Shadow is threatening me, but I stay pretty calm. After all, what can he really do to hurt me? And so I explain.

“Ah, we met him by chance in the city. And by met, I mean I sort of saw his hand and linked the small hand and adult voice to him being a Tarrun. And I recognized that adult voice.”

Shadow doesn’t stop glaring as he is grasping my collar.

“How do you know of Tarruns?” Eh? I remember not seeing any Tarruns since I broke free, and other people haven’t even heard of them. I have to make something up.

“My father told me about them.” Shadow suspiciously eyes me at the words.

“So your father told of you Tarruns but told you nothing of their situation?” Why would he think I wouldn’t know of their situation? Did I do something that someone who knew wouldn’t do?

“I don’t really know what you’re talking about. All I know is that my father told me Tarruns were the best craftmen and that they had child bodies with adult faces and voices.” I throw in the few characteristics I know of Tarruns onto the lie.

“I’ll… I’ll go check with him.” Shadow retreats to the metal carriage once again.

“Is our employer really not human?” Benen asks me. Talkative guy, that one.

“Yeah, but does it matter? We work for coin, not humans.” Patir intervenes, trying to get him off my back. He didn’t say anything to Shadow, maybe he is only talking because Benen and him have become fast friends.

“Well, yeah, but… The only non-humans I know of that ain’t monsters are Sylvestri and Dragons and you don’t exactly hear anything good ab- Ouch! What gives?” Kurat gave Benen an Elbow.

“Benen doesn’t know?” I ask Kurat.

“No, sir, he doesn’t… I am sorry, please spare us.” I remember the threat I made at the guild. That coupled with my performance might have really scared them. I feel bad for these people cowering for me.

I look at Kassa who is still clad in her robes, as she has been for the entire trip. We exchange a few looks and I nod. She removes the hood of the robe.

“What? Silvester?” Benen shouts. Right mess this has been. Benen looks taken aback, but doesn’t apologize or anything. It kind of irks me.

Soon, Shadow comes out again.

“Right, he thinks he remembers you. Since you were working knowing that, we are assuming you hold no ill intent. You may proceed with your magic.” He says bitterly, as though he doesn’t think it is a good idea.

“Well, but if we’re doing it, everyone needs to be on the carriage for us to go faster, yeah?” He turns to the people around. He seems to be a bit shocked when he spots Kassa.

“Cl…. Climb on top of the carriage and sit with the luggage.”

“But we already know he is a Tarrun? Is there any further need to disguise his identity?” I ask.

“I… I’ll go ask again.” Shadow must feel like a gopher.

After he enters the carriage, we all patiently wait. A few minutes later, he comes out with a short figure next to him. He stands around 3 feet tall, but can’t be mistaken for a child. The man is mostly bald, and what little hair he has on the side of his head and his sizeable beard are both grey. His face is full of wrinkles and he is bent a little over forwards, with his hands behind his back.

“Right. I wasn’t planning on this, but everything considered, I guess I will introduce myself. I am Gransk, trader and, well, Tarrun.”

He pauses while people react. Most seem to be very surprised. “So small…” I even hear Kassa whisper.

“In light of figuring out my identity, coupled with the fact you have a Sylvestri companion amongst you, we have decided to trust you, but please… Don’t spread any news of me to the surroudings. In fact, I am moving earlier than anticipated because I feared that youngster would spread it around.” He pointed at me.

“The rest of you may join me inside the carriage.” Grans then said as he turned around. Everyone lowered their heads and appreciated the offer, except Kassa. As they enter I get a few looks I don’t know exactly how to interpret from Benen and Patir, but Shadow’s is clearly one of suspicion and Kurat’s one of fear.

“Is this going to be like using the cape?” She asks me covertly.

“Thereabouts:”

“Then, I’d like to feel the wind in my face.” She says and mounts the top of the carriage among heavy-looking luggage.

I sigh a little. This will definitely be faster, but I am thinking of severely limiting how fast I will go out of concerns for safety. I grasp the carriage and sever its tether as well as my own, before even thrusting from four different points beneath it and one beneath myself, counteracting it and coming to an almost complete stop a few feet off the ground.

I take a deep breath and emit force from the carriage’s rear, propelling both it and myself who is grasping it forward. The speed builds slowly. I start to feel the wind in my face.

“YES! AWESOME!” Kassa exclaims. I turn to see her horse-like mane blowing in the wind.

“FASTER!” It’s tempting since she is so full of energy and I adore her, but I keep I start to slow down. Still, we must be going some 30 mph, a vast improvement to our earlier traveling rate, slightly faster than average walking speed.

I was nervous at first, but after a while I feel like I have it under control.

I feel a smirk forming on my lips. With this, travel won’t have to be boring ever again.