Zora had not left the safety of her house or the familiar paths of Gayle Village for three full days. She had kept her doors locked and her shutters drawn, staying away from the curious eyes of the world outside.
Her neighbors, who were used to her cheerful presence at the market or around, had even come by her front door to check on her. Each time they knocked, she gave them the same excuse she had been using since the news broke.
She told them through the heavy wood of the door that she was still not feeling well and needed to rest in the dark. It was a simple lie, but it was the only way she knew how to keep herself hidden while the village was in such a state of panic.
The previous day had been especially difficult for her. She had felt a deep, hollow weakness in her limbs because she had not fed for some time.
Ever since she had disposed of her hidden stash of blood bags in the woods, the hunger had become a sharp, gnawing pain in the pit of her stomach. She knew she could not let her strength fail her, as a weak vampire was a careless one.
So, late the previous night, she had snuck out into the shadows of the nearby forest. She had caught a wild rabbit among the trees and fed on it there in the quiet dark before returning home undetected. She knew she had to keep her strength up, if she appeared too frail or moved too slowly, someone might finally start asking the wrong questions.
While she stayed confined to her home, Zora focused on her craft to keep her mind from wandering towards the news. She spent her hours making accessories, her fingers moving skillfully as she bent wire and set small, polished stones.
When she wasn't working at her table, she was either sleeping to save her energy or eating small amounts of human food to keep her stomach quiet. All the while, she remained completely alert.
Every rustle of the wind against the roof and every distant shout from the village made her heart skip a beat. She was growing tired of the waiting, but she knew the searchers would eventually arrive. She just did not know the day or hour they would appear at her gate.
Suddenly, her sharp senses caught a sound from the path outside. Her heart skipped a beat as she heard a footstep. Soon after, a young, handsome man from the village named Geran came to her porch and knocked firmly.
Zora swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing before she opened the door just a small crack.
"Geran?" she asked, trying to sound like a girl who had been sleeping.
He flashed her a sheepish smile, looking a bit shy. "Hi, Zora. I heard you weren't feeling well, so I decided to come by and check in on you." He held out a small woven basket toward her. "Here, I brought some fruits fresh from the farm. I thought they might help you feel better."
She accepted the basket, feeling the cool skins of the apples and pears. "You really didn't have to do that, Geran, but thank you for visiting. I am actually starting to feel a bit better already."
Geran scratched the back of his head awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He seemed to be looking for an excuse to stay and talk.
"Uhhh, I heard there is a knight and some soldiers in town today. I am not really sure if it is true, but some people said they saw a man in Lardin who looked very important.
Maybe the sorcerers will be here in Gayle soon to start the search. Isn't that good news? We'll finally be safe from those monsters."
Zora forced a small smile to her face, though her stomach twisted at his words. "Yeah, that's awesome," she lied quietly.
She then faked a soft cough and touched her hand to her forehead, acting as though a sudden wave of dizziness had hit her.
"Oh, I think I need to go and lie down for a while again. My head is still a bit heavy."
Geran blinked and nodded quickly, not wanting to disturb her further. "Of course, you need your rest. I'll get going now. Get well soon, Zora"
He turned and left, and she let out a long, shaky sigh as she closed the door and slid the bolt back into place. "Soldiers?" she whispered to the empty room.
She walked to the kitchen, washed a few of the apples Geran had brought, and began to cut them into neat slices. She started eating them mostly to have something to do with her hands. It was afternoon by now, and the house was filled with the warm, golden light of the sun.
Without the shop to occupy her time, she realized just how boring and lonely her life truly was. She had no real hobbies except for making jewelry and accessories.
She remembered that she used to love reading every single day before her parents passed away. Perhaps, she thought, she would pick that habit up again in the future, if she managed to survive this week.
It was not even thirty minutes later when another knock sounded at her door. This knock was different it was loud, heavy, and carried a sense of great authority.
Zora's heart began to race. She walked to the door and opened it to find several men wearing sharp, clean uniforms. Standing at the front was a man who looked incredibly wealthy and polished. He was very handsome in a very cold, serious way, and he stood with a posture that showed he was used to being obeyed.
