He must’ve lost awareness for a moment because the next thing he knew they were in a carriage. The ride was bumpy, and as Galen winced in pain, he could only imagine what he must’ve looked like when they’d come upon him. He suddenly remembered that all his belongings had been lying in the alleyway beside him, and his heart pounded in panic. “My bag.”
“It’s here,” the first lad said, lifting it, and relief flooded him. At least he had that, though it wouldn’t be much use to anyone else. Just a drawing pad, pencils, and his late mother’s brooch. He’d never met her as she’d died in childbirth, and when not long after, his father left him with her sister and husband and their gaggle of children, at least he’d given Galen this memento.
“Thank you.” He didn’t ask if any currency was found alongside his belongings. He knew the coin was gone; no way would that customer give him the satisfaction after the thrashing he’d delivered.
“My name is Wren, and this is my twin, Sparrow,” the first lad said, and Galen nodded but was unable to focus on them.
“Galen.” His voice was weak and scratchy to his own ears.
When the carriage stopped in front of the Moon Flower apothecary, a place he recognized from his meandering around the village, he became alert. He couldn’t imagine why they’d taken him there, except to perhaps beg the shopkeeper for medicine. But he knew there was little treatment for his bruises other than time to heal.
“Why did you bring me here?” he asked as they shuffled him out of the carriage.
“Shh, let’s not call any more attention to ourselves. We’re going to focus on getting you well,” Wren said, and when he stepped under the lamppost, Galen noticed that his hair was slightly more golden than his brother’s and his features not nearly as similar as he’d initially surmised. Still, you could never mistake them for anything other than siblings born on the same day. “You might’ve died of frostbite had we not spotted you in time.”
Galen couldn’t argue that, so he allowed himself to be led down the alleyway beside the store to a back entrance. He rested a moment before he was helped up a flight of stairs as he groaned in pain.
At the door they were met by a stern-looking woman, who immediately glanced him over. The dark-green glow around her alerted him to her acute apprehension. It warned him to mind himself, or he would not be welcome. But if the twins brought him here, they must trust her.
How naive of him, he now realized, to believe a couple of pretty fellows after meeting them in a back alley. Surely, the customer had rung his head something good. But he only had his instinct to rely on, and outside of the reckless decision he’d made with the customer, he’d normally been using it more wisely.
“Who is this?” the lady asked in a half-scolding, half-alarmed voice. “You must be more careful whom you decide to rescue.”
“Madam Langley,” Sparrow replied, his cheeks coloring as if he was guilty of what she’d implied, and now Galen wondered if they didn’t consider him some sort of wounded stray. And he supposed he was. “He can explain when he’s well enough, but we found him badly beaten in the alley beside the tavern.”
“Is that so?” She tsked, but her eyes softened, and the green color around her tinged with blue, which might’ve meant she pitied him. Galen would’ve scoffed or demanded to be left alone, if only he could’ve managed to stand on his own. But he couldn’t, so it was best he tucked his pride away for the moment.
His head swam as it was, and attempting to dissect the silent conversation that seemed to be happening between the three of them took too much effort. So he closed his eyes and leaned more of his weight on Wren. Or was it Sparrow?
It would’ve been perfectly fine if they just left him to his own devices in the warm hallway for the night. It was much better than he was used to, after all.
And just as he was about to suggest as much, Madam Langley’s voice rang out strong. “Move him to a spare bed. Azriel will know what to do.”
Chapter 2
Who was Azriel, and what was Madam Langley implying? Should Galen be frightened? But no, the twins had only been kind. And their auras weren’t full of peril like that man’s in the alleyway. Theirs continued to be soothing yellow hues of kindness, now mixed with green sparks, as if they’d absorbed Madam Langley’s feelings of caution and concern.
Hands nudged him toward the last door in a long hallway, and from the looks of it, he was in a residence or possibly an inn above the apothecary. He could’ve sworn he heard other voices, but he couldn’t be sure, since he still had a ringing sensation in his ears from the man’s powerful punch.