Chapter 6 The Beastfolk District

The stone struck Kai’s temple with a dull thud. A small trickle of blood dripped down his face.

But he didn’t flinch.

Instead, he bent down, picked up the stone, and walked toward the group of noblemen.

The laughter died.

Kai stopped in front of one of them—a man with a smug grin and a rock still in hand. Without a word, Kai grabbed his wrist. The man yelped in surprise, but before he could react, Kai clenched.

Bones ground together. The rock in the nobleman’s hand crumbled into dust beneath Kai’s iron grip.

The man shrieked.

Kai leaned in, his voice low.

“I don’t like bullies.”

The street fell silent.

Kai tightened his grip on the nobleman’s shattered hand. The man whimpered, his earlier arrogance dissolving into pain and humiliation.

“Bullies are weak,” Kai said, his voice calm but edged with steel. “Immature. And utterly lacking in substance. Remember that the next time you feel entitled to hurt someone you think is beneath you.”

A sudden rustle in the crowd made Kai glance up. A royal guard, clad in polished armor, had been passing by and caught sight of the scene. His hand was already on the hilt of his sword.

“Oy! You, with the black boots!” the guard barked. “Release the young nobleman, or I’ll be throwing you in a cell!”

Kai turned his head slightly, his expression unreadable.

“I’m sorry, sir,” he said smoothly. “I didn’t quite hear you. Could you come closer and repeat that?”

Skye stiffened. She had seen this look before—the calm before the storm. She took a step back, disappearing into the crowd. This was about to get ugly.

The guard, taking Kai’s words as a challenge, clicked his tongue and swung himself off his horse. His boots hit the ground with a heavy thud. He strode toward Kai, broad and imposing. Sunlight gleamed off his armor.

Kai didn’t move.

He stood firm, still gripping the nobleman’s crushed hand, his face unreadable.

“You’ll be letting go of that poor man’s hand now, stranger,” the guard ordered, his voice deep and commanding. “And you’ll bow in respect—for harming him, and for making me come down here to sort you out.”

Kai released the nobleman, who immediately recoiled, clutching his ruined fingers.

Then, in one fluid motion, Kai bent forward in mock deference—only to grab the guard’s ankles and yank.

The guard, caught off balance, let out a grunt of surprise as he toppled backward, his weight unevenly distributed. His helmet tumbled off, clattering onto the stone street.

Before the crowd could even gasp, Kai was on him.

A knee pressed against the guard’s throat.

The soldier wheezed, struggling against the weight pinning him down. Kai leaned in close, his mouth near the man’s ear.

The beastfolk in the crowd pricked up their ears, catching every whispered word. Their sensitive hearing allowed them to hear what no ordinary human could.

But to the rest of the onlookers? Silence. Only the tension in the air. The heavy, waiting quiet of a moment that could shift into chaos at any second.

Kai stepped off the guard’s throat, brushing dust from his knee as if nothing had happened. Then, without hesitation, he extended a hand. The guard, still rattled, hesitated before taking it.

With a firm pull, Kai hauled him to his feet. But instead of letting go, he yanked the man in close—so close that their noses nearly touched.

He leaned in, whispering something only the guard could hear.

The soldier’s face went pale. His lips parted slightly, but no words came. He swallowed hard, nodded, and backed away, his hands shaking as he retrieved his helmet. Without another word, he climbed onto his horse, gripping the reins with unsteady fingers.

Kai smirked and gave the horse a sharp slap on its flank.

The beast neighed and took off, galloping away with the shaken guard barely holding on.

The nobleman, still clutching his crushed hand, took one last look at Kai before bolting into the crowd, vanishing like a coward.

Kai exhaled slowly and turned.

Skye had reappeared beside him. She stared up at him, her golden eyes wide, filled with something close to awe.

To her, he was an anomaly. Someone who had no obligation to stand up for the beastfolk, yet did so without hesitation. Someone who fought back, not for himself, but for those who had been trampled on for too long.

“Let’s go,” Kai said, his voice even.

The beastfolk in the crowd silently stepped back, parting to give him a path.

They had heard whispers of humans who were kind to their kind. But never had they seen one fight for them so boldly—so recklessly. And never had they seen one walk away from it like he didn’t care if the world burned behind him.

---

Skye’s mood shifted the moment they entered the beastfolk district. She walked with a noticeable pep in her step, her tail flicking slightly as she took in the surroundings. Despite the rougher appearance of the district—buildings made of patchwork materials, uneven streets, and the ever-present scent of livestock—the atmosphere was undeniably livelier than the human sectors. Laughter, music, and the scent of sizzling food filled the air.

Beastfolk vendors shouted over each other, hawking roasted meats on skewers, bright fabrics, carved trinkets, and bundles of exotic spices. Children chased each other between crowded stalls, darting around legs and laughing.

“The beastfolk try to stick with their own kind here,” Skye explained, her ears perking as they passed a bustling marketplace. “They don’t hold the same rights as humans. And if they do, it’s with plenty of exceptions.”

Kai nodded, his gaze scanning the district with an unreadable expression. “Yeah… I know that all too well from where I’m from.”

Skye tilted her head, curiosity getting the better of her. “Where are you from, Kai?” she asked, the words tumbling out before she could stop herself.

