Kael didn't stop moving, even as his body screamed at him to do exactly that. The street wasn't hostile in the obvious way, no monsters lunging from alleyways, no ambush circle closing in, but it had its own cruelty.
Too many eyes. Too many ears. Too many people who had learned to read pain the way merchants read coin.
The world around him kept its rhythm anyway. Boots clicked on stone, wagon wheels rattled over uneven seams, and somewhere nearby a loud group laughed like they'd forgotten what fear tasted like.
Kael didn't have the luxury of joining them. His steps stayed measured, no limp, no stumble, no pause long enough to invite attention. He kept the mask on even though it was soaked from the inside, paper clinging warm against his face.
Each breath came heavier than the last, dragging heat through his lungs like he was inhaling embers instead of air.
