Unnatural Conduct

Chapter 3

As the sun moved overhead in the sky, I raced after Xavier, slowed for him even. His speed and stamina were worse than mine, but still nothing to sneer at.

The bond that I'd felt earlier was still there, but it wasn't pulling me to him like it had earlier. I had the unnerving feeling that it had been there all along, and had only flared to life when I'd met Xavier.

I let him lead the way, taking note of the distance we covered and landmarks that I saw along the way, just in case I needed to retrace my steps. This proved difficult because of our speed, and the fact that we were in a forest with countless trees that all looked pretty much the same.

He was quiet, not saying a word, his posture rigid and features guarded. Reserved and tense, as if a dark past had molded him into who he was today. I was thankful he hadn't tied me up and abducted me, but I still didn't trust him. At all.

A few hours later, we arrived in the outskirts of a small village. The land was speckled with wooden structures surrounded by the remains of plants, the fields barren in the midst of winter. The air smelled faintly of manure, an odor I knew would grow stronger the closer we got. The town wasn't large; it looked like it might have at most 500 people.

We continued toward the city, both of us unconsciously slowed to human speeds, and I halted as a realization hit me: I couldn't walk around looking like myself. Xavier noticed, and stilled, not bothering to turn around.

Without looking back, he tossed his dark cloak to me, and continued on. I caught it and hastily put it on before pulling the dark hood over my face.

I followed Xavier warily as we neared the small village. He was silent, and I held my breath as we entered the town, as if that would do something to keep me hidden. Peaking up from beneath the shadows of my hood, I studied the quaint little town.

The sand-and-rock road beneath me stretched in a long, straight strip, wide enough for many people to pass and go- perfect for the occasional market or town gathering. Lining the main road were buildings of various shapes and sizes, though they all had one thing in common: they were old, run-down, and much different from the upscale venues I was used to back in my hometown. This town was poor; structures made of old, rotting wood, doors that squeaked on hinges that were barely fastened to the walls. People milled the streets, parents smiling and laughing as children played with toys. They gave us a wide berth as we passed, something akin to fear filling their eyes as they beheld Xavier.

I heard only hushed voices as I peered out from under my hood, taking in the buildings and sparse signage. A hotel was nestled in between houses, clearly marked by the word "INN," and a mouth-watering aroma told me of a nearby bakery. We stopped at the door of an unmarked building, and Xavier walked inside.

I hesitated for a moment, all my instincts telling me to proceed, while my rational mind screamed that this was obviously a trap and that I should turn and run while I still could. My curiosity, aided by my instincts, took over and I strolled inside the ramshackle building.

A frowning old man and a smiling young woman introduced themselves as Rux and Callista. One whiff of their scent eased my nerves; they were undoubtedly human.

Callista nodded her head toward Xavier, as if in respect, and turned her attention to me. Rux sat behind his wooden desk, his expression cold.

"How may I help you two today?" she asked, entirely the friendly saleswoman.

"Change the girl," he ordered, gesturing to me.

So this was what Xavier had in mind. I had to admit, it was a good idea, and one that I hadn't bothered to think of myself. The Queen's soldiers would never find someone matching my description. And, despite my desire to protest from the fact that I liked my current hairstyle, I did no such thing.