We traveled for two days before we found the road again, and with it, a village. Along the way, we encountered no one else, and found no signs of pursuit. Somehow, the longer that went on, the more it felt like a threat building in the back of my mind.

  By the end of the first day, Nadine was actually talking with Perrin, giving me hope that this short venture might be more comfortable for us… right up until they hit the topic of spell theory. The bickering from then on became endless. I suppose when one mage looks at the world and thinks, How do I use enchanting to make this better? and the other looks at every enchantment and thinks, How do I break that? they are bound to have a few disagreements.

  We reined in our horses and looked toward the village ahead, the morning sunlight beginning to stir it to life. It sat on level ground, giving us little more than a clear view of a new palisade and a few scattered buildings that hadn’t made it inside the walls yet.

  “Well,” Nadine began, “if they were able to build a new wall, they must not have been seeing anything as dangerous as the monster we saw in the wilderness.”

  “He has a name,” I said flatly.

  She sighed. “Anything as dangerous as Nigel the Nigel… Are you really going to stick with that?”

  “She’s right, you know,” Perrin added. “That thing has a lot to work with. Those creepy hands alone…”

  I only shook my head. “It’s too late now. The Nigels have already been named. Now, I think perhaps we should split up and enter in two groups. We can circle around to the road on the west side, then walk in.”

  Nadine glanced at me, then back at the town in the distance. “Do you really think they could have gotten word here already?”

  “Yes. They had an arcane and a divine caster in the group, at least. And even if they hadn’t, nothing stops them from sending a bird.”

  Perrin nodded. “So the two of you will go ahead, then?”

  I shook my head. “The two of you will go ahead. I’ll take the horses and find a safe place for them farther west, then join you in an hour or so.”

  Nadine straightened. “Us? You want me to… What will they think, seeing me riding alone with a man? That might be even more suspicious than the two of us together.”

  I did my best to keep a straight face. “Not if you act like a married couple. Oh, don’t look at me like that. You two have been bickering nonstop for the past two days. It’s a flawless disguise.”

  “It’s not bickering,” Perrin said, sounding mildly offended. “We are only discussing the merits of different schools of magic.”

  “That’s right,” Nadine said. “And I’m sure we’ve both learned a lot from the discussion. I’m moderately confident I can build enchantments that Perrin can’t scratch now.”

  He grinned at her. “I’ll take that challenge.”

  I hummed. “You know, Nadine, we could probably stuff your shirt a little with spare clothes. They’d never mistake a pregnant newlywed for the accomplice of the devious runaway Saint.”

  The glare she shot me could have melted ice.

  "Careful, Mirela. I'm keeping score. You just wait until we find Laurent. I'll get even."

  I fell quiet on Altivo's back. It was the first time she'd brought him up directly in a long time, and hearing the words from her so casually hit me a lot harder than I'd expected. She read the lingering silence in her own way.

  "I am sure he's fine, Mirela. We will find him again."

  I only nodded. "Let's get ready."

  The first thing we did was make sure we knew exactly what we needed to find in the town and make a list. The village wasn't a large one, but Perrin was an experienced adventurer and had a very good idea of how to gather supplies in places like this.

  Much to my surprise, they took every one of my suggestions to heart. I’d meant them as teasing, but that didn’t make them wrong. Nadine and I took a few minutes to get her disguise into a semblance of realism that would pass more than a casual glance. We traveled together until we met the road, and then we parted ways. They each rode a horse, with the rest following Altivo and me.

  We turned west at a canter and covered a couple of miles over the next twenty minutes before we found a suitable spot for the horses. The remains of an old orchard, long overgrown but next to open grasslands. Plenty of cover if they needed it, and open grazing. With how easily they followed my instructions when I told them to wait nearby, I had a feeling they'd still be here when we returned.

  Then, Altivo and I turned back for a much more leisurely ride into town. The slow pace made me feel a bit more confident that my hood would stay in place and not ruin the small bit of discretion it afforded me.

  I shouldn't have worried. By the time I reached the gate, there was already a small but steady flow of traffic coming and going. Two guards were posted to watch the road, but it didn't look like people were their primary concern from how they kept their eyes scanning the horizon.

  Inside the gates, the village was far busier than I'd expected. Now that the roads were turning more dangerous, travelers and merchants were far less comfortable risking camping in the open. With all the people crammed inside the gates at night, it looked like many were taking to sleeping in their wagons, or anywhere they could fit.

