The trio crowded into Suthan's cramped guest bedroom, floorboards creaking beneath their weight. Lukan stationed himself by the door, embracing his role as a guard even here, one ear constantly pivoting toward the hallway beyond. Sumi perched on the edge of the feather mattress, her tail sweeping anxious patterns across the quilt. Nora paced a tight circuit between them, fingers raking through her copper hair until it stood wild.

  "Things are moving too fast!" she exclaimed, keeping her voice low despite her agitation. "We should have been more prepared before coming here! I know nothing about this world," she continued, voice tight with anxiety. "Is it safe to reveal my... our skills? And what about money? Do you use coins here? Barter? How much is a healing worth compared to, say, a loaf of bread or a night's lodging? Should we even be charging for what we're doing?"

  She thought of the elegant payment processing systems she'd once coded—clean, efficient algorithms that moved millions between accounts in microseconds. Every service neatly categorized, every transaction tracked and recorded. But here? What was the going rate for easing decades of arthritis pain? How many copper coins equaled a child's life saved? The absurdity of it twisted in her stomach. Yet the practical voice in her head—the one that had kept her afloat through countless software launches and budget meetings—reminded her that they'd need resources if they were going to build anything sustainable. Magical powers didn't put food on the table or a roof overhead.

  The questions poured out like a raging river, each building upon the previous until they were impossible to contain. Sumi and Lukan exchanged worried glances, their attempts to calm their friend's nerves falling short against the overwhelming excitement and uncertainty that lingered in the air. It crackled with energy like a storm brewing on the horizon.

  Lukan's ears flattened slightly. "Most villages operate on a mix of copper and silver coins for everyday transactions, with some bartering thrown in. A day's honest labor might earn five or six copper. A skilled blacksmith might see a silver coin for a fine tool." He shrugged. "Healers don't usually charge fixed rates—people give what they can afford—gifts, food, sometimes coin if they have it."

  Sumi nodded eagerly. "My aunt was a midwife. People would bring her eggs, preserved fruits, sometimes a chicken. When she delivered the merchant's son, he gave her a whole silver piece!" Her golden eyes widened at the memory. "She bought fabric for a new winter cloak and had coins leftover."

  Nora fidgeted with her hair, overwhelmed by the weight of their new challenges. "Good, good," she said, feeling how the exact facts of this world grounded her. "That's so much better. I'll have to learn more, though." She cleared her throat and changed the subject, choosing to focus on something more manageable. "But that's not all! We need to talk about how we're progressing with our skills," she said, avoiding direct eye contact. "The past two days have been a whirlwind of unexpected events, but we can't let that distract us from staying informed."

  "Busy with grunt work, you mean." growled Lukan.

  "Oh, come on Lukan," Sumi quipped with a smirk. "Don't act like you're not used to hard work." Her smile was contagious as she playfully teased her friend. "And it's not like you had any heavy lifting to do while the two of us were busting our asses healing all these people."

  "Oh, stop it." interrupted Nora, thoroughly enjoying the banter. "Let's talk skills." Nora pulled out a small leather-bound notebook she'd requisitioned from Suthan, where she'd been tracking her progress and doodling. Somehow, this simple journal became her connection to her old life, grounding Nora in this chaos. "I had some impressive gains today. Healing jumped the most, obviously, but look..." She pointed to her notes. "My Energy Sharing skill improved by 3%, and I don't even remember consciously using it." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it happened when Sumi and I were working on that kid with the infected leg wound together? Did any of you feel any major breakthroughs?"

  "Not much happening on my side of things," Lukan replied with a resigned shrug. "But I'm not complaining. Worth every boring minute to keep you two safe."

  Sumi let out a melodic purr and pounced across the space between them, her nimble fingers capturing Lukan's massive paw. She traced the calloused pads of his palm with deliberate slowness. "Aww, our big, scary wolf-guy is just a cuddly puppy underneath all that fur and muscle," she teased, her tail curling into a question mark behind her. "Thank the goddess someone's keeping the villagers from rioting. Did you see old Marrin trying to squeeze past you? I thought she was going to bite your ankle if you didn't let her through!" Sumi's laugh rang like silver bells in the small room.

  Her expression shifted, golden eyes gleaming with excitement. "As for me—holy whiskers, you should have felt what happened today!" She wriggled in her seat, unable to contain her enthusiasm. "One minute I'm working on this little boy with a cough that wouldn't quit, and the next, it's like someone lit a magical fire inside me. Everything just... clicked." She snapped her fingers for emphasis. "My healing just poured out of me like silver-blue honey, and I could feel exactly where it needed to go. Has to be that 10% threshold, right?" Her tail flicked along Nora's leg, seeking confirmation.

  Nora nodded in agreement. "Yes, I noticed the same thing. I read the stats, and my healing was bumped up by more than 5% since the last time I checked."

