That evening after an early supper, we walked along the road north. The High Road was well paved with large stones, as it was the main route to the capital from the southern reaches. The dimming sunlight limned the clouds in russet and gold above us as we walked along the quiet stretch of road. As we left the fields of crops surrounding Balandor behind, the trees began to thicken as we wound through rocky hills.

  We spoke little but kept our strides long, keeping our eyes and ears perked for any sign or sound of whomever or whatever was harassing folk along the way. There had been no specific location for the attacks, just along the road north of Balandor. Not yet full summer, darkness creeped on early as we walked, rising to swallow the sky in a sea of stars accompanied by only a sliver of moon. Vera lit her lantern, keeping the shutters mostly closed and pointed at our feet, just enough to light the road ahead. We walked until the small hours of the morning, keeping quiet as we listened and watched for any sign of our quarry. When the sun began to peak through the leaves of the forest, dappling the path, we finally stopped to rest.

  I yawned, dropping my pack in a hollow off the road. “Well, do you think we should keep looking during the day, or wait until nightfall?” I asked, turning to where Vera was rigging up her bedroll as a sunshade.

  “We’ll wait until evening. The attacks are supposed to be happening between Balandor and that little village, right? Che… what was it called?”

  “Chemayne, I think. Alright then, you want to rest first, or watch?”

  “I’ll keep watch, I’ve got a loose thread on my harness that needs fixed, so that’ll keep me from drowsing off. Get some rest, Bram.”

  It was late afternoon when we packed up and got back on the road. The sun was already low, dousing the world in fading amber while we walked, and before long night had overtaken us. The road was long and lonely, and only once had we heard a wagon pass by during the day, making for a boring, tense walk. It was late, into the very early hours of morning when I stopped us. A faint scent of blood hung in the air, but though my senses were far sharper than any human’s, I couldn’t find anything more than a hint of the smell. When the wind changed, I lost it entirely, and after an hour spent searching for any sign along the road, I had to give in. Either it was some random animal, or the source of the scent had long moved on. More than that, there was no sign of anything on the road, nor that we could find in the surrounding forest.

  When morning dawned, we reached Chemayne. Hardly enough even to be called a village, it was a few farmsteads surrounding a small inn situated along the road, no more than a stop on the way to the larger settlements to the north, and eventually the capital. We entered the inn, stifling yawns. I ordered breakfast, and asked after a set of rooms. The sharp eyed dwarf behind the counter looked me over, nodding.

  “Aye, you look like you need the rest boy. Mary! Get some food on!” he called into the kitchen behind. “And I’ve got the room to spare, blasted roads’ve been damn dangerous of late,” he said with a shake of his head.

  I leaned on the counter while Vera slumped into a chair at a nearby table. “That’s why we’re here, innkeep. We’re with the Guild, and we’re looking for whoever's been disrupting trade and travelers. Anything you might have noticed that could help us?”

  He set down the glass he was polishing with a sigh. There were many such clean glasses behind the bar, and he picked up another to polish away invisible flecks of dust. A nervous habit, I decided. “Not much, to be honest. We ain’t seen much, just some of our normal traders, but a few of them haven’t come back through on their normal routes south and… well, I think we won’t be seein a few of them again,” he said with a frown.

  “Anything you can tell me about the ones who didn’t come back?”

  He pursed his thick lips, considering. “Hmmm, I can’t rightly recall much that woulda made any of em stand out. Jeb’s a textile merchant… there’s Marty, with the shoes, and… oh, I dunno. None of them were anything special. Jeb did have a new hired merc last we saw him though. Big fella, with a fancy sword on his hip. But that was… oh near a month back if I recall.”

  I nodded. I hadn’t expected to learn much, but perhaps some of that would help later on. “Thanks, innkeep. We’ll rest up today then head back south this evening. We’ll root them out, don’t you worry.” The eggs and sausage he brought out were ambrosia on my tongue, and we wolfed it down before heading to the small rooms at the back of the building to sleep.

