It had been three hours since I'd left Oakenford's gates behind.

  I rode on Nox's back, letting him set the pace while Fei circled overhead.

  I could have flown on Fei. It would have been faster, cut the journey down significantly. The Mistfall Mountains were about a week away by carriage, but with Nox's stamina and speed, I could make it in maybe three days. Flying would shave off even more time, reduce it to a day and a half, maybe two.

  But my monsters needed rest. They weren't tireless machines, despite their size and strength. Fei could fly for hours, sure, but carrying my weight over long distances would exhaust him. And Nox, for all his endurance, still needed breaks, food, water. Pushing them too hard would leave them vulnerable when I actually needed them.

  So yeah, traveling with Nox on the ground was the preferred way. I kept Fei in reserve in case we needed to get the hell out of dodge should something unexpected happen.

  The road curved around a hill, and I spotted movement ahead. People. A small group traveling in the same direction.

  The guards noticed us first. I saw their hands move to their weapons, their bodies tensing. One of them stepped forward, positioning himself between the caravan and us.

  They were wary of Nox. I couldn't blame them. Nox was huge, easily the size of a horse, if not bigger. He was a monster and that usually meant danger on the roads.

  But I was riding him. Sitting calmly on his back like he was just an oversized dog.

  The guard hesitated, clearly trying to decide if we were a threat.

  "Tamed beast!" I called out, keeping my voice steady. "Not hostile."

  The guard relaxed slightly but didn't lower his hand from his sword. Behind him, I could see merchants peering around the wagons, curious but cautious. The children had been pulled back, hidden behind their parents.

  Nox, to his credit, just kept walking at his steady pace.

  Seeing that the great wolf was clearly under my control, the guard finally stepped aside, though he kept watching us carefully.

  "Ho there!" One of the merchants called out, braver now that the immediate threat had passed. An older man with a gray beard and weathered face. "Fine beast you've got there! Don't see many tamers with monsters that large."

  I nodded but didn't slow down.

  "Heading south?" he called again. "Long road ahead if you're going alone."

  I hesitated, then pulled Nox to a stop. The caravan was slowing down anyway, the lead wagon's driver pulling his horses to a halt. The horses were nervous, I noticed.

  "Just passing through," I said.

  "Aren't we all?" The merchant smiled, though I could see the lingering wariness in his eyes as he glanced at Nox. "Name's Hugo. Running goods from Fletchburt to the border settlements."

  Fletchburt. I didn't know where that was. I made a mental note to check the map later, the one Garrick had given me before I left.

  "Vera," I said.

  I was about to leave, already shifting my weight to signal Nox to pick up the pace. I wasn't really fond of other people, especially not strangers on the road who asked too many questions.

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  "Wait!" Hugo called out. "You're an adventurer, aren't you?"

  I paused, looking back at him.

  "Hear me out." Hugo stepped closer, though he kept a respectful distance from Nox. "We're heading to the border settlements. Dangerous route these days. Bandits have been hitting caravans, and our current guards..." He glanced at the adventurers with the caravan. "They're competent, but we could use someone like you and your tamed beast.”

  "You have guards already. You'll be fine."

  "Please." His tone became more serious. "I have my family with me. My grandchildren. I need to know they're safe."

  I looked past him at the caravan. The children I'd seen earlier were peering out from behind a wagon, watching me with wide eyes.

  "I'm sorry, but I have somewhere I need to be. I can't delay."

  Hugo was quiet for a moment, then he said, "I'll pay you. Three gold"

  I blinked. Three gold was... a lot. More than most escort quests paid.

  "We're only going as far as the southern border," he continued. "Three days, maybe four if we run into trouble. After that, you're free to go wherever you need to."

  I hesitated.

  "Five gold." Hugo said, clearly sensing my hesitation. "And we'll provide meals. You won't have to use your own supplies."

  Five gold.

  My mind raced. Five gold was five hundred silver. My last E-rank quest had only paid around thirty silver. This was a huge sum. Way more than a simple escort quest should pay, even for C-rank.

  "Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Why are you willing to pay that much?"

  Hugo met my gaze steadily. "Call it a merchant's instinct. I've been doing this for thirty years, and my gut has saved my life more times than I can count." He glanced at Nox, then back at me. "When I see someone capable, someone who could make the difference between my family living or dying, I don't hesitate. I pay what it takes.

  I could use the money, to be honest. My funds weren't terrible, but they weren't great either. That reward would give me a good cushion, let me buy better supplies, maybe even some equipment I'd been putting off.

  And the route was the same direction I was heading anyway. South toward the Mistfall Mountains. Traveling with a caravan wouldn't slow me down that much.

  But it also meant being around other people. Being responsible for their safety.

  "To the southern border. After that, I'm gone." I said finally.

  Hugo's face broke into a relieved smile. "Three days. You have my word."

  "And I want half the payment upfront."

  "Fair enough." He reached into his coat and pulled out a small pouch. He counted out two gold coins and fifty silver, before handing them to me. "Two and a half gold now. The rest when we reach the border."

  I took the coins. "Alright...”

  He turned back to the caravan, waving at the others. "Everyone, we have a new guard! C-rank adventurer. We're in good hands!"

  The merchants looked relieved. The existing guards, however, seemed less enthusiastic. I could see them exchanging glances, clearly not thrilled about someone else joining their ranks. Especially someone higher ranked than them.

  Great. Potential drama.

  One of the guards, a younger man with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward. "I'm Derrick. Lead guard for this caravan." His tone was professional but cool. "Didn't know Hugo was hiring additional protection."

  "Just hired me,"

  "Right." He looked at Nox, then at Fei circling overhead. "Tamer?"

  "Yes."

  "Good to have you." He didn't sound like he meant it.

  "We run a tight operation here. You comfortable following orders?"

  I raised an eyebrow. "I'm C-rank. I'm comfortable doing what needs to be done."

  His jaw tightened slightly, but he nodded. "Fair enough. Just... try not to disrupt our rhythm.”

  I didn’t like this guy.

  "I'll stay out of your way unless trouble shows up."

  "Appreciated." He turned back to the other guards, already dismissing me.

  Hugo walked over, looking a bit embarrassed. "Don't mind Derrick. Just protective of his team.”

  “I’ve noticed.”

  "Well, regardless, I'm glad you agreed." He gestured at the caravan. "We've got three wagons. First one carries dry goods and textiles. Second is food supplies and trade goods. Third is personal belongings and where my family rides." He pointed to each wagon as he spoke. "We travel dawn to dusk, break for lunch around midday, camp at night."

  "What's the planned route?"

  "Main southern road for two days, then we cut southeast toward the border settlements. The dangerous stretch is the second day. Forested area with limited visibility. That's where most of the bandit attacks have happened."

  I filed that information away. "How many attacks have there been?"

  "Three in the last month. Two caravans robbed, one fought them off but lost half their goods." His expression darkened. "And one caravan went missing entirely. Never made it to the border."

  "Missing?"

  "No survivors found. No bodies either. Just abandoned wagons stripped of everything valuable."

  "I'll keep watch," I said. "If anything happens, I'll handle it."

  "That's all I ask." Hugo patted my shoulder. "Make yourself comfortable. We'll be moving out in about ten minutes."