Chapter 28: The Girl
Durant couldn't understand Rhodes's reaction.
But in Rhodes's eyes, anyone capable of surviving alone in the wilderness of the Northern Wastes was far from ordinary. At the very least, they would be comparable to Renn—a skilled hunter, a valuable asset.
He had already begun planning.
How to recruit him.
What to offer.
What role he could play in Frostleaf Town's future.
And now—
Dead.
Torn apart by a black bear.
All those thoughts, all that potential—gone in an instant.
That loss of control stirred something violent inside Rhodes. A frustration not born from weakness, but from inevitability.
Even if the man had been nothing more than a lone wanderer…
He still lived within Rhodes's territory.
That alone made him Rhodes's responsibility.
And no beast had the right to take what belonged under his rule.
"Come quickly, my lord!"
Renn's voice cut through the tension.
Rhodes exhaled sharply, spat beside the bear's corpse, and shook the blood from his blade. The wild fury in his eyes receded, replaced once more by cold restraint.
He stepped into the cabin.
It was a typical northern dwelling.
Animal pelts hung along the walls. A deer skull was mounted above the hearth. Sparse. Practical. Nothing remarkable.
Renn stood near a wooden plank set into the floor.
Beneath it—
a cellar.
"Take a look," he said.
Rhodes stepped forward and looked down.
Three children huddled together in the dimness.
A teenage girl, no older than fourteen, clutched two younger children—one in each arm. Their bodies trembled, their eyes filled with raw fear.
Rhodes softened his voice instinctively.
"I am Rhodes Tulip, lord of Blackpine Ridge. The beast is dead. You're safe now."
He extended his hand.
The girl hesitated.
Then, slowly, she stood.
She lifted the smallest child first and carefully passed him up.
"Slowly," Rhodes said, steadying the boy before setting him aside.
Next came the younger girl.
Finally, Rhodes extended his hand again.
But the girl didn't take it.
"I… I can't carry her," she whispered.
Rhodes paused.
Then followed her gaze back into the cellar.
There, in the shadows—
Another girl lay motionless.
Rhodes descended without hesitation.
Up close, the difference was unmistakable.
Even beneath the dirt and disheveled hair, her features were refined—too refined. Smooth skin, delicate bone structure, a natural grace that didn't belong to this harsh wilderness.
A noble.
Without a doubt.
Rhodes said nothing.
He lifted her carefully and carried her out.
Outside, faint crying could be heard.
Rhodes suppressed his questions for now.
"Aleya."
The huntress moved immediately, handing the children to the guards before stepping inside.
"Check her condition."
"Yes, my lord."
Aleya knelt beside the unconscious girl and began examining her.
Minutes passed.
Then—
"She has minor abrasions. Nothing serious."
"A bite wound on the calf—but it's already treated."
She leaned closer, inhaling lightly.
"Calendula… and lion's tooth grass. Correct choices."
Her hand moved to the girl's forehead.
"No fever. She'll wake soon."
Rhodes nodded.
"Search her. Anything that reveals her identity."
Aleya complied.
Moments later, she produced a brooch.
Rhodes took it silently and stepped outside.
He handed it to Durant.
"Take a look."
Durant frowned slightly… then froze.
A sharp breath escaped him.
Gunther leaned in. "An eagle?"
"A griffin," Durant corrected quietly.
Rhodes nodded.
"She belongs to the Red Griffin family."
Silence followed.
Gunther's expression shifted instantly.
"The Red Griffin family? Then—"
Rhodes didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked back toward the cabin.
Then said calmly:
"This is the closest point to Razorfen Downs."
Understanding dawned.
Durant's gaze hardened.
"The lord who was 'torn apart'…"
Rhodes gave a slight nod.
The pieces fit too well.
A noblewoman.
Alone.
Near Razorfen territory.
And rumors of a dead lord whose body was never found.
But that only raised more questions.
How did she escape?
Why fake her death?
And what exactly happened in Razorfen Downs?
Those answers would come later.
Aleya remained inside to care for the girl.
Meanwhile, Rhodes and the others began digging a grave in the yard.
The couple's remains were buried properly—deep enough to keep scavengers away.
The three children stood nearby in silence.
They had no one else now.
And Rhodes already knew—
They would return to Frostleaf Town.
"It's a pity," Renn muttered, glancing at the grave.
"He must've fought the wolves first… exhausted himself… then the bear finished it."
Nearby lay the carcasses of two steppenwolves, their bodies dragged and dirt-streaked.
A desperate fight.
A losing one.
Rhodes's expression darkened.
"This is what happens when people live alone out here."
His voice was low, but firm.
"In the Northern Wastes, you don't get to choose how you die. Only when."
He looked at the group.
"Only together do we survive."
Renn and the others nodded.
They understood.
Rhodes exhaled slowly.
"I wonder how many more like them are out there…"
Then he turned to Durant.
"When we return, gather information. Any report of lone settlers or wandering families."
He paused.
"Confirmed reports—reward them with thirty pounds of rye."
Durant bowed slightly.
"Yes, my lord."
Rhodes gave a few final instructions.
"Renn, process the game. Start a fire."
Then he turned toward the cabin, intending to rest.
But before he could step inside—
Aleya rushed out.
"She's awake!"
End of Chapter 28
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