《A Girl and Her Food》


 Chapter 1: The Nameless Girl

    ¡°And then she¡ªLike a wild animal! I swear I had nothing to do with it, you have to beli¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough! Calm down. We¡¯ve received the tithe from this village without issues for the last 11 years and your neighbors testified that you¡¯ve lived here your whole damn life. All I want to know is where she damn went. Where¡¯d she come from in the first place? Tell me that and you¡¯ll be free to go.¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t really know, is the thing, sir. I just found her¡­ in the woods about 14 kilometers out? She claimed not even to remember her own name. I¡¯d been calling her Idelle; she was harmless, I thought she was touched in the head. Had a fever and didn¡¯t do anything but eat and sleep and mumble nonsense¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said enough! Your senseless rambling isn¡¯t helping anyone. Owen, bring him some water and a chair, this might take a minute. Now, take a deep breath and start from the beginning.¡±


    -Some Time Earlier-


    A butcher walked through the forest, swearing loudly. The reasons behind his displeasure were many and mostly rather reasonable. But right then the biggest (and perhaps slightly less reasonable) one was the large bush he was having to push his way through.


    ¡°Damn wolf, imagine taking an arrow through the eye and still running off? I thought that kinda thing was just a myth¡­¡± the butcher grumbled to no one in particular. He was named Damon, and he was a ruddy-looking man with a loud voice and a marked preference for being indoors in his shop. His shop, of course, being a place where he could sit down, relax, drink a little of the cloudy homemade beer he occasionally brewed, and generally spend his time doing more butcher-y work than chasing the wolf he had recently shot through the undergrowth. Unfortunately for Damon, the group of soldiers raising levies had ¡°recruited¡± several of the local hunters, and taken much of his village¡¯s livestock for provisions on top of that. So here he was, culling the local population of small direwolves and deer and bringing back any meat he could reasonably retrieve.


    ¡°Honestly, if it ain¡¯t one thing it¡¯s always another. Anyone else would get a break after the first earthquake in five years nearly knocks the village down, but no, my house has to be the sturdiest one; so, of course, I get to go out and chase direwolves¡­¡± Damon eyed the bush suspiciously. Botany was not his specialty. ¡°...Whatever this thing is. Fennel or something for all I know. At least it doesn¡¯t have thorns.¡± The butcher continued to lament his tragic lot in life, seemingly more out of boredom than anything, as he finally pushed past the bush and came out onto a steeper, rockier slope.


    The trees were more sparse here, leaving patches of light scattered around the area. Part of the hill dropped away suddenly in an unexpected jagged way, with the entrance to something that might have been a small cave visible among the rocks. A furry body lay not too far away from it.


    As he blinked his eyes at the sudden light filtering through the trees, Damon glanced down the hillside and let out a noise of equal parts triumph and annoyance. ¡°Ah! Dumb thing had to go roll down a hill before it died, didn¡¯t it! And now poor Damon has to lug it all the way back up¡­ Thing won¡¯t even taste good even if it is nutritious anyway... And it looks like a runt, maybe I should just leave¡ªeh?¡±


    He paused a few steps down the hill, even forgetting to grumble in his shock. ¡°Is that¡­ a person? No one should be out here... Oi! Oi!, are you all right?¡±


    The target of his shout, a figure mostly concealed behind the body of the wolf, was totally unresponsive. Damon quickly redoubled his efforts to get down the hillside. Nearly losing his balance at one point, he arrived next to them along with a small shower of pebbles and dust; the hillside was loose, devoid of the plant growth omnipresent in the rest of the forest.


    The figure was a girl, body small and gaunt, dressed in clothes that had long since stopped being anything more than rags. Her face was pressed up against the juvenile wolf¡¯s body as if she¡¯d been trying to nuzzle it¡ªbut the blood on her face and in her matted, blueish hair ruined any hint of magic the scene might have had. Damon kneeled beside her, his face confused.


    ¡°Who on earth?¡± He mumbled. His confusion was understandable, he¡¯d lived in the village his whole life and yet the girl in front of him was a total stranger. No, more than that, she didn¡¯t even look particularly similar to anyone he¡¯d ever seen in his life. Her skin was pallid to the point of illness and her hair was an oddly deep hue despite the dust and grime. Her features seemed foreign and unfamiliar. And what was left of her clothes seemed to be woven from a finer thread than the wool and hemp clothes he was accustomed to.


    Throwing his uncertainty aside, he quickly checked her pulse. It was slower than he¡¯d expected and barely detectable in her wrist. But nonetheless, she was alive.


    He pulled back in disbelief. His village almost never saw travelers outside of the military, much less this far off the road. And the girl didn¡¯t look in any condition to be walking around a paved street, much less bushwhacking through a deep section of the forest as part of an army. Yet here she was. Could she have been traveling with someone who mistreated her and ran away? How would she have made it this far without falling prey to one of the direwolves or other predators? Was she just lucky?


    He shook his head once to clear it. That could all wait. For now, his priority was getting her to somewhere safe. He groaned at the thought. It was nearly a kilometer back to the game trail where he¡¯d left the little hand cart he used to haul back his hunt, and another twelve back to the village from there.


    Checking the girl once over for injuries, he carefully rolled her onto his shoulder and stood up. Her weight was lighter than he expected¡ªhow skinny WAS she? He started up the hill but paused suddenly. Turning back to the wolf he considered a moment. Direwolf blood WAS claimed to have restorative abilities. He hesitated a moment longer and then cursed to himself before kneeling down and untying the cord he had looped through his belt.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°I swear, if whoever¡¯s taking care of you doesn¡¯t reward me for all this, you better believe one of you is gonna be helping me out around the shop or something for a while. The things I gotta deal with¡­¡± Satisfied with how he¡¯d secured the wolf, he started back up the hill, stopping at intervals to drag the body up behind him as he slowly made his way back towards his village.


    ¡­


    Something was wrong.


    The thought¡ªif it could be called that¡ªfloated through someone¡¯s head in response to the throbbing emptiness she felt. Her body felt hollowed out and painful. She tried to open her eyes, but somehow they wouldn¡¯t, couldn¡¯t open. There was a heavy feeling too, a deep pressure on her chest, and she felt panic welling up in her as she realized she couldn¡¯t breathe either. She desperately struggled and felt her lungs fill with a little air, only for it to escape again. Where was she? What was happening? What was wrong? Where was she?


    She couldn¡¯t breathe. She couldn¡¯t move. Someone help. Please.


    A voice said something in the background, impossibly far away, incomprehensible. Please, she begged inside her head, someone help me.


    Then, with a jerk, she inhaled properly at last. The heaviness on her chest seemed to vanish, and she let out a tiny muted whimper of relief as she exhaled and breathed in deep again. Her eyes opened, her vision blurry and confused. A figure? The figure said something again. Her name, it was asking for her name. She had a name. Her mouth opened.


    ¡°I¡¯m, I¡ª I mean, thank you, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    The wrongness of it ate at her. She had a name. What was it? What was her name?


    ¡°Where¡ªwhere, who are you?¡±


    The words that came out felt wrong as well, distant and half-forgotten. The figure, a man she realized, the man said something back but she didn¡¯t understand it. He was talking slowly, softly, like she was a child, but it just didn¡¯t make sense somehow. He paused for a moment, then again asked for her name, even slower this time.


    ¡°I, I, I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    The panic that had so rapidly vanished when she managed to breathe was coming back. Her name. What was her name?


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI forget. C-can¡¯t, um, can¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    The man muttered something under his breath, his voice harsh and fast this time, as her breath started to stutter and the next moment she was coughing uncontrollably. She felt a cold hand on her forehead and flinched back.


    ¡°Atch, sorry ¡®bout that. ***** **** ******?¡± His voice was gradually becoming a little clearer, but she didn¡¯t understand most of what he said regardless. Something about her head?


    ¡°No, I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    She stopped trying to explain as the man put something in her hands. A deep bowl, filled with some kind of liquid? Medicine? No, maybe it was just food, a soup?


    ¡°Drink.¡± The man gently helped her sit up and bring the bowl to her lips as he said it. She obeyed, taking a sip that turned immediately into a series of gulps as a warm, rich, broth that tasted of iron and salt flowed down her throat. Her stomach twisted and gurgled, the knotted emptiness that still permeated her body coming to the fore again as she continued to drink. It might have been the best thing she ever tasted.


    She took another gasping breath as she finished the bowl. The man took it back from her and said something again. Big? Something was big?


    ¡°What?¡± Her confusion seemed to amuse him for some reason, as he let out a chuckle at that. What was so funny? He stepped away from the bed she was lying in, returning a moment later with a mug of water. He set it beside her. Oh, there was a table there?


    ¡°Sleep. Everything¡¯s good, sleep.¡± The words were soothing, and she latched onto them desperately. Sleep. She¡¯d feel better if she slept. Just don¡¯t worry and sleep and let everything fix itself. She let her eyes close again. The hollow feeling twisted inside her, then settled down into a muted background. There was a dull pulse in her head, but she tried to ignore it. Just sleep for now.


    The thoughts and pain kept crawling around in circles, but at some point, she fell back into a deep sleep despite that.


    ¡­


    When the girl woke up again, the pain in her head had intensified into a pounding drum. Her throat felt dry and parched. She opened her eyes and tried to turn her head, but the motion sent a wave of nausea and pain shooting through her and she let out a cry in response. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pain, to will it out of her and into some distant place where she could forget about it.


    A few seconds later, she opened them again, slowly and carefully this time. There was a glass of water on a table next to her. She thought about pushing herself upright but thought better of it, instead gingerly rolling half onto her side as she brought the glass to her face with a shaking left hand. The water helped, a little, and she slowly drank all of it.


    The man was in the room with her again, and she hazily realized that he¡¯d walked over next to her as she drank. He took the glass from her and spoke, slowly and deliberately.


    ¡°I¡¯m Damon. Do you remember your name now?¡±


    Damon. So his name was Damon. And hers?


    She shook her head no with a jerk despite the pain. ¡°I can¡¯t remember, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think¡ªI don¡¯t think I even know¡­¡± The words wouldn¡¯t come to her.


    Damon seemed to shrink down a little and frowned. He said something, fast and sounding annoyed. Why didn¡¯t she understand? She shook her head again, eyes wide. He sighed and pointed at her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you Idelle, then. You understand? You, Idelle.¡±


    Was that her name then? Idelle. The thought filled her with relief and she nodded and tried to smile as she repeated it back at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Idelle.¡±


    His frown didn¡¯t lighten at that, but she didn¡¯t notice as her eyes were already drifting shut again. He stepped forward and touched her forehead again. His hand was cool against her pounding head, and she unconsciously pressed her face and hair into it. The hollow feeling was back, stronger than ever. She should say something.


    ¡°Hungry....¡±


    Had her eyes been open, she would have seen Damon blink in surprise before he pulled away and went to bring a bowl of somewhat colder direwolf blood soup from the kitchen.

 Chapter 2: Attacker

    The butcher had calmed down enough for them to get the full story out of him, but the commander in charge of this recruiting squad was only left with more questions.


    ¡°I do remember someone mentioning a young woman had been found about a week ago. But Owen has testified that she was a rabid wild animal, no, a monster. You¡¯re telling me she slept in your home for a week with no issues?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like the sort of madman who would keep a monster in my house to ya? You have my word of honor, every word I said to you here is true.¡± The look of indignation at the fact that he was still being doubted was clear on the butcher¡¯s face despite his lingering fear.


    ¡°Truth be told, I don¡¯t know why or how you could lie about that. But then¡ªwhy? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I was hoping you could tell me. I take it ya man had nothing strange about him either?¡±


    ¡°No, not a thing. He was a recruit like any other, used to be a forestman some hundred or two kilometers north of here. On the edge of the Perien forest, like you. Only thing of note was that he was a little full of himself.¡±


    ¡­


    The hunger woke Idelle again. Or maybe it wasn¡¯t hunger? She didn¡¯t know any more. Her head was fuzzy again, it seemed to be that way more and more often. Like she was still asleep. She raised her head and looked around. Where was he?


    ¡°Damon? Hungry. Any more?¡±


    He came through the doorway a few seconds later and she caught the tail end of his words.


    ¡°...knew such a big eater¡­¡±


    Oh. Was he talking about her? She should apologize.


    ¡°S-sorry. I''m just hungry.¡±


    He snorted at that. ¡°You¡¯re sick too. Eat. You found it anyway.¡±


    She didn¡¯t understand that, something she was beginning to grow used to. Found what? The food? She didn¡¯t let it bother her. She was eating, that was the important thing. Eat, and get her strength back. That must be why she still felt hollow. She was weak. Too weak. It wasn¡¯t right, it didn¡¯t feel right, it was wrong.


    She didn¡¯t like that wrongness.


    He had another big bowl of the delicious soup. She liked that. She¡¯d never tasted anything better than the soup. When she was drinking it, she felt like she was finally herself again. Like she was whole again. Like her missing pieces had been filled in.


    What missing pieces?


    ¡°Here.¡± Damon handed her the bowl with a wistful smile on his face. At least she thought it was wistful. She couldn¡¯t tell sometimes. It didn¡¯t matter.


    She tipped the bowl back and drank, and drank, and drank. Something inside her squirmed and repositioned itself, and she was suddenly aware of just how weak and empty her limbs felt. But she couldn¡¯t stop drinking until she¡¯d finished it¡ªthe fluid was too delicious! She had to get every drop. She didn¡¯t even think she needed to breathe while she was drinking it, that¡¯s how good it was.


    Finally, the wonderful warmth flowing down her throat slowed to a trickle and dried up. The bowl dropped onto her lap as she let the strength go out of her hands. She should thank Damon, he was giving her so much of this amazing food. She turned to him and smiled as wide as she could.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Ain¡¯t a problem. One second.¡± He took the bowl, and came back a minute later to set it, newly full again, on a little table she saw was next to her bed. So smart! Now she could eat next time without bothering him. She smiled and thanked him again.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Still don¡¯t remember ya name?¡± The words took her by surprise.


    ¡°But, I¡¯m Idelle? You said¡­¡±


    ¡°No, ya **** name.¡± She blinked in confusion. What?


    ¡°I¡¯m Idelle.¡±


    Damon''s face fell into a complicated expression. She must have done something wrong. Ugh.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    He sighed and smiled at her again. ¡°Ts¡¯ all good. Not ya f****¡±


    What was that last bit? Fault? It wasn¡¯t her fault? Then why did he look disappointed?


    She resolved to make it up to him, one way or another. She owed him a lot. But for now, she needed to sleep more. The wrongness was creeping back again. When she was herself again, she could help him.


    ¡­


    Something was really wrong this time. Not just with her, something was wrong with Damon. Instead of bringing her that amazing food like normal, she could hear his voice raised. He sounded angry. How she wished she could understand!


    She¡¯d help him regardless. She¡¯d just have to figure it out as she went.


    Then she heard it. Another voice. Unfamiliar. Who?


    She pulled the blankets off herself for the first time in - how long had it been? How long had she been here? She didn¡¯t know. Where was here anyway?


    No, focus. Even if she wasn¡¯t strong again yet; if Damon needed something she should help. She owed him, right?


    Slowly, gingerly, Idelle sat up and dangled her feet off the side of the bed. Her body felt strange to her as if it belonged to someone else. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem. She slid a little further until her feet touched the floor, then calmly, naturally, walked over to the door. She pulled it open.


    The room that met her eyes was small, like the one she was in, but with different furniture. Her eyes took in a counter, several racks of drying meat and pelts, and a few chairs. Some blankets were left messily in the corner, and two men were arguing across the counter. One of them was Damon, but the other was unfamiliar, tall and young. What did this guy think he was doing?


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Her voice startled the pair, and they turned to face her. Damon¡¯s look of surprise quickly turned into a slight smile, and she smiled back, as wide as she could manage. But before either of them could speak they were cut off by the stranger.


    ¡°Hah? I¡¯m a ********* ********, and who are YOU?¡± Idelle didn¡¯t like him. She didn¡¯t like his tone. He was the one causing problems for Damon, wasn¡¯t he?


    ¡°I¡¯m Idelle. Leave.¡±


    Both men flinched back a little at the antipathy in her words.


    ¡°Idelle, it¡¯s good. Go sleep more.¡± Damon¡¯s words were reassuring, but he still sounded a little nervous. Her eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. Wrong. Very wrong. Her body felt weird. Worse than the normal hollow weirdness. And something smelled good, and it was distracting her.


    ¡°No. You, leave.¡±


    The man gave a snort of laughter without any humor in it and said something. She couldn¡¯t understand it. Argh! She took another step forward and bared her teeth at him.


    ¡°Leave!¡±


    The man ignored her, turning to Damon and saying something in the same nasty tone as before. Damon replied quickly and came over to her, looking angry. What had the other man said to upset him?


    ¡°Idelle. It¡¯s good. I can ****** this.¡± His voice was reassuring, and she hesitated. Was she confused? But the feeling of wrongness was still building, like a simmering pressure hiding inside her. She forced it back and smiled at Damon. She should stop talking for now, figure it out.


    Despite that, he frowned and gestured at the door she had come through. She shook her head. She wasn¡¯t going anywhere until¡ª


    The stranger interrupted before either of them could speak again. She didn¡¯t need to understand the words to know he was annoyed. Damon, exasperated, turned to him and responded, sounding annoyed in turn. The stranger turned to look at her, surprised for a moment, then snorted. He came around the counter and walked up to them.


    ¡°Oi, Idelle, didn¡¯t your parents ***** *** *******?¡± Her name sounded like a curse in his mouth. What was his problem? Damon started to say something but Idelle just snarled at the stranger. He laughed in response, then turned to Damon and said something. Damon¡¯s eyes widened a little, but he nodded after a moment¡¯s hesitation. He responded, gesturing at his head in a little circle. Was he making fun of the stranger? What was it that smelled so good?


    Maybe nothing was wrong after all? The pressure pounded slowly inside her. The tall man turned to her.


    ¡°Come, you.¡±


    She understood that. No way. She shook her head. His brows tightened into a scowl, and he repeated his demand. She shook her head again, harder. She wasn¡¯t going!


    Then, he stepped forward and grabbed her shoulder, and all the pressure inside her exploded in an instant. She moved, feeling faster than she¡¯d ever felt before, lunging forward on instinct without a moment of hesitation, and for a moment she seemed to feel something more wondrous than even Damon¡¯s soup. Then every part of her body seemed to twist inside itself and an agony like nothing she¡¯d ever felt dropped her instantly into a black void of unconsciousness.

 Chapter 3: Lost and Lonely

    Idelle was dreaming. She knew she was dreaming, somehow, but she didn¡¯t want to wake up. After all, her dreams were showing her memories.


    Walking down a path to a strangely unfamiliar village. A pretty girl, smiling at her. Someone calling a name. Not her name, a man¡¯s name. Whose, then?


    Learning to use a sword. A grizzled older man was teaching her, with an affable smile that never quite reached his eyes. Practicing drills.


    More fragments of everyday life. Grumbling about washing clothes in a river. Eating proper fresh cooked food for the first time in a week. She felt detached from it all. Maybe because it was a dream?


    The memories swirled around her, growing ever more broken and piecemeal. She didn¡¯t mind, really. As long as she could stay asleep a little longer. Oh. She was doing that, wasn¡¯t she? That thing where you just want to sleep a moment longer because you have something unpleasant to wake up to. Bleh. Now that she¡¯d thought about it, she knew that she¡¯d wake¡ª


    ¡­


    Idelle woke up to the sun in her eyes. The shadow of a tree had crept just far enough onto her forehead that the red was bright even through her eyelids, and she reflexively covered her face with one arm and rolled away a little. A branch poked her in the cheek and she groaned and reluctantly levered herself off the ground.


    Shaking a few twigs from her hair, she looked around. She was under a tree. Maybe not the best sleeping choice under normal circumstances, but, well¡­


    She hoped Damon was OK. Normally he¡¯d be here with that miracle soup of his, but she guessed that wasn¡¯t on the menu given that she- she- she- sHe- ShE- SHE HAD-


    She guessed it wasn¡¯t on the menu given that she had no idea where she was right now. It wasn¡¯t close to Damon¡¯s shop, that was for sure. She stared intently at the tree across from her impromptu bed, and then at the one next to it. Yeah. Totally lost. Ugh.


    Her eyes stayed fixed on this new, third tree a little longer. She felt¡­ Different, somehow. The constant headaches, the horrible bizarre hollowness like someone had scraped her insides out with a rusty metal spoon, the way her thoughts had been fuzzy and disconnected? All utterly vanished, without so much as a whisper.


    She flexed her hand experimentally. It felt normal. No, better than normal, it felt great. She looked down at it. It looked just like her hand. Probably. She didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever bothered to memorize what her hand looked like, but it felt like she¡¯d notice if it was different.


    What had been wrong with her? Damon had said she had a fever, but what kind of fever made someone like THAT? What kind of fever made someone forget their own name? She hadn¡¯t even understood him when he said it; it¡¯d been like she had been trying to speak a foreign language and only knew a few words. The whole thing felt like a twisted nightmare somehow, even ignoring that taste that was so good it made her want to puke and how¡ª


    Idelle wrenched herself out of her thoughts, more twigs and debris flying from her hair as she shook the last of the sleepiness free. Now was not the time. Looking at it objectively, her situation was¡­ ah, not great. She was lost, somewhere in a notoriously nasty forest filled with magically mutated wildlife. She should count it as a blessing that she seemed to be over whatever insane sickness she had, and start trying to either find a landmark or somewhere safe to shelter at night and a little food.


    She looked up at the sun, considering. It was autumn, right? So in that case, west should be¡­ Ugh, that way maybe? How do people do this again? The sun is south at midday on this side, right?


    She sighed and rose to her feet. Turning resolutely in the exact opposite direction of where she¡¯d just decided west was, she took a few strides before pausing. Her legs were stiff. She stretched down to her toes, frowning as she realized how battered and filthy her clothes were. Uuugh. But it wasn¡¯t like she could fix that problem right now either.


    A few seconds later, she slowly rose out of the stretch and fixed her eyes ahead, between the trees. What was she doing, worrying about looking filthy at a time like this? She¡­ couldn¡¯t even remember her real name, and she was worried about clothes. She sighed, seeming a little smaller than before among the trees.


    ¡°Idelle¡­ I guess it¡¯ll have to do.¡±


    With that, she started off between the trees, her stride just slow enough to not be hurried, staunchly NOT thinking further about whether it was possible for a fever to make you forget things like the magical beasts that populate the forest (that you had also forgotten existed until you woke up just now.) Not to mention making her act like such a child¡­


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    It was much better to just forget that ever happened, that¡¯s what she would have thought if she was thinking about it. Which she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡­


    This was not going well. Idelle thought she was pretty mature for being willing to admit that honestly. Someone else might have pretended they knew exactly what they were doing, or just broken down and cried for help. But her? She was resolutely taking the problem face on.


    Unfortunately, none of her feelings on the matter really changed the fact that she was still lost, that the sun had gone behind clouds several hours ago and she didn¡¯t know if she was still going straight, and it was getting dark. Her legs were getting sore, she was thirsty, she was filthy, and with nothing going right, she was actually pretty ready to give up. Not that she could.


    Oh, and there was a hundred fifty kilogram direwolf staring at her from about 20 meters away.


    ¡°Go! Leave! Bad wolf! There¡¯s nothing for you, get out of here!¡± Idelle winced at the way her voice shook as she shouted, but pressed on regardless as she peeled a rock from under a layer of dirt and detritus and hurled it at the creature. It jumped back, growling, and her rock scattered leaves and dust in the air where it¡¯d been standing. The sight boosted her confidence, and she grabbed another, larger, rock and stepped forward.


    ¡°I said leave, you overgrown dog.¡±


    The wolf stood its ground and the two locked eyes. Idelle kept a firm grip on her rock, trying to look as intimidating as possible. Her new enemy shuffled a few steps back and her heart leapt; only to have her hopes dashed as it exploded forward in a burst of motion.


    Her eyes darted to either side. Should she run? Climb a tree? There wasn¡¯t time to plan, she needed to move NOW.


    But she didn¡¯t move. She could have tried. Her pulse was racing horrifyingly fast, and a part of her was screaming to just move, to not be stupid, to just try and escape some way, any way she could. But some other, more primal part of her rebelled at it. At trying to run. She just didn¡¯t want that. After all, it raged, what did she have to lose? She¡¯d already run away, hadn¡¯t she? How else did she think she¡¯d got here?


    Strangely, though, neither of those was the strongest thought dancing through her head. No, that was something far more rational and cold. A thought that felt at once both alien and like it was born to fit perfectly inside her mind, gripping the rough surface of the chunk of stone with both her hands and twisting her face into a smile


    She knew she could kill it.


    The direwolf reached her.


    It came at her like no normal wolf, no wild creature trying to survive, but like a hurricane of teeth and fur flying through the air in a great leap, its mass alone enough to crush her, utterly inexorable from the moment it started forward.


    And, as if they were dancing, the girl moved next to it, her improvised weapon already in a position to smash into its open maw with the full force of the beast¡¯s own charge. Its incisor gashing open her left arm as it tried to lock her limb between its jaw; only to be stopped short by unyielding stone as she somehow twisted around its head with mere centimeters to spare-


    The moment ended as the wolf¡¯s body and forelegs smashed into Idelle¡¯s shoulder, smashing her off her feet and into an awkward roll on the ground with a muffled crack that sent daggers of pain through her side despite the adrenaline coursing through her. She let out a hoarse scream of pain that was echoed by a furious snarling wail, and despite the pain she pushed herself up and into a crouch, trying to find her bearings.


    Her eyes widened at the sight that met her eyes. The wolf¡¯s jaws were locked unnaturally wide apart, several teeth missing, and with her rock wedged nearly into its throat; blood running over it from where one end cut through the roof of its mouth. The cut was jagged and deep enough to reveal a glimmer of bone. It continued to wail, a horrible keening whimper of pain as it awkwardly pressed its face into the ground in a seemingly futile attempt to somehow dislodge the source of its distress. It turned to face her as she rose, shaking its head and taking little hops forward before shuffling back, as if to warn her away.


    Idelle took a slow step forward. The adrenaline was gone. She clasped her hand over the cut on her left hand, blood leaking around her fingers. Her enemy let out a choked snarl as it continued its little dance.


    She knelt, and her fingers closed around the biggest of its missing teeth. The right upper canine. Long, even compared to the already enormous size of the magically augmented animal. Long enough for what she needed.


    She took another step forward.


    ¡°You should leave. Maybe you can still survive.¡± The wolf made no real response to her soft words, only pacing and jerking its disabled head again.


    ¡°I mean it. Just walk away. It doesn¡¯t need to be like this.¡± Her voice came out unbidden. It wasn¡¯t like the wolf could even understand her.


    ¡°Last chance.¡± They were close now, almost as close as when they hurt each other, and for a second neither one took the last step. It could leave, Idelle thought, it could just run away and she could never catch it and that would be that.


    But it didn¡¯t, in the end, it lunged at her again. And this time she let it, one arm going almost tenderly around its neck while the other drove the tooth into its eye as deep as she could force it, her hand covered almost instantly in its blood. They fell to the ground together, it atop her, heavy and warm and it spasmed for a few moments before going still.