  The traveling merchants didn't miss the opportunity, with several staying longer than originally planned to sell and trade right where they'd stopped. As most of them had adventurer escorts, it gave the whole place the feel of a much bigger market.

  Rather than draw attention to myself, I dismounted and walked beside Altivo while I explored the wares on display. Every merchant had their own way of showing their wares, with some setting up tables and others fortunate enough to have carts purpose built to turn into stalls. It made the whole experience feel far more interesting and exotic than anyone should realistically expect while shopping in a village of this size.

  I was browsing alchemical supplies at a cart that folded open like a store front, even including a canopy overhead, when I spotted Nadine and Perrin. They were taking their disguise seriously, walking arm in arm as they laughed and looked to be sharing a meal of meats on sticks and something steaming in large mugs. I decided I could join up with them after I had a little more time to look around.

  They carried the majority of our money, but I had enough for a few things, and I was glad to pick up a small pack with a few alchemy basics again. If I didn't have enough reason to reverse that curse in Valoria, recovering my portable alchemy lab would be the last straw.

  The next place I stopped was a merchant who had a few used novels in his display. I'd just picked one up when I heard a conversation in a loud whisper from nearby.

  “I heard the Hero himself warned the Church.”

  “That makes no sense. He’s missing.”

  “He wouldn’t be. They don’t lose Heroes. They probably sent him to deal with her.”

  I spun, but they'd already vanished into the crowd. I almost went after them when a voice from behind stopped me.

  “You gonna pay for that?”

  I turned back, coughed in embarrassment, and handed over a few coins. Only when I started walking away did I look down to see what I’d bought. I flipped through a few pages before it finally came together.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “So… the Dragon Queen is forced to hide as a bard, lies her way into becoming a pirate captain even though she can’t swim, just so she can sail into the cradle of a magical anomaly to investigate the disappearance of a dungeon hunter who is the only one capable of stopping a world-ending cataclysm? That is so random… Oh. And it’s smut. Okay. That makes sense.”

  An older woman gasped as I passed, scandalized, but I ignored her. The people I'd heard were long gone, but it was obvious even to me that they were passing along rumors. If there was one, there were more, and they actually sounded important this time. At least, to me.

  I wandered slowly, half reading my new book, if only to look occupied, and let the noise of the market wash over me. It didn’t take long to realize the conversations weren’t aimless. They circled the same subjects, again and again, never quite landing, as if everyone was afraid to say too much out loud. The word Valoria surfaced more than once. So did the Oracle.

  I'd only made it to where the Dragon Queen and Dungeon Hunter were naming their first child Cahl when my efforts were rewarded.

  I slowed near a stall selling smoked fish and pretended to linger. A pair of mages near my age, dressed in the colors of the couriers’ guild, were speaking in low, urgent tones nearby.

  “…can’t just replace her,” one of them said. “That isn’t how the Church works.”

  “That’s how it’s working now,” the other replied. “She’s been missing since the Catalyst Festival. You think they’re going to wait forever?”

  “There’s no proof she’s dead.”

  “There’s no proof she’s alive either.”

  I turned a page.

  “They aren't even close to a majority yet,” the first man went on. “Half the bishops are furious with the cardinals who even suggest it.”

  “And the other half are listening,” the second said. “I've read the messages coming through. He's not wasting time divining. He doesn’t hedge. He's speaking of decisive actions.”

  That made me look up.

  I closed the book and stepped closer, careful not to sound too interested. “Who?” I asked. “Who’s speaking?”

  Both men glanced at me, measuring before their eyes widened slightly. As one, they straightened and smoothed their robes. I kept my expression politely curious, nothing more.

  “The Prophet,” one of them said, as if that explained everything.

  “The Prophet?” I echoed.

  “He calls himself that,” the other added. “Came out of nowhere, as far as anyone knows. Says the Oracle’s silence is proof enough that she's gone. Says the Church needs a voice, not a vacancy.”

  "That's rather pompous of him. He just nominated himself? And what of the cardinals?"

  He barked a humorless laugh. “They're too busy arguing to provide any real guidance. They think the world will wait on them. It sounds like most are pretending this isn’t already happening.”

