I awoke with a sliver of light across my face. I couldn’t remember falling asleep, but it was the first time I’d slept in twenty years. The forest was quiet except for the soft dawn chorus, birds greeting the morning as if nothing strange had happened the day before. Illara was still asleep, her breathing calm and steady.

  The rage of yesterday had ebbed away, leaving only a distant echo in my muscles — a wrongness I could not fully claim. Whatever had overtaken me then was quiet now, dormant.

  As I pushed myself upright, I felt sensations I had long forgotten. The tight twist of hunger. A throat dry enough to ache. And, more pressingly, the sudden realisation that I needed to pee.

  How does a woman even do this in the forest?

  The thought struck with unexpected urgency.

  I searched Drisnil’s memories, but discovered that such mundane things were apparently not worth preserving. After a moment’s debate, I decided to simply walk a little away from the camp and hope for the best. What’s the worst that could happen?

  I stopped where Illara was barely visible through the brush, lowered my trousers and underwear, crouched, and let nature take its course. I couldn’t help lamenting the missing appendage I had once taken for granted. It had been so simple then. Still, when the stream ceased, the familiar sense of relief reminded me that some human experiences remained universal.

  Thirst came next. Out of habit, I reached for the flask on my belt and drained it. The water soothed the dryness in my throat. I refilled the flask at the nearby creek and added a drop of purifying potion. Hunger would have to wait; the rations I carried shouldn’t be wasted unless absolutely necessary.

  It struck me then how vivid everything felt. The cold water, the rough metal of the flask, even the faint scent of damp moss along the creek. After twenty years without a body, these sensations hit almost painfully sharp, as if my senses had been starved for too long and now wanted everything at once.

  When I returned to the clearing, Illara was awake and sitting up with a confused expression. The moment she saw me, fear snapped across her face and she froze.

  “Please don’t come any closer!” she shouted.

  “Don’t worry,” I said gently. “My name is Drisnil. If I meant you harm, I wouldn’t have carried you back to your campsite, now would I?”

  Illara hesitated, wrestling with fear and reason.

  “My cheek still stings, you attacked me and poisoned me. How is that not harm?”

  “True,” I admitted. “But you were panicked. I needed you calm. Putting you to sleep for a while was the only way I could keep you safe.”

  Illara tightened her grip on the blanket. “But you’re… you’re an evil monster. The spell I cast told me so. What motive are you hiding?”

  I paused, choosing my words with care.

  “My motive is to protect you, Illara. I swore it when your mother, Ilza, died. I’ve been watching you ever since, keeping you safe where I could. I may appear evil, but that doesn’t define me. It only reflects my past.”

  Confusion softened her fear as she considered this.

  “If that’s true… why have I never seen you before?”

  “I’ve kept hidden. My presence tends to frighten people, and I didn’t want that for you.”

  “How did you know my mother? She never left the village.”

  “I was tailing an adventuring party, trying to learn their intentions. I followed them to your village. I met Ilza then, though she never knew. When she died, I chose to make sure her child would still have a full and happy life.”

  Half-truths came easier than I expected. They felt natural, as if deception was something this body had practised often.

  Illara slowly relaxed, colour returning to her cheeks.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked. “I can go hunt for breakfast.”

  She nodded.

  “All right. While I’m gone, could you get the campfire going again?”

  I slipped into the forest. Instinct made me move quietly, my steps silent on the leaves, as though invisibility was second nature. The brightness stung my eyes, making the world sharper than I liked, but after some searching I found a rabbit nibbling on nettle. I crept close, drew my short sword, and struck. The blade pierced its skull cleanly.

  I skinned and gutted it using the same sword, working with practised hands, then skewered it on a sturdy stick.

  When I returned, Illara had revived the fire. I set the rabbit over the flames. We sat across from one another, both watching it roast.

  “How did you kill the rabbit?” Illara asked.

  “I snuck up on it and struck it with my short sword.”

  “How did you get so close without startling it?”

  I thought for a moment, consulting Drisnil’s memories again. The answer came easily this time.

  “Magic items,” I said. “Silentstride Boots and a Cloak of Leaf-Shadow. They enhance stealth. How do you think I’ve followed you all these years without being noticed?”