    For a long moment, Idelle¡¯s lips moved with no sound. Her eyes fixed on the wolf and the blood and bone and distended jaws with her rock still lodged between them. When her voice did come, it was a barely audible whisper, too quiet to hear even had someone been there.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m just. Thirsty. Or hungry, or something. Maybe next time I''ll¡­¡±


    Her voice trailed off.


    Then, she pulled the tooth from its eye, violently forced a jagged cut into the hide on its neck, and gently bit into the wound to drink.

 Chapter 4: Wanderer

    Somewhere deep in the Perien Forest, the sound of footsteps echoed between the trees. They came quick and measured. A girl¡¯s footsteps, not that one could tell. She looked young in a scrawny sort of way and seemed a little shorter than average even when considering that. Her clothes were filthy, with a strip having been torn off her shirt to bandage a cut on her arm, but they were mostly covered by what could very charitably be called a ¡°mantle¡±. To the less magnanimous, it was just a very smelly (and poorly skinned) swath of what appeared to be wolfhide, held together at the neck with another torn piece of cloth.


    Idelle trudged on despite the smell. She figured that if anyone was going to be in a position to criticize her current crimes against fashion, they would also be in a position to tell her where a road or something was and she felt that this was, all in all, an acceptable tradeoff. Also, it kept her warm. Something she was becoming more thankful for as it felt like the last night had been particularly cold, for whatever reason.


    She sighed to herself. The worst part of this was starting to be how bored she was. Despite her injuries, she felt more than capable of walking basically all day, and she was trying not to think about how she hadn¡¯t really been hungry since drinking the wolf¡¯s blood two days earlier. Or particularly thirsty for that matter. Maybe it was something with the blood, she¡¯d heard somewhere that it had restorative properties.


    Where had she heard that?


    She angrily shook her head. She wasn¡¯t going to kill a direwolf with her bare hands just to go insane from being stuck alone with her thoughts a few days later. Well. Her bare hands and a rock. Either way.


    ¡°What do people do to stay sane while walking, anyway?¡±


    She said the question aloud, more just to say anything at all than for any real reason. Singing, maybe? She didn¡¯t know how to sing. Still, she found herself humming a strange, jumpy melody as she wandered along. She didn¡¯t know the song¡¯s name, but it¡¯s not like she knew her name either.


    She wondered if she should try not to think about that as well, but decided she was overthinking it and had come to terms with it. Probably.


    Her fingers ran along the length of a chipped tooth that was shoved into the waistband of her bloodstained trousers as she unconsciously walked a little faster to match the beat of the melody.


    ¡­


    The next day, Idelle found a river. It cut through the middle of the forest, far wider across than she could throw a stone, the sun reflected off it in shimmering ever-changing ripples of light. She stared at it for a long time, watching the endless play of the water and listening to it gurgling over the rocks littering the banks. Then she smiled, and despite the cold, she splashed her way deep enough to throw her whole body into the water. She couldn¡¯t swim very well, but that wouldn¡¯t stop her from taking a bath.


    After she was dry and slightly less smelly, she turned left and with renewed confidence followed the banks of the river as it meandered north. People liked to live by the water, and she could have confidence in not going in circles regardless of how visible the sky was. Surely she¡¯d find someone soon.


    The day after that, she found a bear. And this time, she did climb a tree.


    When the bear tried to climb after her, she jumped from the tree and drove her tooth as deep into its face as she could manage. The tooth and her wrist broke from the landing, but the bear¡¯s neck broke with them.


    Then, with tears in her eyes and blood on her face, Idelle fed from it, too. She wasn¡¯t going to. She wasn¡¯t even hungry yet. But a voice in the back of her mind whispered; a voice that pointed out how she¡¯d been stronger since she fed on the wolf, how her wounds healed faster, how it stopped her growing hungry, how good it tasted¡ª


    She was afraid. She didn¡¯t want to die. She thought it was going to kill her. If she could stay alive by taking blood from dead things, that wasn¡¯t so bad.


    She was afraid.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡­


    Idelle lost track of the days after that, but not too long after the bear she had to throw away her rotting wolf hide. Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t felt as cold the last few nights.


    She hadn¡¯t known what to do about her wrist either, but the pain had already mostly subsided. The cut on her arm had knit itself closed already too. That wasn¡¯t normal. She knew it wasn¡¯t.


    But she knew she wasn¡¯t in a position to complain about it, either.


    The river that had been so welcome seemed interminable now. She wondered if she should just try to cross, but she¡¯d be able to see any major traces of habitation on the other side from here anyway.


    The day she found a thick section of branch washed up on the shore to use as a walking staff and weapon was the same day she found a torrent of rain crashing from the sky a little before what should have been sunset. She huddled under a tree, cold and wet and miserable, clutching onto her stick before finally breaking into tears. They didn¡¯t stop until she¡¯d cried herself to sleep. The next day she got up and pretended it hadn¡¯t happened.


    Finally, maybe a week after she found the river, she looked up and saw it. A thin line stretching across the same river. She stared at it, uncomprehending, then stumbled forward into a run. The run turned into a sprint, the river on her right and trees on her left, feet flying across the rocks faster than she¡¯d known was possible. She¡¯d seen right; It was a bridge, wooden and weathered but clearly well maintained, with many of the planks recently replaced. Big too, it was wide and sturdy enough for carts and animals as well as people.


    On either side of the river, a dirt road led away through the trees, rough and scattered in parts with rocks. Clearly visible among the rocks were the tracks of wheels, furrowed deep into what must have been mud at the time they were laid.


    Idelle gulped in the cold air and leaned on her staff as her breathing slowed again. After that, she stood up straight and crossed over the river, humming her little tune again as she stepped onto the other side.


    Two days after that, she came up behind a large covered wagon and the pair of huge oxen who were plodding along diligently despite having to pull it.


    ¡­


    ¡°So you mean to tell me you¡¯ve been lost out here hungry for a whole week? You poor thing! Look at her clothes, dear, they¡¯re barely rags at this point!¡±


    The speaker was a tall and rather pretty woman named Mirabel, with an even taller tower of muscles and beard dubbed Aldo nodding indignantly next to her. They were a married couple, itinerant merchants who carried wagon loads of seasonal goods through the forest. But Idelle was too busy wiping tears and snot off her face to find this out quite yet.


    ¡°I, I think? I lost track of days, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry for that, my goodness! It¡¯s to be expected in such a fearful and wild place. You must be starving!¡±


    Idelle glanced up at her and nervously nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯d hardly be sporting of us to leave someone who¡¯s barely a child hungry under such circumstances now would it?¡± Aldo¡¯s voice was brighter than one might expect from such a big man, but with a rich smoothness to it that reminded Idelle somehow of honey. ¡°We¡¯re more than happy for you to ride with us to the city if you need. And I¡¯m certain we can find someone trustworthy to take you back the other way to wherever your home is?¡±


    Idelle gulped at the querying tone clear on the word ¡®home¡¯.


    ¡°I¡ªum¡­ Actually, I don¡¯t have a home.¡±


    She looked away as she mumbled the words, so she missed the glance of understanding and worry that passed between the two. But Mirabel quickly interjected again before the silence could linger.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry then, we¡¯ll take you to the city and figure something or other from there. I know the gatekeepers are sticklers but surely they wouldn¡¯t turn away a hungry child! Here, come with me darling, I¡¯ll get you something to eat and find one of my extra dresses. I¡¯m sure we can make it fit with the help of a sash or something. Honestly, a whole week, it¡¯s fortunate you were by the river for most of it or you¡¯d be dead of thirst by now! It was a terrible risk you took walking away from it, you know¡­ Yes, right over here.¡±


    Idelle nodded her way guiltily through the torrent of words as the woman nimbly climbed into the back of the wagon and pulled open the side of something resembling a bench to reveal a lined drawer of garments. The woman pulled one out to consider before she turned to her husband again.


    ¡°Actually, Aldo, shouldn¡¯t we just camp for the day? Let the poor thing rest?¡±


    He was about to respond, but Idelle jumped in before he could say anything. ¡°N-no, it''s all right. I don¡¯t want you to be delayed or something. I can rest in the wagon if I need to.¡±


    Mirabel gave her a piercing stare, but Idelle forced herself to meet the older woman¡¯s gaze despite herself, fidgeting awkwardly at the look. Mirabel weighed her a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Very well then, we¡¯ll continue for now. But I insist you lie down here in the wagon once we get you fed. And let me know at once if the ride is too rough for you to rest, you understand dear?¡±


    Idelle could only awkwardly nod in response before she was whisked away to be laboriously fed a surprisingly tasty porridge and dressed in a baggy dress that fell nearly past her ankles under Mirabel¡¯s ministrations.

 Chapter 5: Past and Future

    ¡°Honestly dear, you surely know as well as I do that she could hardly have made it all the way to the river from any of the settlements on her own. That¡¯s at least four or five days of travel for an experienced forester. She¡¯d have collapsed from thirst!¡±


    Aldo¡¯s response was quiet, barely a warm whisper. ¡°Of course. Someone left her out there to die, there¡¯s no other explanation I can imagine.¡±


    ¡°Really, what a sorry child. She sounds older than she looks too, but it¡¯s hard to tell when she¡¯s barely skin and bones.¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t eaten much either, and the way she stares at us when she thinks we aren¡¯t looking. Like she¡¯s done something wrong and is afraid of what we''d do if we found out.¡±


    ¡°Dragons¡¯ corpses dear, I wish we could do more for her. But with nothing to identify her and no resident to vouch for her¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m afraid the guards won¡¯t let her into the city. I don¡¯t know how to tell her, she¡¯s been through so much already.¡±


    ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll just have to do our absolute best to plead her case to them. Surely they¡¯ll feel some pity for the girl.¡±


    ...


    ¡°I¡¯m really all right, thank you. I promise!¡± Idelle felt slightly sick at the idea of eating another bowl of Mirabel¡¯s porridge, but the woman was undeterred by her protests.


    ¡°Are you sure, darling? You¡¯ve hardly eaten anything really!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Isn¡¯t feeding a hungry person too much at once bad, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ That is true, we¡¯ll leave the rest for dinner later.¡±


    Idelle flashed a genuine if slightly awkward smile at her. Mirabel¡¯s fussiness might have been smothering normally, but with how long she¡¯d been alone, even having the woman try to push things on her left a warm feeling in her chest.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be great. Really, thank you for everything.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course, it¡¯s nothing really. If anything it¡¯s my pleasure to have a young girl like you around.¡± Mirabel returned her smile with a wistful grin of her own.


    ¡°You two don¡¯t have any children or anything?¡±


    Mirabel glanced at her. ¡°What, do I look so old that they would be anywhere else but here?¡±


    ¡°No, no, not at all!¡± Idelle backpedaled, slightly regretting her attempt to move the conversation away from herself. ¡°You just have¡­ a motherly air to you, I guess?¡±


    Mirabel let out a chortling laugh at her expression. ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you, dear. I¡¯m still quite young. Aldo and I were waiting until we had a few years of experience traveling before having children; we¡¯d heard it can be dangerous sometimes, you see, going so far as we do. We thought we should get a feel for it first.¡±


    Idelle nodded eagerly before prodding further. ¡°Were?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, we¡¯re both ready these days but well¡­¡± Mirabel shrugged. ¡°You know how it is, these things can take a little time. Still, we¡¯ve been through the Perien Forest a dozen times by now and it doesn¡¯t get more dangerous than this, so when a child comes we¡¯ll be more ready than ever to keep them safe!¡±


    Idelle wasn¡¯t quite sure that she did know, but the gaps in her memory flitted in the back of her thoughts and she nodded knowingly along with the woman before her next query.


    ¡°Is this really the most dangerous place in the kingdom? It doesn¡¯t seem that bad to me.¡±


    Mirabel¡¯s let out another, longer laugh. ¡°In the KINGDOM? Dear me, dear me no, not at all! There¡¯s plenty of places in this land of ours that I doubt humans could even take a single step into without finding themselves there forever. Places only the demons might dare.


    No, this is only the most dangerous of the roads that are considered safe for civilians you see. The king¡¯s men bring magical lures every time they pass through the forest and kill any mutated beasts within a few dozen kilometers of the road, and the others learn to stay away. But a few who have recently changed will occasionally stray close before they¡¯re hunted, and they¡¯re a terror indeed for people like us. Didn¡¯t your parents ever warn you?¡±


    Idelle twisted awkwardly away from Mirabel¡¯s gaze. The quizzical pause stretched into seconds and her mind spun before she awkwardly blurted, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± To Idelle¡¯s relief, the woman moved on without pressing the issue. ¡°Well, in any case, you¡¯d do well to stay right on this path if you ever pass this way again. I¡¯ve already said how lucky you were, coming that far up the river safely, but it bears repeating. The ordinary wolves and bears can be dangerous enough, but they don¡¯t attack people without provocation or sickness forcing them. But any that have been touched by magic¡­¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    She made a dramatic lunging motion with her hands. ¡°Boom! They¡¯ll go for you just like that! They could tear you in half like a piece of moldy parchment!¡±


    Idelle coughed and fixed her eyes out the back of the wagon, on the road that curved off into the trees behind them. ¡°T-then what do you do to stop them if they DO find you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, we use these. Here, look.¡± Idelle turned back at the sound of Mirabel rising and saw the woman carefully unhook one of a few little glass phials from where they hung on the back of the wagon. ¡°Be careful with them, they¡¯re a little delicate. But the concoction in here is refined from the tainted blood of the beasts themselves. Blood holds magic in it, you see. And they hate and fear the magic left in these, it speaks of death and ruin and destruction to them.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Or so they say. Mayhaps they just stink so bad they can¡¯t stand to be near them. Still, I did have occasion to use one, once. A direwolf came out of the forest by the road some four days west of here. I yelled with all I had for Aldo and hurled one of these at it, and when it shattered nearby the beast it let out a horrible sound before it turned tail and fled into the trees.


    So as far as I¡¯m concerned, they¡¯re worth every penny the alchemists claw out of us for them. Want to see it?¡±


    The younger girl nodded, fascinated. Mirabel handed her the bottle. It was small enough to crush in her fist, with a braided cord run through a loop in the glass and a cork stopper sealed shut with some kind of yellowed glue. A few spoonfuls of a dark, mahogany liquid sloshed inside as the cart rocked, thick and viscous and without leaving a single stain on the glass as it flowed over it. She stared for a moment, wondering if she¡¯d scream and run away too if she could smell it, or if¡­


    She quashed the thought away and firmly handed it back to Mirabel. Of course she wouldn¡¯t, that was ridiculous. Still, something about it captivated her, and she looked up at the woman as the potion returned to its hanger.


    ¡°Do you know how they¡¯re made? You said they¡¯re magic, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, magic of a sort. The exact method is a trade secret as I understand it, but I do know that alchemy requires no magic to learn, only a clever mind and precise fingers.¡± She gave Idelle an approving look. ¡°You¡¯d do well to pursue that interest if you¡¯re lucky enough to get the chance¡ªyou¡¯re still young and alchemy is a profitable venture for those who can learn a little.¡±


    She paused to wag a finger at Idelle. ¡°Just stay away from those researchers. It feels like one of them starts a fire or releases a cloud of miasma every week with their nonsense. No, the safe and well-trodden paths are the ones for people like us. It¡¯s good honest work that lets you live a long and happy life.¡±


    Idelle nodded obediently and internally vowed not to mention anything about maybe having some kind of unknown magical power to the woman. She seemed nice enough, but that was all the more reason not to risk upsetting her happy life.


    ....


    The next few days passed by without incident. The road started to gently slope up, and the full-size trees gradually retreated into groves and then clumps, before giving way entirely to smaller scrub, scattered between hills and tall chunks of rocks that slept in chaotic lines and clusters. No other travelers passed them by, except a single horseman riding briskly late in the evening. Aldo hailed him, but he only nodded back and rode away.


    Idelle used her time to quiz her gregarious hosts, doing her best to stay away from anything that might hint at the gaps in her memory. To her surprise, she found herself familiar with many of the local names mentioned, it seemed like her ignorance went no further than what her temporary companions expected of a village girl who hadn¡¯t seen the world. If anything, they seemed a little surprised at some of what she knew. She wished she wasn¡¯t too afraid to tell them that she was surprised too.


    Nor did they question further as to her home or parents, to her immense relief. She had decided to tell anyone she met in the future that she was an orphan (which, in her defense, was true as far as she knew). But even if she felt confident convincing Mirabel and Aldo of that, she had no explanation as to what she¡¯d already told them of being lost weeks deep in the Perien Forest.


    Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t matter. She had a goal in mind now. Whatever was wrong with her, it was probably magical, so she would take Mirabel¡¯s advice and find an alchemist. With any luck, they would know enough to help her get her memory back. She hoped. But from what Mirabel said, she¡¯d likely need to become some kind of apprentice or something before they were willing to share any real secrets with her, and that would take time.


    So as lovely as the couple were, they would be moving on to continue their work as traders while she hopefully stayed put.


    And maybe if she learned alchemy, she could pay them back for everything they¡¯d done. They had given her food, water, clothes, and all the care and attention she could ask for. She didn¡¯t want the fact that she could likely have survived longer on her own to make her think less of all that.


    Another day passed. Despite the complaints of the pair of oxen, they started up a long, steep series of switchbacks on the side of a huge valley. Aldo explained that this was the only pass with a proper road for hundreds of kilometers in either direction. Perien Pass, if you lived on the east side, or The King¡¯s Pass if you lived west of the forest.


    The road, cut through the rock itself in places, was laid generations ago; to allow access to the forest without detouring far, far south around the mountains. Despite periods of neglect it had gradually grown in both width and usage over the centuries, and today it saw caravans of troops or travelers passing through several times a year.


    Idelle asked why they hadn¡¯t seen other traders. Apparently, most preferred to travel in groups for safety, and it was only a few ¡°adventurous fools¡± who would make the trip at irregular times. Mirabel laughed at that and poked Aldo¡¯s nose before explaining that there also simply wasn¡¯t that much to bring that couldn¡¯t wait a few weeks for the next caravan. Sometimes, they would set out merely for a few important letters whose senders were willing to pay well; though of course they would bring anything else that could make a profit on the way.


    She thought that made a great deal of sense; it was no wonder that the two were so affable if much of their job might be special requests like those. No one would want to send something important with a jerk you couldn¡¯t trust.


    When they crested the pass, Idelle gasped at the sight. The road danced away, winding through a series of beautiful golden meadows interspersed with swathes of enormous pine trees, taller than any she¡¯d seen before. The sun reflected off the little lakes that hid among them and the hint of a river to the north. Behind that, mountains that seemed enormous even with how high they¡¯d already climbed cut like irregular jagged teeth through the clouds.


    She took in the view for a long moment. Then Mirabel tapped her shoulder and pointed, her finger extending towards a spot just to the right of the lowest tooth.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to see it for some days still, but that¡¯s where we¡¯re heading. The city of Wyrlet. That city¡¯s the place we tamed Dragons, you know.¡± She gave a wry grin. ¡°Or so they claim. The two other cities that claim the same have been known to disagree.¡±

 Chapter 6: Infiltration Buddies

    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. Those are the rules. No one goes into the city without a notarized letter of entry, proof of exit, or permission from the Duke¡¯s household.¡± The man at the gate had the monotonous sound of a man who¡¯d said those same words thousands of times and would really rather people had gotten the message a few hundred ago. ¡°This is for everyone¡¯s safety and security. You know how it is.¡±


    ¡°But surely some exceptions can be made, no?¡± If Mirabel was angry at him, she showed no hint of it, her question was posed with no small amount of cheerful energy. ¡°How could the poor girl get permission from the Duke if she¡¯s not even allowed in to state her case?¡±


    The man showed no hint of having heard her words beyond his lifeless response. ¡°No exceptions. She can stay in the merchant camp and find someone to enter for her to plead her case if she wants.¡±


    ¡°Truly, no exceptions are made at all? She could save you fine men some work by delivering these letters inside the city, is that not worth something?¡± Mirabel held a pile of letters out to the man, one that anyone who held it in her place would find rather heavier than expected. He took the letters, glanced at her a moment, then straightened his back and handed the bottom few back.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid there are truly no exceptions ma¡¯am.¡± His voice shifted for the first time in the conversation, pride evident in the tone. ¡°We take our work very seriously. This is the city of Wyrlet, after all. There¡¯s no useless rabble here, this is a city built and filled with people a step above that.¡±


    Mirabel took the letters back, a shadow of a strange expression flickering across her face before her cheerful smile reasserted itself. ¡°Very well then, I understand. Thank you for your time, we¡¯ll just have to find another way then. No hard feelings.¡±


    The man nodded at her. ¡°No hard feelings. The merchant camp is just over that way, I¡¯ll see that these letters are delivered and you¡¯ll be able to contact any stores you wish from there.¡±


    Mirabel nodded back, then turned and briskly walked away. Her smile didn¡¯t disappear until the cover pulled over the back of the wagon wiped it away in an instant as she pushed through it.


    ¡°No luck, I''ll take it?¡± Aldo sounded equally concerned and resigned.


    ¡°None. Just our luck, to have been heading towards about the only city where the guards are too proud and stupid to accept a gift.¡± Mirabel¡¯s response was terse, but her voice softened as she turned to Idelle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear, I¡¯m afraid we got your hopes up for nothing. Are you certain you do want to try and enter the city? In truth, I don¡¯t know that it¡¯s a particularly nice one, and there will be a caravan heading back the way we came soon.¡±


    Idelle shook her head vigorously, then paused as she realized the ambiguity in the response. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It doesn¡¯t have to be this city, any big one would be good. I was hoping this one would work, but, well... If it doesn¡¯t, I¡¯ll just have to try and find my way to another.¡±


    The couple exchanged a look and sighed in unison. Mirabel held her hand out and gently squeezed Idelle¡¯s before letting it go. ¡°We understand. We¡¯ll keep seeing if there¡¯s anything else we can do while we get our goods taken care of. In the meantime, why don¡¯t you go look around the camp? It¡¯s a lovely little place, given that they don¡¯t let merchants and so on inside the walls. And the walls themselves are amazing to see, really. There¡¯s few like them that I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    Idelle dutifully nodded and squeezed past her to hop down from the back of the wagon. ¡°I¡¯ll do that, then. Thank you again for trying.¡±


    The woman¡¯s denial that it was any trouble at all barely registered as she glumly walked away from the wagon, eyes fixed on the towering walls of stone rising from among the pine trees.


    ¡­


    Idelle, legs dangling off the edge of the tallest boulder she could find within sight of Wyrlet¡¯s walls, let out a long huff of air. The mess of warehouses, kitchens, wagons, and tents filled with busy people had been noisy and overwhelming, and she¡¯d felt utterly out of place and overwhelmed by it. Instead, she had let her legs carry her around the other direction to circle around the walls. More than amazing, they looked impassable, enormous blocks of rough rock fused together with a cracked mortar that only ants and the like might be able to crawl through.


    There were three entrances, but all three had an enormous gate blocking them and a smaller gatehouse to one side, each with a pair of guards sitting out front wasting time chatting and playing games of dice. She¡¯d thought to maybe go try talking to them, but thought better of it. If the charming Mirabel couldn¡¯t convince them, what hope did she have?


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    She sighed again. Why was she even so upset about this? Mirabel and Aldo were lovely. It¡¯d be fine to travel with them a while longer until she reached the next city. They hadn¡¯t even pushed her on her background, despite obviously having their suspicions.


    Maybe it was just that. It felt like she was taking advantage of them. Lying to them. They thought she was some kind of weak lost child, but what kind of weak child could¡­


    Besides. It just didn¡¯t feel right. She didn¡¯t want to be the kind of person who lived through other people¡¯s charity. And the sooner she could pay them back, the better. She turned to look at the walls again. Maybe there was some way to climb over them? Even from up here, she couldn¡¯t see over the ramparts, but surely they wouldn¡¯t keep guards on every section at night? Yeah, maybe-


    ¡°Hey, whatcha looking at?¡±


    Her head snapped around and she was on her feet in an instant. The voice had come from just behind her, whatever it was, she¡­


    She stared at the other girl who was halfway over the other edge of the rock behind her. Her head was tilted quizzically, with straight golden hair hanging in a loose braid, chin resting on a hand that was still slightly grimy with dirt from the climb. A few loose strands framed a face that was fair and slightly freckled, lips pursed in an inscrutable expression of amusement. She pulled herself the rest of the way on top and stood up from her knees, brushing her hands off before looking at Idelle again.


    ¡°Well? Whatcha looking at? Or is it ¡®What were you looking at¡¯ now?¡±


    ¡°Uhm. You? The wall?¡± Idelle flushed, realizing how stupid her response sounded. ¡°I mean. Nothing in particular I guess.¡±


    ¡°Pretty impressive to look at three things with two eyes, aren¡¯t you?¡± The girl¡¯s smile had deepened, she was sure of it.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Me, a wall, and nothing. Three things. Or do you not have two eyes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really think nothing counts as a thing?¡± Idelle wondered if it was just her, or if something wasn¡¯t horribly wrong with the pace of this conversation somehow.


    Her new conversation partner considered a moment, then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried that hard to look at nothing, you might be able to do it. Why were you looking at the wall? You wanna sneak in?¡±


    Idelle almost took a step back, but remembered her precarious position just in time and started to set her foot down in front of her instead. Then she thought about how taking a step forward might seem weirdly aggressive right now, and awkwardly rubbed her foot against her calf like she had an itch before setting it back down.


    ¡°Um. I¡¯ve just never seen walls like this before. They¡¯re huge, so I wanted to get a better view. I¡¯m not from around here.¡± Her excuses sounded forced, even to her.


    The other girl raised her eyebrow. ¡°I guessed. If you were, you¡¯d probably be on the other side of the walls, most people our age don¡¯t bother to go out. Or are you younger? I can¡¯t tell.¡±


    She walked closer, scrutinizing Idelle a little more intently as she did so. She was tall, Idelle realized now, almost a full head over her, and with a full, athletic build that made her look closer to her 20s than her delicate features might suggest. She was dressed casually, in clothes that looked durable and well made, and her steps were easy and graceful despite the rough top of the boulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± Idelle searched for something to change the topic away from her age. ¡°Why¡¯d you ask if I wanted to sneak in?¡± Internally, she swore. Was that really the best topic she could come up with to change to?


    The other girl gave her a look, then grinned again. ¡°No reason. I¡¯m Cecilia, but my friends call me Cici. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Idelle stared back at her. She was getting sick of the way the other girl kept changing the conversion around; as if she was trying to keep her mentally off-balance. But two could play at that game. ¡°I¡¯m Idelle. I don¡¯t have any friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯ll call you Idy then. Can I sit next to you?¡±


    Idelle very resolutely kept her face utterly impassive at Cecilia¡¯s response, and instead jerked her head with a motion that could conceivably have been intended to be inviting at the rock next to her. The other girl unhesitantly plopped down next to her, and Idelle awkwardly lowered herself as well a moment later. A small part of her brain was doing everything it could not to scream. What was that supposed to mean??


    She stared at the wall again. Wasn¡¯t Cecilia going to say anything else? She¡¯d been so talkative up ¡®til now. Ugh. She was more and more sure that she was being made fun of. Or something.


    Still, now that she was calming down from her surprise, her thoughts were slowly getting more in order. Was this maybe just Cecilia¡¯s way of making friends? She didn¡¯t seem like she was being truly mean about it, or anything. But why was she out here anyway? Isn¡¯t this a totally weird place to make friends with someone?


    ¡°Actually, I lied.¡± Idelle looked over at Cecilia¡¯s words, only to see that cheeky smirk on her face again.


