With that, she disappeared inside, leaving Zayn standing there, staring at the doors.
After a mont, he clicked his tongue and rubbed his cheek. "Damn... why'd that feel nice?"
Shaking his head, he turned away and walked off into the night.
Zayn found Bran exactly where they had agreed to et — at the edge of the red-light district, near a fountain with a faded statue of a goddess whose na he couldn't be bothered to rember.
The moon hung high above them, casting pale silver light across the streets, and most of the liveliness of the district had started to die down.
Bran was leaning against the fountain, arms crossed, but as Zayn approached, the first thing he noticed was the sll.
His nose wrinkled.
Bran reeked of perfu.
And not just one type — multiple fragrances clashed against each other, a mix of floral, musky, and sweet scents that made it painfully obvious what — or rather, who — he had been up to.
Zayn stopped in front of him, staring.
Bran smirked. "What?"
Zayn huffed a short laugh, shaking his head. "Nothing. Just confirming what I already knew."
Bran stretched lazily, his smirk widening. "And what exactly is that?"
"That while I was busy beating the crap out of so drunk adventurers and saving a woman from being assaulted, you were busy being thoroughly entertained."
Bran gave a slow, satisfied nod. "That would be correct."
Zayn exhaled sharply through his nose, rolling his eyes. "I swear, you're unbelievable."
Bran clapped a hand on his shoulder. "And you look like you need a drink. What happened?"
Zayn rubbed his temple. "I'll tell you on the way back. Let's go before soone else in this damned place picks a fight."
Bran laughed but didn't argue.
The two of them left the red-light district behind, retracing their steps through Timberstead's quiet streets.
Most of the shops had closed for the night, and the only people still out were the occasional drunkards stumbling ho or a few patrols from the town guard.
The town was peaceful now, a stark contrast to the chaos and liveliness they had just left behind.
As they walked, Zayn told Bran about what had happened — the group of adventurers, the woman they had tried to corner, and how he had put them in their place.
Bran listened without interrupting, nodding along with a thoughtful expression.
When Zayn finally finished, Bran let out a low whistle. "Damn. You sure know how to make enemies, huh?"
Zayn scoffed. "You think?"
Bran grinned. "I an, I was off enjoying myself, but even I could tell those guys were the type to hold a grudge. You did a good thing, no doubt, but don't be surprised if they co looking for revenge."
Zayn sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... I figured as much. Just a feeling, y'know? Like this is definitely going to bite in the ass later."
Bran shrugged. "If it does, we'll deal with it. It'll be your first enemy after all."
Zayn smirked. "True."
They continued walking in comfortable silence, the inn coming into view in the distance.
By the ti they reached the inn, Zayn was exhausted.
It wasn't just the fight — it was everything. The long day, the drinking, the encounters in the red-light district... just everything!
Bran, on the other hand, still looked energized.
He yawned and stretched his arms behind his head, clearly more than satisfied with how his night had gone.
Zayn shook his head, muttering under his breath, "Bastard had all the fun."
Bran grinned. "I heard that."
They made their way upstairs, the wooden floor creaking beneath their boots.
The others had already turned in for the night, so the hallway was quiet.
Zayn reached his room first.
Without bothering to say goodnight, he pushed the door open, walked inside, and collapsed onto his bed.
He sprawled across it, staring up at the wooden ceiling.
His body was tired, but his mind was still awake, replaying the events of the night.
That woman — Evelyn — her tear-streaked face, the way she had clung to him, the soft gratitude in her voice.
And then there were the adventurers — all in all it was a stressful day and he wanted nothing to do more than to unwind and relax.
But Bran's words echoed in his head.
"You sure know how to make enemies, huh?"
Zayn exhaled.
Maybe he had just made things more complicated for himself.
Maybe those guys were going to try sothing stupid in the near future. But honestly?
He didn't regret it.
Not one bit.
If it happened again, he'd do the exact sa thing.
He closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep.
Tomorrow was a new day. And if trouble was coming... well, he'd deal with it when it got here.
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