  Illara’s eyes widened at the mention of magic.

  “I’ve never seen magical items before,” she said eagerly. “May I look at one?”

  I removed my cloak and handed it to her. The morning air chilled my arms; I wore only a thin singlet and leather trousers beneath it.

  Illara examined the cloak with reverence. “These must have been rare. How did you get them?”

  I considered the old campaign memories. “I received them as a reward for finding someone.”

  “They must have been important.”

  “Yes. And difficult to find,” I replied.

  The rabbit meat had turned a pleasant golden brown. I removed it from the fire, tore off the hind legs for myself, and handed the rest to Illara. We ate in silence. For me, it was the first real food I’d tasted in twenty years. Gamey, chewy, imperfect—but still good.

  And infinitely better than iron rations.

  After the meal, Illara wiped her hands on her trousers and asked, “What are your plans from here, Drisnil?”

  I paused. I didn’t want to give up this new body, and I had already sworn to protect her. As far as options went, I had very few.

  “I’ll follow you back to the village,” I said. “I can talk things over with Cain and see what comes next.”

  “Jenna won’t accept you. And… I still don’t trust you,” Illara warned.

  “What’s she going to do?” I shrugged. “I can’t imagine Cain turning away a good fighter, and your dad will probably insist they help me after I saved you.”

  Illara looked down, her voice soft. “True…”

  “Either way, we need to deal with the bandit issue soon,” I added. “Before they get closer to the village. And that’s something I can help with.”

  The words tasted strange. The memory of the scouts’ massacre clawed up from the back of my mind. But this time would be different. This time we would learn who the bandits were before taking action.

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  With the matter decided, neither of us lingered. There was nothing more to do here. We dismantled the camp and scattered the ashes. Illara bowed her head and whispered a prayer.

  “May Solvarn help us find our way home safely.”

  We set off through the forest, weaving between towering trunks and thick undergrowth. Illara moved gracefully, barely disturbing the brush. I followed, impressed by her fluid steps even as my own body felt powerful and restless.

  “The village will be disappointed I didn’t bring back an animal,” Illara said, breaking the silence.

  “I’m sure they’ll just be glad you’re home,” I replied.

  “Maybe… but the harvest workers will arrive soon. Cain wanted extra meat to share with them.”

  “I’m sure Norma will figure something out.”

  Illara frowned slightly. “It’s strange, you knowing everyone’s names when I’ve never seen you before.”

  We kept walking. Drisnil’s stamina was remarkable, but I could still feel fatigue tugging at my limbs. It was almost comforting, just another forgotten human sensation returning to me.

  Eventually we reached the forest’s edge. The world opened into wide fields glowing under the late afternoon sun. I squinted; the brightness stabbed at my eyes. This body saw beautifully in darkness, but daylight was another matter.

  We crossed the fields, the wheat brushing against my fingers. I ran my hand through it slowly, letting the texture sink into my skin. It felt like rediscovering something precious.

  Illara glanced back at me, observing my expression.

  “You look as though this is a new experience,” she said.

  “I’ve been hiding a long time,” I replied. “It’s… nice to be out in the open again.”

  A lie, or at least half a truth, but necessary. Illara picked up her pace, eager for home, and I followed her toward the cluster of cottages rising ahead.

  As we entered the village, people stopped what they were doing and stared at me. Their eyes followed my every step. I felt exposed, as though walking unclothed into the centre of the square.

  We reached Illara’s home. She rushed inside, and out of habit, I followed without thinking.

  “I’m home!” she called.

  Theo swept Illara into a hug, tears in his eyes. Then he noticed me. I was so used to being unseen that the shock of attention scraped through me.

  “Who might you be, stranger?” Theo asked.

  “This is Drisnil, Dad,” Illara said quickly. “She rescued me from bandits in the forest.”

  Theo’s tension eased, his shoulders dropping. Relief softened the lines on his face.

  “Thank you for saving my daughter. I am truly grateful.”

  “It is—” I caught myself before instinctively saying not free, and corrected, “—my pleasure.”