    ¡°About?¡± She deadpanned.


    ¡°Sneaking in.¡±


    Idelle narrowed her eyes. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± The other girl turned fully towards her, and slowly leaned in closer. Idelle felt her breath tickling her ear as Cecilia lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ¡°I wanted to know if you wanted to sneak in with me.¡±

 Chapter 7: Infiltration Somewhat Less than Buddies

    ¡°Again. Thank you for everything. I¡¯ll pay you back someday if I can.¡±


    ¡°Of course, darling. You don¡¯t owe us anything, we just did what we felt was right.¡± If Mirabel was worried, it didn¡¯t show on her face. Aldo, however, didn¡¯t hesitate to interject.


    ¡°As she said¡ªbut do you truly have a way into the city? Is it¡­ safe?¡±


    ¡°It should be.¡± Idelle hesitated, not meeting the two¡¯s eyes. ¡°But, well¡­ You¡¯ll still be here tomorrow? Just in case?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, we will. We¡¯ll be waiting here at the camp until that lazy shopkeeper brings out a few things we¡¯re to deliver for him on our next leg. But if we don¡¯t see you, then let this be our goodbye, for now.¡± Mirabel looked like she might hug her, but she settled instead on a warm handshake, clasping Idelle¡¯s hands in both hers. ¡°If you need to find us, just contact him. Lazy he might be, but he¡¯s an honest sort and will be happy to pass on to us that you were hoping to meet again.¡±


    Aldo mirrored the handshake and gave her a firm nod. ¡°Stay safe, Idelle. It was a pleasure to travel with you.


    She returned his nod and unconsciously puffed up her chest a little. ¡°Likewise.¡±


    Then, farewells spoken, she turned and darted her way towards the trees, taking care not to stumble in the dim evening light as she quickly disappeared among their trunks.


    It took longer than Idelle expected to retrace her steps to the place her new accomplice had shown her earlier. The trees looked different in the gloom, even discounting that she was coming from the opposite direction. It was just as easy to become lost in her own thoughts as well. Despite her earlier show of confidence, she had no idea if she could really trust Cecilia and that thought left a shiver of unease.


    No, trust aside, she didn¡¯t understand the other girl. At all. She¡¯d seen no point in denying her help sneaking in, it wasn¡¯t like she had anything to lose and Cecilia HAD been the one who offered, after all. The conversation had quickly turned businesslike after that, with Cecilia grabbing her hand after they¡¯d climbed down from the rock and leading her around to a spot where the pines had seemingly wormed their way forward over the years to repossess the land right up against the wall.


    There, Cecilia had asked her if she knew how to climb a tree. Idelle had snorted and almost told her to go ask a bear before thinking better of it. In response to her nod, Cecilia had pointed to a particularly stately tree and explained that, with a rope and a little finesse, it was easy to make your way over the ramparts from halfway up.


    Idelle had observed that she didn¡¯t have a rope, but her apparent partner in crime had grinned and said to leave that to her and to meet her back here after dusk.


    She sighed. Where was that tree anyway? She seemed to have accidentally trailblazed her way almost out of sight of the wall. She turned and started cutting at an angle, tracing her way towards the now distant rampart still barely visible through a gap in the undergrowth.


    It just felt uncomfortable to her. Was she really so lucky as to have some weird girl show up to help her exactly when she needed it? Was this just what Cecilia DID? Help people sneak through the walls? Was she going to ask for some kind of payment when they got inside? She felt like she could defend herself, if necessary, but she knew almost nothing about the city. Would she even be able to stay once she was inside?


    She shook her head to clear it, a motion that was starting to grow familiar. It¡¯d work out. She¡¯d casually asked Mirabel what the punishment was for being inside without permission, and the woman had laughed and said that it was no worse than being thrown out again and banned from future entry.


    If worse came to worst, she¡¯d just be back where she started. Only this time she¡¯d have someone she could go back to, and roads to travel on, and options. It¡¯d be a setback, but she could take that. She hadn¡¯t done anything so wrong that she¡¯d need to be af¡ª


    ¡°Idy! Took you long enough!¡±


    Her heart skipped and she whipped around. What was it with Cecilia and sneaking up on her? Despite the nearly faded light, she could clearly make out the taller figure, leaning against a tree with one hand raised in greeting. Idelle sighed and stepped a little closer before speaking in a soft voice.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be quieter? I can¡¯t imagine any guards would ignore us if they heard you.¡±


    Cecilia flashed her teeth. ¡°No worries. They don¡¯t actually post guards on the wall proper, and even if someone came by they¡¯d probably just assume this was a lover¡¯s rendezvous or something.¡±


    Idelle stared at her for a moment as she tried to formulate a response. ¡°If you say so¡­¡±


    ¡°I do say so. Are you going to climb in that?¡± A hand gestured vaguely at her baggy dress.


    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. It¡¯s gotten awfully dark, can you still see well enough to not fall?¡±


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine if you are.¡± That much she was confident in.


    Cecilia giggled. ¡°I like your attitude. Let¡¯s wait a few more minutes then, so we¡¯ll be totally invisible.¡±


    Idelle¡¯s forehead furrowed. ¡°I thought you said there wouldn¡¯t be guards on the wall?¡±


    ¡°Better safe than sorry, right? Keep your eyes peeled too, just in case!¡± Cecilia turned and struck a pose, staring intently at the blank wall top, then looked over and motioned for Idelle to do the same. She decided not to argue about it.


    A few minutes passed like that; until the not-even-a-little-bit-annoying girl seemed to come to some inscrutable conclusion. She stood up straight and softly announced, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± A moment later she had a coil of rope slung over her shoulder, one end looped around her wrist, and motioned again to follow her. Idelle quickly moved up next to her, surprised at how deft and noiseless the other girl¡¯s steps were. She imitated her, and the other girl glanced over before nodding.


    Then they were at the base of the tree. Cecilia stretched and then went straight into a powerful jump, her hands clasping around the lowest branch before she walked her feet up the trunk and swung her way atop it with practiced ease. Then she looked down at Idelle. ¡°Ah. Need a hand?¡±


    Idelle gave her what she hoped was an invisible glare in the darkness as she muttered her response. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so. One second.¡± She tried to find a grip on the bark, but it was too loose and peeled to hold her weight. A surge of annoyance flashed through her and she impulsively took a step back and leapt herself, awkwardly making a kick off the trunk as she did so to try and get more height. She found herself easily grasping the branch, and was surprised enough by it that she forgot to refuse Cecilia¡¯s proffered hand until the other girl had already helped pull her full onto the branch next to her.


    ¡°Nice.¡± Idelle turned to give the other girl a look in response to her comment, only to find her already making her way up through the branches. She sighed instead and followed.


    The climbing was easy from there, clambering up on densely packed horizontal branches, and they came alongside the top of the wall with ease. Idelle ignored Cecilia¡¯s whispered comment about the ¡°fun part¡±, and simply watched as the other girl uncoiled her rope and with practiced ease a loop coiling over the¡­ parapet? That sounded right, the parapet. The rope ran once around the great trunk of the tree and then the other end followed, leaving each side stretched loosely around head height above a straight branch that lead almost to the wall.


    ¡°You first? Or shall I show you how it¡¯s done?¡± The two made eye contact and Idelle sighed. Was this a way for the girl to put her through some kind of weird test? Did she look like she regularly snuck over fifteen-meter walls balancing on narrow branches with a rope? Maybe she did. Whatever.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± If Cecilia wanted her to prove something, so be it. She¡¯d been through worse than this.


    A nod. ¡°Pay attention at the end, it¡¯s easiest to just step your foot into the crenellation and trust the rope.¡± Idelle blinked.


    ¡°Crenellation?¡±


    ¡°The gap cut into the battlement. It¡¯s for mages or crossbowmen to fire through. Like in a siege or something.¡±


    ¡°I know what it¡¯s for! I just didn¡¯t know the name!¡±


    Another cheeky flash of teeth, still clearly visible despite the darkness ¡°You got it.¡±


    She sighed again. Better to just get this over with. Careful not to look down, she put one hand on each rope and let herself walk calmly forward. Nothing to worry about. No problems. Everything is completely under her control. She felt the branch bow under her weight, dropping her a little lower, but still within easy reach of the wall top. See? No problems. Just don¡¯t think about it.


    The branch bowed a little lower.


    Then her foot was on top of the rough stone, and before she could think about it she stepped up onto it and over, her feet landing cleanly on the other side of the battlement as she saw a great winding maze of houses, walls, paved streets, and narrow alleys spreading before her, lit here and there by flickering candles and torches. In the distance, she saw a brighter street with dozens of little stalls and a smattering of people milling around, and a distant murmur of indistinguishable voices drifted over to her along with a plethora of smells.


    She just stared out at it all for a moment, reveling in it. How many people must live here? Too many to count, surely. No wonder they didn¡¯t want more inside¡ªhow did they feed them all as is? The thought made her feel small, but she twisted the thought back on itself. Being small was good. After all, there¡¯s no way anyone could find her among all these people now that she was inside.


    ¡°First time seeing a city like this?¡± Cecilia¡¯s voice broke Idelle out of her reverie and she nodded in response.


    ¡°Mmn. It¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it? So many people, all living in one place, happy and healthy, not even knowing how cruel the world outside the walls can be.¡± She looked over at the other girl¡¯s words, hearing something in her voice, but the lights had dampened her night vision and she couldn¡¯t make out her expression. Idelle squinted, but the other girl turned to meet her eyes and she awkwardly broke away her stare.


    ¡°Come on then. We should get off the walls before someone sees us. There¡¯s an exterior stairway cut into them just over this way.¡± She started walking even before the words left her mouth, and Idelle hastened after her, following her over and down tall, steep, steps into a narrow, dimly lit alley. Cecilia led her down it, then across a street into another alley, eyes carefully scrutinizing her surroundings as she went.


    A few more deserted streets followed, and Idelle worked up the courage to quietly ask as they started into another alley, ¡°Uh, where are we going?¡±


    ¡°I have a place in mind, you¡¯re welcome to stay there for tonight if you like. Or go off on your own, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend it. After that, we can... Ah.¡±


    Idelle stopped with her, staring with a horrible sinking feeling at the men in a distantly familiar uniform who were standing arrayed around the exit. She whipped around, only to see two more stepping into the other side of the alley behind them. Her eyes flicked from man to man, their faces murky against the backlight. One of them stepped forward and spoke, a heavyset man with reddish hair, his eyes fixed on Cecilia.


    ¡°Awfully weird place to be wandering around at this time of night, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m glad I managed to find you.¡±


    Idelle turned to stare at her, and Cecilia gave her an embarrassed look. ¡°Er. Sorry? I should have warned you. I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    The rest of her words were lost in the chaos and shouts as Idelle bolted between the two nearest men, far too fast for his hands to do more than flail through empty air as she disappeared into the next alley over.

 Chapter 8: Caeca

    Idelle¡¯s lungs burned as she sprinted through a maze of narrow streets, hazy lights and the occasional shocked face flying past her as she ran. Wyrlet¡¯s roads twisted back on each other in a confusing mess, but she used glimpses of the still nearby wall to keep herself moving in roughly the same direction. A few of the surprised passerbys shouted out to her, asking her what was wrong or shouting to slow down, but she ignored them as she desperately tried to think.


    Where could she go? She knew almost nothing of the city¡¯s layout other than what she¡¯d seen in her brief glimpse from the wall, but hiding in an occupied house was a recipe for disaster. Think. Think. A shop, maybe? One that would certainly be closed by now? But where? All around her were still houses¡­ Away from the lights, that would be her best bet!


    A wider street opened in front of her, and she glimpsed a scattering of people strolling and a wagon before backpedaling the way she came and turning into another small alley. Damn it. The roofs, maybe? She looked up. Even if she could get on top of them, the houses were sometimes tightly packed and at others spread across wider streets. She might trap herself.


    She glanced back. If the soldiers were following, she¡¯d lost them for now, but with all the commotion she¡¯d made¡­ She made a decision and turned towards where she¡¯d last seen the walls. The streets were mostly dimmer and more deserted there. She wished Cecilia was still there to guide her, but then again, it seemed like the men had known her. Maybe even been looking for her. What had she gotten herself into?


    Another street. A signpost was ahead. ¡°Tonsor Way¡±. A barbershop, that should be closed by now! She turned down it and slowed to a brisk walk. It was empty of visible people. Thank the dragons. Her breathing was fast and stilted, and she desperately tried to slow it despite her lungs burning, trying to appear even a little casual to anyone who might see her.


    There. A storefront, with no light visible behind the door. She tried it, but an iron lock barred her way in. She looked behind her and slipped between the store and its neighbor. Was there a window? There was. Wooden shutters blocked her way, but she grabbed at them and shoved with all her strength and there was a loud crack as the latch broke and she stumbled forward into the sill. A moment later she was inside, pressing the shutters closed again.


    She stopped, chest still heaving, and listened intently. The seconds ticked by, a few at a time, then a few more. No shouts sounded. No footsteps, coming to investigate the noise. Her eyes darted around; as if trying to anticipate someone leaping out at her. Several beds with adjacent tables were barely visible in the darkness in front of her, some kind of tools scattered on one of them. She still heard nothing except her own slowing breaths.


    Finally, she let herself sink to the floor, back against the wall. Her head sank into her knees as the adrenaline subsided, leaving an empty mess of emotions in its place. She knew she should do something, anything, think of a plan now that she was in the city, but she felt exhausted. How had she thought this would go?


    She hadn¡¯t really thought about it, she supposed. Where was she going to sleep? Find work? She didn¡¯t understand how the city worked, in truth. She¡¯d thought it would just be like a bigger town, with a few simple shops and houses for those who grew or hunted food. Not like this. This maze of streets and buildings, like an anthill filled with people. What did anyone do in a place like this?


    She tried not to think about it. She just needed a moment, that was all. Maybe she should have just stuck with Mirabel and Aldo and told them the truth. Maybe they would have helped her anyway. She felt more alone hiding in the dark room right now than she had even in the forest. At least there she¡¯d had a real plan. Now? She was just alone, and afraid again.


    Distant footsteps.


    She tried not to panic. Had she jinxed herself? Being alone was fine, actually. No, being alone was great. She liked being alone. She¡¯d always been a lone wolf, really. Just ask anyone who knew her.


    She choked back the beginnings of a hysterical laugh at her nonsensical thoughts. Stay calm. People walk by for all kinds of reasons in cities. Probably.


    The footsteps were growing closer. Multiple people, walking together.


    She pressed herself up against the wall, scooting her body over to be under the window. Even if someone peered through the shutters, they couldn¡¯t see her. It was nearly pitch black in here. No normal person could see a thing. The scattered tools on the table next to the bed caught her eye again. The glint of metal. They looked like a series of strangely shaped blades.


    The footsteps stopped. Right outside the barbershop. She heard a voice.


    ¡°Is this the place, Your Highness?¡±


    A moment later, the footsteps came again. Moving in different directions now. Someone walked past the window she was under, and she heard heavy breathing and the rustle of thick leather.


    She was definitely panicking now.


    A noise came from the front of the building, and suddenly a light illuminated the other side of a doorway to her left, casting long shadows. She shrank back even further, petrified. Whoever was outside the window had stopped, and she had no doubt the building was surrounded. A strange heavy feeling was building in her chest.


    The shadows danced and flattened as whoever had the light came closer. She stared at them, and slowly, silently, stood up next to the window. Her left hand unconsciously reached for her waist, but there was no tooth waiting there to grab. Her back was rigid, eyes fixed unblinkingly on the doorway.


    A familiar figure came into view. Taller than her, with blond hair pulled back into a slightly messy braid. The strange, unflickering light in Cecilia¡¯s hand was too bright to make out her face, but the girl¡¯s slightly teasing voice was unmistakable.


    ¡°Hey, Idy. Has anyone ever mentioned that you run really fast?¡±.


    Idelle stared at her for a long moment as if frozen, then slid back down the wall in a slump and started to cry. A few little sniffles that led almost immediately into a series of choking sobs as she hid her eyes from the intensity of the light shining through the doorway.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°W-wait, hold on, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Cecilia sounded legitimately shocked, the first time since they¡¯d met that Idelle had seen her in any way lose her composure. The light dimmed and the other girl quickly strode over. ¡°What happened? Are you hurt?¡±


    Idelle pulled away from her and tried to wipe her face with her sleeve, but her tears wouldn¡¯t stop coming and her words came bursting out in between ragged breaths.


    ¡°You happened! W-what¡¯s WRONG with you? Is this some kind of game you play? To sneak people into the city and then hunt them down to throw them out again? Is this fun for you?¡±


    She looked up and was a little satisfied to see the dismayed expression on Cecilia¡¯s face. The taller girl was the one to break eye contact this time, looking away before hesitatingly speaking.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    Idelle cut her off, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not fun for me. You win. You¡¯ve played your stupid game, you¡¯ve proven you can trick me and find all the rats hiding in your stupid city. Good for you. Now hurry up and throw me out of here.¡±


    She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them, almost defiantly. They¡¯d have to either carry her out or try and force a crying girl to walk, she decided. That¡¯d show them. Then she hiccuped loudly, and it made her start crying again.


    A hand touched her shoulder, and she flinched, but it was a gentle touch despite being firm, and the voice that came along with it was gentle as well. ¡°Hey. Hey, it¡¯s all right. Calm down. You have the wrong idea.¡±


    She shook her head numbly, suddenly too exhausted to shake the hand off. She didn¡¯t have it in her to play more of Cecilia¡¯s verbal games.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m serious. It¡¯s all right. No one is going to do anything to you if you don¡¯t want it. You have my word.¡±


    Something in the other girl¡¯s voice made her look up despite herself. Cecilia was crouched in front of her, face gently lit by the strange glowing ball of light that was in¡ªno, over¡ªher other hand, and her face looked concerned, with no trace of her usual smirk. Their eyes met just as the next words left her mouth.


    ¡°On my name as Princess Cecilia Lerne, 23rd in line for the Throne, you are more than welcome to stay in the city of Wyrlet for as long as you might desire.¡±


    Idy blinked at her, so shellshocked that she even forgot to cry for a moment.


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Idelle had thought earlier that she had reached the point that Cecilia couldn¡¯t throw her off anymore, but clearly something had gone terribly, horribly wrong. Princess? Was she being serious?


    Oh. Right. Of course she wasn¡¯t. She slapped Cecilia¡¯s hand off her shoulder and spat the words out. ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me. Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    The other girl shook her head and started to reach for her again before thinking better of it. ¡°No. I mean. No. Like I said, that¡¯s not it.¡± She stared at Idelle a moment and then raised her voice. ¡°Adrian.¡±


    Idelle stared at her, and a moment later stared as the red-headed man who had spoken to them when they¡¯d been caught earlier walked in and stood by the doorway. ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Could you give us a little privacy?¡±


    He did just that. She kept staring. What?


    ¡°I figured you might be more comfortable talking alone. Isn¡¯t it a little nicer this way?¡± There was still no trace of Cecilia¡¯s usual flippant tone in her voice. She sounded sincerely concerned, maybe even guilty.


    ¡°...No, not really, honestly.¡± Idelle didn¡¯t know what else to say except the truth. She paused. Your Highness. She¡¯d heard someone say that earlier, outside the building. Were they really that dedicated to making fun of her?


    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry. I don¡¯t know what else to say. I was about to explain earlier, but, well, you ran away before I had a chance.¡± Cecilia was still looking at her intently, and Idelle found she couldn¡¯t meet her gaze. Was this really just all her fault again?


    ¡°But, why? I don¡¯t understand. If you¡¯re a princess, then why all¡ª¡± she gestured vaguely as if climbing a tree¡ª ¡°that?¡±


    There was an awkward cough and Idelle looked up to find the alleged princess to be the one looking away now. ¡°Would you be mad if I admitted that it really was for fun? It seemed like a cool adventure¡­¡±


    She stared at her. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d probably be a little mad.¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m really sorry, all right? I was just going to surprise you! Anyone else would be amazed to find out they¡¯d been running around with a princess, you know! And then you¡¯d be free to do whatever you liked in the city. Wouldn¡¯t that be a more than fair trade?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t tell if Cecilia¡¯s tone was pleading or annoyed, now. But with a sinking feeling in her chest, she had to admit to herself that it did sound like a great deal. Meeting a princess, free entry to the city, the ability to tell an alchemist that she had a referral from royalty. Yeah. All that for having what amounted to a dumb prank played on her. She might have really messed this one up.


    The sinking feeling intensified and she cast around for words to say, but none came. Even if the other girl was telling the truth, she didn¡¯t really feel like forgiving her right now. She wished again that she¡¯d just gone on to another city. As it was, she felt mentally tattered on top of the physical exhaustion from her earlier escape. She was certain that she¡¯d never run so fast before in her life. A thought struck her at that, and the words escaped her without thinking.


    ¡°How did you find me, anyway? It didn¡¯t seem like any of you kept up with me.¡±


    Cecilia¡¯s face seemed to brighten a little at the question. ¡°Oh, that was simple actually. I just used a tracking charm.¡±


    Idelle paused. She thought for a moment. She¡¯d been looking for an alchemist to learn magic, hadn¡¯t she? Her plans had really fallen apart, huh. Her eyes fell to the little ball of light hovering over the princess¡¯s hand.


    ¡°...Tracking charm? Then¡­ You know magic?¡± Her voice came out quieter than she expected and she was suddenly aware of the way it echoed a little in the room.


    Cecilia nodded and seemed to straighten slightly where she knelt. ¡°Not to brag, but I¡¯m one of the best in the whole royal family.¡±


    Idelle hesitated, then spoke, a little haltingly, without meeting her eyes. ¡°In that case¡­ I guess I can forgive you. But, only if you do me a favor. I want to learn. Teach me.¡±


    If she had been less tired, or less upset, or been looking at the taller girl, Idelle might have caught a hint of strangeness in Cecilia¡¯s tone as she replied. ¡°Teach you magic? That¡¯s what you want?¡±


    Idelle nodded, and then hastily added an addendum. ¡°And, if you lie to me like that again, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­¡± she hesitated and then impulsively blurted ¡°I¡¯ll hate you.¡± She regretted the words almost immediately. Could she say anything more childish if she tried?


    But the moment was swept aside as Cecilia clasped her hand firmly and flashed her a dazzling smile, dark eyes sparkling with the reflected radiance of her charm of light. ¡°It¡¯s a deal then. I¡¯ll teach you magic. No taking it back! We can start tomorrow!¡±


    And just like that, Idelle had finally arrived in the city of Wyrlet.

 Chapter 9: Bed and Breakfast

    Walking up the next morning was a surreal experience. She¡¯d been too exhausted and emotionally drained the night before to do more than follow Cecilia and the soldier Adrian to what seemed to be some kind of barracks. It sat towards the center of the city, up a slight hill, made from salmon-colored stone bricks. Out front was a courtyard, the kind of large open field that always seemed slightly familiar by virtue of being so commonplace. She¡¯d been shown the way onto a second floor and into a small room, a nice one, with a window and even a bathroom attached. She¡¯d fallen into the bed and almost immediately asleep.


    Now, with the traces of sunlight that snuck between shutters to rouse her, she found the bed at once familiar and foreign. It felt like being home, to sleep in a bed after weeks curled on patches of grass or a hard cot in the back of a wagon. But at the same time, it didn¡¯t feel like her home. She was still a stranger here, still didn¡¯t understand this place, for all that she seemed welcome for now.


    She sat up in the bed and stretched, her hands reaching for the stone-covered sky before they dropped forward towards her toes. A moment later she swung her legs onto the floor, shivering a little at the cold of the floor, and padded her way over to the adjoining bathroom.


    When she returned, she looked over her quarters in more detail. The room itself was bare, walls and floor empty of any decoration or insulation, but other than the bed it had a sturdy looking chest and cabinet, a small desk with a chair, and what appeared to be some kind of rack for weapons or tools.


    She walked over to the window and opened the shutters. The sunlight, accompanied by a cold breeze, disoriented her for a moment. But her eyes almost immediately adjusted and she gazed out at a partially visible expanse of rooftops and walls.


    In the daytime, she could see the city far more clearly and in all its full color. Many rooftops had small gardens or planter boxes of wood, with green vegetables and the occasional smattering of more colorful flowers or herbs. Others had clotheslines running across or between them, some with clothes already hanging on them. People were visible here and there, some moving through the streets purposefully while others seemed content to relax and talk with each other.


    Something about the sight seemed to strike a chord in her, and she searched for a long moment trying to remember, but there was nothing there. Whatever had sparked her memory had just as quickly passed.


    She exhaled deeply, breathing in the cold air, and then turned to look around the room again. A quick investigation revealed that the cabinet and chest were empty, understandable given that she owned nothing. The same went for the desk. She stared at the door. She was, surprisingly, a little hungry. There must be a kitchen or pantry somewhere, right? Should she just go and search for it?


    Before she could work up the courage to exit the room and risk the awkward conversations that might come with meeting someone, she noticed that something had been slipped under the base of the door. A sheet of paper, it looked like. She stepped over and picked it up. It had a few short lines written in a lovely, flowing hand. She wrinkled her nose, doing her best to make out the shapes of the letters.


    Idy,


    I hope you enjoyed a well-deserved night of respite. As you are no doubt hungry, please be informed that there is a canteen located on the first floor to the left of the stairwell, and you are more than welcome to avail yourself of any of the food there.


    Idelle frowned at the paper. When did Cecilia get this¡­ pretentious? It was her who wrote this, right? No one else used that stupid nickname.


    Once you¡¯ve eaten, you may find Lieutenant Adrian in his office; also located on the first floor. Unfortunately, my somewhat less than royal exploits yesterday have resulted in my temporary confinement until some necessary work is completed, but I will attempt to abscond as soon as can be arranged to fulfill our promise. Until then, you are welcome to ask him for anything you might need or directions around the city.


    Yours,


    Cecilia Lerne, Princess of...


    She didn¡¯t even try to make herself read the several titles written in nearly incomprehensible cursive that followed the name. Maybe Cici was showing off because she was mad that Idelle hadn¡¯t believed she was a Princess. How mature. At least she now knew where to find breakfast.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Setting the letter on the desk, she slid on her rather ragged shoes and went off to do just that.


    ¡­


    It seemed that she had slept in, as most of the men and women remaining in the canteen were finishing eating as Idelle slightly nervously wandered in through the doorway. A few glanced up at her, but none seemed to give her a second thought as they returned to their meals and conversations.


    She awkwardly looked them over in turn. Some seemed to be teenagers but more looked to be in their 20s, both in and out of the now familiar uniform. Past them, a counter held large plates on one end and various large pots and platters, mostly still with some food on them. She picked her around the edge of the room to grab a plate, along with a knife and spoon.


    A few moments later she had her food. She contemplated the various tables. Almost all of them had room. But no one happened to meet her eye, and she ended up sitting at one towards the corner of the room that was completely unoccupied.


    The food was nothing amazing, but it filled her up, and the room was mostly empty by the time she finished. She scrutinized her empty plate. No one had so much as looked her way during the meal. She supposed it made sense. They all had reasons they were here and stuff they were doing, and she¡¯d just showed up out of nowhere this morning.


    She stared at the plate a little longer. What did she want to do now? Cecilia had said she could find the red-haired soldier, Adrian, if she needed anything. But her only plan in the city had been to find an alchemist to learn something about magic, and she¡¯d somehow managed to stumble into something several steps better than that. Should she try anyway?


