Time passed slowly.

  The noise from the street below got quieter as the sun went down until the town settled into the dark night.

  Then—

  Kkch….Faint sound of movement outside the door following with Whispers.

  Calum didn't move nor did he open his eyes. Just sat there on the bed and listened.

  The voices stopped. Like they were waiting to hear if he was asleep or awake. When no sound came from inside the room, they figured it was safe.

  A key turned in the lock. Not his key though. Probably the innkeeper's master key.

  The door creaked open slowly from where four figures stepped inside. All dressed in dark clothes with cloth masks covering their faces. A fifth stayed outside in the hallway, keeping watch.

  But—

  They froze when they saw Calum sitting there. Eyes open. Daggers already in his hands.

  Nobody moved for a second.

  Then one of them shouted "DIEEEEEE!" and rushed forward with a knife raised high.

  Calum moved and launched himself off the bed and twisted mid-air. The attacker's knife came down hard but only hit an empty mattress.

  Calum landed behind him and flashed his dagger.

  The man screamed and stumbled forward, clutching his side where blood was already soaking through his shirt.

  The other three rushed in together. Calum ducked under the first strike and sidestepped the second. Drove his elbow into the third attacker's throat. The man gagged and fell back, choking.

  The second one swung again, aiming for Calum's neck. Calum caught his wrist mid-swing and twisted hard.

  Crack.

  The man screamed and dropped his knife.

  Before the third could react, Calum kicked him square in the chest. He crashed into the wall with a heavy thud.

  The first attacker—the one Calum had stabbed—was still on his feet. Stumbling toward the door.

  Calum threw one of his daggers.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  It spun through the air and buried itself in the back of the man's leg. He collapsed with a cry.

  The fifth man in the hallway saw everything. And turned to run. But calum didn't chase after him. Just stood in the center of the room, breathing steady, surrounded by groaning bodies bleeding all over his floor.

  (Five attackers with Amateur skills. Probably thought I was just some kid.)

  He looked down at them with cold eyes.

  "Who sent you?"

  None of them answered. Just kept groaning and clutching their wounds.

  Calum sighed.

  Walked over to the one with the broken wrist and stepped on his hand. Hard.

  The man screamed.

  "I'll ask again. Who sent you?"

  "The—the innkeeper!" The man's voice came out broken. "He said—he said you had money! That you were alone!"

  The innkeeper.

  Calum already knew that. The man had seen exactly how much he was carrying.

  "Where is he now?"

  "Downstairs—in his room behind the counter—please—"

  Calum pulled his dagger out of the man's leg and killed them all after he wiped the blood on the attacker's own shirt.

  Then he walked out of the room and headed downstairs. The common room was empty. Everyone had either left or was pretending to be asleep upstairs.

  Smart.

  Calum walked behind the counter and found a door. Pushed it open without knocking.

  The innkeeper was sitting at a small desk, counting coins. He looked up when Calum entered and his face went pale.

  "You—”

  Calum closed the door behind him. Locked it.

  The innkeeper stood up fast. Grabbed a short sword that was leaning against the wall. "You little demon! This is my inn! You think you can just—"

  Calum threw his dagger.

  It hit the man's sword hand. The blade clattered to the floor. The innkeeper screamed and clutched his bleeding hand.

  Calum walked over and picked up the sword. Looked at it for a second.

  "Sit down."

  "I'll—I'll call the guards! You attacked me! In my own—"

  Calum pressed the tip of the sword against the man's throat.

  "Sit. Down."

  The innkeeper quietened down.

  Calum pulled a chair over and sat across from him. Set the sword on his lap where the innkeeper could see it.

  "Let's talk."

  The innkeeper's name was Marcus. Forty-three years old. Ran The Copper Rest for fifteen years. Had a wife and two kids living in the nicer part of town.

  And he'd been running this scam for about three years now. Finding travelers who looked like they had money. Charge them upfront. Send thugs to rob them in the middle of the night. Split the take. It was a very easy way to earn.

  Until tonight.

  "How many people have you done this to?" Calum asked.

  Marcus didn't answer at first. Just sat there shaking, holding his bleeding hand.

  Calum pressed the sword tip a little harder against his throat. "How many?"

  "I—I don't know! Thirty? Forty? I didn't keep count!"

  "And how many of them were killed?"

  "None! We just robbed them! Took their money and—"

  "Lie, Hehe, I don't care whether they are alive or not."

  Marcus went quiet again. Calum leaned forward. Marcus swallowed hard and started talking.

  Turned out about a dozen travelers had "disappeared" over the years. The ones who fought back. The ones who saw faces. The innkeeper and his thugs dumped the bodies in the forest outside town where nobody went.

  Calum listened to all of it. And when Marcus finished, Calum reached into his coat and pulled out a small vial. Green liquid inside.

  "What—what is that?"

  "Healing potion." Calum uncorked it. "Drink."

  "I don't—"

  "Drink it or I'll cut your throat and pour it down after."

  Marcus grabbed the vial with shaking hands and drank the potion. The bleeding stopped almost immediately. The wound on his hand started closing. Within seconds it was just a scar.

  Marcus stared at his hand in shock. " High tier potion—"

  Calum pulled out another vial. This one was clear.

  "Now drink this one."

  "What is it?"

  "Poison."

  Marcus's eyes went wide. "No—no please—"

  "Relax. It won't kill you." Calum's voice stayed flat. "It just makes sure you can't lie to me anymore. Every time you try, you'll feel like your insides are being torn apart. But you won't die. You'll just wish you could."

  It was a complete lie. The vial was just water. But Marcus didn't know that. And fear was a powerful thing.

  "Drink it or i will go to a lovely home where aunty is, and who knows what will happen—"

  Marcus hearing this his eyes widened and he immediately drank the potion.

  The rest of the night Calum spent asking questions.

  Where did the thugs live? Marcus told him.

  How many were there in total? Eight. Five came tonight. Three stayed behind.

  Who else in town knows about this? Nobody. Just Marcus and his crew.

  Every time Marcus hesitated, Calum would press the sword a little harder. Remind him about the "poison" in his system. And Marcus would start talking again.

  By the time the sun started coming up, Calum knew everything. Marcus sat slumped in his chair. Broken. Terrified. Completely subdued.

  "You're going to do exactly what I tell you," Calum said. "Understand?"

  Marcus nodded weakly.

  "Good. My first order…. You are going to lower your room price like one copper coin for a stay of one month."

  Marcus’s expression darkened but Calum threw a gold coin on the floor which surprised him and understanding flashed on his face.

  "Yes—yes of course—"

  Calum stood up and walked out of the room.