  The door behind me opened, and Ash entered. My reflexes tensed, body poised to defend itself in the small room, but Ash simply approached and wrapped his arms around me. The warmth surprised me. I exhaled and let myself relax into the embrace.

  Illara watched, concern in her eyes.

  “Illara,” I said gently, “could you take me to see Cain? I believe I have business with him.”

  She nodded. “Okay. Follow me. I’ll be back for dinner later, Dad. Can Drisnil have dinner too?”

  “Yes, of course,” Theo said. “Anything for our daughter’s saviour.”

  I followed Illara to Cain’s house. The soil was damp under our boots, and thin curls of smoke drifted from the chimneys of nearby homes. The familiar traces of hearth-fires, woodsmoke, and cooking meat drifted through the air, faint, but unmistakable. The smells stirred something deep and forgotten within me. After twenty years without a body, even the scent of wet earth felt overwhelming in the best way.

  We reached Cain and Jenna’s home. They had taken over Athelmod’s house after he retired, and the place felt livelier now with three children running about. Illara knocked on the door.

  “Hey Cain, it’s me, Illara!”

  Cain opened the door and noticed me immediately. “Welcome back, Illara. And who is this with you?”

  “Her name is Drisnil. She rescued me from some bandits who got the jump on me.”

  “Is that so? Thank you for saving my pupil, Drisnil. I’m pleased to see Illara home safe.”

  “We didn’t manage to catch any game,” Illara apologised. “We were too worried about the bandits.”

  “That’s all right,” Cain said warmly. “The important thing is that you’re safe.”

  Then he turned to me. “So, Drisnil, what were you doing out in the woods all by yourself?”

  “I was staying hidden while following the bandits,” I replied. “Making sure they didn’t attack any innocent people.”

  “That isn’t—” Illara began, but I gently placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

  “How noble of you, Drisnil,” Cain said.

  Inside the house, Jenna stood near the hearth, whispering the words of a spell. I felt the familiar tug of detect good and evil brushing across my skin. I didn’t resist. Better that a devout woman like her know the truth now than later.

  Her expression shifted instantly. She ushered her children through the back door with tight, hurried movements.

  “Cain, dear, may I have a quick word with you?” she asked sharply.

  Cain nodded. “Illara, Drisnil, please come in and sit at the table. I’ll speak with my wife and be back soon.”

  We stepped inside. The home looked much as I remembered it, though far more lived in now. A large pot of stew simmered over the hearth, sending rich, savoury aromas through the room — beef, onions, herbs. The smell alone made my stomach tighten with hunger. After two decades without sensation, scent hit harder than taste ever could.

  Jenna and Cain slipped into the next room. Their voices were low, muffled, but the topic of their conversation was obvious: me.

  Eventually they returned. Jenna’s scowl stayed fixed on me; Cain wore the strained smile of a man trying to be polite while worried he shouldn’t be.

  “So, Drisnil,” he said, “how can we repay you for what you’ve done?”

  I placed a small bag on the table. “You could pay me for killing the bandits.”

  Cain opened it, recoiled, and stiffened. “You know Illara’s testimony would have been enough. You didn’t have to… go this far.”

  Jenna muttered under her breath. I caught the name Solvarn.

  Cain cleared his throat. “I can pay you five silver for each person, if that’s acceptable.”

  “That sounds fine,” I replied.

  He counted out the coins and handed them to me. Illara watched in surprise, her eyes flicking between us.

  “That brings us to the bandits,” Cain continued. “Could you send word to Ravenrest so they can send soldiers to help deal with them?”

  My mind stalled. Memories of what happened the last time soldiers came to “help” this village surfaced like ice breaking through water.

  “I’m not going back to Ravenrest,” I said calmly. “I’d rather stay here a while. You’d show Illara’s saviour at least that much courtesy… wouldn’t you?”

  Jenna’s expression darkened further. She opened her mouth, but Cain placed a gentle hand over hers, stopping her.

  “I’m not sure we have anywhere for you to stay,” he said carefully.

  “She can stay with us,” Illara offered.

  “I’m not sure Theo would agree,” Cain replied.

  “I’m sure he will,” Illara said confidently. “Drisnil’s staying for dinner, after all.”

  Cain let out a defeated breath. “All right. But please follow our customs here. We’re a close community, and troublemakers stand out.”

