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Jehosaphat smiled. “It’s been a while, kid. How are you?”
Asp chuckled, but she was on guard. “Uh, honestly, things are a little crazy right now. You?”
“Oh, you know,” he said, “doing the same old routine, just in a new place. What’s crazy?”
“I seem to have tangled up in something big,” said Asp. She considered saying more, but decided she wasn’t sure if she could trust him after he'd let Oslo oust her from the gang.
“Sounds about right for you,” replied Jehosaphat. He offered a gentle smile. “I can tell you don’t want to say more, and that’s fine by me, but I’m not out to get you.”
Asp purposely cocked an eyebrow to communicate her doubts. “Yeah? Not working with Oslo anymore, then?”
Jehosaphat laughed with a touch of bitterness. “So you haven’t heard?”
Asp furrowed her brow. “Heard what?”
Jehosaphat shook his head tiredly. “The gang fell apart. Not long after you left, Oslo started making risky calls. A few of us left because he seemed unstable. Then he made a decision that brought the guards down on us. Hard.” He drew a finger across his throat. “That was it for the Hollowstride gang. Oslo made it out by the skin of his teeth, but he left the rest of us to fend for ourselves.”
“I saw Gregorio back in Lo’Torrin–he ran off as soon as he saw me,” said Asp, nodding sadly.
“He’s more cautious than ever, from what I can gather. I didn’t even know he made it out that way. What were you doing in Lo’Torrin?”
Asp sighed. “Starting over.”
Jehosaphat chuckled. “I thought you headed to the Myriad for that.”
“I did,” admitted Asp with a sheepish smile. “But it didn’t go as planned.”
“Get burned again?” he asked.
“Not exactly.” She stared at the ground.
“Asp, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But I’m not a threat. It’s been a while. I’ve gotten over it.”
“Yeah, well, I guess I didn’t,” she said glumly. “I, uh, turned myself in back in Despair.”
Jehosaphat coughed. “For what?”
“I didn’t say. Just that I was wanted elsewhere and I was ready to serve my time.”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Jehosaphat. “For what as in why. Why did you turn yourself in?”
“It’s complicated.” Asp bit her lip. “Mostly because I killed Gunther.”
Jehosaphat clucked his tongue. “That’s not how it looked to me.”
Asp sighed again. “I didn’t strike the last blow, but I did get him killed.”
“Oslo got him killed,” said Jehosaphat. “He told me later he ordered Gunther to attack.”
“Yeah, well, Oslo didn’t slice his thigh open.”
“Which you wouldn’t have had to do if he hadn’t been about to attack that mage.”
“There was other stuff,” said Asp, trying to get out of the conversation. “I did what I did.”
“I suppose you did.”
Ask about Candace. No, wait–don’t seem too desperate. “How’s Kyrn?”
Jehosaphat smiled. “She made it out to the newtkin part of Eunax. I hear she’s working for a low-level outfit doing burglaries.”
“And Dancer?”
“He ran off to the north part of the Myriad. Picking the pockets of every unsuspecting human he can find. We trade letters every now and again.”
“Annabel?”
Jehosaphat grinned. “She found honest work. She runs as a caravan guard all over. Last I heard, she was on a ship bound for Hammergrad. She’s doing well for herself.”
Asp breathed deeply. “And Candace?”
Jehosaphat smiled. In his look, Asp could see that he’d known this question was coming the moment she’d asked about Kyrn. But as soon as the thrill of reading her right had passed, he looked vaguely sad. “I dunno, kid. She left as soon as things got iffy with Oslo. Haven’t heard from her since. But if I know Candace, she’s taking care of herself just fine.”
“Yeah. I’m sure she’s fine.” Asp’s voice sounded foreign to her, like there was someone else controlling it. She’d tried her hardest to come off as casual, but there was a deep sadness in her tone that she knew gave her away.
“You know,” said Jehosaphat, “I am still curious what you’re doing here. I’m sure you’ve discovered that Lo’Alarai isn’t exactly the most welcoming place to a slightkin, diplomat or otherwise.”
“You got that right,” she said. “I’m, uh, working on a big project with the government.”
Jehosaphat cocked an eyebrow and whispered, “You’re conning the elven government? That takes some guts.”
“It’s not a con,” said Asp with a smile. “It’s honest work.”
“But you aren’t going about it honestly, are you, Penelope?”
Asp chuckled. “You know the game–when the odds are stacked against you, you gotta break the rules a little.”
Asp heard footsteps behind her. She glanced back, preparing to speak to Jehosapht in thief-tongue, and was jolted back to reality by the sight of her comrades. Steel-Eyes and Guy, Sash, Larkin, and Kast were approaching fast, and with worried looks on their faces.
“You find him?” asked Kast as they reached her.
“Oh, shit,” she said. She turned to Jehosaphat. “Did you see an older human man on a cane, possibly with Lady Norasynia, coming this way?”
Jehosaphat adopted the tone a stranger takes when speaking with someone they’ve never met, taking up his knitting again. “They went that way,” he said, pointing a needle down the road.
“Let’s go,” said Kast, hurrying off in that direction. Larkin, Sash, and Steel-Eyes, with Guy in tow, raced off behind him.
“Thanks,” said Asp, offering a small wave.
“Take care, kid,” whispered Jehosaphat.
Asp hurried after her allies, cursing herself for being distracted. Even with Melleon hobbling along, we’ve gotta be far behind by now. Shit. I mean, of course I was gonna ask Jehosaphat some questions, but I got entirely waylaid. We’re gonna have to hurry.
The group was traveling at a full sprint. They followed the road past spacious homes, a few upscale businesses, and a large park. They turned at a bend and saw the steps up to a massive building that towered over all the others in the city. The ornateness of the building and the multitude of guards posted outside told Asp that it was likely the palace where Norasynia served. At the base of its steps, she spotted Norasynia herself, alone. They hurried up to her.
“Where did Melleon go?” asked Asp, panting.
Norasynia smiled innocently. “Melleon?” Her voice indicated that this was an unfamiliar series of sounds. “I know no Melleon.” Her smile deepened to include just a touch of contempt, and she continued up the steps, the elven guard around her glaring at the group for daring to speak to their leader.
“Fuck,” Asp said under her breath. She turned back in the direction they’d come.
“She lied,” said Larkin quietly as they turned back. “She was just talking to him.”
“We should look for signs of them,” said Kast, searching the ground.