  *****

  I stretched my back, popping it with a sigh of relief. Vera chuckled as she walked out onto the wide porch. “Get any rest?”

  I grumbled, stepping off onto the dusty road. “Barely. What do they stuff those mattresses with, rocks?”

  She twisted, stretching while we walked. “No idea. I had to sleep transformed just to get comfortable.”

  “Keep rubbing it in my face, why don’t you? We’ll see who’s comfortable next time I’m on watch. You’re going to wake up with a beehive over your head if you’re not careful,” I groused. She laughed, and soon the inn was lost in the curve of the road behind us. The sun was just drooping behind the trees when we stopped, listening. Hoofbeats and the rattle of wheels behind us, and growing louder. We stepped off the road, waiting.

  “Another merchant?” I asked, fishing out a silver florin.

  “Nah, I’m saying traveler, maybe a fancy one. Hear how fast they’re going?” Vera said, pulling out a coin of her own. I frowned. They were going fast, and they weren’t being quiet about it either. I was just about to try and rescind my bet when the carriage rounded the corner, dashing my hopes. A team of four smartly appointed horses champed at the bit as the dark lacquered carriage raced by. Three armored guards rode on the outside, one sitting beside the driver with a heavy crossbow glared at us as they thundered past.

  I sighed, placing the coin in Vera’s open hand. She pocketed the money with a smug grin. “Too early for you to get one over on me, little man. I’ve been at this a while!” she laughed.

  I muttered a few curses under my breath, but we both knew I wasn’t serious. “Alright alright, let’s go. We need to keep looking.”

  It was close to midnight when I heard them. I pulled up short, placing a hand on Vera’s shoulder to stop her advance. “Voices ahead,” I whispered in the dark. “Let’s get closer, quietly.” Vera’s grim nod was all the answer I needed as we padded forward, shuttering the lantern fully.

  The road here was winding, and as we rounded a bend around the steep side of a hill, we caught sight of them. Two shadowed figures grumbled as they dragged something across the road. Our view of whatever it was they were moving was blocked by a massive log that had been dragged across the cobbled surface of the road. That and the steep slopes to either side made for a clever ambush site. From this close, I could make out their words more clearly.

  “Damn this bugger’s heavy,” one grunted. I took a deep breath, the stink of their sweat mixing with the dark tang of blood in the air. Heat began to bloom in my chest as my eyes narrowed in the gloom.

  “Shut up Mick, and quit dawdling. I want to dump these arseholes and get back to camp already.”

  “Ugh, I’m going as fast as I can. I’m not as strong as you,” the first figure wheedled.

  “Mick, I swear by planes, I will gut you and leave you with these fucks if you do not hurry up.”

  At this point, Vera tapped on my shoulder and we moved back around the corner as silently as we could. Once we’d made it so our voices hopefully wouldn’t carry, she whispered “I’ve got a plan. These are clearly the bandits, yeah?”

  “Clearly,” I whispered back. My heart was beating hard and fast. The scum had been dragging victims off the road, leaving them there for scavengers.

  “I say we take out the bigger one, quick and quiet. If we can capture the smaller one-”

  “Mick,” I breathed.

  “Right, Mick, we can force him to take us to their camp. We’ll deal with the rest of them once we arrive.”

  I nodded sharply. “Do you want me to-”

  Vera shook her head, a few loose strands of hair whipping back and forth from where they’d come loose of her braid. “No. I know you said you’re ready, but I’ve got the first one. I need you to keep the other one quiet.”

  I nodded, and we paced back around the corner. They had clearly just finished moving another body, and one, presumably Mick, was bent over, gasping for breath while the other stood with arms crossed impatiently.

  I crept closer as I felt Vera do the same. I lowered myself to a low crouch, crossing the road in the shadow of the log, hoping the sound of the bandit’s labored breathing would cover my footfalls. On the other side, I silently circled the end of the obstruction, clambering down into the ditch below the road. I swallowed to keep my bile down, the smell of death was pungent. I stopped when I could peer around the edge of the log. The smaller bandit was just regaining his breath, standing straight only a few feet away. He was standing at the edge of the ditch, and I took a moment to steady myself and brace to spring the trap.

