Gabriel woke to fire in his chest.

Not his power. Something else. Foreign. Invasive.

He sat up fast, hand moving to where the sensation centred. Just below his sternum. Burning like a brand pressed against bone.

Tess stirred beside him. "Gabriel?"

"Something's wrong."

The burning intensified. Not painful exactly. More like pressure. Like something hooked into his ribs and was pulling.

Northwest.

The direction was absolute. Undeniable. He could feel it in his marrow.

No.

Not now.

But he knew what this was.

The debt.

Six full moons. That's what the mage in Bridgedon had said. Six full moons before she'd call in the price for the illusion that saved his life when he escaped Eldenreach.

It hadn't even been two full moons.

The burning pulsed. Insistent. Growing stronger with each heartbeat.

"Gabriel, what's happening?" Tess was fully awake now, her hand on his shoulder.

"The debt." Gabriel's jaw clenched. "The Bridgedon mage. She's calling it in."

"Now? We're supposed to leave at dawn."

"Debt magic doesn't care about schedules." Gabriel swung his legs out of bed. The burning pulled harder. "It's binding. I can't ignore it."

He stood. Moved to where his gear lay. Started dressing with quick, efficient movements.

Tess lit the candle beside the bed. "Where?"

"Northwest. Bridgedon, probably." Gabriel buckled his sword belt. "Three days hard ride. Maybe less if I push."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"No."

"Gabriel..."

"No." He turned to face her. "I don't know what price she'll demand. Don't know if it's dangerous or just humiliating or something worse." The burning pulsed again. He grimaced. "But I won't risk you for my debt."

Tess's expression hardened. "You don't get to protect me from everything."

"This time I do." Gabriel moved to the window. The city was dark. Hours before dawn. "The ship leaves whether we're on it or not. If I take everyone and we're delayed, we lose passage."

"So you're going alone?"

"No." Gabriel's mind worked through options. "I'll take Adan."

"Why Adan?"

"Best fighter after me. Most level-headed. Won't argue every decision." Gabriel met her eyes. "And if something goes wrong, he's the most likely to make it back and warn you."

The words hung heavy between them.

Tess stood. Crossed to where he waited. "How long?"

"Five days. Maybe six." Gabriel's hand found hers. "If we're not back by then, board the ship. Tell Torrhen I died. He'll still honour the passage."

"I'm not leaving without you."

"Tess..."

"No." Her voice was steel. "You don't get to make that call. We wait. However long it takes."

Gabriel wanted to argue. Wanted to make her promise to leave. To be safe.

But he knew that look. That tone.

She wasn't budging.

"Five days," he said finally. "If we're not back in five days, assume the worst. Get on that ship and go to the Isle of Giants. Find what we came for."

"Six days," Tess countered. "You said maybe six."

"Five."

They stared at each other. The candle flickered. Outside, a dog barked.

"Fine," Tess said. "Six days. But not a moment longer."

Gabriel pulled her close. Kissed her hard. She kissed back, fingers tangling in his hair.

When they pulled apart, her eyes were bright.

"Come back to me," she said.

"Always."

The burning pulsed again. Harder. More insistent.

No more time.

Gabriel gathered his pack. Checked his weapons. Tess dressed quickly and followed him downstairs.

The common room was empty except for a night clerk dozing at the counter. Gabriel woke him, paid for another three nights, and left coin for Tess to extend if needed.

They climbed to the second floor. Gabriel knocked on Adan's door.

Movement inside. Footsteps. The door opened.

Adan stood there, fully dressed, hand on his knife hilt. His eyes took in Gabriel's gear, Tess's expression, and came to the correct conclusion in seconds.

"We're leaving," he said.

Not a question.

"Debt's being called," Gabriel confirmed. "Three days northwest. Bridgedon. I need someone who can fight and won't slow me down."

Adan nodded once. "Give me two minutes."

He disappeared back into the room. Gilbert's voice mumbled something. Adan's reply was too quiet to make out.

Two minutes later, Adan emerged with his pack and weapons. Gilbert stood in the doorway, hair mussed, eyes still heavy with sleep.

"What's happening?"

"A debt," Gabriel said. "I'll explain when we're back. Hold the group together. Keep Mera stable if you can."

Gilbert's expression said he understood the weight of that task. "How long?"

"Five days," Tess said before Gabriel could answer. "Six at most."

"We'll be here." Gilbert gripped Gabriel's shoulder. "Bring him back, Adan."

"That's the plan."

They left Gilbert and descended to the common room. Tess walked with them to the stable.

The night air was cold. Clear. Stars overhead. The city was quiet except for distant patrol footsteps.

The stable master was asleep in the hayloft. Adan woke him with a coin and commands. Two horses. Fast. Supplies for four days.

The man grumbled but complied.

While they waited, Gabriel pulled Tess aside.

"Watch Mera," he said quietly. "She's close to breaking."

"I know."

"If she tries something..."

"I'll handle it." Tess's hand rested on her sword. "Just worry about coming back alive."

The stable master emerged with two horses. Brown geldings, lean and strong. Gabriel checked their legs, their teeth, their tack.

Good enough.

He swung into the saddle. Adan mounted beside him.

Gabriel looked down at Tess. She stood with her arms crossed, chin up. Trying to look strong.

But he could see the fear in her eyes.

"Six days," she said.

"Six days," Gabriel agreed.

He turned his horse northwest. The burning in his chest pulled in that direction like a compass needle finding true north.

