Tamae held her breath. Her eyes shimmered with tears, but she turned her face away, suppressing the turmoil rising in her chest. That woman—they had only known her briefly… yet her kindness was still fresh in their memory. And now she was dead, murdered. It left a heavy guilt pressing down on Tamae's heart.
"If only I hadn't stepped out. This wouldn't have happened," she whispered.
Alvaric clenched his fists. His jaw tightened. He was the one who had asked Tamae to come with him. Indirectly, he too had played a part in this woman's death.
This creature wasn't just a monster. It didn't kill only to abduct—it killed to spread fear. And now, it had slain the only villager who had shown them kindness. But something was off. Tamae and Alvaric looked at each other.
"Where's the child?" they both said.