  “He’s already giving sermons,” the first man said. “Public ones. Like the seat’s already his.”

  “Is that allowed?” I asked.

  “No,” the second man said. “Which hasn’t stopped him yet. He's got enough of a following that no one has risked taking him down.”

  I nodded, not particularly invested in the leadership of the church, but working my way to what I wanted to know. "Surely the Hero and Saint will have something to say about it. Have you heard anything about them?"

  "That they're missing," the second man said with a mix of distaste and humor. "The Hero has been popping up and helping folks, supposedly. No one has been able to confirm it, though."

  They exchanged a look, then the first leaned in slightly. “There’s talk, too. Quiet offers. Rewards.”

  “For what?” I asked.

  “Real information,” he said. “On the Hero, mostly. Some say they want to bring him back. Others say they want to hear his side of things.”

  “And the Saint?” I asked, keeping my voice even.

  There was an uncomfortable pause, and Altivo stepped closer to me as if there were some danger nearby.

  “Same thing,” the man said finally. “Find her. Recover her. Rescue her, depending on who you ask.” His mouth twisted. “People are nervous with everything else going on about her."

  I thanked them, bought a piece of grilled fish I didn’t want, and moved on before they could ask me anything in return.

  As I walked, the market felt louder and yet, somehow claustrophobic. The rumors I’d heard earlier no longer seemed scattered. The themes felt intentional, like someone was preparing the people for something. I didn’t like how it felt, like it might interfere with my own goals, but I wasn’t sure yet what I was willing to do about it.

  I turned back the way I'd come, letting Altivo make us a path through the crowd while I focused on trying to spot the others.

  It took a quarter hour before I found them again near the edge of the market, half sheltered by a cart stacked with folded cloth. They hadn’t noticed me yet.

  Nadine was facing Perrin, her hands wrapped around a mug, her shoulders relaxed in a way I hadn’t seen much of lately. Perrin was speaking more carefully than usual, his hands still, his posture easy. Whatever they were talking about, it wasn’t spell theory.

  “…once all this is finished,” he was saying. “When we’re back where things make sense again.”

  Nadine tilted her head, watching him over the rim of her drink. “That’s an optimistic way to put it.”

  "I try," He answered with a smile, “I mean Valoria,” he continued, as if clarifying something he’d already decided. “If you’re still there. Or if I am. We could… spend some time together. Properly.”

  Her cheeks colored immediately, the reaction too quick to be practiced. She looked away, then back, clearly weighing something that had nothing to do with him.

  “That’s kind of you,” she said. “And I don’t dislike the idea.”

  Perrin’s expression softened, hopeful despite himself.

  “But,” Nadine went on, gentle yet firm, “we’ve told you. We’re going west. There are things we need to do first. Things that don’t come with timelines or promises.”

  “I know,” he said. “I just thought it was worth saying.”

  She nodded. “It was.” There was a brief pause before she added, “If we do cross paths again, and if things are… settled, I’d be willing to talk." She met his eyes then, steady and unambiguous. “That’s all I can offer.”

  He let out a quiet breath, halfway between a laugh and a surrender. “I can live with that.”

  That was when I stepped closer.

  Nadine noticed me first, her eyes flicking past Perrin’s shoulder. “You’re back,” she said, a little too brightly.

  “I found the horses a good place,” I replied. “And a book I probably shouldn’t have bought.”

  Perrin glanced between us, then nodded to himself. "Well, then I suppose it is time we got to the business of preparing for travel. We've been through the market already, it won't be difficult to find everything."

  He took the lead then, moving through the market with practiced ease. He didn’t rush, but he didn’t linger either, guiding us toward stalls run by people who knew what they were selling and didn’t need to shout about it.

  We found a sturdy travel bag that had clearly seen use but was still in great shape, traded from another adventurer who’d decided to travel lighter. Perrin checked the stitching without comment, nodded once, and negotiated the price down with a few quiet observations about wear that I wouldn’t have spotted myself.

  He helped Nadine compare saddles next, discarding two before settling on a pair that didn’t match but sat well and looked like they’d survive hard miles. He even managed to coax a spare set of straps out of the deal, citing “inevitable breakage” with the kind of confidence that suggested experience.

  It went this way for each item we purchased, and it made me glad to have him along. By the time we finished, we had more than we’d planned and had spent less than we feared. It felt… settled.