    A voice broke her out of her reverie. ¡°Ah, Miss Idelle, I was wondering if I¡¯d see you here.¡±


    She looked up, surprised, to see Adrian standing by her table.


    ¡°Oh, um, hello. You don¡¯t have to call me ¡®miss¡¯ or anything.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Miss, any friend of Her Highness is deserving of appropriate respect in my mind.¡± She flushed a little. She really didn¡¯t think that her and Cecilia could at all be called ¡°friends¡± at this point. Still, she wasn¡¯t about to say that under the circumstances.


    ¡°All right, then. Um, can I help you with something?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the other way around, actually. Her Highness requested that I arrange clothing for you, so I was looking to find if you preferred the services of a tailor or would rather simply wear one of our uniforms.¡±


    ¡°Clothes?¡± Idelle glanced down at her baggy dress, worn over a ragged shirt and trousers and shoes that were barely holding together. ¡°I mean, uh, you don¡¯t have to do that for me or anything. I can take care of it.¡±


    He gave her a quizzical expression. ¡°Her Highness was under the impression that you had never been in the city before, and had, shall we say, limited financial resources.¡±


    Idelle tried not to wince and failed. ¡°Ah. Um. In that case, I¡¯ll take the uniform if that¡¯s all right. I don¡¯t want to be a bother.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Certainly. I¡¯ll arrange for our smallest size to be sent to your quarters, but please let me know if it¡¯s still a little too large.¡± She winced again and her face reddened, but she nodded. He continued, ¡°Is there anything else I can do, while I have you here?¡±


    ¡°Do¡­ do you know when Cecilia¡ª I mean, Her Highness¡ª will be free?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, but it sounded like she intended to visit as soon as able.¡±


    ¡°Ah, all right.¡± She hesitated. ¡°Do you have anything you¡¯d recommend for me to do in the meantime?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°There should be conditioning drills going outside, and weapons training will be conducted throughout the morning and early afternoon when that completes. You¡¯re more than free to join in either. Or if you¡¯re¡­¡± He looked down at her scrawny arms, ¡°...less martially inclined, you¡¯re also free to explore the nearby city. As you¡¯re aware, Her Highness is more than capable of finding you if she returns.¡±


    Idelle gave him a look that was only a little nasty, doing her best to ignore her ever-intensifying blush. ¡°Actually. I think I will join in the training. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem. Are there any training weapons you¡¯d like me to have sent over with the uniform? A staff or a spear, maybe?¡±


    She started to reply, then paused as a distant memory¡ª no, maybe it was a memory of a dream¡ª bubbled up in the back of her mind... A man, hair streaked with gray, wearing a narrow smile as he demonstrated how to step forward and strike.


    ¡°No, not those actually. A sword.¡±


    Adrian looked slightly annoyed at her response. ¡°Are you sure? The sword may be glamorous, but other weapons are far more practical and easier to learn.¡±


    She nodded obstinately. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    He seemed to hesitate for a moment. ¡°Do you have some reason for it? I might be able to advise as to a more suitable weapon for whatever your purpose is.¡±


    She met his eyes. ¡°Yes. Yes, I do.¡±


    He stared at her, then shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself, Miss. I¡¯ll have everything sent up to your room in a few minutes. Feel free to go join in the physical training session in the meantime.¡±

 Chapter 10: Old Beginnings

    Idelle stepped out of the door into the courtyard, annoyed. Part of her was making the reasonable argument that Lieutenant Adrian probably knew what he was talking about and was trying to help her. She didn¡¯t like that part. She wished people would just let her have her own reasons for things. Even Mirabel and Aldo had done it, asking their not-so-subtle questions. Was it so hard to just give her some space?


    ¡°All right, everyone. Let¡¯s finish it up with a run. Twenty laps around the courtyard.¡± The woman who spoke was tall (why was everyone taller than her?) and toned, and several of the nearby group of youths arrayed in front of her groaned. The woman only grinned.


    ¡°You know the drill. You don¡¯t need to be fast, just to finish.¡±


    With a few more muted complaints, the assembly started to run, almost instantly stringing out into a ragged line with the fastest few springing into the lead. The woman settled somewhere into the middle, but not before catching Idelle¡¯s eye and making a motion for her to join them.


    Idelle shrugged to herself. Why not? No one had ever called her slow. Well, no one that she could remember. She broke into a sprint and quickly caught up with the group. No one seemed to give her a second glance.


    The exercise felt good, regardless. Her breath came slow and easy, and the cold air seemed to clear her head. She let her strides lengthen as she got into the flow of the motion. It was calming, actually. Just letting one foot go in front of the other, with no worries or plans, no one chasing her, no fear for her life or future. Easy and unhurried. Movement purely for movement¡¯s sake...


    ¡°Hey, you know you¡¯ll be completely tired after three laps at that pace, right?¡±


    Idelle¡¯s head snapped over. She realized that she¡¯d caught up with the lead group of runners and that the girl currently in front was the one addressing her. Idelle looked at her and tossed the little voice that thought the best of people out the back of her mind.


    ¡°Oh yeah? Want to bet? Are you afraid you can¡¯t keep up?¡±


    This new source of annoyance narrowed her eyes. ¡°Try me.¡±


    ¡°I think I will, actually.¡±


    And with that, Idelle let herself really run. The other girl was almost right, in the end. She did have to slow down a little again after about nine laps. But her temporary rival had only managed to keep up with her for three. And even after slowing Idelle had easily come back around the entire courtyard again and caught up again with the frontrunners, earning her various looks of shock and respect. She was surprised, and a little guilty, to see that the girl who¡¯d warned her was among the respectful ones.


    It didn¡¯t stop her from easily keeping up with them until they finished, though, despite the extra laps.


    As the group started to reconvene, panting, the instructor who had been leading the group earlier came up to her, grinning. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re a fast one, huh? Wouldn¡¯t have known it from looking at ya.¡±


    Idelle fought the urge to roll her eyes. ¡°Yeah, looks like I am.¡±


    The instructor didn¡¯t seem to notice her sarcasm. ¡°Good job. Always nice to have someone put these hotheads in their place, especially someone who isn¡¯t even a soldier. Or are you a new recruit?¡±


    ¡°Um. Not really?¡± She considered for a moment, then amended her statement. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so at least. I¡¯m a, uh, a friend of Ce¡ª Her Highness, I guess?¡±


    The woman raised her brows and seemed to size Idelle up. ¡°That so? Well, feel free to keep dropping by either way. It¡¯s always a pleasure to have someone here who actually enjoys the exercise. Though you might want to find some new shoes first.¡±


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Idelle flushed. ¡°Yeah, I think Adrian is having some arranged for me.¡± The instructor seemed surprised by her words, but nodded and started to move on without further comment until Idelle spoke up again.


    ¡°Oh, one moment! Adrian mentioned weapons training, are there classes? What about for swords?¡±


    ¡°Ivar is the sword instructor, he usually begins around noon.¡± The woman explained over her shoulder as she walked away, ¡°Feel free to drill on your own until then.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if the woman heard her, but Idelle figured it didn¡¯t much matter, she¡¯d probably see her again if she was going to be staying here. Or, at least she assumed she would. She realized that she didn¡¯t really know who the woman (or indeed anyone) was. Not even their names, but the practical realities of their positions as instructors. Was she technically a recruit in the kingdom¡¯s army now? Most of the others here were wearing uniforms...


    She turned to a nearby participant in the run. ¡°Hey, so what¡¯s the situation with all this anyway?¡±


    He blinked at her. ¡°The situation with what exactly?¡±


    ¡°You know, like the instructors and stuff. Is everyone here part of the kingdom¡¯s levies?


    He gave her a funny look. ¡°The instructors? They¡¯re Princess Cecilia¡¯s personal troops. Who else would they be?¡±


    She tried not to scowl at him, telling herself that he was being nice enough to answer her questions. ¡°Oh yeah, obviously. I meant, why are they here teaching?¡±


    Now he was definitely looking at her like she was an idiot. ¡°As part of Her Highness¡¯s initiative? The one she claims will both improve training standards in the army and help to teach basic fighting to the citizenry? What are you here for if not for that?¡±


    ¡°Right, um, that makes sense. Sorry, one moment, I¡¯m new here, got to go get my gear...¡± Idelle let her fumbling series of excuses and explanations trail off as she casually strode (in what she very much hoped looked like a purposeful manner) back towards the barracks entrance. She really wished she¡¯d thought to ask Adrian these questions when they spoke this morning. Maybe she¡¯d be lucky and not run into whoever she¡¯d just made a fool of herself to again after this.


    Oh well. Since she was here, she might as well go and see if her new clothes had arrived.


    Making her way back upstairs she found that they indeed had. Someone not only had laid out on the bed the thick leather-covered gambeson, leggings, and boots that served as a uniform for the Kingdom¡¯s troops, but they had also managed to find several pairs of undergarments in what appeared to be roughly her size. She sent out a silent thanks to whoever had brought the clothes before happily changing.


    As expected, the gambeson was a little baggy and the boots a little loose around her toes, even when laced extra tight, but the rest fit well enough and she ended up setting aside what remained of her old clothes to dispose of later. All but the dress, which she carefully hung in the cabinet as a gift from Mirabel. She glanced out the window. Noon wasn¡¯t too far away. That¡¯s right, wasn¡¯t she supposed to get a sword as well?


    She looked around, and her eyes settled on the weapons rack she¡¯d noticed earlier. An inconspicuous wooden practice sword had been placed on it, complete with a simple sheath and belt. But it looked awfully big to her. She reached over and picked it up with her left hand. It didn¡¯t seem that heavy, at least. Maybe this was just the normal size?


    Shrugging, she laid it on her right hip and went to clip the belt before suddenly pausing. She hesitated, then flipped it over to lay on her left hip instead. She grabbed the hilt and slowly drew out a few centimeters of the dull wood before fully unsheathing the sword and hefting it.


    She took a practice swing, first on her right side, then with her main hand. That was odd. She had learned swordsmanship before with her off-hand? But she felt like it wasn¡¯t uncommon to fight left-handed. Maybe whatever teacher she¡¯d known had insisted on it?


    The moment of doubt blossomed into frustration and annoyance with herself. Part of her knew that it wasn¡¯t her fault she couldn¡¯t remember, but being reminded of it left her feeling foul regardless. She shoved the sword back fully in place and pushed the door open, letting her new boots stomp satisfyingly down the hallway.


    She continued down the stairs and back out into the open courtyard. Some of her fellow learners were scattered around, practicing swings, stabs and footwork with wooden training weapons both on their own and in pairs, while others had formed groups to drill both with and without apparent instruction. Idelle stepped forward, eyes roaming the field, only to suddenly freeze in place as her eyes locked onto someone.


    Standing a little ways off, with a real sword strapped to his hip instead of a wooden one, was a middle-aged man with greying hair and a strangely familiar cold half-smile.

 Chapter 11: Incongruities

    Idelle gazed across the courtyard at the man, fighting back her confusion. Who was he? Why was he here? Looking closer, she saw that a loose group had formed in front of him, all equipped like her with training swords. He was the sword instructor, then? Ivar, if she recalled correctly. Could he be someone she knew¡­?


    No, she had to think rationally about this. Why would she know this specific man? He must just remind her of the other, barely remembered teacher. They were both sword instructors, after all. They must just have the same atmosphere. Or something like that.


    Nonetheless, she felt her nerves bubbling as she cautiously approached the group. What would she do if he DID recognize her? Should she try to play it off, and figure out what he knew about her? Or should she just try to take him aside and explain the situation?


    He glanced over at her, and her heart stopped. Their eyes met and time seemed to freeze for a moment.


    Then, without any obvious hint of recognition, he made a motion for her to join the group. She started forward and quickly stood with the others. A conflicted emotion swept through her, at once relieved and disappointed. She was probably overthinking this, right? She was wearing a sword, surely that was the only reason he¡¯d invited her?


    Still, almost against her better judgment, she hesitantly spoke. ¡°...Um, excuse me, sir? Are you Ivar? The sword instructor?¡±


    He nodded, giving her an affirmative noise, and she awkwardly pressed forward. ¡°Do I know you?¡±


    He fixed his hard stare on her again at the question and she fidgeted awkwardly in place as he considered. Then, he spoke, ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of. But we¡¯ve had a lot of men come through here over the past year, too many to remember every face. Have you attended here before?¡±


    She hesitantly shook her head and he shrugged. ¡°Then perhaps you may have seen me around the city?¡±


    ¡°...Yeah. That must be it. My apologies for bothering you.¡± He made an unconcerned noise, and with one last slightly curious look he turned his gaze back to the field and away from her. Idelle looked down. Despite the negative answer, her sense of incongruity around the man had only grown. No, not just around the man. She felt like she¡¯d been here, in this very courtyard, learning from him before.


    She forcibly shook her head. The idea was silly and didn¡¯t make any sense. Why would she have been here, learning the basics of combat along with a bunch of soldiers? And how would she have ended up several hundred kilometers away on the other side of a mountain range and dangerous forest with no memories? No one here had shown even a hint of recognizing her. It was just deja-vu and her own insecurities speaking.


    Yeah. She was definitely being irrational. It would be an absurd coincidence to just happen upon someone who knew her like that. If there was one thing here that could help her remember or track down her past? It was magic. She remembered back to Cecilia, the way she had known exactly which house she was in and the little ball of warm light that held perfectly still as she moved.


    She¡¯d been too upset and scared at the time to give it much attention, but something about the memory entranced her. It¡¯d held a fantastical, strange kind of beauty. Like she had accidentally stepped into another world, a mirror of this one in which the ordinary was new and unique and a little frightening again. Like a child seeing fire for the first time.


    And more than that, it was practical. If there was a way to track down a person, surely there would be a way to track down memories. And even if not¡­ An image of a wolf, blood flowing from its ruined neck and snout, flashed through her mind and she forced it away. There was a lot she needed to understand, that was all.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    A clap sounded, breaking her free from her thoughts. Ivar was officially beginning instruction.


    He spared no time for a warmup, immediately setting them into lines and having them repeat the simple footwork he demonstrated. Three steps on each side, one moving forward, one moving backward, and one moving purely sideways. All with a sword held on guard in front of them.


    The motions seemed simple to Idelle, and a quick glance around confirmed that no one seemed to be struggling with them, but she continued without complaint. The group quickly settled into a rhythm, moving almost meditatively to Ivar¡¯s count. Finally, after a few minutes, he stopped them.


    ¡°Those of you who are new,¡± he glanced in her direction, ¡°might wonder why I spend so much time on footwork, something easily practiced on your own. The reason is simple. The sword is not a soldier¡¯s weapon, but the weapon of a dualist or a champion. Nothing about it is easy. Mastery relies on an unbreakable foundation of fundamentals.¡±


    He stepped forward into a stance and held his sword forward to demonstrate the full reach. ¡°And beyond that, a soldier with a spear or pike is far away from the enemy, be it a fellow soldier or a tainted beast. If he stumbles or loses his grip, he remains out of range of the enemy. For a swordmaster, even a single such mistake can lead to instant death.


    His sword flicked, lightning-fast, and was at the throat of the nearest student a moment before her training sword batted it aside.


    He nodded approvingly. ¡°Not bad, only a moment too slow. But nonetheless, too slow.¡± He turned back to the group. ¡°If you take one lesson away from me, let it be this one. Do not lightly pick up the sword, because it seems glamorous or heroic. If that¡¯s what you think, let it stay a hobby, or sidearm, and focus your energy elsewhere. To do otherwise is bravery and foolishness in equal measure. Now¡­¡±


    The lesson continued, as he drilled them in a series of basic motions. Thrusting, slashing, and chopping from different angles and then alongside different steps. After a while, he started to move between them and give specific pointers.


    Idelle walked through the motions despite her vague sense of shame. She remembered Adrian¡¯s earlier advice about using a spear. Wasn¡¯t learning the sword half out of pettiness and half out of some vague hunch even worse than using it to seem cool?


    ¡°Focus.¡± Ivar¡¯s voice was mild as he stopped in front of her. ¡°Your eyes are wandering. Keep them on your target, imagine where and what your sword might strike.¡±


    She flushed a little and nodded. She was here now, wasn¡¯t she? She should at least try her best. She focused, the image of huge jaws lunging for her shoulder flashing through her mind again. For a moment, she was there again, and her foot slid back as her wooden sword sliced through the air with a whoosh.


    She looked at Ivar for approval only to see his eyebrows raised quizzically. She hesitated. Had she done something wrong? He spoke before she could ask.


    ¡°You said this was your first time here. Where did you get that training sword? Did you have another teacher?¡±


    She hesitated, eyes falling onto the wooden blade in her hands before she responded. ¡°Not really¡­ Adrian arranged it for me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You must have practiced a lot then. Good work. Might I see it?¡±


    She looked up, surprised at the compliment, to see him gesturing at her sword. Confused, she handed it over. He hefted it; a flicker of outright surprise crossing his face for a moment before he handed it back. ¡°You¡¯re very strong, aren¡¯t you? This would be much too heavy for most here, even for practice. Don¡¯t overdo it, it¡¯s important to maintain good form even while you build strength.¡±


    With that, he moved on. She stared after him, then looked at the wooden sword in her hands again. She thought back to Adrian¡¯s dismissive ¡°Suit yourself.¡± earlier. She stepped forward, repeating her earlier motions, weight lightly balanced on her feet.


    Then, experimentally, she forced herself not to adjust her stance as she slashed through the air with her full force. The momentum of the swing nearly made her stumble, but she caught herself just in time. She hefted the blade in her left hand, staring at her slender arm and wrist. It really didn¡¯t feel that heavy to her. She felt equal parts giddy and uncomfortable at the realization.


    Then, she turned her head and looked back at the barracks, in the general direction of Adrian¡¯s office. Her eyes narrowed. Maybe pettiness was a good enough reason to keep practicing with a sword, after all.

 Chapter 12: Magic

    Ivar ended the lesson after only an hour or two, but Idelle (along with a few other particularly passionate peers) continued to run through the drills on her own even after he left. Somehow, even as her arms had grown a little sore and tired, the exertion kept her head clear. So much had happened all at once recently, after the weeks lost and on the road, and she felt a slight headache lurking at the back of her head that seemed to worsen whenever she tried to think through it all.


    So she didn¡¯t. Instead, she let her attention fix on her sword, on the imaginary half-seen figures she cut and thrust at. It was meditative, in a way. Her body begin to feel like it was moving on its own; like she was watching it through someone else¡¯s eyes as it flowed from step to step.


    Occasionally she would see a small change that she could make, and her foot would step a little further out or the tip of her blade rise slightly higher before falling. The motions were still simple combinations of the six steps and basic strikes she¡¯d been shown, but in her detached state of mind she realized just how much cleaner and smoother Ivar¡¯s motions had been compared to hers.


    Something about the man scared her a little. He seemed almost preternaturally fast. He¡¯d occasionally struck at others in the class to demonstrate some detail or other, and no matter how fast they reacted his blade always seemed to arrive just barely in time. She wondered if there was some trick to it, or if he was just that good.


    Slice, and thrust. Thrust, and slice.


    So it continued.


    At some point, a familiar tall blonde figure walked up to her, stopping a few meters away. She ignored them.


    Chop, thrust, and slice. Slice, and chop.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew how to use a sword.¡± Cecilia finally spoke, breaking her out of her reverie. She was wearing a dress today, woven of a smooth fabric that fell from a high waist in sweeping layers of light blue. It left her shoulders bare, and Idelle would have thought them at risk of sunburn if not for the broad hat the princess wore. And she looked like a proper princess like this. Idelle felt unreasonably annoyed at her for it.


    She shrugged in answer to the question. ¡°I didn¡¯t either.¡± She purposefully ignored the delicately raised eyebrow that served as a response to her statement. Cecilia grinned at her.


    ¡°Well, if you desire to keep practicing further, I suppose we could postpone our magic lessons for now¡­¡±


    Idelle narrowed her eyes. ¡°No, no it¡¯s quite all right, I couldn¡¯t bear to make a princess wait, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    The grin grew broader. ¡°Well, in that case, it would be my pleasure to have you attend to me. Right this way.¡±


    Idelle had no comeback to that, and somewhat begrudgingly sheathed her sword and fell in beside the taller girl. As they got to the bottom of the hill, a thought occurred to her. ¡°Do you have to talk like that? It¡¯s so stifling somehow¡­¡±


    ¡°Nope, not at all. It¡¯s not like anyone else is around to hear me~ I¡¯m just doing it to mess with you. Probably.¡±


    Idelle rubbed her temples. Her headache was coming back. ¡°Can you not right now? I¡¯m really not in the mood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop, just for you, how¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Idelle decided to leave it at that rather than continue another losing conversation with the incorrigible girl. How did you even lose a conversation? Ugh.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    They walked a little further in silence before she spoke up again. ¡°Where are we headed? Is it far?¡±


    ¡°Wyrlet¡¯s library - it¡¯s not too far. The books won¡¯t be super helpful for this, but I find the atmosphere is a great one for practicing magic.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quiet and contemplative. Very little to distract me.¡±


    Idelle hesitated. She really didn¡¯t feel in a very contemplative mood. ¡°And that¡¯s a good thing?¡±


    ¡°Yep. How much do you know about magic?¡±


    ¡°Honestly? Nothing, really.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Cecilia considered for a moment. ¡°How then, would you define magic if I asked you what it was?¡±


    Idelle thought about it. What was magic? People throwing fireballs or lightning, summoning light, or stopping wounds. What did those things have in common, really? ¡°I guess, it¡¯s maybe the ability to control things? Like fire, light, those kinds of things?¡±


    ¡°Pretty good answer. And certainly true for people. What about magic beasts? Why do we call them magic as well?¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± She¡¯d never really considered the point. ¡°I never really thought about it.¡±


    Cecilia shrugged. ¡°Some scholars might say that you were right calling magic control and that we should use a different word for them. But the more common view is something like this: Magic is the thing, some substance, that permeates the world and is acted upon directly by will.¡±


    Idelle blinked. ¡°Sorry, could you say that again?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, let me explain in a little more detail. Imagine you wanted to lift a rock. You could just reach out, and pick it up with your hand. The fact that you wanted to lift it wouldn¡¯t directly move the rock, instead, it moves your hand which then moves the rock. But suppose you wanted to lift something intangible? Something conceptual? Something like fire, or light.


    You could maybe light a torch, and move that. But magic offers a different way. It¡¯s not really like a hand, because it¡¯s something external to you. But it serves the same role as your hand and the torch. It lets you act directly on the fire, in the same way that you can move your hand to catch a ball without even thinking about it. Does that make sense?¡±


    Idelle nodded. ¡°But what does that have to do with magic beasts, then?¡±


    Cecilia shot her a pleased look. ¡°Good question. The short answer is that we don¡¯t really know. What we do know, is that in places with a lot of magic, places where reaching out to it is easier and our will can do more, we see the creation of magic beasts from their everyday counterparts. The most popular theory is that, without a conscious will of their own, the magic acts as a bridge to the beasts from somewhere else, instead of the other way round.¡±


    Idelle paused as she unraveled the implications of the words. ¡°You mean that someone is controlling them?¡±


    ¡°Someone, or something.¡±


    For the third time that day, Idelle thought back to the wolf. How it had refused to run, even when she had already dealt a likely fatal blow to it. No, the bear too. No normal shy scavenger would have tried to chase her up a tree like that. ¡°That¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    Cecilia met her eyes. ¡°It is. Still, it¡¯s just a theory. All we know is that magic beasts seem to hate conscious beings like humans despite not attacking each other. That, and¡­ You¡¯ve heard of beast waves?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°A tide of thousands or tens of thousands of magic beasts, all attacking at once. The kind of thing that destroys entire countries, like the stories of great floods or volcanos. Retribution from the dragons.¡± The stories were common knowledge, even for her.


    Cecilia coughed. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about the last part, but beast waves are real enough. They happen any time too many beasts are cursed in a given area. Something drives them to band together and attack in a mad frenzy.¡±


    She gestured around them. ¡°That¡¯s why this fortress city exists. We cull the beasts every year, but if something were to go wrong, Wyrlet is the baited trap set outside the door. The only thing standing between those beasts and the everyday people of the kingdom. Well. It¡¯s not something you or me need to worry about, in any case.¡±


    Idelle looked at the princess again. Cecilia had an ambiguous half-smile on her freckled face as she looked around her. She remembered what the teenage boy had told her earlier. An initiative to help teach the citizenry to fight, huh? ¡°Yeah. I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I usually am. Anyway, the library is just over there. No more boring theory, let me show you how it¡¯s done!¡± Idelle rolled her eyes but nonetheless found herself smiling back as they walked together over to the building Cecilia had pointed out.

 Chapter 13: Talent

    ¡°So, what do I do?¡± The two girls were sitting at a simple wooden table in a quiet corner of the library. The building seemed deserted other than the two of them and the great stacks of old leather-bound books.


    ¡°First, you need to recognize the magic.¡± Cecilia explained matter-of-factly.


    Idelle blinked. ¡°Recognize it? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Remember what I said about magic being the thing that will acts on? How do you plan to act on it if you don¡¯t even realize it¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. So how do I see it?¡±


    Cecilia made a face. ¡°It¡¯s not really seeing it. I guess you could call it sensing it?¡±


    Idelle made a face back at her. ¡°All right, how do I sense it then?¡±


    Cecilia waggled a finger at her. ¡°That¡¯s my point. You already are. Sensing it, I mean.¡±


    ¡°...No I¡¯m not. Are you making fun of me again?¡±


    ¡°Only accidentally, I¡¯m sure. Here, try this. Remember what I said about a quiet, contemplative mood? Take a minute to relax. Focus on your breathing. You can close your eyes if you like.¡±


    Idelle resisted the urge to grind her teeth. She could frankly think of more relaxing people to be here with. ¡°Ok. And then?¡±


    Cecilia stared intently at her, lips pursed. ¡°You don¡¯t look very relaxed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying, all right? Just tell me what to do after that!¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. After that, you might need to¡­ Hmmm, how to describe it. Set aside your senses? Some people describe the sensation as ¡®opening up.¡¯¡±


    Idelle frowned. ¡°Might? You don¡¯t sound very sure¡­¡±


    ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯ve been able to perceive magic around me as long as I can remember. One of the best in the royal family, remember? So I don¡¯t have much experience to work with here.¡±


    She groaned. ¡°Yeah, I remember, miss prodigy. Can you at least tell me what it looks like?¡±


    ¡°I said already, it doesn¡¯t look like anything¡ª¡± she held up a hand to stop Idelle¡¯s attempt at protest, ¡°¡ªbut, if you asked me to put it in words? For me, it¡¯s a little like being surrounded by an infinite number of little motes of light of all different colors, layered atop each other.¡±


    Idelle tried to visualize it. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that just be completely overwhelming? Blinding, even? No¡ª right, like you said, it isn¡¯t really seeing¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s why I emphasized that point. Also, it feels different for everyone. Comparisons to sight are the most common, but many describe themselves as ¡®hearing¡¯, ¡®feeling¡¯ or sometimes even ¡®smelling¡¯ the magic around them.¡± Cecilia giggled at the confused expression on Idy¡¯s face. ¡°Stop trying to think about it, just relax!¡±


    ¡°All right, all right.¡±


    It was easier said than done. Idelle took a deep breath and looked around her. The library was dimly lit, with light filtering through a distant window and casting colorful shapes onto the tall shelves of books. Was there a stained-glass window over there? She didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever seen one before. Even here glass was uncommon.


