The voice is unfamiliar, the word spoken with such ease and confidence that I reflexively follow the order and lower my shoulders.

  “I’m sorry. The reaction is worth it every time,” he continues, sounding amused. The hand squeezes my shoulder and lets go.

  Lille is not amused. Her scowl hardens, but before she can say anything, the man continues. “Please, I will talk to Folke alone.”

  It’s not a question. Lille’s nostrils flare, but she stands up. She slides the hatchet into its loop on her belt and turns to go. “I’ll find Bann. We’ll be back once you’re done.”

  “We’ll be done before you’re back,” the man says. His tone sounds like he’s correcting what Lille said.

  Lille’s shoulders rise up and hands clench into fists, but she keeps walking.

  I finally crane my head to look at the man. He’s about my height, so not very tall. I’m surprised that he’s not even looking at Lille. His gaze floats somewhere above the canopy, on the clouds. His outfit is like a combination of working overalls and a parade uniform, made of coarse, sturdy cloth covered in golden runes on nearly every surface. It includes a cowl and a cloak, even more heavily inlaid with complex runework. The smell of ozone lingers around him, like he’s wearing it as a cologne. I know enough about magic to realize that creating the outfit must have cost more than what our whole village is worth. The exception to the extravagance of the outfit is the amulet pinned to his chest. Made of dark, simple cast-iron, it’s shaped like a compass, its needle pointing east.

  “I’m from Tenorsbridge, as you’ve already put together. You’re needed, Folke. We need you. All of Velonea needs you.”

  Things are moving too fast to comprehend. I turn to face the man so we can speak face to face, but he’s still looking at the clouds, not at me. His hand is in his pocket, his fingers fiddling with something in there.

  “There is great tragedy and war happening that you haven’t heard of yet. Even the rumors haven’t reached your village. Hundreds are dying. Thousands will die. Tens of thousands, unless we stop it.”

  My mouth is agape. He’s speaking like he’s reciting something from memory, eyes scanning the sky, a smile flickering on his lips. Who is this guy and does he really expect me to—

  He snaps his gaze to me and his face suddenly turns alive. “I’m a Janitor. The caretaker of this world. I don’t have time for pleasantries. Not here, not now.” His eyes are hard as he spits out the words.

  I forget saying something flippant, defiant or incredulous like I was going to. Now that he’s looking directly at me, the intensity of the man washes over me. His eyes are like two dark beads, under a tightly knit brow.

  Suddenly, his face softens and his shoulders relax. “Folke, I will explain everything to you once we’re in Tenorsbridge. This is the adventure you are secretly yearning for.”

  A cold flush goes through my body. My heart pounds a single heavy strike in my chest before the man continues.

  “I’m called Lictor, War Janitor of Tenorsbridge. You have until sundown to say your goodbyes. Make them count.”

  Lille walks ahead of me, seething. Her shoulders are tense and even her ears look like she’s clenching her whole face. She hasn’t said a word during the whole trip back. She left Bann tending the fire and I have to run to keep up with her.

  “Wait, why are we in such a hurry?” I shout after her.

  She doesn’t even slow down. “They’ve given you a couple of hours to sort out your things.”

  “Are you angry at me?”

  Lille stops. “No.” She starts walking again, slightly slower this time. “I’m just angry.”

  I don’t say anything. She doesn’t either, only keeps on marching. This time there are no small educational observations about the surrounding forest or questions to test if I still remember the previous ones.

  I can’t handle the silence anymore. “Who was that man? Where did he come from? Where did he disappear to?”

  “He’s something new from Tenorsbridge. First time I see him, but I’ve met two others. They call themselves the Janitors.”

  She keeps walking.

  I follow. We’re located near the city, so it sort of makes sense, but none of the wizards ever visit. Someone once hired a group of hunters to look for teratome parts, but that was years ago. “Why did they pick me? What have you been telling them?” I can’t completely hide the pride from my voice. Lille rarely praises anyone. I ache to know what she’s been saying about me, even though I know she’ll downplay it.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “Nothing.” Her answer is a hiss, spoken through clenched teeth.

  “I thought you—”

  “Nothing,” she repeats. “They claim they’ve talked to you even if you only met. They told me things I would have answered, had they asked. And they obviously know what to say to make you do what they want. Don’t talk to me about them. You can ask them yourself and if they answer, it’s because they decide that it’s the best option for them.”

  We stomp through the forest in silence. I have never seen Lille like this. Thinking about the Janitors must have really gotten under her skin. I haven’t seen anything else manage that before.

  What have I got myself into?

  Ral, the elder, slaps his huge hands together with a boom when he sees us approach. “Bann finally got eaten, eh?” He grins like a wolf, his face a landscape of deep lines and crags. He’s old as dirt, but he could still snap me like a twig if he got his hands on me. I know this for a fact because he’s taught me how to fight barehanded. It’s not something that a hunter often has to do, but he still insisted I learn. I suspect he just likes throwing me around.

  Lille snickers, throws herself on a chair, and starts to take off her boots. “He’ll be coming in later.”

  “Shame. Everything went well?”