They all took to scanning the road and the area around it, heading slowly back towards Melleon’s garden.
“You were gone a long time,” said Steel-Eyes.
“I was trying to find signs of them,” lied Asp. “It took me a minute to figure out which way they went.”
“Look.” Sash took a few steps off the road and picked something up. They turned back to the group holding Melleon’s ornate cane. They held it out to the group.
“An inscription,” said Steel-Eyes after a moment, pointing to a series of fine runes carved into the cane’s shaft. “What does it say.”
Everyone leaned in for a better look. It’s just shapes. I’ve never seen anything like that before.
“It’s dragon-tongue,” said Kast quietly. “It’s an odd translation, but it basically means, ‘secret compartment.’”
Steel-Eyes held out a hand, and Sash handed him the cane. The dwarf fiddled with the cane for a second, and then the shaft slid out, revealing a small space carved inside the cane. In it was a rolled-up piece of parchment, which Steel-Eyes unfurled.
“If you’re reading this, I’m dead,” read Steel-Eyes. “Just kidding, I’ve always wanted to write that . . . if you’re looking for Eerith, start on the front lines. Leonara, look in the mountains. Farboriel, look in the canopy.”
They glanced upward to the treetops above. It was too far to make out, but Asp thought she could see faint lights among the leaves.
“I don’t know if he’s actually kidding,” said Asp quietly. She thought of the pain in his smile as he had agreed to help. She hadn’t seen it then–only that something strange lurked in his look–and he had said, “to help you would not be a small thing” in a different tone from his usual obtuseness. She was suddenly certain that Melleon had known helping them would be his end.
Larkin frowned. “You really think he’s dead?”
“He may be,” said Kast. “But he wouldn’t want us to stop now.”
Asp turned to Sash. “Would you say a few words for him?”
Sash nodded solemnly. They turned and stood away from the others and spoke quietly to themselves for a moment before rejoining them on the road.
“Hey, look!” cried Larkin, holding her new bow before her. “It’s less decayed than before.”
Asp studied it. As Larkin had said, the bow had lost a fair amount of moss and now gleamed brighter, more silver shining through.
“Why do you think it’s doing that?” asked Larkin.
“I do not know,” said Sash. “Perhaps the temple of Sasharaan can help us to understand.”
“Since we’re at a crossroads, so to speak,” said Kast, “we might as well.”
“This way,” said Sash, evidently pleased to be returning to their temple, and began down the road the way they had come.
When they came to the bench where Asp had seen Jehosaphat, he was gone. They continued down the road and turned back toward the temple. All the while, something felt off to Asp. She puzzled over the feeling, her thoughts drifting back to Melleon and the strange smile he had shown them.
Fucking Melleon. That crazy old man traded his life so we could get a maybe. We’re gonna have to make sure we don’t waste it.
—
The group headed back into the Temple of Sasharaan, and Haemir seemed surprised both by their reappearance and the additional presence of Kast, Steel-Eyes, and Guy.
“Welcome back,” said Haemir, bowing. “You’ve brought friends?”
Sash bowed back. “Other travelers on our journey. We have a question for you about this bow.”
Larkin lifted the bow, and Haemir narrowed his eyes at it. “Strange,” he muttered. “May I see it?”
Larkin stood behind the pool opposite Haemir, and cautious to neither upset Haemir again nor cause some manner of divine reaction, she handed it to Sash, who stood between them. As soon as Sash touched the bow, an explosion of white light erupted from it. Asp winced in pain as her eyes were burned by the light and as her skin felt a blast of radiant heat. When she was able to open her eyes a moment later, the bow had changed. It no longer had pieces of moss and dirt clinging to it; it now was a glittering silver bow that emitted a beautiful light. The faint etchings between the moss from before were now clear writing in the elven alphabet that ran up and down the bow amid rings, spirals, and stars delicately etched into its surface. The bow was oddly attractive–it was hard to look away from it, and yet it also was unnerving; Asp felt acutely aware of the sense that she should not look upon it, that it was something that did not belong in this mundane world.
Haemir gasped. He uttered reverently in elven.
Sash gripped the bow in their hand, turning it back and forth and admiring its otherworldly beauty. Suddenly, an enchanting voice just as strange and beautiful as the bow rang out in elven through the temple. Instantly, Sash handed the bow back to Larkin.
“What’s happening?” Asp asked Kast.
Kast’s eyes were wide. “It’s the Bow of Sariel,” he whispered. “The Crescent Bow, the Longbow of the Heavens. Sariel herself wants Larkin to have it.”
Asp’s mouth hung open. “She what?”
Haemir spoke in elven in a low tone with Larkin and Sash, ignoring the others.
“She wants Larkin to have it,” repeated Kast.
“It sounds important,” whispered Asp urgently.
“It is,” said Kast.
Gears turned in Asp’s head. Larkin is somehow favored by the elven gods. She has some divine weapon that belongs to them. Temple guardians are blown away by all of this. There’s gotta be some way to use this. Suddenly, she smiled. She turned to Kast and whispered.
“Bow of the elven goddess, right?”
Kast nodded.
“What if we use this to impress Eerith? She’s a warrior through and through. A weapon from one of her deities would have to mean something.”
Kast grinned. “You’re right. That’s something.”
Haemir finished speaking with Larkin and Sash. He turned to the group and switched to the common tongue. “You cannot walk back out of the temple with this. I will guide you out the back. You must protect this bow. You should keep it hidden if you aren’t using it.”
He turned and showed them through a small hallway at the rear of the temple and held open a door that led into a small wooded area.
“Follow this path and rejoin the city streets ahead. You must protect this bow,” he said again, his voice urgent.
“I will!” said Larkin happily, placing the bow on her back and hiding it with a piece of cloth.
“Travel well,” said Haemir.
“Thanks!” cried Larkin.
“Blessings of Godtide Sasharaan,” said Sash, bowing deeply.
Sash and Larkin led the way down the small dirt path, winding back towards the main road. As they walked, Asp thought again of Melleon. If the gods are on our side, it’s worth a shot. She straightened her posture and closed her eyes, trying to picture Sariel as she had been depicted in the other temple. She began to whisper in so low a voice that no one could hear her.