    Her gaze continued to wander the room. She realized her fingers were tapping on the edge of the table and forced them to still. She stared at Cecilia sitting next to her, her back straight and neck poised. The princess¡¯s eyes were hidden under long lashes, not quite closed but not open either, and her breathing was slow and even. Idelle tried to match her, counting the seconds as she breathed. Seven in, seven held, and seven out.


    The princess really did look like someone out of a story, like this. Graceful, elegant, and beautiful. She¡¯d set her hat on the table, and her hair seemed to catch the light as it slowly shifted with her breath. Idelle shifted awkwardly on her chair. She felt out of place, in her slightly too large gambeson and boots. Focus. She was looking for colors. Her eyes were drawn to Cecilia¡¯s hair again, the shifting reflections¡ª


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting distracted.¡± The other girl¡¯s eyes were open again and she had that obnoxious small smirk on again. Idelle did her best to imagine she was a slug and had no eyes to have just been caught staring with. It didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°...You¡¯re not helping.¡± Her attempt at a deadpan fell similarly flat, and Cecilia sighed.


    ¡°Try closing your eyes, like I mentioned earlier. There¡¯s no rush, you can take your time at it.¡±


    Idelle decided it was better to let the conversation move on rather than bring up that the other girl was the one who was rushing her. She closed her eyes. Breath in, hold, breath out. Breath in, hold, breath out...


    It wasn¡¯t working. Too many things were still lurking in the back of her mind. She tried to focus on what Cecilia had explained earlier. Magic. That¡¯s what she was here for, right? An extension of her will. The image of the wolf flashed through her head again. And worse, a distant memory of a blissful flavor and aching agony in her head. It throbbed in response and she groaned.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t working¡­ Can you explain what I do when I get it?¡±


    Cecilia nodded without complaint. ¡°Sure. Once you find the magic around us, the next step would be to figure out as best we can what affinities you have. From there, it¡¯s simply a matter of willing it. That¡¯s both the easy part and the hard part. It¡¯s like discovering you have another arm; but never learned how to write with it or do anything. It takes practice.¡±


    Idelle groaned a second time. ¡°This is plenty hard enough for me, thanks. What are affinities?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned fire, lightning, those kinds of things earlier, remember? Those are more or less your affinities. Someone with a great deal of fire affinity will be able to sense fire magic nearly anywhere and be able to engage it more readily and with less effort than someone with very little. In reality, it¡¯s a little more complicated than that, as the amount of different magics will vary from place to place, and affinities vary between different people and peoples alike, but that¡¯s the gist of it.¡±


    ¡°...So you¡¯re saying that if it¡¯s hard for me to see magic, it means my affinities are low?¡±


    Cecilia hesitated, choosing her next words carefully. ¡°Well. It could be one reason, certainly. But like I said, it¡¯s more complicated than that. I believe in you. Also, it¡¯s not seeing¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, sensing or perceiving or whatever. I get it.¡±


    Cecilia looked like she wanted to say something else, but thought better of it upon seeing Idelle¡¯s stormy expression. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a little longer. It¡¯s been a long few days for you, I imagine it¡¯s a little difficult to be relaxed and contemplative right now.¡±


    Idelle gave a begrudging grunt of agreement and closed her eyes again. Breath in, hold, breath out. Breath in. Hold. Breath out.


    Ignore the headache. Breath in. Hold. Breath out.


    Breath in. Hold. Breath out.


    She could hear her heart beating, and with a surge of surprise she realized she could hear Cecilia¡¯s beating as well, a little faster than hers. She could hear a slight rush against the outside of the building as well, and the occasional slight creak of old timbers as the building shifted and settled.


    But she wasn¡¯t looking to hear either, not really. Was there something else?


    Breath in. Hold. Breath out.


    She smelled sweat and old paper and parchment and a faint hint of flowers. Was Cecilia wearing perfume?


    Breath in. Hold. Breath out.


    Ignore the headache.


    She could see little flickering points of light dancing on the inside of her eyelids, if she focused. But that wasn¡¯t it either. That was just her eyes still, she was sure of that.


    Ignore the headache.


    Breath in. Breath out.


    She let her face fall flat onto the table with a thud. ¡°I still can¡¯t get it¡­¡±


    Cecilia patted her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll get it. I think. You were much more relaxed that time, I could tell.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I think.¡±


    Cecilia laughed at her. ¡°You should go get something to eat and drink - did you get any food between Ivar¡¯s class and when I met you?¡±


    ¡°Um. No.¡± Actually, she hadn¡¯t had anything to eat or drink since breakfast. Maybe that was the reason for her headache. The thought annoyed her. Why was she pushing so hard, anyway? No wonder she was struggling. ¡°Can I just get something at the barracks cafeteria?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re a guest there for as long as you¡¯d like. You can try again on your own this evening after you eat. Oh, and while we¡¯re at it ¡ª you don¡¯t have any money, do you?¡±


    Idelle flushed. ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Here, take this then.¡± The princess casually tossed a small pouch across at her, and she hastened to sit up and catch it. It clinked, and when she untied the neck she saw a few familiar feeling coins. ¡°You do know how the currency works, yes? Twelve Denier to the Gros, and twenty Gros to the Ecu? Not that you¡¯ll run into many of those.¡±


    She nodded dutifully.


    ¡°Perfect. Do you also remember the way back to the barracks from here?¡±


    She hesitated. ¡°Yes. Maybe.¡±


    Cecilia let out a huff of air that was suspiciously close to a disguised snort of laughter. ¡°...I¡¯ll just walk back with you, it¡¯s roughly towards the castle anyway.¡±


    Idelle mumbled out something along the lines of ¡°...thanks.¡± She was really too polite to the other girl, Idelle decided. It must just be that she was fundamentally a really nice person, even to snobbish princesses.

 Chapter 14: Insight. Or Maybe Insense?

    The two didn¡¯t speak much on the walk back to the barracks. Idelle was absorbed in her own thoughts, and Cecilia seemed content to leave her be.


    Magic was different than she expected. Less¡­ magical, as stupid as that sounded. She¡¯d always imagined it as chanted phrases and complicated gestures, not like sprouting a miraculous third limb. How was stuff like alchemy related? Part of her wanted to ask, but she wasn¡¯t in the mood for another of Cecilia¡¯s mini-lectures right now.


    The revelations about magic beasts left her feeling conflicted as well. On one hand, she was glad that she hadn¡¯t done something wrong in the forest, that there was no realistic way she could have avoided killing. On the other, the idea that the creatures were being controlled somehow and had no choice but to attack her left a bitter taste in her mouth.


    She wondered if they¡¯d had normal lives ¡ª at least until they were unlucky enough to be cursed by magic. Maybe the wolf had a wolf family, once. Then she¡¯d come along¡­


    Her eyes flicked down to glance at her left hand, as she slowly made and unclenched a fist.


    She¡¯d been trying not to think about it, but a horrible thought had been brewing in the back of her head. Nothing was controlling her, was it? She didn¡¯t feel controlled. But was that why¡­?


    Enough. She forced herself to finish the thought. Was that why she had felt the urge to drink blood? Both times she¡¯d killed. It¡¯d felt natural to her. Normal.


    She shuddered. She didn¡¯t want to think about it. She¡¯d hoped that this would provide answers, not just more questions.


    ...Was that why she couldn¡¯t use sense magic, either? Was she truly just some kind of monster, a more intelligent beast, but not at the level of a human being?


    The thought sickened her. It couldn¡¯t be. She must just be untalented. No, Cecilia was some kind of super prodigy who probably didn¡¯t realize how hard this was for normal people. She¡¯d get it soon.


    She realized her hands were clenched into fists again and forced them to relax.


    Cecilia¡¯s voice broke into her reverie. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s the barracks. Any more quick questions for me before I split off here?¡±


    Yes. Lots. She hesitated. ¡°The spell you used to track me down yesterday. What affinity was that? It didn¡¯t seem anything¡­ simple, like fire or light.¡±


    ¡°Another good question,¡± Cecilia¡¯s voice was cheerful, almost singsong, ¡°There are some pretty complicated affinities out there, too many to get into now, but that charm is actually blood magic.¡±


    Idelle started. ¡°Blood magic?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it sounds scary, I know, but it¡¯s actually quite common. Healing spells, body enhancement for warriors and hunters, some farsight spells, tracking, and communication charms. All those usually use blood magic.¡±


    ¡°Wait, then could you make someone stronger or faster with blood magic? Or change their memories or something like that?¡± The question flew out of Idelle before she had time to think.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Cecilia started to answer, then paused. ¡°Sorry, the answer to that one isn¡¯t super quick. Um. The short answer is: not permanently, and no respectively. Ask me tomorrow, if we have time to practice again and you¡¯re still curious?¡±


    Idelle did her best to hide her disappointment and nodded. ¡°Right. Sorry. I¡¯ll see you later then.¡±


    ¡°Later!¡± The princess waved a languid hand and started off down the street. Idelle stared after her a moment, then turned and walked back to the barracks. She still wasn¡¯t sure what to think of the girl, but she had other things on her mind for now. Blood magic. Cecilia had said the answer was no, but the changes to her body seemed too closely related to the things she mentioned for it to be a coincidence.


    She¡¯d have to find a chance to ask more. For now, she was going to eat and try again to ¡°sense¡± magic somehow. If she kept trying surely something she¡¯d get it tonight!


    She didn¡¯t get it that night. By the time she gave up, the sun was long set and she was too frustrated and upset to have any chance of relaxing or focusing. She finally just went to bed and quickly fell into a fitful sleep.


    ....


    Idelle woke up to bright sunlight and a chilly breeze; she¡¯d forgotten to shut the shutters on her window. She groaned, debating the merits of getting out from under the warm covers to close them and try and sleep further. In the end, she decided that if she had to get up either way, she might as well stay up.


    A few minutes later saw her wandering back into the cafeteria. It was more crowded than yesterday morning, she guessed due to the earlier hour. Military discipline, or something like that. The atmosphere was split between groups socializing and lone individuals shoveling down food with practiced efficiency before quickly heading for the door.


    She stared around, debating trying to find anyone she recognized. She choose otherwise. She was still grumpy from last night¡¯s failure and didn¡¯t feel like trying to socialize. Maybe tomorrow.


    She ate quickly and mechanically, only pausing to grab a second plate full of food after she finished her first. Huh. Her appetite was coming back, wasn¡¯t it? That felt like a good sign at least.


    Or maybe she was just still hungry from all the exercise yesterday. She stared at the door contemplatively. Why not? Maybe it¡¯d help her cheer up and focus a little. She had a thought that someone had told her once that running helped clear the mind. Too bad she couldn¡¯t remember who. Ugh.


    She brushed the thoughts aside and walked outside. The same woman as yesterday seemed to be leading a warm-up of some kind. She joined in and threw herself into focusing on the exercise.


    After the class finished, she went back up to her room to try and find her ¡°magic sense¡± again. Or at least, that was the plan.


    Unfortunately, she still found herself unable to focus. The class had brought her to another unavoidable conclusion. Wasn¡¯t she too strong? Like, way too strong? Keeping up with the strongest other soldiers had barely even been enough for her to break a sweat. She was willing to accept some degree of natural talent, but¡­


    She looked at her slender arms and body. Yeah. There was no getting around it. She was definitely far stronger than she had any right to be. She tried to think back to the days before she¡¯d fought the wolf. She¡¯d been slower, right? She wasn¡¯t totally sure, but¡­


    If that was the case, wasn¡¯t she a natural-born warrior? Or, if not born, then at least exceptionally suited for it. Wow. Part of her thought she should be disgusted at the thought. But she considered what Cecilia had told her about magic beasts, and the threat they posed. And not just that, but the way she¡¯d felt fighting the wolf. Unconsciously, she found herself smiling a little.


    ¡°Yeah. Maybe this isn¡¯t so bad.¡±


    She didn¡¯t quite know why she said the words aloud. Maybe just to reassure herself. She was starting to wish that there was another magic beast around to test some things with¡­ No, that was a dangerous line of thought.


    Focus. She was trying to master magic right now. Still¡­ She glanced out the window, trying to get an eye for the sun, and resolved to join Ivar¡¯s sword class again today. And hey, maybe she¡¯d figure this whole magic thing out before then as well. She did feel like she was in a little bit of a better mood to relax and contemplate now.

 Chapter 15: Breakthrough

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s an enigma.¡±


    ¡°You got that right. No insight into that weird magic of hers?¡±


    ¡°None. And it¡¯s like she¡¯s not even aware she¡¯s doing it.¡±


    ¡°...You don¡¯t think that she might be an enchanter, do you?¡±


    ¡°Her? No. But someone else close to her might be.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing; there¡¯s no one I could find. It¡¯s like she appeared from thin air.¡±


    ¡°More important than that, is she one of us?¡±


    ¡°I wish I knew.¡±


    ...


    Idelle stared fixedly at the wall in front of her. The light coming through her window illuminated little dancing motes of dust spiraling through the air, but she tried her best to look past them as she kept breathing slow and deep. Only the wall appeared behind them.


    No, that wasn¡¯t quite true. She felt like she could see just a slight hint of something. Almost like the flicker of motion left by a shadow moving in the corner of her eye. But whenever she tried to focus on it the feeling would vanish.


    Or maybe the whole thing was just her imagination. She heard a distant bell chime and frowned. She hadn¡¯t yet figured out which pattern (presumably) represented the hour, and which the half-hour. Still, if she wanted to join the sword class, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to go now. She got the impression that the instructors showed up on their own terms and time, anyway.


    When she arrived outside she found that Ivar had indeed already started leading a warmup. She joined in, finding the repetitive motions a good fit for her already meditative state of mind. No need to worry about fidgeting or shifting postures when you were already moving.


    Even after only a single day of practice, the steps felt natural and fluent to her. The thought passed through her head that she surely must have learned something similar to this before. Either that, or whatever was going on with her body also made her a genius at swordsmanship, but she found that unlikely. Magical strength was one thing, but completely removing the need for practice to master skills seemed beyond the pale, at least based on everything (admittedly very little) she knew of magic.


    Eventually, Ivar again moved on to practicing basic strikes and incorporating them with the footwork. She wondered if this was all he taught. Maybe there was a more advanced class at some other time, or on a weekly basis? She¡¯d have to ask someone at some point.


    For the moment, however, practicing basics felt like more than enough. Just like the other day, she found herself falling into an easy rhythm. Slice, and thrust. Thrust, and slice.


    Ivar¡¯s voice as he counted fell into the background. This really was nice¡­ Just focusing on her body and sword as she repeated the movements over and over again. She looked over at the instructor, trying to find the small differences between his motions and hers and adjust. It was almost like playing a little game.


    Slice. Slice. Thrust. Slice.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Something seemed funny about Ivar¡¯s motions. No, not the motions. Rather, his figure itself seemed to shimmer slightly, like a distant image in the heat. She put it out of her mind, remembering his previous comment about being distracted. Just keep focusing on the wooden blade in her hands.


    Still, it niggled at her. The slight shimmer wasn¡¯t leaving, and she could see it out of the corner of her eye on the other students around her as well. No, it seemed almost omnipresent, only much fainter outside of their forms.


    Ugh, focus! She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate. Slice, thrust, and chop. Slice, and thrust. She tried to ignore the flickering as Ivar walked over to her side of the group.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a useless exercise, but is there any reason you¡¯re practicing with your eyes closed?¡±


    Idelle¡¯s eyes snapped back open. For a second, the shimmer was gone, but after a moment of confusion she realized it was still there if she looked for it. No, not looked. She couldn¡¯t look with her eyes closed. A grin spread across her face.


    Then she realized Ivar was still standing in front of her, waiting for an answer. ¡°Sorry. Yes actually. I guess there is. Is it all right if I leave the class early?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself, it¡¯s not mandatory.¡±


    ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ll be back tomorrow but this is important!¡± She ignored the curious eyes from a few of her peers and almost sprinted back to her room to sit herself on her bed again. She let herself breath deeply and focus. It was still there, right?


    Slowly, she became aware of it again. It was muted, barely perceptible, but it was there. A ubiquitous feeling of slight motion, that permeated the very air and walls around her. No wonder she couldn¡¯t find it before, it was so faint outside of people!


    A thought struck her, and she looked (well, not exactly looked, but she figured the word was clear enough now that she¡¯d found it) down at herself. She almost gasped. Not only was the flickering sensation as strong as it was on the other people earlier, but she could see a further, even stronger shimmer, running almost like a web or series of thin tree branches through her body and coming together in her chest.


    Her blood vessels and heart? It must be. She grinned again. So she was right, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence and she really DID have something to do with blood magic. Or at least had a natural affinity for it, with how much easier it was to sense for her than the other magic around her.There was no way there wasn¡¯t some relation.


    Now then. What had Cecilia said the next step was? She paused. Actually, they hadn¡¯t really gotten that far, had they? She¡¯d mostly just explained affinities. She was getting ahead of herself here.


    But she didn¡¯t even know if Cecilia was going to be available again today. She could go ask Adrian, he might know? She hesitated, not wanting to annoy the man when he probably had important Lieutenant things to do, but in the end her impatience won out and she ran back downstairs to find his office.


    ¡°Hey, will C¡ª Her Highness be stopping by again today? Do you know when?¡±


    He did not, to her annoyance. She considered going back to her room, but in the end decided to just suppress her excitement for now and go rejoin the swordsmanship lesson.


    Idelle received a few more curious glances as she went back out, but no one said anything. Still, her heart wasn¡¯t in it anymore, and when the lesson finished she quickly found herself standing by the edge of the courtyard lost in practicing her new ¡°magic-sight¡±. She hoped the name would annoy Cecilia. The more she practiced, the easier she found it to pick out the sensation among her other senses, as well as make out fainter and fainter shimmers.


    She realized that there were layers to it as well, as if multiple different shimmers were stacked atop each other, though they were hard to make out clearly and were easily muddled together. She tried to tease them apart, but the exercise eluded her, and before she could make any progress she saw a familiar figure walk into the other side of the courtyard. Grinning, she had to stop herself from dashing over.


    ¡°Cecilia! I figured it out!¡±


    The other girl raised an eyebrow into a by-now familiar expression. ¡°Good for you, I was beginning to worry that I¡¯d taken on an incompetent student.¡±


    Idelle rolled her eyes. ¡°Maybe you just have unrealistic standards, did you ever think of that? Anyway, what do I do now?¡±


    ¡°Well, we need to take a stab at your affinities and then try out some easy spells. Do you wanna go to the library again?¡±


    ¡°No, can we stay here today? I want to try right away!¡±


    Cecilia grinned at her enthusiasm. ¡°Works for me. Lets at least go to your room, though.¡±


    Idelle nodded and excitedly led the way.

 Chapter 16: Magic: Redux

    ¡°So, what do I do? How do I actually cast something?¡±


    ¡°Slow down, like I said, figuring out your affinities comes first.¡± Cecilia had made herself at home in Idelle¡¯s room, plopping herself onto the side of the bed across from her.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s blood magic. At least, my magic-sight is the strongest when looking at other people.¡±


    Cecilia made a face at her. ¡°Magic-sight? It¡¯s not¡­ Well, never mind, if it works for you. That does sound like blood magic, or at least something related.¡±


    ¡°Something related?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The categories aren¡¯t really something fundamental to magic, but more about how people internalize them. Kind of like the difference between a knife and a sword, there¡¯s no hard line you can draw that won¡¯t seem wrong to some people.¡±


    ¡°Huh. I guess that makes sense. Could you have stuff like heat affinity instead of fire, then?¡±


    The other girl gave her a thumbs up. ¡°That¡¯s right! But don¡¯t worry about it, there isn¡¯t really a practical difference when starting out, its more of a subject for advanced magic when you learn to customize your spells. In any case, blood magic isn¡¯t very easy to learn with, where else do you perceive a lot of magic? Spread through the air? Or more in the walls and ground?¡±


    Idelle hesitated. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s pretty faint everywhere else. But there¡¯s definitely some in the air around me.¡±


    Cecilia nodded. ¡°Lets just try some simple charms with common affinities then. A good light affinity is normal for humans, how does that sound to try?¡±


    ¡°All right! What do I do? You said something about ¡®willing it¡¯ yesterday?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Just let yourself perceive the magic again, and then mentally reach out to what feels like the right kind of magic as you build yourself an image of what you want to happen. It should be as detailed and complete as possible, so using a super simple concept is best. A featureless sphere of white light, for example.¡± She held out her hand. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    Idelle watched carefully. Cecilia stared at her for a moment, lips slightly pursed as she took a slow breath, and just like that a small ball of light, around the size of a marble, faded into existence just above her hand. Fascinated, Idelle leaned in closer, brushing aside the hair that fell into her face. ¡°That¡¯s all there is to it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Give it a try.¡± Cecilia closed her hand, and the light was gone.


    She sat up straight in her chair, trying to focus on the magic again. It was a little counterproductive, as she found herself just staring at Cecilia with her physical eyes. Relax first, she reminded herself. Slowly, she let her attention drift until it was caught again by the strange flickering shimmers of motion. That was it.


    Now, an image. She tried to visualize the orb Cecilia had just displayed. A perfect circle, no matter what angle it was viewed from. The light from it shining. She felt for a moment as if her mind was brushing up against something soft.


    Detailed and complete... Her imagined light needed something to illuminate. She tried to picture how it might cast shadows and light up the area around her hand, continuing to fill in the details as best as she could. Not just the shadows, but also the reflections it might leave in Cecilia¡¯s eyes and hair. Good. She felt the touch again, only this time it persisted.


    She looked down. A tiny spot of dim light had appeared above her hand. She grinned in triumph. ¡°There! I did it!¡±


    The light went out. She stared in utter disappointment, hearing a suppressed snort, then looked up to meet the other girl¡¯s eyes. Cecilia¡¯s face was expertly schooled into a completely blank expression. ¡°Did what? I didn¡¯t see?¡±


    Idelle glared at her. ¡°Yes, you did! I heard you! I cast the charm! Only it went out.¡±


    Cecilia¡¯s composure broke and she let out a rather unladylike giggle, one that Idelle found herself completely unable to not smile back at. ¡°Yeah, well done. As you¡¯ve found, the hardest part of magic is maintaining the attention needed to keep the spell active until it¡¯s no longer needed. Without that, magical fire will go out before it can alight anything and magical light will disappear before you have a chance to see anything. Keeping that focus while doing other things is a skill that takes a great deal of practice, and skilled magicians like myself can even cast multiple spells at once.¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Idelle mentally compared her tiny, momentary light to the bright and stable shine that the princess had summoned. And she could do multiple at once? As much as she hated to admit it, that was insanely impressive. ¡°Is that why you said that blood magic couldn¡¯t make someone stronger permanently?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Many powerful warriors and hunters learn to augment their own bodies while they fight, but it requires enormous skill to maintain such spells while focusing on combat, doubly so when receiving blows or in pain.¡±


    Idelle thought for a moment, then pressed on with another question. ¡°Then, what was the long answer you mentioned? Is there a way around the limitation of needing to focus?¡±


    Cecilia didn¡¯t respond immediately, her expression pensive. ¡°Not so much around it as beyond. But yes. Some rare magicians have touched on what we call enchanting, the art of permanently reshaping reality with their will. But that¡¯s a topic far beyond me ¡ª much less you.¡±


    She gave Idelle a long stare as she said the words, and Idelle found her face reddening as she looked away. ¡°I was just curious. Is it some big secret? You don¡¯t have to tell me if it is.¡±


    ¡°No, not a secret I guess. Just too complicated and poorly understood for me to give much insight. The scholars at the magic academy in Hudbria love to come up with theories on enchantment and how it relates to magic, there may be some works regarding it in the library if you¡¯re interested.¡±


    She grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m good enough at reading for something that technical. But¡ª¡± She looked back up and met the other girl¡¯s eyes¡ª ¡°Thank you for teaching me. It¡¯s really helpful! I know you feel bad, but you still didn¡¯t have to do this.¡± She felt awkward the moment she said it, and looked down again. Dragons, she sounded like such a dork.


    With her eyes fixed on her hands, she missed the shadow of something passing across Cecilia¡¯s face, and it disappeared as the princess grinned at her. ¡°It¡¯s all right, you helped me break into the city, didn¡¯t you? I owed you one.¡±


    ¡°You say that, but I don¡¯t think I really did anything. I don¡¯t think I would have even done it if not for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Details, details. Just don¡¯t get too used to it, I¡¯m very busy you know.¡±


    Idelle nodded obediently. ¡°Oh, but do you have time to explain how the tracking spell worked? That way I¡¯ll be able to find you, too!¡±


    Cecilia opened her mouth, then closed it. ¡°Uh, sure, but it might not be too useful. The principle is simple, you just take use a tiny piece of the person¡¯s magic to create a mental image of something that you associate with tracking or direction. I use a compass, but a dowsing rod or even a map ¡ª if you know the area well ¡ª will work. The tricky part is getting someone¡¯s specific magic; the other day I just cast the spell as you ran, but otherwise I would need something like a piece of hair, or better yet some of your blood.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Idelle was a little disappointed. ¡°So to track you down, I¡¯d either need to cast the spell constantly from the moment you leave or steal some of your blood?¡±


    ¡°Good luck, but yes. Anything beyond that falls more under the purview of scrying spells, and those are advanced spells that use multiple types of magic to combine effects.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. Is that how communication spells work as well?¡±


    Cecilia had a slightly amused look on her face. ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re actually pretty smart, aren¡¯t you? A practiced magician can use someone¡¯s blood to send messages silently and near-instantly even in the chaos of a battlefield. Of course, it¡¯s a sign of trust to give your blood to someone in the first place given some of the other uses, and it¡¯s also possible to learn spells to erase your own magic signature from anything other than your immediate self.¡±


    Idelle sighed. ¡°Magic really has a lot of limitations, huh?¡±


    The other girl shrugged. ¡°I guess it depends on your point of view. In my mind, the real source of the limitations is just the people doing the casting. We stick to simple, common, vivid images and effects like balls of light or fire because that¡¯s the only way we can focus our will well enough to cast strong magic. But in theory, anything you can imagine should be possible if you can truly understand and believe in what you¡¯re doing. The enormous time and effort needed for practice to mastery are the only true barrier.¡±


    Her pathetic little smudge of light flashed through her head again, and Idelle nodded. No wonder that most people would rather find a crossbow than learn to attack someone with magic.


    Cecilia glanced at her with a slightly stern look, betrayed only by the hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. ¡°Speaking of practice, enough questions. Try it again, and I¡¯ll explain a few other common practice images you can try. I won¡¯t have a lazy student~¡±.


    Idelle rolled her eyes and did her best to recreate her earlier feat, with mixed success.

 Chapter 17: Night and Day

    Her private lesson continued a little while longer, as they went over the images and ideas for charms in several useful schools of magic. A little dust devil for wind, a droplet of water, a ball of flame to light candles, and finally a complicated three-dimensional pattern that Cecilia called a ¡°field¡± that could be used to attract metal. The last one was apparently found by studying lodestones and compasses.


    Idelle couldn¡¯t manage to cast most of them. Cecilia had a few minor tips on how different visualizations could adjust the charm¡¯s effects (or even help cast at all), but Idelle got the impression that she really just needed a lot of practice at this point. Cecilia nodded when she brought it up.