  “I understand,” I said.

  Their distrust pressed against me like a cold wind — sharp, undeserved, foreign. Yet I accepted it. A fresh start rarely begins with warmth.

  “So back to the bandits, Cain, would you be willing to form a party from this village to investigate? I’d be happy to help out for a small fee.”

  Cain thought for a moment. “I’d prefer not to form a party with someone I do not know, if I’m being honest.”

  It seemed he had made up his mind, so there was no point arguing.

  We got up from the table and proceeded to leave. Jenna motioned Illara to talk to her for a bit.

  “You go on ahead, Drisnil, I’ll catch up.”

  Sensing the discussion would be about me, I agreed and carried on.

  I walked ahead alone, letting the village quiet settle around me as the tension from Cain’s home slowly faded.

  The village paths were quiet in the early evening, and my footsteps felt too loud in the stillness. I wasn’t sure whether I belonged here yet, but Illara’s home was the only place that made sense to return to.

  I reached her house and walked in.

  “Oh, hi Drisnil, you don’t have a habit of knocking, do you?” Theo said with a smile.

  “I take it Illara told you our names?”

  “Yes, she did on the walk through the forest. I also know Ash does not speak.”

  I sat down at the table. “Illara should return soon, she had some business with Jenna first.”

  “Thanks for letting me know,” Theo replied.

  A short while later, Illara returned through the door.

  “Dad, Ash, I’m home finally.”

  “You’re just in time for dinner.”

  Theo served up lamb with potatoes and broccoli, basic food, but being my first sit-down meal in this world, I intended to savour it.

  “May Halwen bless this food and help guide us,” Illara prayed.

  We began to eat. The food was simple, but satisfying, and it left me feeling comfortably full.

  “So where are you staying, Drisnil?” Theo asked.

  “About that, Dad… can she stay here?” Illara replied.

  “I don’t see why not, but we only have three beds.”

  “She can sleep in mine,” Illara suggested.

  The mere suggestion of sharing a bed with Illara made my heart flutter.

  “Is that all right with you, Drisnil?” Theo asked.

  “Sure…” I stammered, grateful my dark skin hid the warmth rising in my cheeks.

  “Good. I’m pleased we can have the hero of the family stay with us.”

  Once dinner was done, I helped clear the table and wash the dishes. These mundane tasks reminded me of living at home with my parents, moments I had sorely missed while living alone.

  When the chores were done, Illara gave me a small nod toward the door, an unspoken invitation to follow.

  I followed Illara to a small shed. She undressed down to her knickers, and I followed suit. Inside was a bucket of cold water and some cloths. Illara began to wipe herself down, shivering in the cold.

  “Let me get your back for you.”

  I placed the cloth in the bucket and gently washed her back, feeling the smoothness of her skin. In the dim light, her skin glowed pale as snow.

  “It’s odd. I should be terrified of you. But some part of me keeps whispering that you’ve been here all along. I wish I knew why.”

  Her words struck somewhere deep, somewhere that wasn’t wholly Geoff or Drisnil.

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” I said. “It… eases something in me.”

  “Turn around for me, please?” Illara said softly.

  I turned, feeling the cold cloth against my back. Illara traced the cloth over the scars there. Each touch pulled old memories, her memories, to the surface.

  “You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?”

  She pulled me into a hug from behind, her bare chest warm against my back. The unexpected comfort of it made something inside me loosen.

  “Brr, it’s cold.”

  Illara released me and put her thin top back on. I slipped on my singlet as well. We carried our clothing inside; I noticed Ash’s eyes following me as we entered Illara’s room.

  We readied ourselves in silence, the small room lit only by the fading embers from the hearth. The air between us felt gentler now, quiet in a way that didn’t need filling.

  As we settled into the room, I felt the divide between Geoff and Drisnil blur again, the closeness both grounding and unsettling.

  We got into bed together, our backs pressed against each other.

  “Thank you, Drisnil. I’m pleased I met you,” Illara murmured.

  For the first time in years, I felt the simple comfort of sharing a room, a bed, a breath of warmth beside me, and sleep found me before I could dwell on the strangeness of it.