Asteria was brought back to the Merchant’s Road when a tear trailed down her cheek, the sensation dragging her out of her memories. She wondered how long they had been walking; how long had she been stuck in the past? It had been long enough for her legs to burn from the exertion of scaling a steep hill, though she could not say how long that would take. The sun was still high in the sky, but it was clearly past noon. Her gaze followed the length of the horizon. She took in the forests that rested in the valley below them, a wide river cutting through the middle of it.

“Over there,” Oren spoke softly, leaning towards her. His arm reached out, pointing to a small break in the sea of trees. “There’s a small village down there. I passed through it a few days ago; it has a nice little inn, actually. I thought we could stop there for the night. After sleeping in a cave, I am in dire need of a real bed.” A gentle laugh escaped his lips, barely audible. 

Stepping forward, Asteria began the trek downhill. The river glittered in the sunlight, slowly being devoured by treetops the further they walked. They reached the valley floor, and as they approached the forest she noticed the thin streams of smoke reaching toward the sky. By the time they reached the river, the horizon was caressing the sun. Soon enough, it would dip below the hills and cast them into darkness. Normally, this is when she would stop and set up camp for the night. However, she had to trust that the village wasn’t too far off. 

They reached the river, which was far larger in person. It was massive, and its current was strong. It crashed against the rickety old bridge that spanned its width. The wood groaned and creaked as it fought for its spot in the water, and she could feel her heartbeat in her throat. Once she stepped onto the bridge, however, Asteria thought that her heart was going to beat through her chest and flee back into the forest. Her hand grasped desperately at the railing, hesitantly pulling herself forward. 

Knees shaking and weak, she glanced up at the sky. It was painted with streaks of orange and pink, fluffy clouds of similar shades dotting the atmosphere. She found it to be a nice distraction as she trudged across the quivering bridge. 

A firm hand found its place against her lower back, gently pushing her forward. Her gaze shot over at Oren, who had made his way to her side. He gave a sympathetic smile. She felt embarrassed and rather silly. It’s not that she needed help; she would have made it across on her own. But rather it was that she could not help but look at the rushing waters below and feel her stomach lurch and twist, and she’d begin to feel a little faint. She had always hated the water, particularly ones with heavy currents. She found them intimidating and horrifying. The thought of falling into the water below and being swept away to a cold, watery grave crashed through her every time she had to cross a river or even be near one.

Warm and strong, his hand guided her across the bridge. With land only a few feet away, she quickened her pace. Asteria felt as though she could not get off the decaying crossing fast enough, letting out a heavy sigh of relief as soon as she felt the dirt path beneath her feet once more. She found her way over to an ancient-looking tree; its branches twisted and overlapped one another, reaching into the fire-colored sky. Gradually, she leaned against the trunk and slid to the ground. The rough bark bit into her skin, but she didn’t mind. Her heart raced, causing a great ache to spread throughout her chest. 

Oren stood next to her and patiently waited for her to rest. His gaze scanned the forest ahead of them, and she pondered what he was watching for. Perhaps it was just because of the roar of her heart thundering its way through her chest, but she didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary. In fact, she couldn’t recall hearing much at all after crossing the bridge. She assumed it was because of the rushing rapids just downstream or the crashing current. It was difficult to think with the panic she felt taking its time to fade away, and a new worry grew in her. 

“Where are the birds?” Asteria asked, cautiously rising to her feet. 

“I don’t know,” he began. “The crickets have stopped chirping, and I don’t hear anything else. It’s just dead silence.” His steps were slow and deliberate as he moved forward on the path ahead. 

Through the trees, lights could be seen flickering. Yet, they did not hear the sounds one may expect so close to a village. There was no chatter, nor was there a figure in sight. They both walked forward, slow and cautious with each step they took. Even as they grew closer, not a sound echoed through the woods surrounding them. Her hand slipped under the flap of the satchel over her shoulder, carefully grasping the handle of her dagger. Their eyes met, and Oren gave an approving nod. She noticed that he had a blade in his hand, elaborate carvings along its edge. 

When they crept upon the village of Lastbrook, they were shocked to find it ghostly quiet. Not a person was visible along the main road, and they didn’t see a soul with each street they passed down. There were only a dozen or so houses and a handful of shops that made up the community, and only a couple had any source of light flickering through their windows. Curtains started to draw close, and an eerie sensation fell upon them both. 

His fingers wrapped gently around her forearm as Oren pulled her towards him. Heat rushed across her face as they grew closer together, and she was too stunned and afraid to ask what he was doing. His back pressed against the door of a two-story stone building, a creaking sign hanging just above them. It screeched as he pushed into it, and the two slowly entered the establishment. 

Upon entering the dimly lit hallway, Asteria’s knees gave out beneath her. She crouched against the door, holding it shut from whatever unseen danger they felt lurking in the forest’s shadows. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, a couple flowing down her temple to her chin. The same rough hand that had pulled her in just moments before was extended out toward her. She mulled over whether or not to take it, accepting the help. His calloused fingers gently wrapped around her hand, and he aided her back to her feet.