more bluster on their part.

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

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. "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."

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. "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 screaming!"

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: "...how will you deliver the spikes if you're standing around smoking all day!?" The rest is lost in the morning noise.

Garrek nudges your arm gently. "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."

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 darkness 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.

---

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

Kalila follows Garrick as he gestures dramatically towards Miller's. The crisp and clean morning air hits her like a wave from the ocean. It was startling, but it was much more pleasant than the stifled tension in the kitchen. The smoke in the bottle even shifts colors to various shades of vibrant blues and greens, with an occasional yellow for the sun.

However the smoke does go back to shifting between all of the myriad colors as she instinctively looks around while the both of them travel. Thankfully, it doesn't seem any of the Vultures are watching them.

She blinks at Garrek's words, reasserting his thoughts on how she used magic on Vane. She is glad to hear such praise. But...with that came the memories of her previous attempts to study the arcane. That previous battle was the first instance of casting magic successfully! Not to mention, she could tell that the magic she used wasn't the wizardry she studied. It was something wild, and alive.

Her mind begins to connect the dots. She isn't a wizard, because wizards achieve their magic by studying and using strict formulas and measurements to accomplish their feats of magic. This? This came about after her three wishes were granted...

Wait...But then, that would make me--

Then Garrek's words about her teaching him how to use magic. Her eyes widened and this time, a laugh manages to escape. She quickly but genuinely apologizes, "Oh! I'm so sorry! I'm not laughing at you! It's just that I struggled with learning how to cast magic when I started those lessons. So, I'm not really confident in my teaching skills," She can still remember the echoes of the lectures, the scoldings, and the laughter from her brother for the more embarrassing display of her failures in magic. She then does reassure him, "I'm sure you would be able to handle magic lessons better than I did,"

Her eyes then pick up the blood, and her own blood runs cold. She follows the faint blood trail to the alleyway where she woke up.

"Vane must have headed that way while he fled..." Kalila thought to herself. A chill runs down her spine as she realizes that the person pursuing her last night could have very well been Vane if not another member of the Vultures. She was glad she took the risk and entered the Panther's Rest.

She keeps stride with Garrek as he leads the way to Miller's. When he asked about Vane when she stabbed him, she shuddered. She answers, "I'm afraid I didn't. He still had that mask on after all," It was probably for the best. She was pretty sure that if he saw his face at that time, she would not be so calm right now.

She notes the woman screaming at the man in the doorway, but that doesn't seem to be relevant to the Vultures problem everyone has. But then again...who orders spikes? The guards?

She snaps back to the moment and discussion shifted to the bottle she's carrying. She answers his questions, glancing to the bottle, "You know, I'm not exactly sure myself. There's still a lot of details I'm trying to figure out. I woke up with it in my hand this morning," She then blinks in realization with how that sentence sounded, and she speaks again, "And no, I did not drink anything last night,"

Then her gaze flicks upwards to catch the glimpse of a shadow moving about quickly along the rooflines of the Panther's Rest. She doesn't know if she actually saw something or if her nerves were playing tricks, but the darkness of that shadow unnerved her.

"Could someone else among the vultures have been watching Vane? If so...then my attempt to make sure Vane kept himself quiet may have failed..." Kalila wondered in dread.

She snaps back to the present moment when Garrek speaks up again, and she laughs, "Alright, I'm hurrying!"

At the mention of the dress, she rolls her eyes and she finally voices her sarcastic feelings on said dress, "Oh no. What a tragedy..." She then blinks at an idea, and she asks, "Actually, I wonder if it would be possible to sell the dress once I get proper working clothes..."

The moment you and Garrek step into the main street, the atmosphere shifts. The usual market chatter and early morning business are momentarily silenced by the sound of approaching hoofbeats and the rhythmic clanking of steel.

Garrek catches your arm, his excitement briefly overshadowed by caution. "Heads up, Kalila. Look."

