(The Passersby Inn, Stoneville Town, Garron’s POV)
Once inside the Passersby Inn, Garron wasted no time settling the group’s affairs, as after exchanging a few quiet words with the innkeeper, he counted out several silver and bronze coins before paying for one large communal room that would house every child together, while also negotiating the price for a single hot meal each day throughout their stay.
Only after the transaction had been completed did he turn back toward the waiting children.
"Follow me."
Garron instructed, as he led the group up a narrow wooden staircase before stopping outside a wide room on the second floor.
Pushing the door open, he stepped aside and allowed the children to enter first.
The room itself was simple.
There were no proper beds, no luxurious furnishings, and certainly none of the comforts wealthy travellers might have expected, as aside from several large woven rugs spread neatly across the wooden floor, a few blankets stacked against one wall, and two wide windows allowing fresh air to circulate through the room, the place was almost completely empty.
Yet to the children...
It looked wonderful.
"It’s so clean..."
One of the younger boys muttered, as he carefully stepped inside while looking around with wide eyes.
"There isn’t even any mud on the floor."
Another child added.
"And there’s actual windows!"
Stacy exclaimed happily, as she immediately hurried toward one of them before looking out over the street below.
Mary quietly smiled to herself, while even Riven found himself relaxing for what felt like the first time in over a month.
Compared to sleeping beneath trees, waking up soaked by rain, and spending every night wondering whether another poisonous insect or wild beast might wander into camp, this simple room almost felt luxurious.
Several children immediately placed their packs against the nearest wall before stretching their aching backs, while others sat down upon the rugs with relieved sighs, clearly convinced that tonight would finally be the first peaceful night they had enjoyed since leaving Ashfang Village.
However, that hope lasted only a few moments.
Click.
The door quietly closed behind them.
Every child instinctively turned toward the sound.
Garron stood with his back against the closed door, his expression far more serious than it had been only moments earlier.
For several long seconds, he simply looked around the room without saying a word.
Then he finally spoke.
"Listen to me, brats."
Garron said, as although he kept his voice low enough that nobody outside the room could overhear him, the tension behind every word immediately caused the atmosphere to change.
"And listen carefully, because what I’m about to say may very well determine whether all of you leave Stoneville a free man... or disappear one by one."
The smiles gradually vanished from the children’s faces.
"While the lot of you were busy gawking at the streets, staring at every building you passed, and acting as though you’d just stepped into another world... EVEN THOUGH I ASKED YOU TO KEEP YOUR HEAD STRAIGHT AT ALL TIMES."
Garron continued, as disappointment and anger slowly crept into his voice.
"There were dozens of people watching you."
Nobody spoke.
"Moral-less Merchants."
He counted.
"Opportunistic Mercenaries."
Another finger.
"And perhaps even bottom rung slave traders."
Several children visibly stiffened.
"They didn’t approach because they saw me leading the group."
Garron explained.
"A Flame Rank Ascendant isn’t someone most petty criminals are eager to provoke unless they’re certain the reward is worth the risk."
He said, before slowly folding his arms across his chest.
"However, don’t mistake restraint for disinterest."
His gaze swept across the room.
"They were studying you."
He continued.
"The way you walked... the way you looked around... the excitement on your faces every time you spotted something new."
He shook his head.
"My cover story was convincing enough for the guards."
Garron admitted.
"But experienced slave traders don’t judge people by the stories they tell.
They judge them by how they behave."
He said.
"I could fool an unknowing man by telling him that you’re children of the Redpine Sect travelling toward Greyhaven for practical training..."
"However, I can’t fool someone who has already seen how you behave."
His voice grew colder.
"The problem is that children raised inside a sect don’t react the way you did today...
They don’t stop walking because they see a stone wall.
They don’t stare at every shop.
They don’t look amazed simply because somebody is selling roasted meat.
They’ve grown up around places like this."
His eyes narrowed.
"You haven’t."
Silence filled the room.
"The moment those people saw your reactions, they knew one thing.
You’re village children, and that you’re probably slaves or merchandise."
He let the words linger.
"Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll make a move."
He admitted.
"They still don’t know who you really are.
They don’t know whether I’m transporting you for someone influential?
Whether you’re hired workers?
Or slaves I’ve already purchased."
"They also have no idea whether any of you possess talent worth stealing."
He shrugged.
"For all they know, every one of you might be completely worthless."
A few children lowered their heads.
"Which, ironically, is the only reason you’re probably safe."
Garron said bluntly.
"Because thieves don’t like unnecessary risks.
If stealing you earns them a handful of bronze coins, they won’t bother.
But if one of you gives them a reason to believe you’re valuable..."
He paused.
"They’ll happily kill me for the chance to find out."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
"So hear me clearly."
Garron continued.
"Under absolutely no circumstances will any of you leave this inn unless I personally tell you otherwise."
He pointed toward the floor.
"I’ve already paid for one hot meal a day.
There is clean drinking water.
There are warm baths downstairs.
You have a roof over your heads.
You’re safer here than you’ve been at any point since leaving Ashfang Village."
He looked around the room once more.
"To you, this place should feel like paradise.
So stay inside your paradise."
He said as his eyes hardened.
"I’ll be leaving periodically to conduct my business in town.
And only the children I personally choose will accompany me.
While the rest of you remain inside this inn till I return."
He said clearly, as he planted one finger in his other fist, as if nailing the point down.
"And by Minerva if I discover that one of you sneaked outside without permission..."
He said calmly.
"Understand that your stupidity won’t only endanger your own life.
It may very well convince someone to kidnap the rest of the group as well."
He slowly opened the door again.
"So if you see anyone trying to sneak out... stop them.
Because their recklessness might be the reason every single one of you ends up wearing chains again."
Not a single child answered.
The excitement that had filled the room only minutes earlier had completely disappeared now, and was instead replaced by a suffocating silence as every one of them quietly realized that despite all the warnings Garron had given them before coming here, they had still behaved like uncultured country bumpkins in the end, and had blown their cover.