  I shifted my feet, tensing my legs, but my foot slipped on the bloody slick slope causing a stone to slip and ping off something metal below. Both bandits whirled and froze.

  “Shit-” was all the larger one got out before a mountain of a blade carved him from shoulder to hip. Mick spun, a scream on his lip before I leapt from the ditch, legs pushing as hard as I could as I slammed into him, bearing him to the ground.

  I grabbed his mouth, and twisted until I was atop him, holding him against the road and pinning his arms to his sides. Eyes wild, he tried to scream into my hand, but I grabbed his throat and squeezed until only a whimper escaped. “Quiet!” I hissed. He went limp after it was clear he couldn’t break my grip. I looked up as Vera stepped over the grisly remains. I looked down at what had once been human, clear as day to me even in the dark. I swallowed. There would be more of this tonight. The ending of many paths, but only a step along ours.

  I hardened my heart to it, glancing at Vera as she crouched down next to our captive. Blood had spattered her leathers, but she didn’t seem to notice or care. “Alright, Mick was it?” At the bandit’s frantic nod, she continued. “Do you know why you are alive, Mick? Because you have a potential use. My friend here and I are looking for the rest of you. You are going to lead us there, do you understand?”

  Mick frantically nodded, and I gradually eased my hand off of his mouth. He took several deep breaths, then screamed. I immediately cut off his airway, slamming his head to the stone when he tried to bite my palm.

  I sighed. Vera looked grim as she turned to me. “Think you can pick up their trail in the dark?”

  My throat tightened. I knew what she was really asking. Either we killed every bandit here, or we dragged them back to be hanged. Nothing would change that fate. “Yes. I can find them.” Vera clapped a hand on my shoulder with a nod, then stood.

  I looked down at the captive bandit, who’s eyes darted between us. He finally must have put it together, because he squirmed and shrieked into my hand, thrashing beneath me. I forced myself to meet that terrified gaze. Then I slashed my hand across his throat, dragging my claws deep as blood burst across my arms and chest. He struggled weakly for a few torturous moments before life finally left him. I felt a tiny burst of energy enter me as I released the corpse.

  I let out a deep breath as I stared down at my blood soaked claws. Wetness cooled my face, and I knew it wasn’t blood. Vera squeezed my shoulder. “I know,” she said. “But these weren’t men. Not really. Not after what they did.”

  I nodded, wiping my hands in the dust of the road. “I’m alright. Let's get the rest of them.”

  The darkness of the trees only slowed me slightly as I searched for their trail, and it didn’t take long before I found it. The scent of blood and sweat led me to where they’d stashed a carriage just beyond the bend off the side of the road behind some trees. I doubted they intended for it to truly be hidden, just out of the way so any other travelers would miss it. From there, it was easy to find their tracks along a trail roughly cut through the woods along a ridge overlooking the road. It was a good spot, though whether they had someone competent leading or they’d just lucked out, we’d have to see.

  We followed the trail for another quarter mile before I caught wind of the camp. I mean that quite literally, as the wind changed direction and the scent of a campfire wafted through the woods. We slowed down as we approached the edge of a ravine. We traced our way along the edge, searching for any look outs, but they must have been the ones we just took out because there were none atop the ridge.

  Light danced from a massive campfire at the base, showing off fortifications closing off one end of the ravine, the other naturally closed off. I’d ignored the sounds of muted voices that had made it out of the ravine so far, but as we peered over the edge they stole our attention. Six bandits arranged around the camp lounged, ate, drank and fiddled with the spoils of their attack. But another sat atop a throne of the spoils, a feral grin splitting his face I could see even from here as he watched his entertainment for the evening.