Kai’s expression darkened slightly. “The less you know, the better off you’ll be.”

It wasn’t a threat. It wasn’t even an attempt at sounding mysterious. It was simply the truth. He didn’t want his two worlds bleeding into each other.

Skye opened her mouth as if to press him further, but then thought better of it. Instead, she glanced around and said, “At least here, we don’t have to pretend.”

Kai arched an eyebrow. “Pretend what?”

“That we’re safe,” Skye said softly. “Here… at least you know who your enemies are.”

---

They arrived at a hut not unlike the dwarven smithy they had visited earlier. This one, however, was run by beastfolk—strong horse and bison folk moving massive crates of metal and wood.

The rhythmic clang of hammer on steel echoed through the open door. Sparks leapt into the air like fireflies. A warm glow spilled onto the street, illuminating the rough timber beams and the faces of the workers.

Kai paused in the doorway, his eyes adjusting to the heat and haze.

Just as he was about to step inside, a towering bull-man emerged from the entrance. His horns were chipped from years of battle, and his muscles rippled beneath his thick hide. He wore a thick leather apron stained with oil and soot. He was an intimidating sight, and Skye instinctively shrank back.

Kai, however, didn’t flinch.

He met the bull-man’s gaze evenly. “Are you going to let me through?” His tone wasn’t hostile—just direct.

The bull-man stared at him for a long, tense moment, his nostrils flaring. Then he burst into a deep, rumbling laugh that shook dust from the rafters. “Frankly, stranger, you’re welcome here in the beastfolk district. Word travels fast. You could be kin… if you wanted to.”

Kai inclined his head slightly, a rare smile touching his lips. “I appreciate the warm welcome. I’m here for business and will respect your space as if it were my own.”

Skye blinked in surprise. She had never imagined Kai could be so… gallant.

Inside, the forge roared. Workers sang snippets of an old beastfolk work chant, voices layered in complex harmonies. Skye hummed a few notes under her breath, as if remembering something from childhood.

A tall, muscular bovine woman emerged from behind a chain-link curtain, her presence commanding the room as much as her voluptuous figure. Her fur gleamed under the lantern light, and when she spoke, her voice carried a sultry lilt.

“What can we do for you, defender of the beastfolk?”

Kai offered a polite nod. “Hello, madam. I’m looking to acquire some goods—possibly transport as well. Name’s Kai.”

The woman’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. “Greetings, great Kai.” She put a slight emphasis on his name, her hips angling subtly in his direction.

Skye, standing beside him, felt an unexpected tightness in her stomach. She wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t like the way the bovine woman looked at him—or the way he seemed completely at ease with it.

“I run this establishment,” the woman continued, gesturing toward the shop. “We craft variable goods, forged with skill passed down through generations.”

“And I cherish your goodwill, milady.” Kai winked.

The woman chuckled, a warm sound like a low bell. “A charmer, are we? Name’s Cherish.”

Skye swallowed down a surge of irritation. Why didn’t he talk to her like that?

Cherish waved them deeper into the shop, where glowing furnaces lit metal racks stacked with finely crafted goods—chains, barrels, ornate ironwork, and weapons. The air smelled of oil and hot steel, but it carried an undercurrent of spice and something sweet—like clover blossoms.

Kai proceeded to list the items he needed, detailing size, quantity, and specifications. Cherish listened intently, occasionally leaning closer to examine Kai’s face, as though she were deciding what secrets he might be hiding.

Fortunately, Cherish already had similar items in stock, though getting them beyond the district posed a problem. Any trade leaving the beastfolk sector required an additional day for processing—not to mention an export tax levied by the human authorities.

Kai considered this before offering a simple solution. “I’ll travel with you through the checkpoints. That way, we avoid unnecessary complications. And I’ll pay the tax, regardless.”

Cherish grinned at his proposal. “A man of action and generosity.”

Kai smirked. “I’m a man who hates red tape.”

Cherish’s eyes glowed with mischief. “And here I thought humans only liked red carpets.”

The deal was struck. As they finalized arrangements, Kai took Cherish’s hand and placed a gentlemanly kiss upon it. The gesture made the bovine woman’s ears flick back slightly as a flush of color warmed her cheeks.

Skye had to look away, heat burning the tips of her ears.

Soon, they were on their way—Kai, a few horsefolk laborers, and Skye, hauling supplies through the city toward Helena’s riverside restaurant. Predictably, guards at the kingdom’s exit tried to give them trouble. But a single request for Kai’s “friend” resolved the matter. The group was waved through.

As they entered the quieter streets near the river, Skye glanced sideways at Kai. “You know, you didn’t have to kiss her hand.”

Kai arched an eyebrow. “I was being polite.”

“You don’t kiss my hand when you’re polite,” she muttered.

Kai gave her a sly grin. “You’d claw me if I tried.”

Skye sniffed, flicking her tail as if she hadn’t been thinking about exactly that.

Upon arrival, the horsefolk helped Kai set up the heavy items behind the restaurant, near the inn entrance and along the riverbed. Helena inspected the supplies with curiosity, still uncertain of Kai’s ultimate plan.

Then, he got to work.

---