    ¡°That¡¯s the right attitude to have, for sure. Other people¡¯s theory is helpful, but there¡¯s no substitute for hard work and experimentation. I think you¡¯ll have plenty of time for that, though, as I¡¯m probably going to be a little busy coming up. Sorry.¡±


    Idelle looked at her quizzically. ¡°What is it you do, anyway? Princess isn¡¯t exactly a job title, last time I checked.¡±


    Cecilia laughed. ¡°That¡¯s true enough. Technically, I don¡¯t have any real position in the hierarchy here, I¡¯m just a guest. But in practice I managed to come to an arrangement, shall we say, with the Duke here at Wyrlet. It¡¯s all pretty complicated and boring, but the short of it is that my personal troops are working with the garrison here to conduct an experiment of sorts. Or maybe I should say that they¡¯re proving a hypothesis.¡±


    Something about her voice made Idelle think that there was more to the situation than she was letting on, but she didn¡¯t want to pry too much. ¡°Someone mentioned some of it to me. He made it sound like you were a reformer, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a fair way to put it. But in practice, everything costs money and there¡¯s a great deal of organization and logistics involved. Not to mention keeping the Duke happy about the whole thing. It can get pretty hectic.¡± Cecilia looked at her with a wicked smile. ¡°Fortunately, I have the occasional way to blow off steam.¡±


    Idelle shot her an aggrieved look. ¡°I noticed. Thank you for making time for me, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°It was my pleasure~¡±


    They said their goodbyes soon after. But the conversation stuck in Idelle¡¯s thoughts despite that. Now that she thought about it, she felt kinda awkward just going with the flow like this. Cecilia really had helped her out a lot, even if she WAS a little bit of a jerk about it. There must be something she could do to help out the other girl¡¯s project.


    After all, it seemed like magic wasn¡¯t yet going to provide any easy answers about her situation, or a way to help her amnesia. She sighed. Part of her wanted to just grill Cecilia on blood magic, as that seemed the most relevant, but it felt like such a suspicious line of questioning somehow. She was honestly terrified of how people might react if they found out what she could do. Especially when all she knew about it herself was that it was very much not normal, and might have something to do with blood magic.


    Yeah. Better to take it slow. She¡¯d keep practicing magic, and find some way to help Cecilia in the meantime. She didn¡¯t want to be a freeloader, even if the other girl seemed to take some perverse joy in their time together.


    In the meantime, back to practice. Despite her struggles, she stubbornly kept at it until long after the sun set, taking only a short break to find another heaping plate of food. By the time she fell asleep, her head felt foggy and she had another mild headache.


    ¡­


    Idelle stood in a familiar featureless room, her only company a bed and a small table. It felt small, claustrophobic, the walls seeming to close in on her from every side. She turned around, looking for the door.


    It wasn¡¯t behind her. She turned around again. Cecilia was there with her. Maybe she¡¯d know.


    ¡°Cici, where¡¯s the door?¡± The princess didn¡¯t reply, only staring at her. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±


    There was. Something wet was on her cheeks, running over her lips. She reached up with her left hand and touched her face. Her fingers came away smeared with a glossy red, unnaturally bright in the dim room. She stared at it.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Then Cecilia was lunging at her, a shimmering sword in hand. Idelle twisted out of the way, grabbing the other girl¡¯s sword hand and biting into her neck. Something sweet and warm filled her mouth and ran down her throat. Cecilia was laughing hysterically at her as they tumbled onto the ground together, a horrible harsh noise filled with scorn and hatred.


    No, that wasn¡¯t right. She was the one laughing. She looked down at the other girl. Only her reflection stared back, eyes wild and manic as she laughed with tears pouring down her face. She sank slowly, still laughing, as fluid poured into her nose and mouth and choked her. Surrounded her. Crushed her. She couldn¡¯t breathe¡­


    She sat up in bed and took a deep shuddering breath as she finally broke free from the nightmare. Her heart was pounding, each pulse sending a wave of painful pressure through her head. She pressed her face into her hands and forced herself to breathe normally despite the way her breath hitched.


    Slowly, she calmed down. It was just a dream. It didn¡¯t mean anything. Just a bad dream, that was all. She repeated the words like a mantra. Her heartbeat gradually returned to normal. She was calm, nothing was wrong.


    Despite that, it took her what felt like an hour curled into a small ball under the covers until she finally fell back into another fitful night of sleep.


    ¡­


    The light filling her room finally woke Idelle fully despite the blankets over her face. She stumbled her way out of the bed and wandered over to the window. She¡¯d left the shutters open again, but she realized she kind of appreciated waking up to the light. She took a deep breath of the cold air. Yeah. The nightmares seemed distant now as if they were nothing more than little puddles being evaporated off by the intensifying rays of light. Just bad dreams.


    She should worry about things in the real world. Like how to help Cecilia. That was a good thought. She padded downstairs for breakfast and ate with purpose before heading over to Adrian¡¯s office.


    She found him behind a desk, carefully reading through a series of official-looking documents. Reports on something or other she supposed. She noticed today that his office had doors adjoining to several adjacent rooms; one was open and she could see a glimpse of another man in uniform studiously filling out forms. A secretary of some kind? Maybe he was the one who delivered clothes and stuff up to her room, she couldn¡¯t imagine the vaguely stuffy Lieutenant doing it himself despite his diligence.


    Adrian looked up at her a few moments after she awkwardly came through the door. She winced slightly at his expression; it veritably screamed ¡°Oh great, you again.¡± But he smoothed his face back out into a pleasant smile before speaking.


    ¡°Is there anything else I can help you with, Miss?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, actually. I was wondering if there was anything I could help Her Highness with. Since I¡¯m staying here anyway, and everything.¡±


    She looked at his face for a further reaction, but he seemed merely contemplative at her words. ¡°There¡¯s certainly plenty of work to do. Are you a practiced scribe? Or do you have experience with logistics in some fashion? I wouldn¡¯t have expected it, but¡­¡±


    Ah. ¡°Um... I don¡¯t think so?¡±


    His face fell at that. ¡°It¡¯s a yes or no question, miss. Do you or don¡¯t you?¡±


    She winced again. ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have experience as an officer, then? I did hear that you¡¯re reasonably skilled with a sword.¡±


    She really hadn¡¯t thought this through very well, had she? ¡°No, not that either. I don¡¯t actually have any military experience, I guess. But I¡¯ve fought before!¡±


    Adrian seemed to slump slightly lower behind his desk every time she responded. ¡°The rumor did reach me that you¡¯re physically talented, but did you have something specific in mind you felt you could help with? We¡¯re hardly short of soldiers¡­¡±


    ¡°Ummmm¡­. I was hoping you could help me with that part?¡±


    He gave her a long look. ¡°I guess you can join the training team participating in beast hunts, if you like. Will that be sufficient for your purposes?¡±


    She twisted awkwardly in place at the undertone of sarcasm in his words. ¡°Yeah, um. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°This is my job, you don¡¯t need to thank me. Go find Sergeant Cateline, she runs hunting drills in the courtyard on the second, fourth, and sixth days of every week at two hours past noon. Tell her you¡¯re joining the hunting team and she¡¯ll place you appropriately. And you can go to her with further needs. Got all that?¡±


    Idelle hesitated. ¡°Once more?¡±


    Adrian was putting a truly stupendous amount of effort into not frowning at her. ¡°Sergeant Cateline, in the courtyard, on the second, fourth, and sixth days at two hours past noon.¡±


    She quickly nodded several times. ¡°Got it, got it. Two, four, and six, at two hours past noon.¡± She quickly started to flee the room, then paused and turned back around at the door. ¡°Er. What day is it today?¡±


    His response wasn¡¯t even angry, it came in the sad, empty tone of a man who had been completely defeated and knew that the only choice was to accept his fate. ¡°It¡¯s the fourth day of the week.¡±


    Idelle hastily left him to his work.

 Chapter 18: Fitting In

    Sergeant Cateline was a swarthy woman whose delicate face stood in contrast to her stern expression. Upon finding out about Idelle¡¯s lack of experience, she sent her to grab a training spear and participate in group drills. Her explanation that she was already trained with a sword was immediately overruled; the woman tersely explained that she needed to know what everyone else was going to be doing regardless so she might as well just learn to stab things along with them.


    That seemed logical enough, so she obeyed without further complaint. She soon found herself part of an impromptu squad, practicing moving in formation with the long shafts of wood and quickly arranging into lines at the Sergeant¡¯s orders to present a solid wall of spears several layers deep.


    She had to admit, the tactics seemed enormously effective in their simplicity. Any of the oversized magic beasts she¡¯d encountered would either be forced back or impale themselves on the layered rows of points, turning even the simple wooden spears they were training with into deadly tools.


    A second set of drills revealed the final piece of the puzzle; a further group of soldiers with crossbows could march in the middle of the group, where they could fire volleys with impunity from behind the bristling lines of spears. Assuming, of course, that those in front kept their cool and maintained the formation properly. She guessed that this was the logic behind sending rookies as part of the hunting teams; it seemed about as safe a method as reasonably possible for building actual fighting experience.


    The exercises continued a while longer; until Cateline called for a break. Most of the other soldiers flopped down in the shade to relax or went to get a drink of water, but one of them walked up to Idelle, looking a little nervous. She cringed a little internally as she recognized him as the clean-cut teenager she¡¯d spoken with after the run a few days ago ¡ª but his words took her by surprise.


    ¡°Hey, uh. Sorry if I was rude the other day. I didn¡¯t realize you were a friend of Her Highness until I saw you two talking later. You should have said something!¡±


    She flashed a smile at him, embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s all right. We¡¯re¡­ Well, it¡¯s a little complicated.¡±


    He returned her look with a grin of his own. ¡°Still, I should have guessed. No stupid questions, right? I¡¯m Clovis.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Idelle. Is it that unusual to know Cecilia?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°More or less? She¡¯s supposed to have been a bit of a black sheep among her peers since she arrived in the kingdom, even if she¡¯s popular among the masses. Being born to a branch of the family who was in exile at the time will do that, I suppose. But you¡¯d probably know more about that than me.¡±


    She hesitated, wondering if it was weird to question him further. No, she was being paranoid, there was no reason not to be honest with him. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think I do. She doesn¡¯t talk about her past much¡­ I didn¡¯t even know she was born in exile, actually.¡±


    He blinked, looking surprised. ¡°Really? I assumed that was where you¡¯d met her. How did you end up meeting a princess, then? Or are you more important than you look, and I¡¯m being rude again?¡±


    It was Idelle¡¯s turn to shrug. ¡°No, I¡¯m not important. Like I said, it¡¯s complicated, we just kind of met, I guess. Can you tell me more about her?¡±


    Clovis¡¯s face radiated curiosity. ¡°Sure, not that I know much, but only if you tell me how you met her. Seem fair?¡±


    ¡°...All right, that¡¯s fair enough. It¡¯s nothing special. So why was she in exile?¡±


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°No, she wasn¡¯t in exile ¡ª her father was. The politics behind it aren¡¯t common knowledge, but the rumor was that he had a falling out with the old king because he supported his father, the king¡¯s younger brother, as successor over the king¡¯s children.¡±


    He lowered his voice into a conspiratorial tone. ¡°Others say that he spearheaded a plot to that end, intending to murder his own nephew. But I don¡¯t know if I believe it. Either way, he was stripped of his titles and banished into the far south. Only his wife and a few loyal retainers went with him.


    Apparently, everyone thought he was good as dead until he turned back up a few years ago with only a daughter and what must have been some truly spectacular information about the demons¡¯ military plans. Or at least, that¡¯s the official reason why he had his title restored. And I do believe that, given our resounding victory and how much land we took in the last war.¡±


    Idelle was fascinated by the story despite herself. She hadn¡¯t realized so much intrigue was involved in royal succession. ¡°So what then? How¡¯d she end up here? And what happened to her mother?¡±


    ¡°Dead in childbirth, supposedly. And as far as the princess being here in Wyrlet, she volunteered. I guess she doesn¡¯t get along with her father and wanted to prove herself to the king on her own or something like that. But that¡¯s about all I know, it¡¯s your turn to spill the beans!¡±


    Idelle sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not much of a story. We met outside Wyrlet, and she decided to play a prank on me by helping me sneak in. We ran into Lieutenant Adrian and I ran for it, but she found me and agreed to teach me magic.¡±


    She paused. Clovis was giving her a profoundly weird look. ¡°What?¡±


    He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to tell me, but can¡¯t you make up a better story than that? You¡¯re saying you just happened to run into a Princess hanging around outside the city and somehow not only did she let you into the city but agreed to teach you magic?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not making it up! It¡¯s the truth. Wouldn¡¯t I make something boring and believable up if I wanted to lie?¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Uh-huh. So then what¡¯s so special about you that royalty is just spontaneously deciding to befriend you?¡±


    She paused. ¡°Um. I¡¯m really strong, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Riiiight. What dark secret are you hiding, seducer of princesses?¡±


    Idelle looked away awkwardly and coughed. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    He cackled. ¡°I was just joking, but you make it sound like you actually DO have a dark secret!¡±


    Oops. She quickly blurted out the first thing that came to mind. ¡°You know, gotta distract from my secret trysts with royalty.¡±


    He laughed even harder at that, and she blushed despite herself. Was that really the best she could come up with? Oh well, at least it seemed to have worked. Clovis gave her another friendly grin. ¡°Well, you can tell me the juicy details sometime when we¡¯re better friends, how¡¯s that?¡±


    She rolled her eyes, doing her best to ignore his teasing. ¡°You¡¯re only setting yourself up for disappointment, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have some good gossip sooner or later if she¡¯s really teaching you magic.¡±


    Idelle paused and leaned in a little closer to him. ¡°Actually. There is one thing. Did you know that she¡¯s¡­¡± He leaned in as well to catch her words. ¡°...kind of a huge nerd?¡±


    She was rewarded with another snort of laughter before Clovis responded. ¡°I think all royalty are nerds by our standards. Too much time spent learning etiquette and history or something like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe. But you better not actually tell her I said that either way. I¡¯m trusting you here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure, like I¡¯m going to get to meet the princess any time soon. Stop assuming us mortals get to hobnob around with nobility like you, Miss ¡®really strong, I guess¡¯.¡±


    Their cheerful banter continued for another minute or two until the Sergeant called for everyone to resume drills.

 Chapter 19: Acclimatization

    Idelle¡¯s life settled into a comfortable routine over the next few days. Cecilia didn¡¯t find her for more magic lessons, as expected, but she kept busy enough with practicing the basic charms she¡¯d already been taught and her new training on the hunting team.


    Her nights were seemingly peaceful as well; if she had further nightmares she neither woke from them nor remembered them come morning, a fact she was very thankful for.


    With the now quite friendly Clovis having broken the ice, she found herself opening up and making conversation with a few of her other peers under Sergeant Cateline. One of them, a chatty and girl named Martine who was deceptively quick on her feet, was horrified to find out that she didn¡¯t have any other clothes to speak of. She insisted on dragging Idelle across the city to a street near the merchant tailor¡¯s company, where she quickly found herself being led through various stores in search of the latest and greatest fashions.


    Idelle tried to protest that she didn¡¯t really need more clothes, but her objections were overruled, with Martine informing her that ¡°You¡¯re a friend of the Princess, after all! You need at least one nice dress so you don¡¯t embarrass her.¡±


    She kind of worried about what kind of rumors Clovis was spreading about her relationship with Cecilia, but unfortunately that ship seemed to have sailed.


    Regardless, having made the mistake of mentioning that she had some money, the two of them ended up wandering through rows of simple but beautiful dresses with another friend of Martine¡¯s. The other two girls seemed more excited on her behalf than she was, but she found herself enjoying the experience despite herself. The dresses were very pretty, after all, and she wondered what Cecilia would think of them. The princess didn¡¯t seem to be the sort to spend money frivolously but royalty was royalty, after all, surely she had a fairly extensive wardrobe?


    In the end, after consultation with her more fashion-minded new friends, she settled on an elegant high-waisted black dress set off with white trim, small embroidered stars, and a large ribbon. She worried it might look a little childish, but was assured that it was very fashionable and went wonderfully with her hair. It did take most of the funds that Cecilia gave her, but she figured that it wasn¡¯t like she had anything else to spend it on.


    After that, the three of them wandered their way back to the cafeteria at the barracks, where Idelle greatly impressed them with her appetite.


    A few days later, Cateline announced that the next training expedition would be leaving in two days¡¯ time, and anyone who was comfortable joining could do so. Idelle didn¡¯t deliberate long over the decision; she¡¯d fought and killed magic beasts alone and unarmed before, what did she have to be afraid of? Before the day arrived, however, she received another note from Cecilia asking if she could make herself available that evening for another magic lesson. She happily accepted.


    When she met the Princess at the library again later that day, she couldn¡¯t help but notice the bags under the other girl¡¯s eyes. She hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should mention it or not, but remembered Clovis¡¯s words about Cecilia and decided to push ahead as she waved a hand in greeting. ¡°Hey again. You look tired, busy week?¡±


    Cecilia gave her an elegant shrug. ¡°Something like that. A few plans have to be pushed ahead of schedule, nothing I can¡¯t handle.


    Idelle flashed her an awkward smile. ¡°Don¡¯t overwork yourself, it¡¯s all right to take a break.¡±


    ¡°Is it? You don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m working on.¡± Idelle fidgeted at her blunt tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair enough.¡± The conversation lapsed for a moment into an awkward silence, then Cecilia shook her head and smiled back at her.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t mean to be rude. I just have a lot on my mind. My bad,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right. Want to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe some other time. We¡¯ve got your magic to work on, after all. How did your practice go?¡±


    Idelle winced. ¡°Honestly, it didn¡¯t feel that great¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯m very good at magic.¡±


    Cecilia snorted. ¡°Already giving up? It¡¯s only been a week since you started, did you expect to be doing miracles by now?¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Idelle said, looking a little wronged. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was giving up, just that I didn¡¯t think I was very good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that. Let¡¯s have a demonstration ¡ª can you show me the light charm?¡±


    Idelle didn¡¯t like the hint of a smirk playing around the other girl¡¯s lips, but she did her best to thrust her feelings aside and focus. She took a few slow breaths, trying to let herself fall into the almost meditative state she sometimes grasped. Then she let her mind expand into the ever more familiar world of her magic sight. At least that was coming more easily.


    Cecilia waited calmly without pressuring her. Idelle was grateful for that. She took a moment more to build the charm in her mind¡¯s eye and then willed it into being. A miniature sphere of dim light slowly materialized in front of her, and she focused, trying to make it brighter. Her light didn¡¯t flicker any longer, but it was still dimmer than even the smallest candle.


    Cecilia watched for a moment then nodded approvingly. ¡°Not bad. What makes you think you¡¯re doing bad?¡±


    The light winked back out at the disruption to her focus, and Idelle sighed. ¡°Mostly that, honestly. I can¡¯t seem to do anything else without losing it.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it, it¡¯s like playing the clavichord and singing at once. Once one becomes automatic, you can let yourself think about the other, you know?¡±


    Idelle pursed her lips, frowning slightly. ¡°Um. I don¡¯t think I do know. I don¡¯t actually know what a clavichord is.¡±


    Cecilia giggled at her expression. ¡°Sorry, sorry. It¡¯s a musical instrument, you use a series of keys to strike strings. Talented players can play a different rhythm with each hand and sing all at once, so it makes a good analogy for magic and casting multiple spells.¡±


    She made an understanding noise. ¡°It sounds nice... Do you know how to play one?¡±


    ¡°Not really, I¡¯m afraid, though the Duke has one in his manor house.¡±


    Idelle grinned at her. ¡°Maybe you should learn, you seem like you could use a hobby.¡±


    Cecilia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Maybe you should stop changing the topic away from your magic lessons.¡±


    Idelle raised her hands in mock defeat. ¡°All right, all right. So you¡¯re saying I just need more practice, then.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah, more or less. It took me most of a year before I could consistently cast a charm for light while talking and moving around, it¡¯s a surprisingly tricky technique.¡±


    Idelle sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything easier I could work on? Or another blood magic charm, since that¡¯s apparently my best affinity?¡±


    Cecilia paused a moment, considering. ¡°Actually¡­ You¡¯ve been attending swordmaster Ivar¡¯s training sessions, yeah? He mentioned that you were competent, that¡¯s quite a high compliment coming from him. You could join his more advanced session and see if you can convince him to teach you basic body enhancement.¡±


    She brightened up at the words. ¡°Did he really say that? I feel like all he does is criticize, I was starting to think I should give up on the sword and use a spear like everyone says.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s like that with everyone, don¡¯t take it personally. There¡¯s few people more skilled in a duel than he is, and he takes great pride in his high standards. And there¡¯s not much point to swords in everyday dire beast suppression, it¡¯s true, but they¡¯re quite versatile and you¡¯ll be thankful for bringing one if your spear breaks. Or¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°If ya ever end up in a proper war.¡±


    Idelle shuddered and looked away towards the barely visible stained glass. ¡°Let¡¯s hope not. I wouldn¡¯t want to kill other people.¡± In her contemplation, she missed the odd look that passed over Cecilia¡¯s face.


    ¡°Few people do. Weird how many end up doing it regardless.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°In any case, let¡¯s see your best attempt at the other charms I showed you, sound good?¡±


    Idelle gave a firm nod and focused again, determined to show the results of her hard work practicing.


    The rest of the lesson flew by quickly after that, to Idelle¡¯s mild regret. For all that Cecilia was a little annoying, she found herself more and more intrigued by the other girl. She still didn¡¯t understand what the princess saw in her, but found herself still too shy to just up and ask. Well, that and she didn¡¯t want to swing the topic into uncomfortable questions about her own background.


    Despite that, she couldn¡¯t help but ask when Cecilia would next be free again. The other girl had a bemused expression at her question. ¡°What, are you that eager for more lessons all of a sudden? Seems to me you just need more practice right now, no?¡±


    Idelle shrugged and grinned at her. ¡°Maybe I just want the pleasure of your company.¡±


    Cecilia rolled her eyes. ¡°If you just wanna hang out and sneak into the city again or something, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll have to wait until I¡¯m less busy. But I can probably make the time for weekly lessons if you want.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that. Assuming I¡¯m back from slaying vile beasts by then, at least.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Didja join the hunting team? Try not to die.¡±


    Idelle stuck her tongue out. ¡°As if. I couldn¡¯t die to something lame like that if I tried.¡±

 Chapter 20: Hunter

    When the day of the expedition arrived, Idelle found herself in the midst of a flurry of activity. They would only be gone a few days but despite that it seemed the expedition would be accompanied by an assortment of wagons, livestock to pull them, a few cooks and clothes washers, and even a blacksmith.


    ¡°Is it always like this?¡± She asked Clovis, as the two of them helped haul proper steel-tipped spears into one of the wagons. He shrugged.


    ¡°Technically, we could get away with less as we¡¯ll only be gone a few days. But I think the higher-ups consider it all good practice for larger and longer mobilizations. And the wagons are necessary for hauling back the corpses unless you want to butcher them on the spot.¡±


    Idelle stared around her, impressed. ¡°The kingdom really spends a lot on us, doesn¡¯t it? How do they even feed everyone?¡±


    ¡°Search me. Most of our food comes from the western and southern regions, they must just produce a lot I guess? And the monster remains are very valuable, so we make some of it back that way.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, I suppose.¡± She laid the last of the spears into the wagon. ¡°Have you been on many of these, then?¡±


    ¡°A few,¡± Clovis responded with a little pride unmistakable in his voice.


    ¡°...Anything I should watch out for?¡± Idelle hoped he wasn¡¯t getting too full of himself.


    ¡°Nah, not really. They mix in experienced troops with us, so even if someone panics and breaks for it the spear wall will hold fine. It¡¯s usually a bit boring, actually.¡±


    Idelle gave him a funny look, thinking back to her encounters in Perien forest. Boring was not the word she¡¯d use to describe them. ¡°Really? Boring?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see what I mean.¡±


    An hour or so later, they set out. Idelle was perplexed by how casual the atmosphere was. Most of the soldiers walked in a disorganized muddle, while others casually hitched rides in the empty wagons. Sergeant Cateline and a few others had horses, but they didn¡¯t seem to pay any heed to the blase attitude most people had. She supposed that was fair enough ¡ª it was hard to imagine anything having time to grow into a truly dangerous threat this close to Wyrlet.


    The expedition continued down the road until near sundown before stopping in a relatively flat and sparsely wooded area. There they formed a rough circle with the wagons before some of the more experienced members erected rough lean-to shelters made from canvas (mostly off the sides of the wagons).


    The cooks requested help finding firewood and soon had large pots of warm bubbling stew cooking as everyone drew straws, traded favors, and argued as they tried to figure out who would keep watch for each shift. Many soldiers pulled out flasks and bottles of alcohol as they cheerfully chatted away and sing little songs.


    Idelle shook her head, once again bewildered as to how downright festive things were. She turned again to Clovis and spoke over the chatter and noise. ¡°This is boring for you?¡±


    He grinned and shook his head. ¡°No, not this! This is probably the only reason people actually volunteer to come on these. The boring part will come tomorrow.¡±


    She shrugged. Whether she took his word for it or not, she¡¯d find out soon enough.


    The next day came, and Cateline gathered the group after breakfast before they set out. She pulled a few small glass phials out of her pack and showed them to the group.


    ¡°Alright, everyone who¡¯s new - you see these? They¡¯re monster lures made with the blood of dire beasts. Spill one onto your clothes, you¡¯ll start attracting every magic beast for thirty kilometers in every direction. Problem is - we don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll show up. So after we get a little further from the city, we¡¯ll moving into the woods a few kilometers and dumping these. Then we get to wait around and kill anything that smells them. Got it?¡±


    There was a chorus of affirmations, and Cateline nodded approvingly. ¡°Good. Try to keep up the pace today, we¡¯ll need to spend enough time waiting after we set the lures to make sure we clear out the whole area. Otherwise, we might just be attracting problems closer to the road. And I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯d prefer to be done by sunset.¡±


    A few people groaned, but no one expressed any complaints and they were quickly back on the road, albeit with a more subdued undertone to the mood. Idelle felt a small current of nerves, or maybe it was anticipation, despite herself.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The morning passed without any incident. Since the group was less chatty today, Idelle took the time to try and practice her magic-sight as she walked, with some degree of success. Then Cateline had them stop for a quick meal around midday before she called to everyone. ¡°All right, grab your spears boys and girls.¡±


    Excitement flashed through the faces of a few of the others ¡ª her fellow newbies, maybe? She grabbed a spear alongside them, as a smaller group grabbed crossbows and bolts from another wagon. Then they were off, trudging through the woods in a rough square formation.


    ¡°Keep your eyes open, just because we haven¡¯t used the lures yet doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t run into something.¡± Sergeant Cataline¡¯s voice was serious, but she caught Clovis rolling his eyes in response. She leaned over to him and he muttered, ¡°Like we could miss an oversized beast in terrain this open.¡± He had a point, she thought.


    The tension died back down a little as they continued plodding through the loose scrub and grass between the trees for what must have been close to an hour. Finally, Cateline called for a halt, and carefully uncorked a bottle before pouring it liberally onto the nearby undergrowth, tossing the empty bottle in after she finished.


