Auren sat back on the park bench, letting the late afternoon sun warm the collar of his shirt. He had wandered the town for the better part of an hour, ducking into alleys, peeking into shop doors, and sketching mental maps.
The marketplaces clustered near the square, a compact jumble of stalls selling everything from salted fish to glittering glass beads. The smithy stood nearby, steady and rhythmic—iron singing against iron through an open window.
He had already marked a few alchemical shops by their reed chimneys and the sticky-sweet scent of simmering potions. Somewhere along the third lane, he'd passed a tiny storefront filled with cages of yapping, chirping creatures labeled monster pets. A small town, yes, but full of life and corners to get lost in.
"Not bad for a small town," Auren murmured, chewing thoughtfully on a barbecue skewer.
