Kaelen’s POV
The morning came slow and dim. Even underground, the light found its way in through cracks above the cavern ceiling, dusting the hidden village in a strange, golden haze. It should have been peaceful.
But it wasn’t.
Something about this place felt wrong.
The villagers moved quietly, too quietly — no chatter, no laughter, just the low shuffle of feet and the occasional clink of metal. Their faces were pale, eyes hollow. They avoided our gazes, slipping back into their homes whenever one of us passed.
At first, I thought it was just fear. After all, we’d brought in a bleeding warrior in the middle of the night. But the longer I watched, the clearer it became — this was something else entirely.
They weren’t afraid. They were hiding something.
“Morning,” Damien said around