Adan fell in beside him. "Bridgedon?"

"Yeah."

"That's three days at a walk. Two if we push."

"We push."

They rode through Kelmar's streets. Past closed shops and shuttered windows. Past patrol guards who watched but didn't stop them.

The north gate was closed. Gabriel pounded on it until a guard appeared on the wall.

"Gate doesn't open until dawn."

Gabriel held up a silver coin. "It does if you're paid enough."

The guard studied them. Two armed men on horseback in the middle of the night.

But silver was silver.

"Wait there."

Five minutes later, the gate creaked open. Just wide enough for horses.

Gabriel and Adan rode through.

The road stretched ahead. Dark. Empty. Leading northwest into hills and forests.

The burning in Gabriel's chest pulled harder.

I'm coming.

They rode hard. The horses settled into a ground-eating canter that could be maintained for miles.

Dawn came grey and cold. They didn't stop. Just pushed the horses harder.

The landscape changed gradually. Farmland giving way to forest. Villages becoming sparse. The road degrading from packed dirt to barely maintained trail.

Around midday, they stopped to water the horses at a stream. Gabriel dismounted and immediately felt the pull stronger. More insistent.

"How far?" Adan asked.

Gabriel closed his eyes. Felt the direction. The distance.

"Day and a half. Maybe two days."

"We can make it in less if we alternate walk and canter. Let the horses recover between pushes."

"Do it."

They remounted and continued.

The afternoon passed in silence. Gabriel's mind circled through possibilities.

What price will she demand?

Murder? Theft? Something worse?

The mage had saved his life. Created an illusion so perfect the Paladins chasing him had ridden past without seeing. Bought him time to escape.

That kind of magic wasn't cheap.

And debts always came due.

Whatever she wants, I'll pay it.

I gave my word.

Evening fell. They made camp in a clearing off the road. No fire. Cold rations. The horses picketed nearby.

Adan took first watch. Gabriel lay on his bedroll, staring up through tree branches at stars.

The burning in his chest had become background noise. Constant. Unavoidable.

Two more days.

Then I find out what this costs.

Sleep came eventually. Thin and restless.

He dreamed of debt. Of chains made from promises. Of mages with calculating eyes who smiled when they owned pieces of your soul.

When he woke before dawn, Adan already had the horses ready.

They rode.

...

The second day was harder.

The horses were tiring despite Adan's pacing. Gabriel could feel it in their gait. The way they responded to commands a half-second slower.

But the burning was worse. Pulling so hard now that Gabriel's chest ached. Like something vital was being dragged northwest through his ribs.

Close.

Getting close.

Around midday, they crested a hill and saw it.

Bridgedon.

The city sat in a valley, built around a river crossing. Stone buildings. A bridge spanning the water. Walls that had been maintained better than most in the Northern Kingdom.

And everywhere, Paladins.

Gabriel's gut twisted.

From this distance, he could see them patrolling. Groups of three or four. Moving through the streets with purpose.

"That's a lot of Church presence," Adan said quietly.

"More than there should be." Gabriel's jaw clenched. "Something's changed."

They descended toward the city. The burning pulled harder with every step.

At the gate, guards in Church colors stopped them.

"State your business."

"Personal matter," Gabriel said. His hood was up, hiding his eyes. "I have business with a mage."

The guard's expression tightened. "Mages are registered and monitored. Name?"

Gabriel realized he didn't know the mage's name. She'd never given it.

"Old woman. Northeast quarter. Shop with blue door."

The guard studied him. "Papers."

"Don't have any."

"Then you're not getting in."

Gabriel's hand moved to his coin purse. But before he could offer a bribe, the guard's partner spoke.

"Wait." The second guard was older. Scarred. He studied Gabriel with narrowed eyes. "You're that one. The exiled Paladin."

Shit.

Gabriel's hand moved to his sword.

"Easy," the older guard said. "I'm not looking to start something." He glanced at his partner. "Let them through."

"But regulations..."

"I said let them through." The older guard's tone brooked no argument. "The mage wants to see him. That's above our pay."

The younger guard looked like he wanted to argue. But after a moment, he stepped aside.

Gabriel and Adan rode into Bridgedon.

The city felt wrong. The people moved with heads down. Conversations stopped when Paladins passed. Every corner had a patrol.

Fear hung over everything like fog.

"Martial law," Adan said quietly. "Or close to it."

"Yeah."

They navigated through streets Gabriel half-remembered. Northeast quarter. Blue door.

The burning in his chest grew unbearable. Like hooks dragging through flesh.

There.

A shop wedged between a tanner and a closed bakery. Faded blue door. No sign. No indication what was sold inside.

Gabriel dismounted. The second his boots hit the ground, the burning vanished.

Completely gone. Like it had never existed.

He stood there, breathing hard. His chest ached where the pull had been.

Adan dismounted beside him. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Gabriel rolled his shoulders. "Just... it's done pulling."

They approached the door.

Before Gabriel could knock, it swung open.

An old woman stood in the doorway. Grey hair. Lined face. Eyes that calculated and assessed and knew things they shouldn't.

The mage.

"I was wondering when you'd arrive," she said. Her voice was dry. Cracked like old leather. " Come in."

She turned and disappeared into the shop's darkness.

Gabriel and Adan exchanged a glance.

Then they followed her inside.

The door swung shut behind them.

And Gabriel knew, with cold certainty, that whatever price she demanded would change everything.

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