Coming down the center of the road is a small procession of knights, five in total. Their armor is magnificent: polished metal that catches the morning sun and reflects the light back in blinding flashes. Unlike the simple gear worn by most local guards, these suits are intricately detailed, featuring delicate, stylized rose carvings etched into the breastplates and gauntlets. They are mounted on powerful, well groomed steeds of various colors.

Garrek leans in to whisper, his voice low but vibrating with awe and slight tension. "Those are the Queen's Guard. Her personal defense. High rank knights, the best she has. She sent them here and up to Thundrastone to break the Vultures' backs for good. You don't mess with them."

The contingent passes, their disciplined formation parting the crowds.

Once the sound of their horses fades, Garrek straightens up, the subject of your dress sales momentarily forgotten. "Okay, now we can go."

---

Miller's shop is tucked between a produce stand and a dry goods seller. It's a small building, unremarkable except for the spinning sign above the door: a stylized drawing of a spinning wheel.

Inside, the air smells of freshly dyed cloth and rough linen. Rolls of fabric are stacked high, and hooks display sturdy leather belts and boots. Standing behind the counter, organizing bolts of canvas, is a thin, stern looking human man with graying temples.

Garrek strides confidently up to the counter, flashing a wide, friendly grin. "Miller! Good morning! We need gear for this lady. Something appropriate for work, because she's starting at The Panther's Rest."

Kalila hears the familiar sound of hoofbeats and armor clanking. She quickly moves out of the way, even when Garrek grabs her arm cautiously. She does indeed look at the guards, as they march by. She can't help but look at their eyes first, to see if their eyes are fogged over or if their eyes are normal. A cautious habit she's picked up from home to see who can be reasoned with, and who can't, should the worst happen to anyone. After checking their eyes, her eyes take in the rest of the guards' forms.

She blinks at Garrek's words when he informs her that the soldiers in question are the Queen's Personal Guard. She whispers back to him in surprise, "Really?! She sent her own personal guard?" That was surprising. She knew the Crown in Valerith wouldn't send their personal guard: They would send the guards or knights in general to squash any groups like the Vultures. For a moment, she was worried what that meant if the Queen didn't have her own guard.

The procession continues on past them without incident, and life continues on in the square. She nods at his words about continuing on, and answers, "Okay. Let's get going,"

They soon find the store in question, and she followed Garrek inside. She approaches the counter to speak with the stern human man. After Garrek speaks first, she speaks to Garrek in kind, with a polite smile and calmer tone, "It's nice to meet you, Miller! My name is Kalila. How much is a set of working clothes?" She is already fishing out the gold, just in case he wanted the payment first before he helps her in finding a set of clothes.

The knightly procession passes by. Though most of the soldiers are wearing helmets that obscure their faces, your quick glance reveals that the one female human knight with beautiful ginger curly hair and a male orc knight are riding without their helms.

---

Miller, the stern man behind the counter, doesn't return Garrek's friendly grin. He eyes your fine, dirtied dress, then the two gold coins you are tentatively holding out. He sets down his canvas bolt with a sigh that suggests he has already had a long morning.

"Working clothes," he grunts, his voice flat. "That depends entirely on the quality you need, Miss. We have two main options for serious wear."

He gestures with a thin hand toward two different stacks of folded cloth on the shelves behind him.

"For simple, everyday labor and basic chores, we have the standard cut. It’s durable linen, dyed a serviceable gray or brown. Includes a loose shirt, trousers tied at the waist, and a decent pair of worn leather shoes. Good enough for scrubbing floors, but it won't hold up forever." He pauses. "That set will cost you five silver pieces."

He then points to a higher shelf holding darker, heavier fabrics.

"If you need something tougher, something built for the road or long days of rough handling, we have the traveler's outfit. It uses thick, oiled wool that repels light rain and resists snags. The stitching is reinforced, and it comes with rugged boots that have sturdy, thick soles. It’s meant for long use, protection against the elements, and carrying light gear." He nods curtly. "That outfit will run you two gold pieces."

He raises a graying eyebrow. "So, Miss. Which kind of work are you planning on doing?"

