After a well-done meal -literally- Kane and Amber set out along the trail toward the main house. The dense trees part as they near the edge of the courtyard, revealing the sprawling courtyard, with his car parked conspicuously near the front door.

  Amber stops in her tracks, her eyes widening. “Holy shit, are you rich?”

  Kane raises an eyebrow, caught off guard. “Huh? No. It’s just a basic model. Oh wait…” He glances back at the house. “I guess modern cars might stand out around here. Do half the houses even have electricity or running water?”

  She crosses her arms, huffing. “None of them do. The town says it’s too much work for companies to run pipes and wires out this far. We’re stuck living like it’s the 1800s.”

  As they approach the car, Kane frowns. “That can’t be right. The mansion’s got bills for electricity and water-“

  Amber cuts him off with an incredulous snort. “No way. Unless it’s magic or some secret contraption your grandpa cooked up… but knowing him, that’s not impossible.”

  Kane detours to the old mailbox, pulling out a mess of letters crammed inside. Most of them are the bills he remembers spotting. Sifting through, his fingers pause on an envelope scrawled with messy handwriting. He opens it and reads aloud.

  Kane stares at the paper, brow furrowing. “Argonaut? Human? What company writes letters like this?”

  Amber peers over his shoulder and bursts into laughter. “That’s gotta be a joke. Even I can write better than this, and I’ve never been to school. What kind of power company handwrites their letters?”

  Kane opens another envelope, this one from MAR INC., the water company.

  He stares at the bills in disbelief. “Private utility companies? In the middle of nowhere? This has to be something else. maybe part of whatever’s powering the basement, too.”

  Amber snatches one of the letters, still chuckling. “No way these are real. They sound like they’re written by drunk nerds. What’s next? A magical internet company?”

  Kane ignores her teasing, starting the car as he stashes the bills in the glove compartment. “Look at the letter from Argo Electric again. They call him ‘human’, and Argonaut… that’s not a human name. Considering they’re bartering for common resources, This could mean-“

  Amber throws her head back with a laugh. “Oh my God, are you actually holding onto the idea that magic and fantasy stuff is real? You’re like one of those kids still waiting for Santa to show up.”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Kane’s grip on the wheel tightens slightly as they pull out. “You should be more open to it. Things like that might actually exist.”

  She rolls her eyes, turning to stare out the window. “Sure. Just like the first deer I saw that I thought was a ‘protective spirit.’ Nearly got gored to death when I got too close.”

  He sighs, “And the Minotaur?”

  “Fucked up science experiment. Not magic, cause it still looked… vaguely human.”

  He chuckles faintly but stays focused on the road. “Fair point. I guess we’ll find out the truth of it all sooner or later.”

  The silence stretches for a moment before Amber speaks up again. “ So what do you even do for work? Let me guess: something boring, like a paperclip factory.”

  Kane laughs. “Not quite. I was a librarian. Quit the job before I came out here.”

  She looks at him, surprised. “Why’d you quit? We need money to keep the big guy locked up, don’t we?”

  He glances at her briefly. “I quit because this is my big break. This house always felt… magical to me, even as a kid. Back then, it was probably just my imagination, but there’s something about this place. Something real.”

  Amber leans back, skeptical. “If by magical, you mean terrifying, sure.”

  Kane shakes his head, smiling. “Call it whatever you want. I think there’s more here than just the Minotaur.”

  Amber sighs, her tone softening. “Well, I’m sticking around because… I guess I was inspired. Not just artistically, but in general. I don’t really know what I’m doing with my life. Mostly, I’ve just been surviving and drawing when I can.”

  Kane glances at her, his voice steady. “I think you”ll have your hands full now. These houses aren’t just dangerous, they’re a whole adventure.”

  She snorts, grinning slightly. “So, you’re actually letting me help? Thought you’d bench me since I’m just a kid.”

  He smiles, a flicker of respect in his eyes. “You’ve got more going on than most kids. Hunting, butchering… you’ve survived more danger than I have.”

  She sinks into her seat, trying to hide her satisfaction. “Well, thanks, I guess. Not like it matters, I’d sneak in anyway.”

  They share a laugh, and the tension lightens. Kane speaks up again. “Do you only eat meat? Breakfast was literally just… meat.”

  Amber scowls, crossing her arms. “Meat is fine. I don’t know how to forage, and the old man died before teaching me. What’s it to you?”

  Kane sighs. “You can’t live on meat alone. I’ll pick up some real food while we’re in town. And lumber. That hole in the floor isn’t going to fix itself.”

  Amber smirks. “Wow, big spender. Didn’t think you’d have money for all that.”

  “I saved up, so-“ Kane begins to talk, but his words are cut off by a sudden jolt. The car swerves violently as something slams into it. He grips the wheel, trying to regain control, but the car skids to a stop.

  Amber cries out, thrown against the door. “What the hell” she groans, her voice shaky.

  Kane breathes heavily, checking on her. “Are you okay?” As he checks her, he realizes she didn’t put a seatbelt on. She probably hit the door pretty hard.

  Before she can respond, he notices figures gathering around the car. Dozens of townsfolk appear from the trees, their faces twisted with fury. A man’s face suddenly presses against his window, his eyes wild as he pounds the glass with bloodied fists. Others join in, fists and palms slamming against the car, their knuckles splitting as cracks spread across the windshield.

  Kane throws himself over Amber as shards of glass rain down. Hands claw through the broken window, raking across his back. He shields Amber as best he can, panic gripping him.

  A gunshot splits the air, freezing the mob in place. “Alright, that’s enough!” a sharp, commanding voice cuts through the chaos. “Back inside, all of you! I’ll deal with the outsiders myself. Anyone who touches that car again is spending the night in a cell!”

  The crowd hesitates before reluctantly dispersing, muttering under their breath. Kane lifts his head, his ears ringing, and sees a tall brunette approaching. Her piercing blue eyes are as cold as steel. Her once familiar features now much harder than before

  “Should’ve stayed in the city, Kane,” the woman says, her voice firm. “There’s nothing for you here.”

  Recognition hits him like a punch. “Melissa?”

  She sighs, her expression hard but not unkind. “Get out of the car. We’ve got a lot to discuss, and I’d rather not waste another shot.”

  Amber stirs, groggy and confused. “Mel? What the hell is going on”

  Melissa shakes her head, exasperated. “Of course you’re involved in this mess too. Come on, both of you. Let’s get you patched up somewhere safer.”

  As she leads them away, Kane can feel the weight of the townsfolk’s stares. Their eyes linger, unblinking, their presence unnervingly still. Something is very, very wrong here.