“Dear Sariel, I don’t really know much about praying. I’ve only done it once before, and it wasn’t to anyone in particular. I hope this prayer doesn’t offend you. It’s just, Melleon did something really brave so that the war would end. I think he wanted to do the right thing. I think he wanted to save the lives of all the elves who will die if the war continues. And I hope that’s what you want to do. I guess I’m just asking that Melleon be granted peace. Allow him safe passage to the afterlife, or whatever comes after this, and let him be happy. I think he deserves it.”
Unsure of how to close her prayer, she simply nodded. She began to open her eyes, but before she could, a distinct image appeared to her. In her mind’s eye was a massive mountain. Its rocky peaks were jagged and impressive, and snow capped the tops of them. Atop the mountain stood towering figures, all of them elves. She did not recognize all of them, but two stood out to her. One was the same figure in the murals at the Temple of Godtide Sasharaan, a serene figure clad in simple clothes like Sash wore, an ocean wave dancing at his back. The other was a daunting elf with piercing eyes, flowing hair, and a kind yet sharp look on her face, almost the same depiction from the Temple of Sariel. All of the elven figures looked directly at her, making small gestures–waves, nods, faint smiles. She felt peace and affirmation.
She opened her eyes just in time to not collide with Sash, who had stopped in front of her. They had reached the main road, and Sash and Larkin were waiting for the right moment to step out and merge with the foot traffic.
Holy shit. This is wild. What do I do with this? Gods are just a part of my life now. Just a fact of life. Fuck. Okay, calm down. It’s okay. They seemed friendly enough. Just . . . fuck.
Sash and Larkin saw a moment and stepped out onto the road, Steel-Eyes and Guy close behind them, Kast and Asp following close behind.
“Where do we go,” said Steel-Eyes.
“I like your idea,” said Asp. “Let’s go to Eerith.”
Steel-Eyes turned his head, an eyebrow raised. “You said she would be hardest to convince. You said we need to do easiest first.”
“I did say that,” said Asp with a smile. “But I’m a big girl. I can admit when I was wrong.”
Steel-Eyes shrugged and turned back around.
“You’re feeling good about our chances with the bow?” whispered Kast.
Asp grinned mischievously. “The game has changed. We’ve got a better hand now. Might as well play it.”
Kast chuckled. “Fair enough.”
They reached the edge of Lo’Alarai and struck out on the road, at which point it became clear that night was beginning to fall. The glow of the crystal-topped pillars beneath the dense treetops had obscured the fact that they’d passed the day in the city, but when Asp reflected, enough had happened to fill several days. Once they were out on the road, they marched quietly for a few hours, everyone digesting the events of the day in their own ways. Larkin skipped along happily, occasionally feeling to make sure her bow was still there; Sash kept a steady pace and watched the trickling of nearby streams and rivers; Steel-Eyes marched in silence, Guy clanking along beside him; Kast marched like a soldier keeping time; and Asp was so lost in her thoughts that the scenery flew by without her entirely being aware of it. They traveled until late, nearly midnight, before finally leaving the road to make a covert camp as they had done before, making a light dinner in near silence. When they were ready to call it a night, it was just after midnight.
“I’ll take first watch,” volunteered Sash.
“I’ll do second,” said Kast.
“But you did the last one,” argued Larkin. “My turn!”
Kast smiled. “If you insist.”
Everyone but Sash bedded down, and as she drifted off to sleep, Asp’s thoughts spun between Jehosaphat, Melleon, and the mysterious gods who seemed to be involving themselves in her life.
I don’t understand any of this. I thought life as a con was complicated. It’s nothing compared to this. I just hope our plan holds together. I just hope Melleon’s sacrifice wasn’t for nothing. I just hope Candace is okay, wherever she is.
Asp fell asleep, and she dreamed of a life in which there was peace, a friendly god for herself, and the return of what she had lost long ago.
—
Asp awoke as the first rays of morning light appeared in the sky. She rolled from her back to her side and saw both Sash and Larkin asleep. Alarmed that Larkin wasn’t on watch, she scrambled to her feet. She scanned the camp and was relieved to see that Kast was quietly making breakfast over the remains of the previous night’s fire. She walked over and joined him at the fire.
“Good morning,” she said. “You let Larkin get some rest?”
Kast nodded, poking at the glowing embers before them. “I thought she might want just a little bit more shut-eye before we set out.”
Asp laughed. “You’re a good one, Kast.”
He gave her a strange look she couldn’t read. “I do my best,” he said after a time.
Ah, that explains the look. He’s resisting the idea he’s a good person. “Your best is better than most.”
Kast shrugged. “It will have to be, given what’s ahead of us.”
“You’re not hearing me,” said Asp. “I’m saying you don’t give yourself enough credit. You have this great burden on you, right? Born to achieve something so important you can’t say no to it? No real choice in how your life plays out?”
“I wouldn’t put it that way, exactly.”
“I would. What would you do with your life if the gods hadn’t had you waiting to do something like this all your life?”
Kast scratched at his chin, his eyes still on the embers. “It’s an irrelevant question. They appointed me to this. To resist that would be foolish.”
“See?” said Asp. “You won’t even let yourself imagine a world in which you have choices.”
Kast turned to her, his face half-tired, half-curious. “What’s your point?”
“Your standards are sky high, Kast. You know you’re supposed to be the one who fixes all this, this huge problem that you didn’t create. I see the burden on you. You have to be a perfect person, and you have to do it all the time. The weight of that distorts things. You don’t see the little good things, the good things that normal people feel good about.” Asp looked back at him in utter seriousness. “You sacrificed sleep the day after you took a watch shift so that Larkin could take a nap and you could make breakfast for everyone. That’s selfless. It’s kind. It’s good. That’s worth something.”
Kast shrugged again. “Maybe it is. Maybe I’m too hard on myself. But if I ease up, I worry that . . . I won’t be ready when the time comes.”
Asp nodded. “All I’m saying is, I’ve known you for a couple of days, and you’re clearly a stronger and more selfless person than just about anybody I’ve ever met. An ounce of credit won’t hurt, will it?”
Kast cocked an eyebrow. “A few days ago, you seemed like someone who was happy to be a criminal. Now I’m not so sure.”
Asp chuckled. “Changing the subject, I see. I’ll stand for it, but I see what you’re doing.” She sighed. “I don’t know anymore, Kast. I thought that was the only life I could have. I thought I had one path before me if I didn’t wanna starve. Now I’m not sure either.”
Kast smiled. “Look who’s only considering one destiny now.”
Asp laughed heartily. “Fair enough. But what I’m saying is, helping people feels good. I think when this is all over, if I still have a future ahead of me, I’m gonna make a change. I think I’m ready to live a better life.”