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

  Two women in bloody finery sobbed and shivered, bound to a post driven into the dirt before the shoddy throne. As we watched, the large bandit on the throne barked an order and another roughly grabbed the women, dragging them to their feet, whispering something to them that made them both cringe away in horror. He drew a knife, spinning it in a hand and gesturing provocatively. Both women reluctantly began to sway, shudderingly dancing before the leader, hands bound and feet bare upon the rocky ground. Vera tensed as she saw them, and I ruined my shoes as claws burst forth. I took a steadying breath, then slowly backed away from the edge. When Vera remained, I tapped on her leg until she joined me, eyes wild with fury.

  I spoke in a harsh whisper, not keen to tarry any further. “We need to secure them before the fighting. Do you want to handle that, or have me do it?”

  Her breath came in ragged gasps as she grasped at the air. I could only guess she was imagining how the bandit’s necks were going to feel. “I’m going to kill the maggots first. Then the leader. You cover them, keep them safe.”

  *****

  Gorin the Bandit King lounged on his throne, sipping from the fine wine they’d looted earlier in the week, and reflected on how well the gang was doing. Although, he should really start calling them something other than a gang, now that he had decided he was a king. He’d only made that decision today, after the massive haul they’d raked in from the fancy coach. Maybe they were a bandit army now? And maybe once they’d sacked a couple of towns… a nation?

  He cackled loudly, spilling the wine down the front of his blood stained tunic. A quiet sob diverted his attention back to the other pieces of their plunder today. His brand new toys. His lovely, so very pretty, disobedient toys.

  “I thought I told you to dance!” he growled. The one who was still crying resumed swaying dejectedly, but the one to his right simply raised her nose. His chuckle was deep and cruel. “Oh, you think you want to have some backbone, do ya? Lathar, if you would.”

  Lathar was a slimy, backstabbing snake, but he knew who was in charge, and loved to be near power. So the pale, sallow faced man left his post at Gorin’s right side, approaching the girl who stood still as a statue, nose in the air, but the trembling of her hands gave away her fear. Gorin grinned in anticipation. A little bleeding would make her more compliant. He sat forward on his rickety seat. He loved watching Lathar work, the man was an artist. Lathar smiled widely as he pulled the curved dagger from his belt, running his tongue along it as he neared the girl. He laughed, then reached for her.

  A dark blur slammed into the ground behind Lathar, and suddenly the girl was painted red. Gorin tilted his head, confused as he watched a giant gray woman stand from a crouch, wrenching the massive greatsword out of the ground with a huff.

  The girl screamed as each half of Lathar tumbled to the ground. Gorin gaped, uncomprehending for a moment. Though his crew were the dregs of society, one of them was clever enough to finally shout “Intruder! Kill it!”

  The camp exploded into motion. Gorin shook his head, rousing himself as another form landed hard beyond the girls. He grit his teeth, pulling his glyphblade from where it jutted from the refuse beside him. He was king here, and nobody was taking his treasure.

  *****

  Things were happening quickly, and I didn’t have time to be gentle. I grabbed both women by the waist, crouching as they both screamed in terror. My legs tensed before exploding beneath me, carrying us to the far side of the ravine, farthest from any of the frantic bandits. I landed hard, scaled feet digging into soft soil.

  Vera was true to her word, already halfway through another of the scum, pulling her sword from his limp corpse in a fountain of blood. I refocused on my charges, turning to face the two of them. The one covered in blood was just shaking, eyes unfocused and body limp. The other was screaming continuously, clawing against me and trying to pull away.

  I seized her hands as gently as I could, turning my gaze between the two. No good options. “I’m sorry for the rough treatment ladies, but we’re here to help. I’m going to let go of you, but you need to stay here. We’re going to get rid of this scum and get you home.” My words seemed to do little, but at least the girl on my right stopped clawing at me, and her screams dampened to whimpers. I released her, and she scrambled backward, pressing herself flat against the stone wall. I backed away, reiterating “Stay here, we’ll get you out.”