  “Yes. You were right. The kids are growing up.” Her mouth twitches, and she pauses with one boot in her hand. She nudges her head at me. “They came for Folke, as they said they would. He has until tonight.”

  I listen in silence. If the city wants something, they would obviously go through our elders. Equally obviously, I’m not included in the discussions that the village council has, not even if the discussions have something to do with me. That’s not the part that surprises me. I’m shaken that I am the one who has been chosen. I know I’m good, maybe even very good, but Bann and Lian come from the city and have connections and Hendrik is older and has more experience.

  Yet, the Tenorsbridge wizards are interested in me. More importantly, Lille has recommended me. That thought alone makes my chest swell with pride, and the corners of my mouth draw up. I deflate as Lille throws me an annoyed look, like she heard me grinning.

  I can’t read the expression on Ral’s face. His brow is furrowed, but there’s a hint of a smile and something in his eyes that makes me nervous. Is he frightened? “Well, if what they have been telling us is true…”

  Lille grimaces. “End doesn’t justify the means. Either of us should be the one—”

  I snap, finally. “What is going on! Who are they?”

  “Quiet, boy.” Ral’s not angry like Lille. He says the words almost sadly. He lifts up a massive hand to silence my objections, but doesn’t continue. He turns his gaze to Lille.

  After a moment, Lille turns her eyes away from him and grimaces again. “Folke,” she says.

  I snap my attention to her. Her voice is quiet whereas my hands are shaking. The pride of being chosen is starting to crumble the more I sense the tension between her and Ral.

  “Soon, you’ll know more about everything than we do now.” Lille points at the door behind her with her thumb. “Go, meet your friends. Say goodbye to the matron. Get anything you want from the kitchen for the road.”

  “But…”

  Ral crosses his arms over his chest. “You heard her.” There’s a creak from the back of his leather jerkin as he flexes. “This is city business. It’s out of our hands. Try to come and meet me before you go.” He gives Lille a warning glance, and she presses her mouth into a tight line.

  My gaze moves from Ral to Lille and back. They look back at me. The moment stretches, but finally I turn to go. I can’t win a staring contest against those two.

  When I start walking away, hesitation drops away step by step and I let the smile spread across my face.

  I’m going on an adventure!

  Durn narrows his eyes at me. “That’s too far.”

  “Anything, she said!” I say, pointing at the sausages. “You are welcome to ask her.”

  “I will ask her. But why all the provisions? You going somewhere?”

  I can almost smell them from where I’m standing. Bear is reserved for celebrations or other special occasions. Judging from Lille’s and Ral’s reactions, today is pretty special. ”City business. I’ll know more later tonight. They came for me personally!” Lille isn’t around, so I say it with a flourish and raise an eyebrow at him.

  ”City?” His face stops mid-frown. ”Oh, that.”

  Something changes in his expression. As steward, Durn would know something about the situation, at least more than I do.

  Before I can ask anything, he turns away and reaches for the thick links of marbled sausages. ”The city and their business are not for people like us. You… take care there, kid,” Durn says, his back toward me, wrapping the sausages in coarse cloth.

  Durn slams the wrapped package on the table and turns away sharply. I mutter something, half-heartedly trying to ask what he knows. He ignores me, as he does.

  ”Make sure to cook them through properly. Add thyme,” he says as I open the door to leave.

  The matron squints up at me, her voice cracking and snapping like pine logs in a fireplace. ”So you’re really going? You?”

  I grin with every tooth showing. I can’t help it. I feel like laughing out loud. ”Me! I’ll leave this very night. It’s all really important.”

  ”Can’t be that important if they picked you.”

  I chuckle and she grins back.

  The crags in her face shift as she stops grinning and scowls instead. ”They should’ve picked an adult for this. Lille or Ral himself. This sounds like no business for kids.”

  My smile freezes. I really thought she’d be proud of me.

  She sees my expression change, and her own softens. ”Folke, I’ve watched you grow from a little tyke. I love you like all my kids. I hate to see you go.” She reaches a wrinkled hand and pats me on the cheek. She has to crank her back straight to do it.

  ”Gran, I’ll be back. I promise.” I meet her gaze and blink, something blurring my view. “I’ll bring the kids a souvenir. Something from the city, or even farther!”

  There’s a shadow that crosses her face. Her hand hovers a moment in the air.

  ”Maybe I’ll get you some spectacles finally. You wouldn’t need to squint so much.”

  ”I know who each of you is from half the village away, and that’s enough. I can recognize your spindly gait anywhere.”

  ”I like to think of it as a willowy stride,” I say, grinning.

  She rolls her eyes at me. ”Run along now. You don’t want to waste your few last moments here with me. Go say goodbye to your friends.”

  ”I’ll be back, Gran,” I repeat. I bow low.

  She keeps watching as I back away. I still feel the warmth of her hand on my cheek. I’m not scared. But I saw how her eyes looked when she reached to touch my cheek. I don’t know what to call the expression on her face, but it makes tears well up in my own eyes. I wipe them with my sleeve and clench my hand into a fist. Wait for me.

  I will be back.

  A hero.