---

Upon seeing the woman's and the orc's clear eyes, Kalila lets out a sigh of relief. It seems like the Knights are still acting on their own, and are not under that spell. She doesn't say anything on the matter and she continues onwards to Miller's with Garrek.

---

Soon enough, they were in the shop, and Kalila listens to Miller as he explains the differences between his Common Clothes and Traveler's Clothes. She can tell that he's already had a long morning already and decided to not take too long. She answers him after he finished explaining, "That's really helpful. Thank you, Miller,"

She decides to place both gold coins on the counter, and she answers him, "I'll be working at the Pather's Rest, but it would never hurt to be prepared for anything beyond that. I'd like to purchase the Traveler's Clothes, please,"

Miller keeps a serious face. He picks up the two gold coins from the counter. He looks at Garrek and then at you. He nods a little. He seems to like that you picked the strong clothes.

"Good choice," he says in a low voice. "It is smart to be prepared. My clothes will not fail you."

He turns to the shelves. He pulls down a bundle of dark wool cloth and a pair of strong boots. He puts the folded clothes on the counter.

He slides the package to you. Your eyes look past him. You look toward the door that leads to the back room.

You see it again. It is the same dark shadow you saw on the roof. This time it is closer. It stands just inside the dark hallway.

This time the shadow has eyes.

Two bright yellow eyes look right at you. They stare at you for one second. It is a quiet and scary moment. Then the shadow vanishes back into the dark room.

---

Miller does not notice anything. He keeps his hand on the clothes. "Here you go, Miss. Tell me if the boots do not fit."

Garrek looks at a stack of belts nearby. "Do you need a belt, Kalila? You will need a place to put all that gold you earn."

Kalila gave a happy smile after Miller voiced his approval. She at first watches him get the clothes for her, but then her gaze drifts past him and to the shadow in the hall, in front of the door to the back room. A chill runs down her spine as she realizes that this shadow is the same one she saw on the rooftops. With the shadow being this close, there was no way she could dismiss it as just her nerves now.

Especially now that she can see its eyes, as yellow as a black cat’s eyes. She tenses as their eyes meet hers before they disappear into the darkness.

She snaps to the present moment as Miller addresses her and gives her the clothes. After he asks her to tell him if the boots don’t fit, she nods and answers him, “Of course…”

Her mind thought the figure she saw. It followed her and Garrick, but why did it enter this store? Her mind went to the worst possible scenario and she realized that Miller would be in great danger if they just left him alone with that presence. Something needed to be done…

She looks to Garrick when he brings up the belt. She stutters, “Oh! Uh…I can always get a belt later…” She quietly tells him, “There’s something else to worry about…”

She then turns her attention to Miller with an idea: A way to possibly alert him to the danger and get him out of the building without potentially tipping off the shadowy figure. It was time to put her social skills to good use.

She sticks her hand out to Miller for a handshake, “Miller, it was a pleasure meeting and doing business with you!”

Should he shake her hand, she would give a firm handshake in turn, but not let go yet. Instead her other hand hovers over his clasped hand, and she speaks in concern, “Pardon my candor, but you look pale! You look like you haven’t eaten yet,”

As she makes this statement she traces letters on the back of Miller’s hand to spell a word,

Vulture.

She continues speaking, giving a casual invitation while her eyes gaze at him seriously, “Why don’t you come by the Panther’s Rest for breakfast? I am sure a break will do wonders for the rest of your day,”

She traces two more words as she subtly warns him to get out of the building,

Back Room

Miller looks surprised when you grab his hand. His grip is dry and rough. He expects a quick shake, but you hold on.

You start to trace the letters on the back of his hand. You move your finger carefully to spell the words. Miller frowns. He looks down at his hand and then back up at your face. His eyebrows bunch together in deep confusion.

He can feel your finger moving with purpose, but he cannot make sense of the shapes.

He pulls his hand away from yours slowly. He takes a half step back behind his counter.

"Pale?" he asks. He reaches up and rubs his own cheek. "I feel fine, Miss. I had a full bowl of porridge just an hour ago."