  I spun to where Vera was still cutting a swath of bloody mayhem. She’d killed another as we spoke, and the remaining three bandits circled her, jabbing forward to strike at her with mundane weapons, each throwing sparks as they ricocheted off of her. I crept forward, keeping out of their line of sight. Vera brought her pommel down on the shoulder of one, bone snapping beneath the blow. The others capitalized, swinging hard at her flanks. Chips of iron flew, and Vera grunted in pain. As they circled, I saw my opportunity, and pounced. I sprung from the edge, claws splayed as I tackled the man to the ground in a bloody slide. I hooked my clawed feet into the backs of his calves as he screamed, raising a fist to end him, but I was interrupted by a swing of a sword splitting the air. I rolled away, but Vera was already there, sword descending like the wrath of the heavens. The sound of bones shattering beneath the bandits cobbled together armor was nearly drowned out by his anguished screams, but Vera didn’t stick around to finish him off, leaving it to me.

  For an instant I hesitated, staring at the man rolling on the ground in agony. But I hardened my heart, recalling the cowering survivors. A single swipe of my claws finished him, and I stepped over the body to finish the first bandit off with a stomp before he could drag himself farther away. He wasn’t getting back up. I stood, letting Vera take her time dismantling the last bandit, severing an arm, then his waist. As he lay there, gasping his last breath, she drove her sword through his chest, burying the tip a foot or more in the ground below.

  She released a heavy breath, shoulders shaking in anger and battle fever. Silver sparked in my vision as the silence was broken by the slow, methodical slap of a sarcastic clap behind us. I turned, lips pulling back from my teeth in a wordless snarl.

  “Well well well. You killed all my men,” the bandit leader called as he strode forward unhurriedly. “No great loss, as I’m sure you’ll agree. They were green, barely seen any combat. ‘Then how’d they capture so much loot?’ I hear you ask.” I growled, the sound echoing off the tall walls enclosing us. “Well here’s your answer, you fucking worthless guilders. Me.”

  His venomous tone was all the more threatening as he drew the wide sword at his hip, and I instantly grew more wary. I couldn’t identify them from here, but there were quite a few glyphs inscribed on that blade, and as he gripped the hilt, they began to glow a bright purple. I flexed my claws in reflex, every muscle tensed. The power within me surged, and heat bloomed across my frame.

  Vera wrenched her sword free of the ground, finally deigning to face the leader fully. She flipped the heavy weapon onto her shoulder, holding it with just one hand. She spat loudly at her feet. “Mine’s bigger, fuckwad.”

  That seemed to get under his skin. He snarled, bringing the sword up, before swinging it in a downward slash even though he was still several yards away. My eyes widened as the silver light in my eyes surged. A purple crescent of deadly magic flew from the tip of the sword. Vera couldn’t dodge that in time. It would hit her, and my instincts screamed her iron skin wouldn’t stop this one bit. I reacted, leaping forward faster than the bandit’s eyes could follow, slamming my shoulder into Vera with every bit of strength I could bring to bear. It was just barely enough. The blade of purple light blasted between us, grazing my hand with a buzzing hiss of magic as I jumped back.

  We all stopped, dumbfounded. The scales on my hand smoked and cracked painfully. The bandit looked at me with wide eyes, before glancing down at his dimmed sword, then back at me. “What?!” he shrieked. Vera recovered the fastest, sprinting around me, whipping her sword at the dumbstruck criminal. He managed to bring his blade up in time to block the strike, glyphs flaring along the blade as his arm didn’t even waver. He recovered quickly, spinning into a counter, drawing a line of sparks across her shoulder in a shallow cut. They traded blows, scrapes and nicks appearing across her iron skin, meeting each other blow for blow. I was no sword master, but I was struck by their skill as they flowed in a complex dance. Vera wouldn’t be denied, and as the bandit began to flag she pressed the advantage, bringing her massive greatsword down again and again as the glyphs dimed further.

  He cried out as the enchantment finally gave out, his arm buckling with a disgusting snap as Vera smashed down. The blade tumbled from his grasp, sliding to a stop on the ground between them. Vera leaned down, picking the weapon up in an iron fist. She turned it over, ignoring the sputtering whimper from the cowering man before her. Then she flipped it, grasping it by the blade, and shoved the hilt in the bandit’s face.