Zora stood still for a moment, completely stunned. She had not expected the soldiers Geran mentioned to arrive so quickly.
Her eyes darted behind the men, peeking into the yard to see if there was anyone who looked like a sorcerer in robes or carrying a staff.
She did not see anyone like that, which made her brow furrow in confusion. She looked back at the polished man, assessing him silently. Was the sorcerer hidden among the soldiers, or was he a soldier himself? She swallowed the lump in her throat, her palms growing cold with sweat.
Duke Avner had reached the town of Lardin at exactly noon on the third day of his journey. He had moved with a quiet, intense focus since leaving the capital.
The only reason he had bothered to join this expedition was because of an encounter he had more than a week ago.
He had been in Lardin on some personal business, moving through the market, when his special bloodline had reacted. He had smelled a supernatural being nearby. Before he could investigate further, a small, hurried figure had bumped into him.
He had been momentarily stunned. It was not just that she was a vampire; it was the fact that she smelled completely different from any other supernatural he had ever encountered.
Her scent was unique and strangely fragrant, lacking the usual smell of magic associated with her kind. That encounter was what had sparked his deep curiosity. He had immediately ordered his men to look into her background.
In a short time, he had received a full report. He learned that she had been found as an infant and raised by kind human parents in this small village.
He read about her mischievous nature and how she was known as a little troublemaker, yet she was still beloved by everyone in town. He saw the history of her foster parents, the hunter and the shopkeeper and how they had been killed by rogue vampires years before.
He had been quietly amused by the details. He wondered how she had managed to feed all these years without being caught. He guessed she had lived on animal blood from her father's hunts, unless her parents had offered their own.
Now that they were gone, he was fascinated by how she had kept her secret and lived so peacefully among humans. And then there was her smell… that unique scent he could not forget. He was a man who always satisfied his curiosity, no matter the cost.
When he arrived in town today, he had first freshened up at an inn, ensuring his appearance was as polished and serious as his title required. Once he was ready, he issued a sharp command and set out for the village of Gayle.
Now, seeing her stunned face and her wary, wide eyes at the door, he felt a sense of satisfaction. He was pleased that she had not tried to run away the moment she heard the rumours of the search.
One of his soldiers who was his vassal stepped forward and announced his name in a loud, clear voice. "Duke Avner Cormac of Thinston! We are here on the order of the thorough search for supernaturals.
Please comply and let us in." The man stood tall, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Zora swallowed hard, her mind spinning. A Duke? she thought to herself. Is he a sorcerer? She eyed him from head to toe, looking for any sign of magic, but she sensed nothing special or magical about him. He simply looked like a very powerful, very wealthy man.
She stepped back out of the way, keeping her eyes down. "Please, come in," she said softly. She knew that if they had not attacked her yet, it meant they did not know her secret. She just had to get through this search without showing any fear.
The soldiers entered her modest house and began to move through the rooms. They were efficient, checking the cupboards and looking behind the furniture with practiced movements.
Zora stood in the middle of the living room, feeling like a stranger in her own home. She looked at the Duke, who was standing there with a calm, almost bored expression.
Trying to appear like a normal, nervous girl, she picked up a small plate of the sliced apples Geran had brought her. She walked over to the Duke and offered them to him with a sheepish smile.
"Here, please have some," she said, her voice small. "It must have been a very long journey for you. You should eat something."
Avner simply raised a brow, looking down at the fruit and then back at her face. He seemed completely unimpressed by her offer, but if someone were to look very closely at his eyes, they might have seen a slight flash of amusement. He remained silent, letting the quiet fill the room as he looked at her.
Zora cleared her throat, feeling her cheeks turn red as the silence stretched on. She slowly brought the plate back down when he did not take any of the fruit.
He then began to walk through her modest living room, his boots clicking softly on the floor, while his soldiers searched the other areas.
Zora stayed close to him, watching his every movement with sharp, careful eyes. When he turned and walked toward her small kitchen, she swallowed hard and followed him, her heart beating a frantic rhythm in her chest, praying that he would not notice anything out of the place.