Kast looked at her with a muted mixture of surprise and joy. “That’s good to hear. So what are you going to do?”
“I have no idea,” she said. “But I think that maybe I can figure it out before we get there.”
Sash stirred and joined them at the fire. “Good morning,” they said.
“Good morning,” echoed Kast.
“Hey Sash,” said Asp warmly. “How’d you sleep?”
“Just fine,” replied Sash. “You?”
Asp shrugged. “Lots of interesting dreams.”
“Good interesting?” asked Sash.
Asp thought of her dreams–Afira at peace, being aligned with the world, of Candace. “Very good interesting.”
Sash nodded happily. “Thank you for making breakfast.”
Kast nodded. “No problem. It’s ready if you are.”
Sash, Kast, and Asp began to eat their breakfast, a mix of trail rations and foraged vegetables. Steel-Eyes awoke and joined them, eating in silence. Larkin joined them as they were finishing and devoured the remainder of the food.
“Let’s break down camp and get moving,” said Kast. “We need to stop for supplies soon. That was the last of our traveling food, and there are a few other basics we’ll need as we head into the desert.”
“Not a problem,” said Sash. “I believe that there’s a small town on the way. Lo'Enthias. It’s friendly to travelers, or at least, it was friendly to me.”
“I hope it’s friendly to us too,” said Larkin as she finished the last of her breakfast.
Asp took a deep breath and began rolling up her bedroll. “Speaking of the traveling, I think we should try to learn more about the desert elves before we get there. They’re our biggest challenge, and I think knowing what we’re doing is going to be vital.”
“You agree that the frontlines is good idea,” Steel-Eyes half-asked as he dumped part of his canteen on the fire.
“We have the Bow of Sariel,” replied Asp. “That’s gotta count for something.”
Larkin beamed. She paused repacking her bag and held the bow aloft. It glittered silver in the morning light. “I love this bow,” she chirped.
“Do we learn about the desert elves by going there, or by asking around before we get there?” asked Sash. “I imagine there’s advantages and disadvantages to either.”
“Both,” said Asp. “We asked trustworthy people on the way and then observe when we get there.”
“Both is risky,” said Steel-Eyes.
“When you study a mark,” explained Asp, “you want as much information as possible. You ask around about them carefully, and you observe them.”
“A mark?” asked Larkin.
“Someone you’re going to con,” said Asp.
“We are not conning the elves,” muttered Steel-Eyes. “We are negotiating.”
“Same thing,” replied Asp.
Steel-Eyes sighed heavily. “Not same thing.”
“We want them to do something they don’t want to do,” reasoned Asp. “They don’t want to end the war. We’re trying to get them to not want to fight. That’s a con whether you like it or not.”
“No,” said Steel-Eyes. “Not same thing.”
“I think he means that cons are for one’s own advantage,” said Kast. “This is for everyone’s good.”
Asp shrugged. “I’m not going to disagree there. But the principle is the same. I promise that learning as much about them as possible will benefit us.”
Camp was packed up. The group shouldered their bags and began moving back towards the road.
“Negotiating for peace is not about person you negotiate with,” argued Steel-Eyes. “It’s about what you negotiate.”
Asp adopted a very fake smile. “You wanna gamble with this? You wanna take a chance that could mean war forever? Or at least until the Ronan’el are all gone?”
Steel-Eyes grunted.
“Exactly,” said Asp. “We investigate on the way and observe when we get there because this matters too much to take unnecessary risks.”
There was no further debate. They marched down the road, Steel-Eyes fiddling with his goggles in order to change the lenses, and closed the distance to Loenthius.
Kast slowed to walk alongside Asp at the rear of the party, whispering to her. “Maybe relax with the con talk?”
She smirked. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
“You probably are,” he said. “But you’re sure not using what you know about Steel-Eyes to your advantage.”
“I’m not conning him,” she whispered back. “He’s my ally.”
Kast shrugged. “You could at least be more delicate?”
Asp sighed. “I’ll try.”
“Good.” Kast picked up his pace and took the lead.
This was easier when I just lied to everybody. And then, suddenly, Asp felt awash with the old sense that no one trusted her, not even her closest and dearest friends. Or not.
—
“Almost there,” said Kast, pointing to a small sign by the side of the road that read, “Lo’Enthias - ½ mile.”
Over the last two hours, the group had trekked out of the thick forests around Lo’Alarai and up into the hills; they had passed small-scale traders with carts of goods and farmers with wagons of crops, but none of the distinctive travelers they had seen on the more populous roads of their earlier journeys.
“Anybody but Sash been here before?” asked Asp. “Do we know what to expect?”
A silence answered her. She nodded. Whatever lies there will be a surprise, then.
They crested a hill and saw a small town laid out before them. Modest wooden buildings with the occasional stone frame were clustered atop a hill just ahead. After the massive cities of Lo’Torrin and Lo’Alarai, Lo’Enthias seemed very humble in comparison. Though it was still only morning, there were lanterns lit and hung around the town that made it seem somewhat cheery, and colorful flags were draped from the roofs of most of the buildings in town.
Minutes later, they finished climbing the hill into town. The edges of town were quiet–almost eerily so–but they passed the occasional person in matching armor with identical cloth badges identifying them as guards. Unlike the ceremonial armor of the guards in Lo’Alarai, these sets were practical–thick leather undergirding with plates of steel fastened over the guards’ more vulnerable locations. And also unlike the guards of Lo’Alarai and even Lo’Torrin, the guards here were not all elves. In the first few blocks into town, Asp saw dwarven, human, and even newtkin and slightkin guards along with the elves who served here.
Finally, a place where being outsiders might not set us back, thought Asp. At the very least, it’ll be less uncomfortable.
The group began making their way to the center of town and were surprised by the sound of explosions overhead. They glanced up and saw dazzling colors disappearing from the sky. A moment later, more explosions sounded, accompanied by the sight of fireworks above them. Following the fireworks, they found the town’s center square and discovered where all the people were. There were dozens of people gathered around a series of carnival games, a makeshift boxing ring at the center. A banner hung over the ring, reading, “Annual Summer Solstice Festival.”
“Festival!” cried Larkin. “How exciting!”
“Should be easy to keep a low profile during the festivities,” said Asp. “At least, in theory.”
Kast smiled. “How about I pick up our supplies and you all enjoy the festival for a bit?”
