I stand there in the snow, near Dargan, for a full minute and stare at the huddled villagers. Even Brennic seems terrified. It’s as though my [Chilling Presence] has not yet faded. I can tell it isn’t active. There’s no mana to fuel it—but there must be some lingering sense of dread at the sight of me.

  I take a step towards Raimi and Denet. I need to take them to their families.

  Denet whimpers and tries to hide behind Raimi. Raimi trembles, pulling Denet towards her. They slide closer to Brennic’s family.

  Elder Rorahn rises from the snow, struggling to grab his cane. Dargan’s wife, Leira, grabs it and helps the elder to his feet. Her eyes dart between the elder, me, and her children, as though I might strike while she’s not looking.

  Rorahn glances at Dargan, who’s still unconscious, though breathing normally. “Will he—” He looks in my direction.

  I nod. The elder doesn’t seem to have the same terror of me as the others. His level’s much higher than my own.

  The others, especially the adults, look as though they might speak, but are at a loss of what to say. I suspect they want to speak to their elder in private about what I’ve done.

  I want to help Raimi and Denet, but they only spare wary glances my way, avoiding my eyes.

  I slide back slowly so I don’t look a threat, but most everyone tenses at my movement. I take another step, then another, backing away from the villagers until I’m far enough away to turn and walk.

  Their murmurings start then. I don’t listen. Sunset settles on Ashgrove, and I’m exhausted.

  Nox must have left Dargan when my [Soul Thread] deactivated, because I feel him rustle under my shirt. His clicks sound unhappy. I have nothing to offer him in comfort. I don’t know what the future holds for us.

  Marlene catches me as I approach the shed. I point her toward the group, unwilling to elaborate on the encounter. She runs off for her boy. I climb into my loft and sleep.

  ~~~

  I wake the next morning fully rested. Denet has not arrived to rouse me at dawn, as he normally does.

  Part of me hopes that everyone has forgotten about me, or they’ve focused on the crisis with the howlers. I don’t want to leave the warmth of the hay in my loft.

  Eventually, I leave the shed. Part of me is too curious to see the aftermath of the attack. Outside in the snow, I see a small gathering tending a bonfire. Two dozen howler bodies burn in the flames. A somber atmosphere radiates from the group.

  I approach, looking for Denet and Marlene. I didn’t see them in the house.

  I find Denet clinging to his mother as they watch the flames in silence. The solemn expression on Denet disturbs me.

  When I come close, some villagers notice my arrival, particularly Brennic, who turns to face me.

  “So,” he says with more confidence than yesterday, “the demon shows its face.”

  I’m taken aback by the comment. I search the crowd for Edrine but don’t see the cleric. Brennic’s words seem too much like the cleric’s.

  “Enough of your mutterings, Brennic,” Elder Rorahn says as he steps around the bonfire. “If not for this boy—”

  “He’s a monster,” Brennic says. His family has taken steps away from me, leaving the father to face me. “I may not have believed it at first, but after yesterday…”

  “If not for him yesterday,” Rorahn repeats, “you’d be dead, as well as your family.” Rorahn shakes his cane. “Or did you think to take on the rest of the howlers yourself?”

  “But Father Edrine says—”

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  “Bah, enough repeating what the cleric says.” Rorahn leans on his cane and turns his gaze on the rest of the crowd, which has gathered near the elder and Brennic. “I’ve yet to see the lad hurt someone—” he jabs his cane in Brennic’s direction when the man looks ready to outburst. “Actually hurt someone, not scare them. You were a lad once, scaring the lot of this village a dozen times before you came of age.”

  Dargan’s wife, Leira, steps from the crowd. “With all respect, elder, you didn’t feel the terror from the boy. It’s like nothing any of us felt before.” She glances at Brennic’s family, who all nod vigorously. “You didn’t have your children clinging to you as though the fear would devour them. You didn’t see the boy’s eyes.”

  Everyone looks at me now. I want to shrink back, but I must not react.

  “Black,” Leira continues. “Not a speck of color. I saw it fade from his eyes the moment the terror struck me, as though the boy was possessed.” She points at me. “If he’s not a demon, he’s possessed by some evil, like Father Edrine claims.”

  Rorahn frowns at this and looks at me, as if to pierce me with his gaze and read my thoughts.

  “No one with a [Skill] that terrorizes people could be anything but evil,” Brennic says.

  “Is that so?” Taren’s voice comes from behind me.

  Everyone’s attention’s grabbed by my hunter friend as he casually walks to the edge of the group, closest to me.

  “Do you think my [Lightning Arrow] evil, Brennic?” Taren rubs the wood of his bow, resting on his shoulder.

  Brennic frowns. “Of course not—”

  “Do you think I could kill a person with it?”

  Everyone tenses at Taren’s emotionless voice.

  “I don’t…” Brennic looks to Leira for support. The blacksmith’s wife looks just as confused.

  “Do you see me running around shooting arrows at the villagers?” Taren doesn’t wait for a response. “My [Skills] could be used to kill any of you. I could use them for evil, but I don’t.”

  Taren steps forward by my side and rests a hand on my shoulder.

  “Sevorn could easily chase all of you around, terrorizing the village, but he doesn’t. He uses his [Skills] to protect you from howlers, and this is how you repay him?”

  Marlene appears from the crowd, dragging Denet with her. Denet won’t look at me. He stares at the snow at his feet. “He’s a good lad,” she says, but her voice is soft. There are questions in her eyes when she looks at me. “He means well.”

  Taren grabs my shoulder and pulls me away, glaring at everyone. “Maybe you each should think about how little you all do for the village before you attack one of the few people who defend it.”