    She turned to them and nodded. ¡°Now for the fun part. Don¡¯t fall asleep on me.¡±


    An hour of standing and leaning on her spear later, Idelle gave in and whispered to Clovis next to her. ¡°Ok, you were right, this is pretty boring.¡±


    ¡°I told you so. We¡¯re probably due for something soonish though, it should break up the monotony.¡±


    Fifteen minutes or so later, his prediction came true; shouts rang out as an enormous oversized Elk with unusually sharp-looking antlers trotted angrily out of the woods to her left. She grabbed her spear, but Sergeant Cateline calmly and authoritatively barked out orders and the side of the square nearest the beast dropped their spears into a ragged row. A moment later, the twang of crossbows rang out, and the beast let out a bellow and charged the line.


    She held her spear ready in case something went wrong, but despite a few nervous steps back the elk was easily forced back, slowing back down before reluctantly pulling away as the wall of spears thrust towards it and herded it back. A moment later, another order came from Cateline and the line dropped to one knee as more bolts flew past them, easily piercing the beast¡¯s hide.


    It bellowed again, and this time charged straight into the line, attempting to bat the spears aside with its antlers, but was easily arrested as the second row propped the butts of their spears into the soil. The line closed on it, stabbing from the sides, and moments later it crumpled into a bleeding mess on the loam and pine needles of the forest floor.


    ¡°Good work. You there, drag it back into the square and the rest of you reform the line. No sense being sloppy, another one could show up.¡±


    The troops she¡¯d pointed at sprang into work as Idelle watched. Huh. Even that had been a little boring.


    A second later, she felt a pang of hunger as her eyes fixed on the elk. She tried to ignore it, pushing the thought away, but it only returned stronger.


    Idelle grimaced. Who was she trying to fool?


    She really wanted to eat it. Something about the sight and iron tang of the fresh blood enticed her, reminding her of a beautiful euphoric flavor hidden in her memories¡­


    Shaking her head, she forced herself to look away and continue scanning the forest. Unfortunately, it seemed Clovis had already noticed her reaction and he grinned at her.


    ¡°What, are you not good with blood? After talking all that about how you were so strong?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡± Let him draw whatever conclusions he wanted, dragons take her before she would explain what she was really feeling and she wasn¡¯t in the mood to think of a convincing lie.


    He clapped her on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll get over it soon enough.¡±


    Great. Now she felt guilty for misleading him about it.


    Despite the urge to feed on the dead magic beast quickly fading as it was dragged behind them, the next few minutes felt slow and awkward to her. She tried to practice her magic again but found it impossible, and in the end she settled instead for quietly humming a familiar little melody to herself as a distraction. Clovis didn¡¯t say anything further. She almost wished he would, despite her relief at him not pressing her further on her reaction to the beast.


    Then a direwolf stepped out of the woods on their side of the line. She tensed up at the familiar sight, almost taking a step forward, but Cateline¡¯s composed orders brought her back to reality.


    ¡°Right front flank, form two lines. Spears ahead.¡±


    Right. They¡¯d practiced this. She fell into formation, spear down as she kept her eyes fixed on the wolf. A moment later, the order came to kneel, and then the crossbows again sang as a volley of bolts flew in a glittering rain of flashing points to land on and around the wolf.


    It let out an all-too-familiar wailing howl and she found herself grinning despite herself. This time, you¡¯re the prey. It bounded at the line as the order came to brace ¡ª


    But in the next moment, it was over. The wolf slammed into the wall of spears a few meters to her right, and almost instantly fell silent. She stared at it. The elk had put up more of a fight, and it wasn¡¯t even a carnivore originally. She groaned as she felt another surge of the strange hunger well up in her.


    ¡°Ok, this is actually really boring. I didn¡¯t even get to stab at it!¡±


    She heard Clovis snort with laughter before Cateline¡¯s voice cut them off. ¡°All right, no chit-chatting. Get this one behind the line too, if we¡¯re unlucky we might have several show up at once.¡±


    She could have sworn she heard a hint of amusement in the Sergeant¡¯s voice, however.

 Chapter 21: Temptation

    The rest of the day could best be described as mildly agonizing for Idelle. Long, boring periods of scanning the trees alone with her thoughts were interspersed with brief moments of action. Each time left her itching to fight, but with little release and further pangs of the ever-growing hunger. As a result, when night finally fell and their ever-staunch commanding officer finally called for them to tie ropes to the corpses and drag them back to camp, she found herself letting out a great sigh of relief.


    Clovis cackled again at her reaction, and she glowered at him. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know. You told me so.¡±


    He only smirked in response to her snide commentary. She sighed again and went over to help drag one of the corpses. Cateline informed everyone to stay on guard in case of any straggling beasts. Between that and having to drag the oversized animals behind them, the walk back to the wagons was even more drudgery than the walk out had been.


    By the time she got back, she was delighted to smell that the camp followers and guards left behind with the wagon had already started cooking. She quickly helped haul the corpses up into the wagon (leaving several strangers slightly bewildered by her display of strength) and trotted over to the cooks. Cateline gave instructions to keep a more serious watch during dinner and overnight, but they mostly passed over her head as she dug into the meal.


    She was quickly let down. It tasted fine, good even. But something about the food just left her feeling unsatisfied. Unconsciously, she found herself staring at the wagons she¡¯d hauled the corpses into.


    What was wrong with her?


    She forcefully shook her head. She needed to stop thinking about it so negatively. After all, if that was the reason why she was stronger than normal, and the previous encounters with dire beasts had made her stronger like she suspected? Surely that was a talent that many people would kill for.


    She shuddered. Maybe some people probably would kill her for it if she wasn¡¯t careful. Even if they couldn¡¯t get it for themselves. She wasn¡¯t so naive as to think that standing out couldn¡¯t easily inspire envy and make enemies.


    But even so¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be more foolish not to take advantage of it?


    Her thoughts continued to spin in circles as she mechanically chewed her bread. Finally, she stood up decisively and walked over to Sergeant Cateline.


    ¡°Hey, is it all right if I go take a closer look at the corpses? I¡¯ve never seen a dire beast up close before and dragging them through the forest in the dark wasn¡¯t much of a way to meet them. She did her best to keep her voice innocent and curious, despite a flicker of nerves.


    The swarthy woman appraised her for a moment but nodded without questioning her. ¡°Sure. Just don¡¯t go stabbing them to feel more accomplished or something. Those hides are worth good money, and the fewer holes in them the better.¡±


    Idelle nodded, trying to hide her eagerness, and then quickly scampered over to the nearest covered wagon. She pulled herself into the back and glanced behind her. No one was paying either her or the wagons any mind. The boisterous atmosphere of yesterday was starting to return, albeit with Cateline¡¯s occasional reminders that more beasts might show up keeping it much more subdued. For now.


    She turned back and pushed her way deeper into the wagon, kneeling beside a body she recognized as that of the enormous elk from earlier. The blood from its wounds had clotted, and it was covered with dirt. But despite that, she still felt that exhilarating and frightening urge rising faintly inside her.


    Again, she nervously looked behind her. She couldn¡¯t even see out the wagon from this far back. And despite the murmur of voices, she could clearly hear the footsteps of a few of her fellow hunters wandering the camp. None of them were close to the wagon.


    She turned back to the corpse.


    Slowly, almost reverently, she leaned closer to it. Towards the thick vein she knew flowed through the neck. Closer¡­


    She pulled back. No. Think. What would someone butchering the corpse think about human teeth marks on it? Don¡¯t be reckless. Don¡¯t give anything away accidentally. This was her secret, and hers alone.


    But still¡­ Her eyes fell on the jagged spear wound in its chest. She leaned in closer again. Careful. She couldn¡¯t get it on her face. She wished she¡¯d brought a knife with her, but it felt too suspicious to go get one. She should be quick too.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Gently, her teeth closed. Were they always this sharp? They cut through the matted fur easily, and she almost pulled away at the foul taste of hair and dirt on her tongue.


    Then, something sweet and tangy flowed into her mouth and she forced herself to hold back a wordless murmur of contented pleasure at how good it tasted. It wasn¡¯t the same as before, it felt less vibrant like it had mostly faded, but even so, she felt her heart quicken at the sensation of something flowing into her. It felt warm, despite the elk¡¯s body heat having long faded already.


    Yes. It would be better fresh and if she hunted it personally, but this would have to do. For now.


    A moment later she pulled back as the sensation faded, spitting the chunk of fur and clotted blood to one side. Ew. She forced herself to wipe her mouth on the fur despite that. Leave no trace, and hurry. She didn¡¯t want to spend too long in here.


    Even so, she fed on two more of the corpses before she forced herself away and back out into the light of the campfires.


    Cateline caught her eye as she walked back to sit around the campfires again. ¡°Not so scary now, are they?¡± The older woman gave her a half-smile that looked slightly feral in the firelight. It might have been intimidating, under other circumstances.


    Idelle only smiled back, the light reflecting off her incisors. ¡°Yeah. Not scary at all, actually.¡± Cateline¡¯s grin widened.


    ¡°That¡¯s the attitude I like to see. You¡¯ll do well around here, kid.¡±


    Idelle wondered if she should be conflicted about that, but couldn¡¯t find it in her. Was there any point in hating herself for something outside her control? She couldn¡¯t see one.


    Yeah. This would do, for now.


    A moment later, Clovis turned to her, congratulating her on her first hunt before launching into a story about a recruit who¡¯d panicked and dropped his spear back when he¡¯d been a newbie himself. She giggled at his imitation of the terrified boy, and a moment later someone passed her a celebratory bottle of mead.


    Slowly, the evening¡¯s swirl of dark thoughts and secrets receded to the back of her mind before vanishing entirely and she let herself relax and enjoy the revelry under the watchful eyes of Cateline and some of the more experienced hunters.


    Not too long later, the Sergeant told them to quiet down and rest, ideally with their spears on hand, and she went to her bedroll feeling warm and satisfied.


    But when she fell asleep, she found herself having a strange dream.


    It wasn¡¯t a nightmare, exactly. She was in a familiar forest, eating. The trees gave off a sense of serenity and contentment. It felt like home, in a strange way.


    She ate a little more, then wandered a short way along a winding deer trail until she came across a river.


    She knelt down and drank deeply of the fresh, clear water. Satisfied, she went to rest under a tree, keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings.


    It was a good thing she did, too. A wolf, her ever-present enemy, found her resting place. It was no magic wolf though, only a normal one. She leapt to her feet and sprinted away, but it was alone and didn¡¯t chase her. It probably only wanted to drink, too.


    Some time passed, and the forest shifted. It was smaller now. But more than that, it felt wrong. Like the sanctity of her home had been broken. She could smell it. Someone was here.


    She jogged off into the woods. She¡¯d just have to make them leave.


    The dream grew more fragmented after that. There were shouts and bursts of pain, but her head was too foggy to remember the details. Still, she¡¯d done her best. That was all anyone could ask. She laid down on the ground and sank back into darkness.


    Then she was by the river again. She looked down into it. Her reflection stared back at her. She was smiling, a little too wide, and yet the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. She didn¡¯t like the look. It reminded her of Ivar, and the casual way his sword could find a student¡¯s throat, only a few centimeters away from cutting it open.


    ¡°Do you see?¡±


    She blinked at her reflection. The words came from her mouth, but they were awkward and stilted, like a child who was still learning how her tongue worked.


    ¡°See what?¡±


    Her reflection didn¡¯t respond. It was only a reflection, after all.


    The sunset dyed the water in murky red and brown hues. She had a headache. Why did she have a headache again?


    Then she woke up. Oh. She did have a headache. Maybe it was the alcohol.


    She searched beside her for a flask of water and uncorked it to take a drink. The pounding subsided. Better.


    She fell back into a half-sleep for a while longer, until Cateline¡¯s voice roused both her and the rest of the camp.


    ¡°All right you lot, grab anything you want to eat, and then we¡¯re marching back to Wyrlet. You¡¯re lucky, seems we got all of ¡®em on the first round so I didn¡¯t need to wake you up for ambush training.¡±


    She reluctantly pulled herself out from inside her bedroll, shivering a little at the cold air on her face. Time to head back to the city, apparently.

 Chapter 22: Fast and Slow

    Standing up outside the temporary shelter, Idelle stood and stretched. A satisfying pop came from her joints, and she rolled her shoulders and let out a contented exhalation. She felt great. Better than she had in weeks, though the sense of fog that had been hanging over her mind had come on so gradually that she hadn¡¯t even noticed until it disappeared.


    Experimentally, she transferred her weight from one foot to the other and then dropped into a pistol squat. The motion felt easy, casual even. Like her body was lighter than it had been. She found herself grinning, despite herself. So she hadn¡¯t been imagining the improvements from the time in the forest. An annoyed voice sounded from one of her fellow hunters, still inside the lean-to.


    ¡°Stop showing off and get out of the way.¡±


    ¡°Sorry!¡± She quickly schooled her face and trotted off in the direction of the wagon holding their food. But not without sneaking a quick glance at the wagon that still held the corpses of the beasts they¡¯d killed.


    The trip back to the city went by quickly for her, as she tried to get a sense of the changes to her body despite her mind wandering. She didn¡¯t think she looked different, though she had lost most of her scrawny appearance already during the weeks since she¡¯d found Mirabel and Aldo. The change seemed subtler than that, like everything around her was moving slightly slower and everything she touched was just a hair lighter and more delicate.


    She wasn¡¯t even sure she would have noticed the difference, had she not already suspected the effect and been looking for it. She thought back to the almost intrusive thought she¡¯d had while feeding on the elk. That she needed to hunt on her own, and feed immediately instead of from older corpses.


    She shivered slightly. Well, that was maybe just a theory. But it felt right to her. Maybe she had some instinct for this? She certainly had instincts telling her to feed in the first place¡­ Was this just natural, somehow?


    The thought made her uncomfortable. She was just a normal human. She certainly felt like one, at least. And for all that she didn¡¯t remember the specifics of her life, she knew how to speak normal languages, could read and write, recognized the things she saw; she knew a little geography even. Those weren¡¯t things some kind of monster would know or do.


    This must be some kind of magic then. One that Cecilia didn¡¯t know about. It wasn¡¯t like the princess was infallible, she reminded herself. She¡¯d just need to figure out how it worked. Maybe that could give her some clue as to who or what had made her like this.


    A flicker of motion pulled her out of her thoughts, and her head turned to see a distant bird take flight out of the trees with a beat of black wings. She watched it for a moment, as it curled in lazy circles in and out of the trees. She could see its head making little darting motions from side to side; as if looking for something.


    She was getting distracted again. There was an important question she¡¯d been tiptoeing around. If she really could get stronger by feeding on beasts, shouldn¡¯t she try and do it?


    On one hand, there wasn¡¯t any direct reason she could think of not to. It still felt a little gross, intellectually at least ¡ª but she¡¯d be pretty stupid to turn down a free path to being useful and able to easily defend herself because it was a little gross. Even if she didn¡¯t want to stay with Cecilia and her forces for some reason, it was hard to imagine that being a capable hunter wouldn¡¯t be amazingly useful. Not even getting into the benefits of being stronger in everyday life.


    On the other side of things, though, she didn¡¯t see any easy way to feed right now. The excuse of idle curiosity about beast corpses was dead and gone, she couldn¡¯t see any easy way to talk her way into being alone with a bunch of freshly killed magic beasts regularly. And there was no way she was going to admit what she wanted them for. Not when she¡¯d never heard so much of a rumor of anyone similar to her.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Could she hunt on her own? She thought about it. She¡¯d need an excuse to leave and re-enter Wyrlet, at the very least. And likely she¡¯d want some of the alchemic lures Cateline had used. She had no idea if they were expensive or not, even assuming she could find a way to make more money.


    Yeah. It wasn¡¯t completely out of the question, but she had no idea how she¡¯d practically manage that either. She¡¯d just let it be for now. There was still so much she didn¡¯t understand, anyway. No need to rush things.


    A few minutes later tall walls came into sight in the distance. The group let out a ragged cheer at the sight, shaking her out of her head. Idelle¡¯s lips curved into a smile. Yeah, no matter the future, this trip had been nothing but a success. She¡¯d just have to keep that up from here.


    Tomorrow she¡¯d ask Ivar about body enhancement magic and his advanced class. For now, she was going to go take a bath.


    ¡­


    The sound of wood smacking into flesh cracked through the air, and Idelle yelped. The advanced class, as it turned out, involved a lot more sparring (and consequently receiving stinging blows) than the more general class did. Thankfully, they used baton swords of a far softer and more flexible wood than the normal double weight training swords, but the twenty or so other students in the class did NOT hold back when sparring.


    She stepped to the side, keeping her eyes fixed on her partner. This time, she recognized his feint for what it was and her sword slapped it aside before flashing out at his shoulder. He was ready, however, and was already taking a step back by the time it arrived, forcing her to pull back before he could retaliate.


    She stared him down. She suspected that Ivar had put her with one of the more skilled students in an attempt to test her mettle, or something similar. But either way, he seemed to always be one step ahead of her no matter how fast she moved. No matter, she was getting the hang of it.


    Another swing, low into her side. She deflected it as she stepped back, but there was a follow-up this time, and the sword flicked around her blade; hard slats of wood slamming into her wrist. She hissed out air through clenched teeth.


    When she¡¯d asked Ivar about joining the class he¡¯d given her a long look over before accepting. She wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d been evaluating her for, but it was starting to feel more and more likely that he wasn¡¯t sure if she had the temperament to take this much punishment. The joke was on him, though. She¡¯d been through worse. And he¡¯d said he¡¯d show her the basics of body enhancement afterward if she felt herself a good fit for the class.


    Another wooden crack rang out and she knocked her partner¡¯s sword aside with brute force before flicking it up just in time to graze his shoulder before he could step back. She grinned, but he shook his head.


    ¡°You need to hit harder than that. That would barely scratch someone if these were real swords.¡±


    Her grin faded slightly and she nodded. It was a fair point, they were training for a purpose, not playing a game to score points. Ugh. Better keep at it.


    Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t quite fast enough to land a proper hit on him before Ivar called a break to the spars. After that, they switched over to practicing drills, but this time in pairs. They started off with defending and deflecting simple sword techniques but quickly moved on to other weapons, especially those designed to simulate the teeth and claws of magic beasts.


    Here she felt much better. Say what you will about magic, but it was hard to imagine it would let a beast survive a full-power chop into the side of its head. She just had to make sure she didn¡¯t get bitten in the process.


    Still, the drills were enormously helpful. It was one thing to think in theory about sidestepping and driving your blade into the mouth of a charging beast, it was quite another to have a hundred-and-ninety-centimeter woman run full speed at you with a great mock boar¡¯s head. While screaming. Ivar encouraged them to scream to ¡°keep the tension up¡±.


    The first time she tried that particular drill, she didn¡¯t move aside fast enough and the woman clipped her shoulder and knocked her bodily into the grass. She managed to roll (well enough, at least) when landing that she avoided having the wind knocked out of her, but it stung her pride regardless. She took the exercise quite seriously, after that.


    Finally, a few more bruises later, the main lesson wrapped up and Ivar beckoned her over. She stepped over, nervous despite herself. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was fear of the man or her own insecurities about her body and magic.


    ¡°So, you want to learn blood magic from me? Body enhancement?¡±


    She nodded. His cold eyes gave her one last appraising look, then he nodded.


    ¡°Very well.¡±

 Chapter 23: Progress?

    ¡°You can already cast basic charms from other affinities, yes?¡± Ivar asked.


    Idelle nodded. ¡°Not well honestly, but yes.¡±


    ¡°Good. These spells work differently anyway. First, take a baton again and try to block me.¡±


    Dutifully, Idelle fell into a defensive stance.


    Ivar explained further. ¡°I¡¯ll attack from either the left or the right, aiming at your shoulders. Block as fast as you can.¡± A second later, his wooden sword slapped into her shoulder with a thunk. She yelped.


    ¡°Again,¡± Ivar said.


    A few more hits to her shoulders. She narrowed her eyes at him. He was definitely moving too fast for her, he knew she couldn¡¯t keep up, right?¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Ivar stepped back. ¡°Now, tell me how you cast a charm like light.¡±


    She hesitated, taking a moment to collect her thoughts at the sudden change in topic. ¡°Um. First, I find the magic around me, then I reach out to it and visualize the change I want to occur.¡±


    ¡°Be more specific. What specifically do you visualize?¡±


    ¡°A glowing sphere of light.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Very standard. But you¡¯ll need to cast those kinds of imaginations aside for this. Instead, I want you to think about your body while it moves. Feel how heavy it is, find where your limit is when you move. Block me once more.¡±


    Ohhh. She realized where this was going. She focused on his sword. A flicker of motion came a second later, and she moved to block it as fast as she could. Whap. Too slow. Could she go even faster? There was some variation to her reactions, but she was confident this was close to her best.


    ¡°Now. Reach out to the magic inside you, instead of around you. Will your body to be lighter. To be faster. So fast that it¡¯s already arrived when you think of moving. Got it?¡±


    She tried to imagine it. ¡°I think so?¡±


    His sword smacked into her shoulder again. ¡°Not yet. Try again. Take a moment to focus, if you need it.¡±


    She paused and closed her eyes. Focus. This was still just a type of magic like she¡¯d already been practicing. Her body rippled in her perception. She wanted it to be lighter, faster¡­


    Wait. She already knew what that felt like. She thought back to the march back from the hunt. The way everything had seemed almost imperceptibly slower and easier; like she¡¯d taken off invisible weights. She was accustomed to it, by now, but she let herself focus back on that sensation. Ivar was right, it wasn¡¯t visual at all, it was entirely physical. The only difference is that instead of imperceptible she wanted the biggest change she could muster.


    She opened her eyes, meeting Ivar¡¯s unblinking gaze. His sword snaked out in an instant, and the crack of wood on wood rang out around them. She thought she caught a flicker of surprise in his eyes.


    ¡°Not bad.¡± He stepped back and set the practice sword aside. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve touched on the edge of body enhancement magic. Now go practice.¡±


    Idelle looked at him awkwardly. ¡°Um, right. Thanks, sir.¡± He gave her no response beyond a slight nod, and she quickly turned and scampered away. She supposed that not everyone was as detailed a teacher as Cecilia.


    Either way, for now, she wanted to experiment further. The feeling of augmenting her speed with magic had been too familiar to ignore, and she felt certain that there WAS a connection with the changes to her body. Time to see if she could arrive at any further insights.


    What to try first? Could she improve her strength more if she focused on that instead of speed? What about her vision, or hearing?


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    No, she was getting ahead of herself. She should make sure she could consistently cast the spell, first. How best to keep track? How about running, for now?


    She set her practice sword in the grass, as a marker, and sprinted to it from the side of the building, trying to keep count as she did so. She frowned. No, she wasn¡¯t confident in her ability to keep a consistent count.


    Maybe it was best to just rely on her feeling here. It was distinctive enough, in her mind, and it wasn¡¯t like she could time her speed in a fight.


    She picked her sword back up, feeling the grain of the smooth wood against her hand, and gave it an experimental swing. It felt normal, not heavy but still with consequential heft to it. She let herself focus again. Again, she let herself open up to the magic around her. She noticed with a hint of pride that her magic-sight, at least, was coming easily now, if not exactly fast. Practice paying off.


    Now, again, focus on her body. That was easy too. The magic ran through it with distracting intensity, and while she¡¯d grown used to tuning it out in order to practice the charms Cecilia had taught her it churned through her veins and body with a chaotic potency that scared her sometimes.


    But that was to her advantage, here. And it was her body, no one else¡¯s. To enact her will was fundamental to its existence. What did she have to be afraid of?


    She remembered the bird she¡¯d seen the other day, drifting through the air like it was weightless. That¡¯s what she was, weightless. Effortless. The only thing that could slow her down was the air itself around her.


    She swung the wooden training sword. No, it was barely a swing. More like her sword had stretched in an instant across space before snapping into place like a whip. She felt it shudder as it arrived, the wood had flexed slightly from what must have been the force of the swing stopping.


    A moment later, she felt a twinge of pain in her arms and grimaced. Ow. Maybe she had stopped it too fast. She found herself grinning regardless. That had been fast. Even faster than she¡¯d been with Ivar, for sure. Maybe she did have a talent for magic, after all.


    What else could she do? Could she test her strength on something?


    Idelle¡¯s eyes wandered the courtyard. She didn¡¯t see anything suitable. Maybe some firewood? She could check in the kitchen by the cafeteria.


    A minute later, she walked out of the kitchen with a dry branch some four to five centimeters thick, ignoring the strange look the cook shot her. The branch was perfect, too thick for her to break with her bare hands despite the brittleness but not so thick as to seem completely out of the question.


    Now, how should she visualize this? Weightlessness wasn¡¯t quite what she wanted here, she wanted brute strength. The kind that would smash through anything, and everything in its way.


    An all too familiar image rose to her mind. A direwolf, charging her, smashing into her and knocking her to the ground with contemptuous ease even as she fought back. Her first ¡ª her enemy. Strong enough that she had been thrown into the ground with enough force to break ribs even by a glancing blow. She touched her side. Or at least, they¡¯d certainly felt broken. She wasn¡¯t anywhere near as eager to experiment with the way she seemed to heal fairly serious injuries in mere days.


    Idelle shook her head. She should stay focused, she wouldn¡¯t need to experiment with that any time soon. Or ever, if she could help it.


    She took a deep breath, realizing her heart was pounding in her chest. This would be good. She could master her fear and anxiety over the memory, and turn it into her strength. Just like she¡¯d beaten the wolf itself, and turned it into her strength. The thought pleased her, there was poetic justice to that.


    Yeah. She would be the one who defined what her experiences meant to her, and she would be stronger for them.


    She took another deep breath and reached out again for the magic cascading through her blood. She wasn¡¯t the little girl this time, she was the wolf. She was the unstoppable force of nature that would smash through anything in front of it, even if it died in the process. Her strength was unceasing, indomitable, the world around her might as well be made of paper.


    Idelle bent the dried-out old branch with both hands. It resisted only for a moment before snapping with a satisfying crack. She looked down at it, and another, wider,  grin spread across her face. Had she seen her face in a mirror she would have thought it too wide, maybe, and a little too full of teeth for comfort. She wasn¡¯t trying to look creepy, after all.


    But fortunately, or unfortunately, there was no mirror and no one else happened to be in the corner to see it.


    She started outside again, then paused and went back into the kitchen, handing the broken pieces of wood back over to the ever-more-confused cook. Then, humming a foreign-sounding little melody to herself, she trotted back out to the courtyard to experiment more. And probably practice after that, for all that this was coming easily to her she would need to train until it was second nature if she ever wanted to actually fight someone with it instead of just showing off.


    Though maybe she wouldn¡¯t need to fight with it, anyway. It seemed hard to imagine that she couldn¡¯t succeed as a normal farmer or something with the ability to boost her strength like that. Surely there were lots of places it¡¯d be handy.

 Chapter 24: Progress.

    Trish,


    Someone spotted our rare bird flying near Wyrlet. Be prepared to follow up with all haste. It wouldn¡¯t do to have someone else find it first. Sending our mutual friends to aid you in the search. They will tell you more about the sighting and the new plan. Take care.


    Your good friend, ******


    The signature on the letter was illegible to all except the intended reader.


    ...


    Idelle spent the next few hours exploring the different ways she could apply her newfound talent. The initial rush of success had left her practically sparkling with optimism, and she did her best to channel that energy into discovering her new limits. Which, as it turned out, were more numerous than she¡¯d expected.