  “Take it.”

  The bandit leader hesitated, eyes glued to Vera’s smoldering gaze. She shoved it in his chest, and growled. “Take it. I thought you were the reason for all this. So take the fucking sword, and fight me!”

  “Fuck you!” He snarled, but he took the sword in his other hand, climbing to his feet.

  Vera waited, her own sword lowered. Completely open. The bandit yelled wordlessly and slashed wide. Vera slapped the blade away with her bare hand, chips flying from her fist but she didn’t react at all. He swung again, and she sidestepped. Again. Again and again she stepped just out of reach, or deftly blocked his clumsy attacks, until he paused, panting, the point of his sword resting on the ground between them.

  She took a step forward, using her blade to bash his sword out of his hand, the steel landing with a wet thump in the blood soaked mud. She leaned down into his face, staring hard as he glared back at her, heaving breaths loud in the quiet of the ravine. “I don’t even know who you are. And nobody else will, either.” Then she stepped back, and cut his head from his shoulders. A quiet gasp came from the corner. One of the survivors must have been watching.

  Vera took a long, slow breath, clenching her hand tightly as the grey faded from her flesh. Blood dripped from superficial wounds all over her arms, but she didn’t seem to notice. I moved to her side, reaching up and laying a hand on her shoulder. She turned to meet my gaze, nodding silently, her amber eyes weary and drained.

  I nodded right back. “Lets see to getting these two to town. I’m sure they don’t want to stay here any longer than they have to. Why don’t you go talk to them, and I’ll check the rest of the camp.” Vera took a deep breath, sheathing her sword as she turned to the two women huddling in the corner.

  I turned away, not wanting to eavesdrop. I hoped the presence of another woman would help them calm down. Instead, I picked up the glyphblade, turning it over in my hand. It was a fine piece, and would likely cost more than any but the finest homes in the city. But the value in such a weapon was in what it could do, not how much it could sell for. I ran a thumb over the gemstone pommel, which had only a flicker of light remaining, which made sense. When Vera had killed the leader, I’d felt only a tiny trickle of energy. Clearly he wasn’t mana-bound, and the blade had a reservoir of energy to use. I looked it over, but the glyphs were a convoluted affair far beyond my skill. Without a way to refill the enchantment, it was of limited use, but might still fetch a high price if we decided to sell it. I pursed my lips. We’d figure it out later. I grabbed a scabbard from one of the fallen bandits, since the leader had just had the blade slipped through a ring on his belt. It wasn’t a perfect fit, but it would protect the sword until we could have it looked at. And more importantly, it covered up the very expensive glyphs.

  A few minutes later, I had searched the remainder of the camp, taking the heavy sack of coins from the throne, and tying it to my belt. I glanced at the remains of the nearest thug, strewn across the muddy camp. The reward was per bandit head, and the guild would demand proof. I stared into the unblinking eyes of the dead criminal, and turned away. I was no butcher, and the coin wasn’t important. We left the rest of the loot where it lay. It was mostly just trade goods and food amongst the broken remains of furniture and parts of wagons that had been placed as impromptu shelters for the marauders. I met Vera and the two survivors at the end of the ravine, where she’d already smashed open the barricade. The harried women sat astride a pair of horses, Vera holding their leads.

  “Ready?” I asked quietly.

  “Yes. Let’s get out of here. I’m hoping to make it to the city before midday.”

  With that, we left the camp behind. I took the lead, letting Vera stay with the survivors as I led us on a wide curve through the woods, avoiding where their carriage and guards lay. Vera murmured constantly to them, encouraging them as we walked, and offering them water that they both drank greedily, splashing over their fronts as they wiped the blood and grime off. I avoided looking back after that. They’d suffered enough without feeling embarrassed. The sun rose while we walked, and Vera made us stop before noon. I’d been prepared to eat while we moved, but didn’t complain. I was tired too.