“No chance,” replied Asp. “You’re gonna let loose a little too. Shopping after a little bit of partying.”
Kast chuckled, shaking his head. “Okay, just a little.”
The fireworks continued to burst overhead, and the townsfolk began to gather around the boxing ring, staring rapt at the fireworks as the show continued.
I could lift so many coinpurses right now, thought Asp. They’re entirely distracted. I could–no. I don’t do that anymore. Just relax and enjoy the festival.
The fireworks show ended with a grand finale of many-colored explosions of color, and without a moment’s pause, an elven woman who looked at once elegant and terrifying climbed into the ring. She was slim and muscled, her long black hair tied up in a tight bun. A voice called out from the side of the ring, sharing her name, but the cheers surrounding the ring drowned it out. Then she was joined by a scrappy-looking pale-skinned dwarf, his ginger handlebar mustache sticking up off his lip. His hair was formed into spikes atop his head, giving him a rough look. He was thick and stout, wearing only a pair of tattered shorts, and again, the crowd screamed over the announcer’s introduction. The combatants fitted thin, barely-padded gloves over their hands, evidently more to protect the skin of their hands than to soften the blows. They touched their gloves together and sprang back into position, the crowd roaring.
The match began. The elven woman hung back at first, dodging the dwarf’s opening salvo of heavy blows. Then she darted in and began to whale on him. It became quickly evident that the advantage of superior reach and higher speed meant that the elf could tire the dwarf out and simply jab at him from a safe distance, as the dwarf parried some but not all of her attacks, taking some hard to the chest and face. But he was hardy and stubborn, and he seemed unfazed by the blows. He appeared to have come to the conclusion that his opponent had the advantage in terms of reach and dexterity and slowed the onslaught of his attacks.
“Go dwarf!” cheered Larkin.
“Get her,” agreed Steel-Eyes.
The elf began to attack more relentlessly, driving forward with flurries of jabs and hooks. She chased the dwarf around the ring as he shifted more and more to the defensive. He threw the occasional punch, but she persisted in stepping back to avoid his attacks. People in the crowd began to cheer on the elf, the apparent favorite in the match. Their focus was entirely on the boxers, waiting to see who would emerge victorious.
This is another perfect opportunity for pickpocketing, thought Asp as she glanced around the crowd. No one would notice until too late, and the crowd would mean anybody could have done it. It’s ideal for this, and–no! I don’t do this anymore. Just watch the match.
The elf cornered the dwarf in the ring and began to close in for what seemed to be the final blows of the match. Feeling the world pressing in on him, the dwarf gritted his teeth. He stepped backwards, and the elf stepped forwards toward him, but he sprang forward as soon as she did. She threw a few jabs at him, which he accepted with a look of determination, throwing a quick drive into her stomach. She hadn’t expected it, and the blow made her lurch forward. The dwarf put everything into one more blow–a nasty uppercut into the elf’s jaw. It connected hard, and she lifted into the air and went sprawling onto her back. The crowd was silent for a second, watching to see if she would spring to her feet. But instead, she rolled onto her side and moaned.
“Your winner,” screamed the announcer, “Hemwrek Wraithfist!”
The crowd seemed stunned for a moment. No one moved or spoke. Larkin broke the silence.
“Wraithfist! Wraithfist! Wraithfist!”
Steel-Eyes joined her quickly, adding his deep, bassy voice to hers. After a few rounds of the chant, the crowd slowly joined them. Quickly, the entire town was chanting the dwarf’s name in unison.
In the ring, Wraithfist panted and wiped sweat from his brow. He had scrapes along his cheeks where his opponent had landed some jabs, and a bruise was developing on his chest just below his neck. But he lifted his heavy hands high in the air and began to march around the ring, raising his gloved hands in time with the chant. For a minute that seemed much longer, the dwarf in the ring simply basked in his victory, the townsfolk united in calling his name. Larkin and Steel-Eyes looked joyous, and Asp couldn’t help but smile at their excitement in the underdog victory. Wraithfist leapt out of the ring, and a few townsfolk climbed into it to rouse the elven woman, who rose to her feet before long and slipped away with a sour look on her face.
“Please enjoy the Summer Solstice Festival!” cried the announcer over the clamoring of voices.
“Meet back here in half an hour,” said Kast.
Larkin looked sadly at him. “Just half an hour?”
Kast chuckled. “Okay, a full hour.”
“Yay!” cried Larkin, dashing off into the mess of carnival games.
“Be safe,” said Kast.
“We will be,” replied Asp. “Promise.”
The adventurers set off in separate directions. Asp toured the festival to get a sense of the festivities. There were booths with foods from around the world, games, merry vendors with varied goods, and lots of curious and excited faces. It was all something of a blur, and Asp was relieved to spot Steel-Eyes standing next in line at a game. She approached and watched from a distance.
“What are the rules,” Steel-Eyes half-asked.
The game runner, a young elven man with peach fuzz grown out on his chin, put on a courteous smile and explained. “You take this hammer, and you hit the metal plate as hard as you can. The plate is attached to this lever. Your hit knocks the weight over at that end up the measure. It costs one cap to play, but if you can get the weight to strike the bell at the top, you get a helm.”
Steel-Eyes smiled. “Okay.” He handed over a copper-dipped coin and accepted the hammer from the young elf before squaring up and lifting the hammer over his head. He tensed his core and brought the hammer down hard. The hammer blow propelled the weight upward rapidly, and it struck the bell with a satisfying ding! Steel-Eyes turned to the elf. “Steel-Eyes wins.”
The elf nodded. “Nicely done!” He handed a silver coin to Steel-Eyes, who immediately marched back behind the last person in line and stood waiting for his next turn. The elf looked uncertain of what to do. He put on a smile for the next player and began to explain the game again.
Asp smiled to herself. Good ol’ Steel-Eyes. She turned and walked through the carnival. Around a corner, she spotted an old human woman standing by herself and approached. “Hi!” she said. “How are you?”
“I’m fine,” said the woman. “I mean, I’ve been better, but I’m fine.”
Asp bit her lip. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, you know, work problems. I’m a potter, and my kiln is good and broken. It’s making it hard to make ends meet.”
Asp nodded. “How does one go about getting a kiln fixed?”
“That’s the thing,” replied the old woman. “I don’t know how to find someone who could fix it. It’s specialty work, you know, and I just moved here a few weeks ago. I don’t know who to ask.”