When you invite him to breakfast to get him out of the shop, he hesitates. The tone in your voice is warm, but his confusion about the hand squeezing makes him pause. He looks at the open door and then at his stacks of fabric.

"That is very kind of you," Miller says slowly. He sounds unsure of how to react to you now. "But I cannot just leave the shop. The morning rush is starting soon. I have to stay here and work."

He gives you a polite but awkward nod. He clearly thinks you are acting very odd.

Garrek leans in close to you. He looks between you and the confused shopkeeper.

"Uh, Kalila?" Garrek whispers loudly. "Are you okay? You are acting a little funny. Is it the magic?"

---

Kalila could feel the embarrassment rise, and she clenches her jaw in anxiety when she saw him back away from her and into the hall. It became clear that he didn't understand her secret message, and now it looked like she was flirting with this older man. She had to restrain herself from facepalming herself. She answers him, realizing that she needed to back off, "I see. My apologies,"

She begins trying to think of another way of communicating the issue without being direct, when Garrek leans in and whispers his questions to her. That's right...she could just ask him, couldn't she?

She glances down the hall towards the back door before for a moment, before she turns away. She hoped the Shadow wouldn't be able to read her lips, or hear her, as she shakes her head at Garrek in response to his questions. She leans in and she whispers to him, hoping neither the Shadow nor Miller could hear her,

"A shadowed figure with yellow eyes followed us here from the rooftops of the Panther's Rest. I just saw them behind Miller in the hallway and they vanished into the back room. I think they're a Vulture. I'm worried if we just leave Miller, he'll be in danger,"

Garrek listens to your warning. He looks confused. He scratches his head.

"Yellow eyes?" Garrek whispers back. He sounds uncertain. "That... that does not sound like Vane's boys. They usually just kick the front door in and break things."

He looks at you with respect. "But you are the one with the magic. If you say something is there, we should tell him. We can't leave him alone with it."

Before you can agree, a loud noise interrupts you.

"Ahem!"

Miller is leaning over the counter. He glares at both of you. It is clear he cannot hear your words, but the whispering annoys him. He picks up one of the gold coins you gave him. He brings it to his mouth and bites down hard on the metal to test it.

"Is this a prank, Garrek?" Miller asks sharply. "First the lady grabs my hand weirdly. Now you two are whispering in the corner like mischievous children."

He drops the coin back onto the wood. It makes a solid ringing sound.

"Is this gold real?" he demands. "Or does it turn to lead when you leave?"

Kalila blinks at Garrek's words. He doesn't think the shadowed figure is one of the Vultures? But then...the Vultures sounded like a bunch of rogues. She wouldn't be surprised if stealth and subterfuge is part of their methods and they just hadn't been caught yet...

Before she could say anything to him, Miller clears his throat. She immediately turns to face him once more, her eyes darting between him and the hall behind him, to make sure the shadow wasn't coming out. She raises an eyebrow as he bites the gold coins to test them. When he asked his suspicions, she answers him, with eyes wide with surprise from the accusation. She answers him, "Miller, you give me too much credit when it comes to magic. I do not even know how to accomplish that! No, my business with you is genuine,"

She considered what to do next, and she decided that Garrek was right. She needed to tell him, and being direct is now a necessity at this point. She just needed to be careful that the shadow doesn't hear her.

She approaches closer to the counter, and she gestures him to move closer. She does glance to the back hall to see if the shadow comes out. She whispers to Miller, "I apologize for the confusion, but I was trying to tell you earlier: Someone is in your back room. You may be in danger if we leave you alone,"

Miller leans forward to hear you. As your words land, the annoyance vanishes from his face. In an instant, all the blood drains from his skin. He turns pale, like a sheet of white linen.

He does not look toward the dark hallway. He does not even check to see if you are lying. Fear takes over him completely.

He moves fast. He scrambles out from behind the wooden counter, almost tripping over his own feet. He rushes to stand on your side of the room. He positions himself so that you and Garrek are between him and the open door to the back.

"P-please," Miller stammers. His voice shakes and cracks. "D-don't... stop making j-jokes like that. Tell m-me you are lying."