  ~~~

  “I didn’t know you had a [Skill] like this,” Taren says.

  The two of us walk along a game path in the snow. Taren holds his bow ready, with the excuse that we’re hunting for game. I have my bow slung over my shoulder.

  “I wonder what it feels like,” Taren continues. He glances at me.

  He’d asked me to use [Chilling Presence] on him when I explained what happened yesterday. I did, after some hesitation, but it didn’t affect him. His level’s still four more than mine.

  “It doesn’t look good, you know.”

  I nod, uncertain of what Taren expects of me. I knew this day would come.

  “Even Marlene’s unsure of you…”

  “She’s got a good reason to,” I say. “Everyone’s right. I must be a demon or something.”

  Taren snorts. “And Edrine’s a real holy man. Come on, Sevorn. A real demon would…be vicious, attack people. You’ve done nothing but heal and help.” Taren swings his bow. “Crit, I hate that cleric. It’s all his fault, you know. I heard he’s got a sermon just on you after yesterday’s incident.”

  “You didn’t see Denet and Raimi, Taren.” I stop walking. “How terrified they were.”

  Taren turns around to face me. “They’re kids. Scary things aren’t easy for them.”

  I stare at my feet.

  “Denet will get over it after a few more days. Raimi—” I hear Taren suck in a breath. “She’s got a lot to think about, with how much she adores Edrine…and you.”

  I glance up at him.

  “She already thought the world of you before you healed her fever.” Taren grins. “After bringing her back from a sickness that Edrine couldn’t cure, she must think you’re an angel.”

  I shake my head. “Not anymore.”

  Taren pats my arm. “Now she’ll likely settle on you being a normal kid. Best not to let the girl think you’re more than human. Think of this as a good change.”

  Without explanation, Taren turns back around and starts towards Ashgrove.

  “I thought we were hunting?” I say.

  “Hunting for a bit of insight, my demonic friend.” Taren chuckles when I grimace. “Don’t take it too seriously. That’s what Edrine wants.”

  We walk in silence until the village comes into view again.

  “You can’t skip Vigil anymore,” Taren says.

  I nod.

  “Edrine’s watching for a weakness to finish you off. People thinking you’re faithless is one thing, but now with the demon rumor going around, you’ll need to stop avoiding holy things.”

  “And what will Edrine do, now that I’m crawling back to his flock?”

  Neither of us know the answer.

  Is it wrong to kill to survive in this accursed world?

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