“Hmm. I’m a traveler myself, so I don’t know what to tell you. But if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks,” said the old woman. “My name is Greta. You know, if you find anything out. I’d be willing to give you something for your trouble.”
“Well, I hope I hear something. Good luck, Greta.”
The old woman nodded and headed back in the direction Asp had come.
So, she’d be willing to pay for information on who could help her. Interesting.
She continued to circulate through the festival. Ahead, she spotted Sash, a modified fishing pole in hand. They seemed to be playing a game in which they hooked a toy fish with the fishing pole and lowered the fish into a small bin. Next to them, a few people played too, hooking a few fish here and there but largely struggling to get the hook on the end of the line to connect with the toy fish. But Sash, who lived on a diet of fish, was snagging fish after fish without a problem. They hooked more than two dozen fish in the space of a minute, much to the surprise of the game runner, a middle-aged newtkin woman. For a prize, Sash received a stuffed dragon with stitched blue scales. An elven child nearby pointed at the dragon toy in delight, and Sash immediately handed the toy to him. The elven boy screamed with joy, and Sash smiled before melting into the crowd behind them.
“Excuse me, miss?” said a slightkin man with a fine shirt and a set of suspenders.
Asp turned and faced him directly. “Yeah?”
“You know any mercenaries?” He looked at her with the telltale frown of resignation.
“Not in this neck of the woods, no,” replied Asp. “I’m just passing through. Why do you need mercenaries, though? Maybe I can help.”
He sighed. “There’s some vampires outside of town. They’re a real threat to my farm. I was hoping to find someone who could help me.”
“Won’t the guards help?”
“Not that far outside of town,” he said glumly. “I’m kind of on my own, and it’s getting to be pretty bad.”
Another person who needs to be referred to help. Hmm. “I’m sorry to hear that. So, you mean, if you had someone to refer you to mercenaries, that would be a help?”
“Absolutely,” said the slightkin. “I’d be indebted. I mean, I can’t run my farm with them out there. You’re sure you don’t know anyone?”
“Well, if you’re willing to make the journey, Lo’Alarai has to have some mercenaries about. It’s only about a day away.”
“I may have to,” said the man. “But you said maybe you could help?”
“I’ve got a big mess on my plate at the moment, but if me and my associates stay in town for long, we’d be happy to come and take a look.”
The slightkin nodded, a bit of relief on his face. “Here’s a map,” he said, handing her a piece of parchment with a drawing of the area and pointing to a circled area outside of town. “My farm is out here. I can pay.”
“I’ll talk to them about it,” she replied. “I hope we can help.”
“Me too,” he said. “Good luck in town.” He hurried away, stopping to speak to a large human man with a hefty sword a few feet away, asking him for help too–the human man immediately shook his head, and the slightkin man continued through the crowd.
I doubt we’ll have time, but it’s looking like people really need to know who to ask directly for help. Good to know.
She continued through the crowd and soon saw Kast standing before a food vendor. He was devouring a large roasted leg of some manner of animal she couldn’t identify. A small group of children had surrounded him, pestering him with questions about who he was and where he was from.
“I’m Kastark Fayedd,” he explained. “I’m a mixture of things.”
“Like what?” asked a small dwarven boy.
“I’m part elf,” said Kast.
“And where are you from?” asked a newtkin girl in pigtails.
“The In-Between,” he replied.
“The In-Between!” cried the dwarven boy. The group of children shrieked in delight and went running away, talking of the Fae and bargains and impossible places.
Kast smiled and finished the roast leg before walking to the next food vendor and purchasing a few varieties of sweets, which he also set to devouring. He seemed genuinely pleased, something Asp hadn’t seen on him yet. She smiled and continued around the square.
She was back at the bell-ringing game. Steel-Eyes once again pounded the plate and watched as the weight flew up to strike the bell. A now very tired-looking elven young man handed over a helm, and Steel-Eyes once again got into line to do it again. Have fun, elven lad. He’s like this all the time.
She rounded the corner again and saw a newtkin mother with three children, all pulling her by the skirt in different directions. Asp walked up to her and smiled politely.
“You need a hand?” she asked.
The newtkin laughed. “Is it that obvious?”
Asp chuckled. “You seem to be doing great.”
The mother tugged back on one side of her skirt, reining in her youngest daughter. “I’d do a lot better with a babysitter.”
“Can you not afford one?”
“I mean, I could,” answered the mother. “It’s just hard to find one.”
Asp grinned. Yet another person who needs help finding help. I think I have my post-mission plan: open a shop that connects people to the right expert for a small fee. I can use my skills with people without taking advantage of anyone. “I’ll keep an ear out. For now, is there anything I can do?”
The mother laughed. “I’m fine, really. They’re just whipped up because of the festival. I just need someone to watch them while I work.”
“Okay then. Enjoy the festival!” Asp smiled at the children, and the youngest daughter stuck her tongue out playfully. Asp returned the gesture, getting a smile from all of the children.
“You too,” said the mother, pulling the children off towards a ring toss game.
Asp walked further and spotted Larkin clambering up a wall with small handholds fixed to it. The contestant next to her, a young human woman, was slowly and carefully picking her way up the wall, but a misstep caused her to fall onto a thick stuffed pad at the ground. Meanwhile, Larkin swiftly climbed the wall and turned to the people behind her with a huge grin.
“We have a winner!” cried the game runner, an older slightkin woman with a cane. “Come on down and get your prize!”
Larkin leapt acrobatically from the top of the wall, turning a somersault in midair, and landing in a perfect bellyflop on the pad. She jumped to her feet and came to closely inspect the wall of prizes. Eventually, she decided on a stuffed black dragon and hugged it tightly.
“Hey!” cried an unfamiliar voice. Asp and Larkin turned to see a black-haired hornkin woman looking at Larkin.
“Hi!” chirped Larkin.
Asp hurried over to join her friend, arriving just as the two hornkin came together.
Larkin smiled. “Oh hi Penelope!” She stuck out a hand to the black hornkin. “I’m Larkin.”
The hornkin woman smiled in return, her light blue catlike eyes sparkling above her delicate freckled nose. “I’m Natari. Good to see another hornkin around.”
“I know, right!?” cried Larkin. “I expected more of us when I left home.”
“Oh, when was that?” asked Natari.
Larkin smiled proudly. “About a week ago.”
Natari laughed. “So everything seems pretty new, I bet.”
