The air grew different the moment Kane passed between the last two pines of the ridge The forest deepened in color the scent of herbs became stronger and the wind shifted as if carrying whispers of an old promise Pinebarrow revealed itself gradually rooftops rising between branches wooden structures woven into the terrain rather than built upon it Smoke drifted softly from chimneys blending into the morning mist

Kane guided his wagon down a narrow slope The wheels rolled over smooth packed earth showing that though the village was hidden it was not untouched by travelers People lived here worked here and thrived away from Guild control

The guide walked ahead moving with a calm step as if the land itself welcomed him He glanced back at Kane Pinebarrow sees few outsiders Only those chosen or those who follow the right streams come here

Kane absorbed every detail Men and women in simple green and brown clothes moved between herb gardens terraces carved into hillsides each filled with rows of plants unfamiliar to him Their leaves shimmered faintly as if holding their own light Children chased each other near wooden water channels They paused when they saw Kane staring with curious wide eyes

But no fear

He expected suspicion or guarded stares yet instead the villagers looked at him with quiet recognition It unsettled him in a strange comforting way

A woman with silver streaks in her hair approached wiping soil from her hands She wore a thick vest of woven bark threads stronger than cloth yet flexible She studied Kane with warm but firm eyes You are Thalen’s son Her voice held certainty not question

Kane felt his breath catch Yes How did you know

Your father spoke of you often She nodded toward the wagon Your eyes carry his calm and his stubbornness

Kane lowered his gaze feeling a tight ache He had not expected so many here to know his father to remember him with such gentle familiarity

The woman continued Come We do not speak long in the open The ridge winds carry words farther than we want them to

She led Kane toward a building shaped like a crescent surrounding a garden of strange glowing herbs Their blue light pulsed softly like a heartbeat Kane felt drawn to them though he could not name why

Erynd who had guided him earlier joined them He motioned Kane to sit on a carved log beneath a canopy of woven branches The woman sat opposite him The guide remained standing watchful

Kane began I need to know why the Guild searches for the frostroot and why they think I am connected What did my father truly protect

The woman folded her hands Frostroot was only the surface Beneath that lies something older and far more precious She pointed toward the glowing herbs behind her These plants are called dawnroot rare to the entire empire They grow only here warmed by stream mist and ridge winds Their medicine is powerful enough to treat fever that even frostroot cannot cure That is what your father protected

Kane stared at the glowing herbs mesmerized Are these what the Guild wants

The woman nodded The Guild cannot grow them They tried They failed They want control over every herb every root that holds value If they found Pinebarrow they would strip it empty and force the knowledge into Guild vaults

Kane felt anger rise hot and bitter And the frostroot crate

Erynd answered That crate was part of a shipment meant to distract the Guild We made them believe frostroot was our main product to divert attention from dawnroot Eight wagons traveled separate routes Only two were intercepted but the small crate you found was the only one they lost track of When you sold it without pattern the Guild saw a loose thread They pulled on it and found your name

Kane rubbed his forehead understanding the danger now If they believed I was part of this they will never stop

The woman’s expression softened You are not in danger because you sold frostroot You are in danger because you carry Thalen’s blood and because your father defended us until his last breath

Kane’s voice came low What truly happened to him

Erynd stepped closer Your father learned the Guild had discovered the path to Pinebarrow only days before their patrol reached the ridge He led them away deliberately offering false clues and then cut across the Valley of Stones to reach us He warned us then turned back to erase his trail But the Guild was already close He fought to mislead them and died along the cliff He protected us and his last act saved Pinebarrow

Kane closed his eyes a long painful breath leaving him He imagined his father alone in the ridge facing patrols stronger and more ruthless than any merchant should face He imagined the final moment the final choice

A soft hand touched his shoulder The woman’s voice lowered Your father never asked Pinebarrow to repay that debt but we have watched the roads since the day he fell When your name surfaced we sent warnings We will protect you Kane just as he protected us

Kane opened his eyes steady now Then what do I do What road do I walk from here

Erynd exchanged a glance with the woman The choice is yours But the Guild grows stronger Their reach extends farther than the rivers and roads Soon the herbal freedom your father defended will be crushed unless someone continues his work

The woman added You can leave Pinebarrow now return to the caravan pretend you saw nothing Or you can stand where your father stood and help maintain the routes that keep medicine free from Guild control

Kane felt the wind shift around him a slight hum through the dawnroot leaves as if his father’s voice lingered in the air The decision formed slowly but firmly

He lifted his head I will stand with you I will not let my father’s work disappear

The woman smiled gently We believed you would say this but know the weight of the path ahead Merchants who walk between Guild shadows and mountain secrets do so at great cost

Kane breathed deeply For the first time his choice felt like something solid unshakable

Erynd stepped closer If you are to help us you must learn more about trade than buying and selling You must understand the hidden routes the silent roads the coded marks farmers use to guide shipments unseen And you must build a network strong enough to stand against the Guild

Kane nodded Then teach me

The woman motioned for him to stand Come Kane son of Thalen Let us show you what your father wanted to protect

Kane followed them deeper into the village beneath the canopy of pines toward a hidden storehouse carved into the ridge The air inside carried the rich scent of herbs old secrets and the unmistakable presence of a legacy waiting to be claimed

Kane stepped forward knowing this was only the beginning