  "And I definitely saw how you skillfully straightened that broken finger," Nora added. "It looked like it wasn't properly treated many years ago, so it was sticking out at an odd angle. The farmer couldn't believe his eyes."

  Sumi let out a laugh, her face flushed with pride. "It was all a blur by the end of the day. But this case was even wilder than everything else. Remember, we agreed to only treat minor ailments and injuries. But… I'm glad I was able to help."

  "He told me that because of that broken finger, he had to modify at least half of the tools he uses in his everyday life," she continued, a smile spreading across her face. "And now he's confused because he has to modify them all back! Or buy new ones! He wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad."

  As she spoke, Sumi's hands danced in the air, mimicking the motions of the farmer, demonstrating how he used the modified tools. It was clear that this was one moment she would never forget from their time as traveling healers.

  "But that also means more problems for us," Nora said. Her voice was laced with concern and urgency. "First, people found out we can heal. Next, it appears we can fix some serious stuff!" She paced back and forth in front of her friends.

  "Lukan, you'd better start planning changes to our camp," she continued, her voice rising in volume. "Even if we can keep it's location a secret for now, I'm sure it won't hold for long and we'll have people start coming soon."

  Lukan's expression remained calm and collected as he listened to Nora's concerns. "I already know where to place an infirmary and a guesthouse," he reassured them. "Everything will be fine. And maybe we'll get some coin during the process!" He grinned mischievously.

  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  The word "infirmary" brought to Nora's mind antiseptic corridors and the hum of monitoring equipment from her three-day hospital stay after appendix surgery. What would it look like here? Just beds and herb storage? No administrators or insurance paperwork—just needs identified and directly met. There was something appealingly straightforward about it.

  "Don't worry about that, girls," he said confidently, patting both of their shoulders reassuringly. "It's all under control. And with our joint effort, we'll erect the new buildings in no time." A determined glint shone in his eye as he spoke, fueling the hope that everything would indeed be okay.

  "So, to summarize," said Nora. "To put it simply, Sumi now has two skills that are above 10%, while I have five, and Lukan is still waiting for his breakthrough."

  Sumi's eyes widened in amazement. "Five? That's incredible!" she exclaimed. "In too many ways, to be honest. Lukan and I only have four skills each. And you have moved more skills over the ten percent threshold than any one of us has. That's… insane!"

  Nora let out a small laugh. "Not that I asked for it or even understand how it happened this way," she commented. "Just a few months ago, I had a regular job—albeit a very intense one. And now here I am, trying to figure out how to create a healing retreat in the midst of magical woods."

  She thought of her old startup that had once completely changed direction over a weekend. They'd called it 'pivoting to market needs.' This was like that, but on an existential scale—debugging code to healing bodies, project deadlines to matters of life and death. She shook her head in disbelief at the drastic change in her life.

  Sumi closed the space between her and Nora, enfolding her in a tight embrace. Her arms wrapped around Nora's shoulders protectively, the soft fur tickling against Nora's neck as she tucked the human's head beneath her chin. The foxkin's heartbeat—slightly faster than a human's—thumped steadily against Nora's cheek, a grounding rhythm. With fierce determination, she whispered loudly in Nora's ear, "We are here with you." The words carried the scent of forest herbs and honey—Sumi's distinctive breath. Not wanting to let go of Nora just yet, Sumi flicked her tail toward Lukan in a beckoning motion.

  After a moment of hesitation—uncertainty flickering in his forest-green eyes—Lukan abandoned his post at the door. Two massive strides carried him across the room, and his mighty arms engulfed both women in a protective embrace that lifted Nora's toes clear of the floorboards. Despite their time in the village, his fur still carried the scent of pine and fresh-cut lumber, a grounding counterpoint to Sumi's sweeter fragrance of wildflowers and honey.

  "We're in this together, Nora," he rumbled, the vibration of his deep voice resonating against her cheek. "Three misfits who found each other in the middle of nowhere." His usual stoicism softened into something warmer, more vulnerable. "You don't have to carry this alone. Whatever comes through that portal next—whether it's sick villagers or unknown gods—we face it as one. You've got a foxkin who can charm the scales off a serpent and a wolfkin who can build you a fortress before the next full moon." A rare smile revealed the glint of sharp canines. "Just try getting rid of us."

  The trio stood there, locked in their embrace, united and ready to face whatever challenge came their way. Outside the window, the murmur of the crowd was never ceasing. People were still waiting to be let in and treated after the lunch break.

  ***

  As Nora basked in the warm embrace of her two friends, she couldn't help but feel grateful for their grounding presence. The soft fur of Sumi's cheek pressed against hers, a comforting touch that eased the tension in her shoulders. "Thank you both," she said with a small smile. "I needed this."