  Vera went to help the two of them down while I gathered wood for a fire. Though the day was warm, the sun was hidden behind a darkening bank of clouds, and one of them hadn’t stopped shivering since we’d set off. Vera rolled over some rocks for seats, and I got the fire going with a flint and steel. The two survivors sat shoulder to shoulder across the fire while Vera and I worked in silence. The dark haired one stared blankly into the fire, still shivering. The blonde watched us both with wide eyes, rimmed red.

  It was only a few minutes until we had some bread warmed on a stone from the fire, and the jerky seared and tender. “Here,” I said, handing a hunk of bread and jerky over the fire to the two of them. The fair haired one stared at me while the other just hunkered down, pulling in her shivering limbs. Anxiety thrummed through me, but Vera placed a hand on my shoulder.

  “It’s okay, let me handle this,” she said softly, taking the food and sitting beside the two traumatized women. “It’s alright, you’re safe now. You need to eat, here.”

  I sat on the other side of the fire, feeling useless. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and both of the women trembled. I looked up at the clouds above, and nodded. “Hey, I’m going to get us some shelter together. I don’t think traveling in the rain is a good idea,” I said as I stood.

  Vera glanced away from where she was gently coaxing the dark haired woman to eat, nodding. “Good idea. And check the horses, they might have something useful.”

  Moving to where Vera had tied the beasts, I began rifling through saddle bags. I found a large section of cloth, but it would be a tight fit for all of us. I shook my head. It was better than nothing, and I began assembling a lean-to of some of the larger branches I could find, and I managed to hack a small sapling down with the sword we’d recovered, though it was a bit tricky. Fortunately, the cloth was a bit bigger than I’d initially feared, and I was able to get a respectable shelter put together in time. The rain began as a soft sigh that rapidly grew to the patter of millions of drops slapping the leaves above us as the storm arrived. I wedged myself into the corner, giving the others as much space as possible as we hunkered down to wait out the rain.

  “What are your names?” Vera asked quietly, her voice barely audible over the rain pelting the shelter above us.

  It was a long moment before the fair haired one spoke with a trembling voice, so soft I almost missed it. “Margaret.”

  “It’s lovely to meet you, Margaret,” Vera said, using a soft tone so at odds with her normal voice. “And you too, Brea.” I raised my eyebrows. I hadn’t heard her speak at all. “My name is Vera, and this is Bram.”

  I nodded my head to both of them. “Hello,” I said, unsure of what else to say.

  “We’re going to get you to Balandor, don’t you worry. But it looks like this rain is going to continue for a while, so why don’t you try to get some rest. We’ll keep watch over you. You’re safe now.”

  I nodded again. “Yes, nothing will happen to you, I swear.”

  Margaret’s eyes flickered to Vera, then me. “Thank you,” she said softly. I didn’t let my shock show, instead offering what I hoped was a kind smile, but she looked away, pulling the thin blanket Vera had pulled from her pack tightly around her shoulders.

  “You’re very welcome, Margaret. Now, you two try and get some rest. We’ll be here if you need us.”

  *****

  When we reached the city, we were all tired and muddy from the road. The women were hardly able to stay in the saddle, though Margaret had stubbornly refused to stop again. We approached the guards at the gate, and Vera explained the situation in brief. Both guards stiffened when they caught sight of our charges, but one stood even straighter when Margaret, a pale, blond thing who barely reached my chest, stepped forward and flashed a ring that she produced from somewhere. She turned to us, giving a shallow curtsy, somewhat damaged by the ragged state of her clothing, which her fellow survivor mirrored. “Thank you both for your help. This guard will escort us to our lodgings. I will send word to the guild in commendation for you both. Thank you.”

  I glanced at Vera, skeptical of this clear dismissal. She looked at the young woman, who still trembled, though she stood tall. Then she nodded, turned to me and said only, “Let’s go. They’ll be alright, and we’ve done all we can.”

  I nodded deeply to both of the women, though I was sure it meant little. We passed into the gate, heading for the guild, then to our beds.