“Yep!” agreed Larkin. “I like learning about new places, though.”
“Mighty fine bow you’ve got there,” said Natari, admiring the weapon strapped to Larkin’s back.
Larkin beamed. “Oh thanks! It’s the Bow of S–”
“You!” boomed a deep voice. “Hornkin!”
Both Larkin and Natari turned to answer. The owner of the voice was Wraithfist. Larkin’s eyes lit up.
“Wraithfist!” she cried.
“And who are you?” he asked.
“I’m Larkin!”
“I appreciate you cheering for me, lass,” he said. “I was worried my victory would make people unhappy for a minute there.”
“Elven superiority,” muttered Natari.
“You did so good,” gushed Larkin. “Punch to the gut and then BOOM–out like a light!”
“I thought I was done for for a minute there,” he admitted. “Had to make a big play.”
“It worked out for you,” said Natari. “Sometimes a gamble is all you’ve got.”
Larking laughed. “That’s what Penelope always says!”
“Who’s Penelope?” asked Wraithfist.
Larkin pointed to Asp. “Her!”
Asp waved. “Hi, I’m Penelope.”
“You know gambling well?” asked Wraithfist.
“Well enough,” replied Asp. “When you’re my size, you have to take some calculated risks.”
Wraithfist and Natari laughed, and Larkin joined in a moment later.
Steel-Eyes approached from behind Wraithfist and Natari, joining the group. “Hello,” he said.
“My other biggest fan!” cried Wraithfist. “I appreciate you.”
“How’d the hammer game go, Steel-Eyes?” asked Asp.
“They ran out of money,” said Steel-Eyes.
Asp slapped her knee, laughing. “I’m impressed.”
Wraithfist rubbed his chin, looking at Steel-Eyes. “Hey, don’t I know you?”
“Steel-Eyes does not know.”
“Steel-Eyes?” asked Wraithfist. “I thought you were Kharrig. We grew up in the same neighborhood.”
Steel-Eyes shrugged. “Hemwrek Wraithfist,” he said as though it were a magic spell of sorts. “Does not ring a bell.”
Asp stifled a giggle. “Not like Steel-Eyes does, anyway.”
Wraithfist looked even more intently at Steel-Eyes. “You don’t remember me? Back then I went by my given name–Hemwrek Mountainthane.”
Steel-Eyes shrugged. “Sort of familiar. Steel-Eyes isn’t sure.”
Wraithfist narrowed his eyes. “I’m pretty sure it was you. Hammergrad, south side, a good while back now. You sure you don’t remember me?”
“Not sure,” said Steel-Eyes. “Maybe.”
Wraithfist frowned. “Okay then. Well anyway, thanks again for the chant. Really made my day. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go celebrate.”
“I like celebrating,” said Natari. “Mind if I join?”
“By all means,” replied Wraithfist. “You lot want to come?”
“We should get back with our associates,” said Asp. “Thanks for the offer, though.”
Wraithfist grinned. “In case you change your mind, I plan to be there all night.”
“We’ll definitely consider it,” said Asp. “Enjoy your victory celebration.”
Wraithfist and Natari turned and headed toward a tavern down the block.
“Let’s find Sash and Kast,” said Asp. “I bet Kast is still eating everything in sight.”
They wandered back through the festival and found Sash and Kast eating at a stall selling fish sandwiches.
“How’d you all enjoy the festival?” asked Kast.
Larkin smiled wide. “It was great!”
“Good,” said Kast. “I managed to get the supplies we needed between food vendor visits. Anybody have an idea of where we can get a drink and ask around about things?”
Asp produced the map she’d been given with a flourish. “In my experience, the tavern at the edge of town is best for stuff like that.” She searched the map and pointed to a tavern labeled “The Hind of the Dog,” at the edge of town opposite where they’d entered Lo’Enthias. “This could be a good option.”
“Sounds like a plan,” said Kast.
He’s more relaxed than usual. Seems like the feast did him good. I’m glad.
“Follow me, then,” said Asp, striking out towards the edge of town and using the map to guide them.
The group walked through Lo’Enthias in higher spirits than they’d arrived in, and by the time they reached the tavern, Asp had nearly forgotten that their mission pressed down on them with the weight of the world.
—
Asp stopped before a low wooden building. Above the door inside was a modest sign that identified it as The Hind of the Dog. “This looks like it.”
She stopped as they moved to head inside. Next to the name of the tavern was a hand-painted sign depicting a dog biting its own back leg, which was caught in a trap. Hrothgar’s tattoo. The sea captain who brought me to Afira from the Myriad had that on him. He said it was the Dark League symbol. If a group of criminals who help common people runs this place, we’re bound to find what we need. She nodded to herself in satisfaction before moving to enter.
But before they could go inside, a pair of hardscrabble looking people stepped outside. One, a tall, beautiful blonde human woman with leather armor and a thick longsword, stared at them openly through almond eyes. Her sharp nose sat above puffy lips that grinned at them. The other, an auburn-haired elven man in his middle years, wore a long, dark cloak and carried a crossbow with a fierce blade affixed to its end. A long scar ran down his neck, and his pointed features made him seem even more intimidating. He too watched them closely, though his staring was less outright than his companion's.
“Looks like trouble,” muttered Kast.
Steel-Eyes grunted. “What do they want.”
“They look pretty mean,” said Larkin.
Asp cleared her throat. “Just walk right past them.”
“Hey you,” called the human woman. “Come here.”
Asp smiled politely. “Can we help you with something?”
The human woman smiled, but it looked almost like baring her teeth .“Why don’t you come in and join us for a drink?”
“We were just coming in anyway,” said Kast.
“Good,” said the woman. “C’mon.” She turned and headed inside, the elven man staying where he stood.
The group uneasily followed behind her, and the elf came in after them. Inside was a bar and scattered tables in a darkened room. Perhaps ten customers sat around the room, and a stern-faced dwarven woman stood behind the bar. The human woman led them to a large table and sat, gesturing at the other seats. Larkin and Sash sat at the woman’s right, and Steel-Eyes, Guy, and Kast took the seats to her left.
“I’ll get this round,” said Asp. “What does everybody want?”
The human woman sneered back at her. “Ale.”
“Just water for me,” said Kast, earning another sneer from the woman.
Sash held up a hand with two fingers. “Water for me as well.”
“Ale,” grunted Steel-Eyes.
“Do you think they have chocolate milk?” asked Larkin.