He crouches low behind you. He grips the back of Garrek's tunic with a trembling hand. He refuses to look at the darkness behind the counter.

Kalila understood the feeling of fear that took over Miller when he didn't even look back until he was behind her and Garrek. She looks back at him when he speaks, and she answers him, "I wouldn't lie about such a thing," She does return her careful and wary gaze back to the darkness. It looks like there's but one choice left: To check and see if the shadow's still there.

She speaks to Miller and Garrek, "Be ready to get the guards if something goes wrong,"

Kalila knew the safest option was to leave with Miller and Garrek. But she realized that if they all left, that shadow would just follow them again. So...at this point, facing this shadow is a necessity. She moves cautiously towards the back room, despite the fact that she can't see into the darkness, ready to dodge in case an attack comes her way.

Garrek nods at your command. He spreads his arms to shield the shaking shopkeeper.

"Stay behind me, Miller," Garrek says firmly. He positions himself near the front entrance, keeping the exit clear. He looks ready to shout for the guards at the first sign of trouble.

---

You step into the hallway. You keep your guard up, moving carefully, your body ready to dodge an attack. You scan the shelves and corners.

The back room looks completely normal. You see piles of extra fabric, a broom, and boxes of supplies. There are no shadows hiding in the corners. There are no glowing yellow eyes. It looks like a dusty, boring storage room. You start to wonder if your mind played tricks on you after the stress of the morning.

Then the door behind you swings shut.

It clicks closed with a heavy sound, as if someone pushed it from the other side. Instantly, all sound vanishes. The noise of the street, Miller's panicked breathing, even the wind outside is gone. The silence is heavy and unnatural. It feels like the room has been cut off from the rest of the world.

You turn back toward the closed door. That is when you see it.

A creature stands there. It is small, only about three feet tall. Its body is not made of flesh but of thick vapor. The smoke shifts to form the shape of a small child with feathery arms and taloned feet. The gas is a pale blue color.

Its face is hidden by a hard, white porcelain mask with gold trim. The mask has a sharp, curved beak and a wide, painted red smile. The eye sockets are empty black holes.

It twitches with jerky, bird like spasms. It silently mimics your movement, tilting its head exactly when you do. Then it dissolves slightly into the nearest shadow, waiting.

Kalila cautiously enters the back room and scans the area, only to find no shadowed figure, nor the glow of the yellow eyes. Before she could even reassure herself that her eyes may have been playing tricks, she hears the door slam shut behind her! She immediately catches the fact that all other noise outside of this room had vanished, like she had been completely separated!

She turns to face the door to see that she is not alone in this room. Some manner of small creature made of blue vapor, with a mask befitting of a worshipper of the Jester, is staring at her while twitching. She tilts her head in confusion and creature mimics her!

She moves back to the opposite wall and she readies an Eldritch Blast in case it decides to attack. For now she tries asking, "What do you want?! Are you with the Vultures?!"

The creature does not answer your questions. It does not seem to care about the Vultures or your demands.

Instead, it tilts its masked head to the side. A sound bubbles up from the thick blue vapor. It is a giggle. It sounds high and scratchy, echoing loudly in the unnatural silence of the room.

The pale blue color of its body suddenly darkens. It turns into a deep, bruised indigo color. The creature lunges forward. It raises its smoky, taloned claws high. It is coming to hurt you.

You are ready. The magic in your veins reacts to the threat instantly.

---

Kalila tenses in fear, her own eyes glowing now in reaction to that emotion, while the unknown creature laughs. Its laughter echoes in this unnaturally silent room, and the color of its smoke changes. She screams as it lunges towards her and she immediately fires the Eldritch Blast!

The magic seems to react to her fear, and the blast that fired out was brighter and faster than the blasts she fired at Vane! The myriad colors are still in that blast, but she knew it wasn't as strong because she couldn't cast Hex on the creature like she did with Vane. The blast seems to engulf the creature that tried to lunge at her. But whether or not it would be enough to stop its attack remains to be seen...