  Sumi's excitement was palpable as she asked, "So, which other skill skyrocketed to the top?"

  Nora's mood darkened slightly at the reminder. "Emotional Influence," she replied quietly, her gaze dropping to her hands. "It jumped quite a bit since the morning."

  Lukan blew a low whistle, leaning against the bedpost with newfound interest. "Had to be that moment when you calmed the crowd this morning," he said. "You didn't just quiet them—you transformed a mob into an orderly gathering. One moment they were ready to start a fight, the next they were docile as lambs." He straightened, ears perking forward. "That kind of skill could be invaluable when dealing with difficult people. You could talk your way past guards, settle disputes before they turn bloody..."

  "Or manipulate people against their will," Nora added, her voice barely above a whisper. The weight of this power pressed against her chest like a physical burden. "I didn't just calm them, Lukan. I reached into their minds and changed how they felt. Without asking." She ran her thumb along the edge of her borrowed notebook, the leather suddenly rough against her skin. "Back home, we'd call that a massive ethical violation."

  Sumi's tail stilled, her golden eyes searching Nora's face. "But you used it to prevent harm," she countered gently. "Those people were about to start pushing and shoving. Someone could have been hurt."

  "This time," Nora conceded. "But what happens when I'm tired, or angry, or scared? What if I use it without even meaning to?" The memory of the crowd's instant compliance sent a chill down her spine. "Power like that needs guardrails."

  Lukan's expression grew serious. "That's why you need proper training. All of us need that," he said, his deep voice rumbling with conviction. "My father always said a sharp axe is dangerous only in untrained hands."

  "But it seems that in all these little villages, there are no people who possess this knowledge," Sumi said, peering through the shutters at the street below. "We are the only ones around here with any real magic..."

  Lukan nodded, scratching absently at his fur. "True magic is rare in these parts. Simple folk we are—builders, traders, hunters," he said with a pragmatic shrug. "Oh, and occasional herbalists like Kadara. For a proper magical education, we'd need to journey to one of the major cities—Verolia is the closest to us, a few days away, or Silverhold beyond the eastern mountains."

  Sumi's entire body seemed to vibrate with sudden excitement, her tail lashing back and forth. "A city!" she exclaimed, bouncing slightly on her toes. "I've never been anywhere with more than a few hundred people. Think of the markets! The music! When can we go?"

  The gleam in her eyes made Nora smile despite her concerns. She placed a calming hand on Sumi's shoulder. "Let's not rush into anything," she cautioned, her voice steady. "I still need to learn the basics of this world first—its politics, geography, who holds power..." She trailed off as the floorboards in the hallway creaked under approaching footsteps.

  Three quick knocks rattled the door before it swung open, revealing Mayor Suthan's round face, flushed with either excitement or exertion from climbing the stairs. Maybe both. Behind him stood Kadara, her weathered hands clutching a worn leather satchel that emanated the sharp, herbal scent of her remedies.

  "The envoys are growing restless," Suthan announced without preamble, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief. "There are five of them already. The number is growing! They've brought offers—quite generous ones, I might add. And there's something else..." He glanced at Kadara, who nodded grimly.

  Nora's eyebrows shot up at the word "offers." Her mind raced with possibilities—what exactly did "generous" mean in a world where a single silver coin could buy a winter cloak? Were they offering payment for healing services or something else entirely? Whatever it was, the eager gleam in Suthan's eyes suggested it might significantly change their carefully developing plans.

  "Word travels fast in these parts," the herbalist said. "And not just about your healing. There are whispers about a powerful mage who is blessed by the gods." Her eyes fixed on Nora with unexpected intensity. "You know how it happens, it starts small, but the further rumors go, the wilder they become."

  Suthan cleared his throat, looking suddenly nervous. "Perhaps we should continue this discussion over food? The envoys are waiting, but we need to figure things out first, and I've had the cook prepare something special."

  As they followed Suthan down the narrow staircase, the rich aroma of roasted meat and fresh-baked bread wafted up to greet them. Below, the murmur of unfamiliar voices rose and fell in waves—deeper, more authoritative tones than the villagers they'd treated earlier. The clink of goblets and scrape of chairs against wooden floors echoed in the foyer. Sumi slipped her hand into Nora's and squeezed. "No pressure," she whispered with a mischievous grin, "but it seems you are becoming a legendary figure in no time. What's your next trick going to be?"

  Nora's stomach tightened, but she squeezed back. Whatever came next, she wasn't facing it alone.

  my short stories and novelettes on Amazon, published for Kindle.

  are available to my subscribers on Patreon. For now, all patrons, starting with the free tier, will have access to them. You just have to ! But I'd appreciate it if you would consider subscribing to the paid tiers as well. Starting with the Initiate tier, they will give you access to 6 or more advance chapters!

  Keeper of the Shrines Discord server! :)