  We were standing off to the side of the market when Perrin finally spoke again, his attention on the bag slung over my shoulder.

  “You should be fine from here,” he said, not as a question.

  I glanced at Nadine. She didn’t look surprised.

  “You’re heading back east?” I asked, their conversation making more sense to me now.

  “Yes,” he replied. “I need to check in with the Guild. Let my family know I’m still breathing. And…” He hesitated only briefly. “It’s better if no one connects me to what happened out there.”

  “That’s probably wise,” I said.

  Nadine exhaled softly, arms folded. “It is the practical choice.”

  He smiled at that, then looked back at me. “I was hoping to take the horse I leased. From… before. It’ll be easier to explain that way.”

  Altivo shifted beside me, and I patted his neck.

  “You can,” I said. "It'll be better that way. You can help us get everything back to the rest of the horses. You just better get her home safe.”

  “I plan to,” he said, relief flickering across his face.

  There was no ceremony after that. No lingering. Just the quiet understanding that this was where our roads parted. They left town a few minutes before me, but I doubt anyone would have noticed if we'd left together.

  The horses were where I'd left them, and we sat together for one final meal before Perrin left. Sensing the mood, I gave the two of them some space. I hadn't realized something was building between the two of them, or when things had shifted. Or perhaps I was reading too far into it, and this was only new friendship with mild interest.

  When Nadine joined me a few minutes later, she didn't look upset. We rode along at our normal pace, and I glanced her way a few times, but she was determined to watch the road ahead. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

  "So. Do you think your father would approve? A better match than that old baron if you ask me."

  Her eyes snapped to me, full of shock. "Mirela!"

  I blinked at her. "What? Am I misreading something? It sure sounded to me like you two were making plans."

  "Nothing so serious as that!" she shot back, sounding almost scandalized. But her tone eased as she continued, "We only said we would see each other again."

  I nodded. "So, its really going to take some work with your father. I could see that, though. Perrin's skills could work well with the family business."

  She snorted at me. "At breaking the family business, perhaps." A few seconds passed before she continued, "though, he does have a stronger understanding of enchanting than he realizes. It might give him new perspectives on enchantments."

  I nodded along, "There you go. That might make it worth the effort alone."

  She snorted. "I think we might need a bit more than that before we even consider something so serious. It's… complicated. And even if we decided we were a good match, and the baron wasn't already an obstacle, could you imagine trying to go to your father and explain that you wanted to marry an adventurer?"

  I nearly choked. "I… You know. How do you go about that, anyway? It occurs to me that is a thing I may need to do very soon. If everything you told me is true, he already knows about Laurent. I really hope he isn't angry."

  Nadine covered her mouth to hold back a laugh. "I thought you were just going to hide away after this?"

  I took a moment to process that, then nodded. "You're right. I guess that won't be so hard to explain, after all."

  "Unless that was a moment of your true feelings shining through," She teased. "Do not worry. It should be easy for you. Your parents had made arrangements for you two before you were even born. You can't be blamed for that… The reception might be a little awkward, though. His family are notorious monster hunters."

  I stared at her for a long few seconds. "You're just trying to distract me from your love life."

  She nodded. “A little. I also think you should talk about this. You always avoid the subject, but I can see it eating away at you whenever he comes up. I don’t think you’re as willing to walk away as you believe.”

  I shook my head slowly, but the words slipped out anyway. “He knows what I am. Walking away isn’t a choice. It’s the only option.”

  I believed that. I just wasn’t sure anymore whether believing it made it true.

  The admission hadn’t been intentional, but it made something in my chest ache all the same. Nadine didn’t argue. We rode in silence for a while after that.

  We didn’t speak again until we passed a small roadside shrine. Someone had scratched a symbol into the stone where a prayer should have been.

  Nadine slowed, studying it. “Have you ever seen something like that before?”

  “No,” I said. “I don't recognize it, but it doesn’t belong on a shrine.”

  Nadine nodded slowly. “So it was meant to be noticed.”

  “Yes,” I agreed.

  We rode on, the shrine already behind us, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should have known what I was looking at.

  The Second Stranger: Embers of the Academy is one of those portal fantasy journeys that grabs you by the heart early — a brother chasing a brother into a brutal new world where magic decides everything and the only path out is survival and strength.