“Cat got your tongue, boy?” the knight asked. “I asked if you were hurt.”

  Stick’s mind was still trying to keep up with what had just happened. He blinked, staring at the knight, who remained waiting for a response. His brown eyes held steady, filled with expectation. The man stood tall, a warrior clad in gilded armor, the weight of battles past etched into every ornate engraving upon his plate. A fur-lined mantle draped over his shoulders, golden and thick, a mark of both prestige and survival against the bitter cold. He couldn’t have been much older than Stick, perhaps in his early twenties, but the way he spoke made him seem older—self-important and grandiose.

  “I’m… fine,” Stick finally answered. “Thank you.”

  “Splendid.” The knight sheathed his sword. “Then we shall take the opportunity to retreat.”

  He turned for the door, but a question gnawed at Stick. “Wait. Who are you? You said you were a knight of House Blitz.”

  The knight wheeled back, scandalized.

  “Nonsense!” he bellowed. “Never have I uttered such frivolity!”

  Stick swallowed. But you kind of did…

  Visibly worked up, the knight placed a hand on his chest. “I would never dare pretend to be one of Lord Blitz’s esteemed knights! Though my deeds are known far and wide, I am—alas—still but a squire in the service of the great Lord Alastair Blitz. Gawain, the youngest ever considered for knighthood in the kingdom of Cavon… until the invasion of the foreign aggressor, Carnifex, stole that honor from me!”

  With a flourish, Gawain took a short bow. Stick, unsure of the proper etiquette, gave a stiff bow in return. This guy’s a piece of work.

  “Nice to meet you, Gawain,” Stick said. “And thank you for your help. My name’s Stick.”

  “A pleasure,” Gawain responded.

  “Stick, are you okay?” A shout from the road made Stick turn. “We were looking all over for you!”

  Hirohiro and Big Man were running toward the house.

  Gawain moved instantly, stepping in front of Stick and blocking the doorway. “Stand behind me, Stick! I will handle these fiends.”

  Drawing his sword once more, he pointed it directly at Hirohiro. The other boy skidded to a stop, eyes narrowing.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Hirohiro asked.

  Big Man, however, seemed less surprised. “Gawain.”

  “The Prized Possession,” Gawain said with clear disdain.

  “What are you doing?” Stick grabbed a fistful of Gawain’s fur mantle—it was softer than he expected.

  “Stay back!” Gawain ordered. “The enemy has found us!”

  Stick scowled. “They are not the enemy!”

  “Nonsense! Unless… you are an enemy too!” Gawain took a step back, so that he could keep them all in his line of sight. He clutched his sword with both hands. “Begone, Carnifex soldiers! These are the lands of King Cavon!”

  “Whoa, now.” Stick raised his hands between Hirohiro and Gawain.

  “Begone, or I will strike you down!”

  Stick dematerialized his sword, showing his open palms. “We. Are. Not. The. Enemy.”

  “I will not fall for such foolish trickery.”

  “This is not a trick!” Stick insisted.

  “Silence, invader!” Gawain barked. “You travel with Lord Blitz’s laborer in shackles! We must speak no further.”

  He raised his sword once more.

  “Wait—” Stick took a step forward. “You know Big Man?”

  Gawain’s stance faltered. “Big Man?”

  “That’s my name,” Big Man said in his soft voice. “For now, at least.”

  “You don’t have a name,” Gawain said, almost offended. “Never have.”

  “Stick proposed it. And Big Man accepted it,” Hirohiro said.

  Gawain scoffed. “So what if he accepted a name that was forced upon him?”

  “I liked it. And I chose it myself,” Big Man said simply.

  A flicker of uncertainty crossed Gawain’s face. “You… chose it yourself?”

  “Yes.”

  Gawain’s grip on his sword loosened.

  “He’s not our slave,” Stick took the chance to add. “He’s not anyone’s possession anymore. He’s our friend. And we want him unshackled as soon as possible. In fact, I was a slave too. We are not Carnifex.”

  Gawain studied him for a long moment, then turned to Hirohiro. “He speaks the truth?”

  Hirohiro didn’t respond, staring at the ground. Gawain threw a skeptical look at Big Man, who nodded in agreement. Finally, Gawain sighed and slid his sword back into its sheath.

  “Very well.”

  Stick exhaled, lowering his hands. As the adrenaline drained, the pain in his arms flared. He took a look at his right arm—it was just a little red, nothing serious. The left hand, however…

  The skin of his palm was raw and inflamed, a patch of angry red stretching across the center where the acid had burned him. The dull sting deepened into a sharper pain with each flex of his fingers. Faint white streaks marred the skin, as if the burn had stolen the life from it. It felt tight, dry—like parchment left too long in the sun—threatening to crack at the slightest movement. He curled his hand instinctively, then winced as the burn protested. Ouch.

  “My Protection must have been down.”

  “Medicine.” Gawain stepped forward, pulling a small satchel from his waist. “Take this.”

  Hirohiro offered another Health Potion. “And this.”

  Stick downed the vial, feeling some strength return. He eyed the herbs Gawain had given him. “What do I do with these?”

  “Clench them in your fist. You’ll understand,” Gawain responded.

  Stick hesitated. The herbs were oddly stiff, their green leaves tinged blue, unmoving even in the breeze. They were cool to the touch—but not cold, just… unnatural.

  Fighting through the pain, he curled his fingers around them. The leaves immediately crumbled, releasing a gel-like substance that oozed between his fingers. A sharp sting shot through his palm before the relief followed—cool and soothing. Instinctively, he rubbed it onto his arm as well.

  “Devious creatures,” Gawain muttered. “Make haste. We must reach safe ground before nightfall.”

  Without further argument, he motioned for them to start moving. Surprised by his sudden shift in demeanor, the group complied, setting off northwest. In the distance, the shadow of the former capital loomed.

  https://www.patreon.com/IgLu_Books