“I’ll find out,” said Asp cheerfully, trying to counterbalance the dreary mood their host was creating.
The elven man pointed to the human woman, taking a seat next to Kast.
“He’ll have ale too,” said the human woman.
Asp put on a smile. “Be right back then.” She walked to the bar and waved at the bartender.
“What’ll you have?” the dwarven woman asked.
“Three ales, three waters, and, uh, do you happen to have chocolate milk?”
The bartender grinned. “You mean, chocolate melted down and mixed up with milk?”
Asp smiled. “Exactly that.”
“I guess we could manage it. All that’s gonna be one helm.”
Asp reached into her coinpurse and withdrew a crown, laying it on the bar. The bartender’s eyes widened, and then she narrowed her eyes at Asp.
Asp smiled. “For the DL, on the DL.” Please tell me she understands what I’m saying. For the Dark League, on the down low. Please let the sign not be a coincidence.
The bartender grinned. “One of ours, huh? Welcome.” She gathered the drinks, which Asp carried back to the table in a few trips, and chuckled as she set down the chocolate milk.
Asp had been keeping an ear out for conversation at their table, but no one had spoken loud enough for her to hear–perhaps not at all. She took her seat at the table between Sash and the elven man.
“I’m Marlowe,” said the human woman after sipping her ale. “That’s Auberon. He can’t talk. Dunno if you heard about the vampires outside of town. Damned pestilence. We hunt them. Have for a long time. It’s a special process, you realize. Takes a lot of preparation and care. One mistake will cost you. Maybe forever. You’re in these parts, you should know about it.”
“Vampires?” repeated Sash. “I suppose precautions are a must.”
“A must,” agreed Marlowe. “But less risky for us now that we didn’t take the right precautions.”
Kast cocked an eyebrow. “You mean . . . ?”
Marlow grinned wickedly, her pointed canines showing clearly in her smile. “Vampire vampire hunters.”
Larkin and Asp leaned back in their seats, part surprised and part concerned for their safety.
“Don’t worry,” said Marlowe. “We’ve got it under control. We know what we are, and the only right thing to do is use our abilities to make sure other people stay safe. There’s nothing the vampires can do to us but give us pain. Not like you. They could make you into something worse than us.”
“Worse?” asked Larkin. “What’s worse than being a vampire?”
Marlowe cackled. “Being a thrall. You know what that is?”
Sash looked worried. “Do you mean when a vampire turns you into its servant?”
“Worse,” said Marlowe. “You can’t think. You just do what they say. You lose everything that makes you you.”
“Are thralls hard to fight too?” asked Larkin.
“Not as bad as vampires,” said Marlowe. “But they’re no easy thing either.”
Asp breathed deeply. “How does one . . . end up in your position?”
Marlowe leaned back in her chair. “I was a slave. Not a thrall. A slave for men to satiate their base desires. I spent most of my life just being a thing for use. Eventually, I got out. Had to kill a few people to do it. My owner was a vampire. Killed them too. Decided to keep hunting vampires as long as I lived. And eventually, things went bad. One of them bit me. But I knew enough by then to keep from becoming a real monster. No reason to change course just ‘cause you’ve been bit.” She grinned and leaned in. “The question is, will you be ready when you have to face off against one?”
The table was silent for a moment.
“You burn them, right?” asked Sash.
“You can,” replied Marlowe. “But that’s hard to do unless you’re destroying the body.”
Larking swallowed hard. “But with magic you can burn them, right?”
Marlowe nodded. “Magic works well too. The good news is, you have options. Fire and magic, sure. Silver does the most reliable damage. A wooden stake through the heart is a sure thing too. But you have to get it just right, or else you’re in close with a pissed off vampire.”
“Maybe we just avoid them altogether?” suggested Asp. “Seems like the safest thing to do.”
Marlowe laughed bitterly. “You think you can just avoid them? Isn’t it better to be prepared for something that’s likely to happen to you?”
“I mean, yeah,” said Asp. “Preparation is good. But, I mean, not getting into trouble is also good.”
Marlowe smiled, showing her fangs again. “I have a different idea. There’s a nasty few we’ve been tracking for a while. They have several thralls and a pretty fortified place to hide out. They’ve been making things bad for people here in town. Maybe you’ve heard.”
Asp nodded. “I spoke to a farmer who needed help with vampires near his place earlier. I said I would help if I could.”
“He must be the same one who found us,” said Marlowe. She raised her eyebrows. “I can see by the looks of you lot that you can hold your own in a fight. Why not join us? Help out the town, loot the vampire’s lair, learn a little something? I mean, you’re here already. It’ll just take a couple hours at most. What do you say?”
The group exchanged glances. Kast seemed torn–Asp could tell that he wanted to help but also feared being distracted from the larger mission. Sash appeared to be in support of the idea of helping, an agreeable look on their face. Larkin, who had seemed fearful of the very idea of being a thrall moments ago, was also enthusiastic. Steel-Eyes simply nodded.
I’m the only one who has objections to this? I mean, I want to help, but this is dangerous and out of our way. And I don’t know if I trust Marlowe. This whole thing feels off. She thought once again of the slightkin farmer from the festival, the way he had seemed crestfallen about his situation, the way he had been so desperate to help that he had approached her–her! A tiny slightkin woman in a fine gown, a woman who was obviously not a warrior by any means. A voice in the back of her head told her that helping was the right thing to do, and the more she resisted the idea, the more it felt wrong to not agree to help. Fine. We do this, and we get moving again as fast as possible. We need to get those signatures before any more people die. We have to save the Ronan’el from a war that might wipe them out. She nodded.
“Looks like everyone’s on board,” said Marlowe. “Good. Why don’t you finish your drinks, and we’ll head out. It’s not terribly far.”
The group drank their beverages in silence, Marlowe looking from one of them to another, Auberon simply sitting still as a statue. Larkin was the last to set down her mug, a trace of chocolate milk on her lip.
“Let’s go, then,” said Marlowe. She rose and walked out of the tavern. The group did the same, Asp waving goodbye to the bartender as she went, and Auberon once again followed behind. They stepped outside, and Marlowe began to lead the way out of town and into the surrounding farmland.
Vampire hunters. Good gods. Last week, I was worried about Madris. Here I am about to fight vampires. How does this all keep getting even wilder?
As they marched through the farmland, it occurred to her that wilder didn’t bother her. What bothered her was her reluctance to help.
You can read the next chapter here!
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