    Firstly, she was heavily limited by how much and for how long she could focus on the spells. Standing in place and doing simple actions went great. But when she tossed a small rock in the air and tried to hit it with her sword during its lazy path back towards the ground, it took several tries before she managed to feel herself accelerate under the effects of her new speed spell ¡ª and the muted effect was a far cry from the exhilarating feeling of moving nearly instantaneously that she¡¯d achieved earlier.


    Beyond that, she struggled to maintain the spell for more than a single motion. She could explode out with a burst of speed while jumping, slashing, and pushing, but her body would generally fall back to normal within a step or two during even a short sprint. No, maybe it was more that the blast of wind on her face and in her ears, and the way the ground crunched and gave under her, seemed to break her concentration and pull her back into the everyday world.


    It was a little frustrating, but she chastised herself for having unrealistic expectations. With practice, she¡¯d certainly be able to better maintain her state of mind while moving around. At least, she hoped so.


    She also couldn¡¯t quite get the trick of enhancing more abstract things about her body, like her eyesight. At one point she thought she managed to focus on the blurred face of a soldier walking on the far side of the courtyard, but she¡¯d been staring fixedly for almost five minutes at that point and it might have just been a consequence of blinking the water out of her blurry eyes.


    She resolved to ask Cecilia about it. It certainly seemed like it should be possible to her, but her beginner¡¯s understanding of magic wasn¡¯t enough to give her a trustworthy intuition.


    Oh, and the last thing she¡¯d found out? Whether it was practicing magic in general or body enhancement specifically, the hours of practice had left her with another distant, pounding headache.


    Idelle tried to ignore the discomfort as she dumped another ladle of food onto her plate, ignoring the funny look one of the cooks gave her as he wiped down the countertop. She¡¯d been messing around with magic for so long that the cafeteria was mostly empty, but there was still enough of the thick stew that came with most meals for her to have a second plateful.


    She sat back down at the table and mechanically spooned it into her mouth. Where was she? Right, her new body enhancement spells. Did they have names? Cecilia had mentioned that most of the common charms and spells had names. Stuff like ¡°Orb of Light¡± and ¡®Spark¡±. But her new spells felt pretty unique in their visualizations to her.


    Maybe she should name them herself. Something like ¡°Form of the Raven¡± and ¡°Form of the Wolf¡±. She thought about shouting that out in a fight and almost giggled out loud before catching herself with a quick glance around the cafeteria. No need to end up with a weirder reputation than she already had.


    Anyway, whatever she called them was fine for now. The important thing was¡­


    What was it again? She made a face. Her headache was really making it hard to keep her thoughts straight.


    Right, the important thing was that she was learning about magic and getting stronger. Oh, and maybe getting closer to getting her memories back. Yeah, that.


    Too bad she didn¡¯t seem to be getting any closer to that. Her face fell a little at the thought. But she forcibly reassured herself that any progress was good progress before she started brooding on it.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Idelle finished her food and stood up. She could think about her bigger problems in the morning. Better to stay optimistic and in the moment for now. Actually, it was better to sleep right now. Yeah, that was it, sleep off this dragon-cursed headache and think about it later.


    A few minutes later, she drifted off into strange, half-remembered dreams of tall trees, whispering figures with mouths full of lies, and faceless enemies endlessly pursuing her as she ran.


    ¡­


    The next day woke Idelle with a warm ray of sunlight on her face and the distant, frenetic chirping of birds. She stretched, her back and shoulders popping at the motion, and noted with satisfaction that her head was clear again. She¡¯d probably just overdone it training, somehow, that¡¯d be something to keep an eye on next time. Her stomach growled, and she pulled herself out of bed to find more food, reveling in the cool air on her face and arms.


    One brisk meal later she trotted her way outside with thoughts of joining another one of the morning conditioning classes. But her plans were interrupted by a mild commotion on the other side of the courtyard; she glanced over to see a familiar tall, freckled girl in a dress. She blinked in mild surprise as her rumored royal friend came over to her.


    ¡°Hey Idy, you got time for a lesson in the morning today?¡± Cecilia¡¯s voice was cheerful, in contrast to the slight slump an observant watcher might notice in her posture. Her eyes met Idelle¡¯s for a moment before flicking away and wandering the courtyard.


    ¡°...Yeah, that¡¯d be fine. Scheduling issues?¡± Idelle chose her words carefully.


    ¡°Something like that. You know how it is.¡±


    Idelle shrugged. ¡°I guess.¡±


    Her tone invited an elaboration, but it went unanswered as Cecilia looked back over and gave her an almost bashful smile. ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡±


    Idelle couldn¡¯t think of a follow-up, and the next moment Cecilia straightened her back a little and started back across the courtyard, walking fast enough that Idelle had to hurry for a moment to come alongside her. She opened her mouth to speak, but the princess beat her to it. ¡°How¡¯s practice been?¡±


    ¡°Ah, good actually. Ivar taught me body enhancement yesterday, and I think I¡¯m much better suited to it.¡±


    Cecilia glanced at her. ¡°You sound unsurprised?¡±


    ¡°Why would I be surprised? Blood magic seemed to fit me well from the start.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. Tell me a little more as we walk.¡±


    Idelle recounted her experiences from yesterday. Cecilia listened intently and nodded as Idelle went over her conclusions. ¡°Most of that sounds pretty normal ¡ª a high blood magic affinity often means that less visual forms of magic come more easily, but it isn¡¯t a substitute for practice in any area. You said you had a headache, though?¡±


    She hesitated before nodding. ¡°Is that weird?¡±


    ¡°Weird? I guess you could call it that, but it¡¯s just a little uncommon. Most people just find they can¡¯t focus further rather than actively having physical side effects from casting.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Do you know what might be causing it?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Idelle waited for the princess to expand on that like she usually did, but Cecilia didn¡¯t speak further. The awkward silence lengthened, and she searched for something to fill it before she realized something about their path. ¡°Are we not going to the library today?¡±


    ¡°Ah, did I forget to mention? Sorry, I have something to give you, so we¡¯re going to grab that.¡±


    ¡°Something for me? What is it?¡±


    Cecilia shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Idelle looked at her, but the other girl didn¡¯t seem to notice her gaze.


    They walked a little further before Idelle worked up the courage to speak. ¡°Um, is everything all right? You¡¯re acting a little different today.¡±


    Cecilia gave a start at her words. ¡°Right. Sorry, I guess I have a lot on my mind. I¡¯ll try to stay focused.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s all right. You¡¯re doing this as a favor, anyway. Do you want to talk about it?¡±


    She asked the question casually, but Cecilia stopped walking and turned to stare at her. The other girl¡¯s eyes locked onto Idelle¡¯s, flecks of gold barely visible amidst the dark brown in the morning light. ¡°Talk about what?


    ¡°Um, whatever¡¯s on your mind, I guess?¡± She shrugged.


    Cecilia¡¯s face was schooled. ¡°What brings you to ask?¡±


    Idelle shifted from one foot to the other. ¡°Well, you know. We¡¯re friends? Right?¡±


    Cecilia stared at her a little longer, then let out a little snort that rapidly evolved into a light giggle. ¡°I suppose there are worse reasons. Thanks for asking. I¡¯m all right, though. It¡¯s not something we should talk about, really.¡±


    Idelle smiled back, relieved to see Cecilia¡¯s usual smile returned. ¡°All right. Just thought I¡¯d ask. Sorry if I overstepped or something.¡±


    ¡°Apology accepted.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Idelle pouted at her. ¡°I just asked if you wanted to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t think it presumptuous to declare yourself friends with royalty?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ No?¡±


    Cecilia just smirked at her, and Idelle took great pains to roll her eyes as obviously as possible in response. Ugh. Why had she even wanted Cecilia to act like her normal self again?

 Chapter 25: Melancholy

    Idelle and Cecilia continued onwards in a more companionable silence from there and soon came into view of a hulking stone keep squatting near the center of the city. Cecilia confidently led the way through a pair of massive wooden doors, Idelle awkwardly nodding at the guards who saluted them as they passed. A thought occurred to her as the princess led her up a flight of stairs lined with simple tapestries. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just bring this gift over to the barracks, anyway? Is it too heavy to carry or something?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡± Cecilia looked uncharacteristically embarrassed at the question. ¡°Not really, I actually just forgot to bring it until I was already there.¡±


    Idelle stared at her, her surprise only half faked. ¡°Woah. You can forget stuff too? And I thought princesses must be immune to that kind of thing.¡±


    Cecilia raised an unperturbed eyebrow. ¡°I think you¡¯re just applying your poor standards for what¡¯s normal to forget to the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Hey! What have I forgotten?¡±


    She tried not to grimace as the irony of her words struck her, but the other girl didn¡¯t seem to notice her reaction. ¡°Oh? Then what day of the week is it?¡±


    Idelle opened her mouth, then closed it. ¡°The day after Ivar¡¯s advanced swordsmanship class.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to trick me into revealing it because you¡¯ve forgotten, it isn¡¯t working.¡±


    Cecilia giggled at her and Idelle begrudgingly smiled back. The other girl¡¯s laugh was just too pretty not to, even if half the time she sounded like she was laughing at some embarrassing secret of yours that you didn¡¯t realize she knew. Idelle supposed the word ¡°charm¡± also referred to simple magic for a good reason.


    A moment later Idelle was distracted as they walked through a tall doorway and she gasped, despite herself. The room was an armory. Ornate ceremonial weapons were mounted on the walls, drawing her eyes with beautifully engraved patterns and even the sparkles of gemstones. But the real impressive sight was the sheer quantity of arms contained in the room, racks upon racks of carefully maintained swords, spears, halberds, axes, maces ¡ª she could even spot some more esoteric weapons dotted here and there among the clutter of violent tools. Was that an oversized farmer¡¯s scythe?


    Cecilia grinned at her reaction. ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it? Duke Wyrlet insists that all unattached weapons be kept in his armory.¡± Her voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°The old man is probably just afraid of a revolution if you ask me. He should try being a beautiful young woman instead, make himself too popular to overthrow. ¡±


    Idelle let out a huff of laughter at the joke, then eagerly turned back to Cecilia. ¡°What are we here for, then?¡±


    The princess beckoned and led the way around the mess of stands to the far side of the room. She pointed, and Idelle stared.


    Leaning on the rack was a work of art. Part of her felt like she should regret thinking of it that way, but it was true. The sword was so straight that she almost stood up straighter to match it, a shimmering length of steel that only seemed slender by virtue of its almost excessive length. She stepped forward, seeing the reflections shift on the polished blade. It was taller than she was, she realized, with an elongated hilt and a small pair of hooks protruding from the blade a little ways above the crossguard. The end of the hilt was capped by a symbol she didn¡¯t recognize, a white circle cupped inside a crescent.


    ¡°Is this for me?¡± Idelle asked in a soft voice.


    Cecilia smiled at her. ¡°Ivar said you were good with a sword, I figured you could use one. Large enough to kill monsters alone, given how strong you are.¡±


    Idelle shook her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too valuable? I haven¡¯t done anything to deserve this, have I?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say you owe me one, then.¡±


    She hesitated, looking over at Cecilia. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    The princess met her eyes with an almost somber expression. ¡°What, do you not want it? Or are you unwilling to owe me a favor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. You¡¯ve just done a lot for me already, I guess. It seems like too cheap a price.¡±


    ¡°You can call it a friendship price if it makes you feel better.¡± Cecilia¡¯s piercing gaze didn¡¯t budge, and Idelle found herself starting to flush. Did she have to say that in such a serious tone?


    ¡°I....¡± She stared at Cici for a moment longer, then nodded. ¡°All right. I won¡¯t forget it.¡±


    Cecilia finally broke their mutual gaze, turning back to the sword. ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t. Here, pick it up, it¡¯s yours now.¡±


    Idelle tentatively stepped up to the sword and carefully lifted it from the rack. It felt heavy, for a sword, just light enough that she could conceivably swing it with one hand if it came down to it. The balance was towards the long hilt; she guessed it was meant more for cuts and quick defense than thrusts. Perfect for fending off something with more reach than her until she could close.


    She touched the circle and crescent symbol and looked at Cecilia questioningly. ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    ¡°My crest, actually. Based on the moon.¡± Idelle tilted her head, and the other girl continued. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever heard the children¡¯s rhyme? ¡®She wanders ¡®cross the sky, and sometimes hides away, but in the end returns again to dance another day.¡¯¡± Cecilia shrugged sardonically. ¡°I guess my father had a sense of humor about some things when he chose it.¡±


    Idelle didn¡¯t quite know what to say to that. ¡°Um, is it okay for me to have a sword with your crest on it?¡±


    ¡°What, afraid someone will bully you for it? Tell them to complain to my face instead.¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Cecilia gave her a familiar smirk, but it felt forced to Idelle and she hesitated, still unsure how to respond. ¡°...All right, I¡¯ll do that. Is there anything else I should know about the sword? Is it secretly cursed, or something?¡±


    Idelle was relieved to see the other girl snort at her bad joke. ¡°Nah, no curses. Just the usual for proper weapons, the steel is alloyed with powder from magic beast bones to protect it against rust and a degree of wear. Helps it hold a perfect edge, too.¡±


    She looked down at the sword and back up at Cecilia. ¡°...Are you sure it isn¡¯t too expensive for me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m a princess, remember? Expensive gifts are my bread and butter.¡±


    Idelle narrowed her eyes. ¡°So it is expensive?¡±


    Cecilia mirrored her expression. ¡°Just tell me if you don¡¯t like the sword, Idy.¡±


    ¡°No, I like it, I like it a lot!¡± She carefully hefted the sword, wishing the room had space to swing it. ¡°I¡¯ll shut up about it, sorry.¡± She tilted it, watching the light play on the blade, catching a hint of blue-black hair over pale eyes as her reflection flickered across it.


    ¡°I can tell, actually.¡± Cecilia sounded a little amused now, and Idelle found herself wearing a slight smile in response. ¡°Come on then, we still have magic to work on. You can bring it with you if you like. It¡¯s yours now, and you¡¯re a soldier on paper so the Duke can¡¯t complain.¡±


    Idelle nodded obediently, hoisting the sword over her shoulder after a careful check behind her. It was much too big to be convenient indoors, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to care. Let¡¯s see any wolves get close enough to bite her now!


    She realized Cecilia was already working her way back to the entrance to the armory, and carefully started after her. She looked at the princess. Cecilia still seemed smaller than usual, somehow, her dress looking lonely and out of place amongst all the steel and wood. Problems with her father, huh? Idelle mentally promised herself that if she could do something to help, she would.


    A few turns and a hallway later, she followed Cecilia as the latter stepped into a small bedroom. Idelle looked around the room curiously. It was austere, reminding her of the room she¡¯d been given in the barracks, actually. There were more simple drapes lining the stone walls, but it was mostly undecorated beyond that. There was what looked like an adjoining closet instead of a cabinet, a simple desk covered with papers, a few chairs, and a simple bed.


    She wondered if a room for royalty shouldn¡¯t be more opulent than this. But Cecilia plopped down on one of the chairs and spoke before she could figure out how to phrase the question. ¡°Here, put your new toy over there, we should get back on topic. Did you have any magic questions for me today?¡±


    Idelle winced at the subtle implication in Cecilia¡¯s words as she leaned her sword up against the wall. Oops. She had been prying a lot today, hadn¡¯t she? She thought back to her practice. ¡°Yeah, actually. Are there names for the body enhancement spells that boost strength and speed? And are there spells to see further and things like that? Also, how does alchemy cause permanent effects if magic doesn¡¯t?¡±


    Cecilia paused, looking a little surprised that Idelle actually had so many. ¡°Strength and speed are just the usual names, honestly. Kind of boring, I know. Some people say things like ¡°Lion¡¯s Strength¡± but they¡¯re just trying to sound cool.¡± Idelle tried not to wince again at the words.


    Cecilia continued her explanation. ¡°Body enhancement spells for the senses exist as well, but most people can only cast them with multiple kinds of magic. For example, you mentioned improving vision? That requires both enhancing the eyes themselves and pulling more light into them. It¡¯s too much work for most people to bother learning. As far as alchemy¡­¡±


    She paused to collect her thoughts. ¡°Well, most alchemy is just mundane memorization, learning what different things do when exposed to heat or mixed together. You¡¯re probably talking about the types that use parts from magic beasts, though?¡±


    Idelle nodded, and Cecilia continued again. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s more or less the same too. Something about the curse changes the bodies of beasts, granting their remains unusual properties. Like the bone alloyed into your sword. But alchemy is just experimenting on what those properties are, and how they change when exposed to other materials. If there¡¯s a fundamental theory behind it, no one agrees on what it is, so using them boils down to more memorization.¡±


    Idelle took a moment to process her words, her eyes wandering to the sword ¡ª her sword, she corrected herself ¡ª in the corner, but another thought struck her. ¡°Wait, I know you said before that no one knows what causes magic beasts¡­ But humans can¡¯t become dire humans, can they?¡±


    Cecilia didn¡¯t answer. Idelle glanced back over at her quizzically. To her shock, the princess looked exhausted and on the verge of tears. She hadn¡¯t said something personal again, had she?


    Then Cecilia closed her eyes and shook her head, and the moment passed, her face smoothing back into her usual composure with only a hint of sarcasm in her words betraying her emotions. ¡°Sorry about that. I¡¯m really not myself today, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, you have nothing to apologize for.¡± Idelle said. She hoped she didn¡¯t sound condescending or something, she really didn¡¯t know how to deal with situations like this...


    ¡°Fair enough. Anyway. The answer is no, humans can¡¯t be subjected to the curse, as far as everyone outside of a few crackpot theorists is concerned. Like I said before, it likely only occurs because beasts aren¡¯t conscious like we are.¡± She said it casually, but something about her voice made Idelle uncomfortable asking further. Did the other girl know one of the people she called a crackpot theorist or something?


    No, she¡¯d already decided not to pry further, she reminded herself. She should just change the topic. ¡°Makes sense. You¡¯ve mentioned casting with multiple types of magic before, too. Is there a secret to that? Can you teach me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no secret, it¡¯s just hard. And I already am teaching you, you need to master casting with single elements first, you know.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you must know some shortcut, right? Aren¡¯t you a prodigy?¡±


    Cecilia¡¯s response was dry. ¡°That¡¯s true, have you tried being a prodigy too? It did speed things up for me, now that you mention it.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I¡¯ll have to try that.¡± Idelle said. Cecilia cracked another smile at her words.


    Idelle thought she must be overthinking the other girl¡¯s bad mood, didn¡¯t everyone have the occasional off day? Maybe Cecilia was just opening up to her finally. She probably had to keep up royal appearances, after all, maybe she didn¡¯t have anyone she was comfortable showing her emotions around.


    Cecilia spoke up again. ¡°Anyway, let me know if you have any more questions. There¡¯s not honestly that much more I can teach you, I¡¯m not much of a theory expert and you generally don¡¯t start on more advanced spells until you have months or even years of practice on the basic charms under your belt.¡±


    Idelle¡¯s face fell. ¡°Oh. I guess that makes sense. Won¡¯t you at least be able to give me a few tips, occasionally?¡±


    Cecilia hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know that I will, honestly. I¡¯ll be busy, coming up. Even busier, I mean.¡±


    Idelle sighed. ¡°Right. That makes sense too. Thanks for teaching me anyway.¡± She was almost surprised to find that she sincerely meant the words. Cecilia had really grown on her, despite their complicated first impressions of each other.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make that face at me. I¡¯ll make time until I absolutely can¡¯t anymore. How¡¯s that?¡±


    Cecilia¡¯s smile was genuine, albeit wistful, and Idelle once again couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°All right. Really, thanks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been my pleasure¡± Cecilia replied.

 Chapter 26: Meetings

    ¡°I hate to ask, but do you remember the way back?¡±


    Idelle gave Cecilia a smug grin. ¡°Of course. I paid attention when we were walking over here.¡±


    ¡°...Are you sure?¡±


    Idelle ignored the teasing skepticism in the taller girl¡¯s voice and replied in the most sincere tone she could manage.


    ¡°Yeah, thank you for double-checking, though. I¡¯ve never lied to you before, have I?¡± She practically chirped the last words, sounding like nothing more than an innocent child completely unaware that she was being mocked.


    Cecilia let out a slightly choked cough, and Idelle gave herself a pat on the back for the performance. Nailed it. The other girl cleared her throat and responded. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true. I¡¯ll trust you then. It¡¯ll give me a few minutes to rest, either way, so thank you as well.¡±


    ¡°No problem~¡± That¡¯d teach Cecilia to make fun of her so much. Qualms about teasing a princess when she was already having a bad day? What are those, can you eat them? She paused a moment, then spoke again, not needing to fake sincerity this time. ¡°I¡¯ll see you around, then?¡±


    Cecilia hesitated, then met her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best¡­ Stay safe, all right?¡±


    ¡°All right. Will you tell me what¡¯s wrong, next time?¡±


    Cecilia nodded firmly. ¡°Yeah, if you still want me to.¡±


    That¡¯d have to do, Idelle decided. No, that would more than do. She carefully picked up her as-yet-unnamed sword and propped it over her shoulder, waving behind her back to Cecilia as she walked out of the room. She couldn¡¯t see if the other girl waved back, so she¡¯d just assume she had. Then her stride lengthened as she quickly left the keep.


    She blinked at the sudden light as she stepped outside fully, the guards letting her pass without comment. Right, it was still barely midday, or at least early afternoon by the looks of it. Cici¡¯s room hadn¡¯t had any windows, now that she thought about it. It must be hard to sleep like that, with no sunlight to wake you up in the morning.


    Idelle sighed. Cecilia really pushed herself too hard, she thought. No wonder she¡¯d snuck out of the city for fun when they met. She should see if she could make up some excuse for the other girl to just goof off with her again.


    Yeah, right, like she was important enough to make an excuse that would fly.


    Consumed by her thoughts, she wandered back to the barracks, finding herself in the mess hall before she realized it. She was kind of hungry again, actually. Or maybe she was just stressed out.


    ¡°Hey! Idelle! Nice sword!¡± A voice pulled her out of her reverie, and she turned to see Clovis waving at her, casually seated across from a pair of strangers at a table. ¡°You hungry? Come eat with us!¡±


    She waved back. Why not? A few moments later saw her next to him and flying through a quick round of introductions that almost immediately disappeared out of her head. He grinned at her. ¡°Where were you this morning? It¡¯s not like exercise maniac girl to miss training.¡±


    She gave him a pointed stare. ¡°Exercise maniac girl? Do people really call me that?¡±


    ¡°They will now!¡± He cackled at the face she made at him. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, where were you?¡±


    She exhaled before answering. ¡°With Cecilia, actually.¡±


    He tilted his head quizzically. ¡°Why the long face? Or is it girl problems, and you aren¡¯t allowed to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Not really, I guess. Its¡­¡± She collected her thoughts for a moment. ¡°I guess I just feel useless. Useless and weak.¡±


    Clovis let out a not unfriendly snort. ¡°You? Weak? Leave some self-confidence issues to the rest of us, will you?¡±


    She grimaced. ¡°No, sorry. Not physically weak. Just that¡­ I don¡¯t know, Cecilia seems like she¡¯s struggling recently, and I wish there was something I could do for her. But a stronger-than-average soldier is all I¡¯ve managed to make of myself here. Hardly someone who can help a princess.¡±


    Clovis narrowed his eyes. ¡°Hold on, did she give that sword too? Are you still claiming you aren¡¯t friends with her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious here!¡± Idelle snapped at him, surprised at how fast the words flew out of her.


    He looked surprised too, raising his hands. ¡°Sorry, sorry, I wasn¡¯t actually trying to make a joke, my bad. You want to know what I think?¡±


    She guilty mumbled something like an apology. ¡°¡®Its all right. Yeah. If you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m lost here.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re selling yourself short. Why would the princess spend time with you if she didn¡¯t both like you and see something worthy in you? It¡¯s not she spends time with me, for all my many charms¡± ¡ª Idelle rolled her eyes ¡ª ¡°or anyone else outside of her staff that I¡¯m aware of. There must be something you bring to the table.¡±


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Idelle¡¯s head drooped. ¡°Sure, but what? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m some administrative expert or renowned commander or something that would actually help her.¡±


    One of the two young men sitting across the table interjected. ¡°Hey, stop talking like you¡¯re some old dog. You look younger than us, of course you wouldn¡¯t be a world famous general. That doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have the potential to be one.¡±


    Clovis nodded eagerly. ¡°Yeah! Have you considered enrolling in one of the royal academies or something?¡±


    She looked up quizzically at that. That sounded familiar, but¡­ ¡°Royal academies?¡±


    ¡°You know, the Royal Academy of Magic in Hudbria, the officer¡¯s school in the capital, the Academy of Duelists in, uh, what was it...¡±


    Clovis snapped his fingers, and the answer came from across the table, ¡°Eisenberg¡±


    ¡°Right, Eisenberg. Or the Hunter¡¯s Academy in Morlais.¡±


    The teenager who¡¯d called Idelle young spoke up again. ¡°Don¡¯t recommend her the Hunter¡¯s Academy, everyone knows that one is just a worse version of Duelists.¡±


    His seatmate was already sitting up straight before he finished the sentence and spoke before Clovis could respond. ¡°Oi, them¡¯s fightin¡¯ words. The Academy of Duelists didn¡¯t even accept Leah the Ravager now, did they?¡± Seconds later the two were engrossed in a heated debate over the merits of the two schools, the conversation moving far too fast for Idelle to follow.


    Clovis shrugged and turned back to her. ¡°Um. That aside, he¡¯s got a point. You¡¯ve got a recommendation from a princess, and someone as talented as you would have an easy time getting in even without that.¡±


    She gave him a look. ¡°Talented? Didn¡¯t I ask you not to make fun of me?¡±


    To Idelle¡¯s surprise, Clovis frowned at her words. ¡°Look, you should stop acting like everyone who compliments you is making fun of you, all right?¡±


    She was taken aback by how serious he sounded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s true. You¡¯re one of the hardest workers I¡¯ve ever met. You looked like you¡¯d been sick for months when I first met you, and I¡¯ve barely seen you do anything except train, eat, and sleep since then despite that. Martine had to practically drag you around to get you to do anything for fun. Honestly?¡±


    He hesitated, then continued. ¡°It¡¯s almost a little scary sometimes. You get this look like you¡¯re, I don¡¯t know. A force of nature or something. Like I¡¯m staring at an out-of-control wildfire, with no option but to burn to completion or be destroyed before it can. It feels like you could find a way around or through anything that got in your way, without caring about who or what it was.¡±


    Idelle met his gaze, a little embarrassed and completely unsure how to respond. He grinned. ¡°Seriously, don¡¯t look at me like that, it¡¯s a compliment. You¡¯re too dumb and friendly to be scary. I¡¯m just saying, that kind of drive to push yourself? Have faith in it, you could succeed at anything if you put your mind to it.¡±


    She smiled back, a little awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right. Thanks. I think I feel a little better now. I guess I just need to be patient.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, I¡¯m always happy to cheer up a friend. And patience is a virtue, after all¡ª¡± Any further words of wisdom were cut off by the rising shouts from the other side of the table, and Clovis turned over in annoyance. ¡°Oi! If you two don¡¯t quiet down I¡¯m going to tell Idelle to try out her new sword on you!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if she was annoyed or gratified by the way they both shut up and went back to eating after a quick glance between her and the greatsword leaning against the table. But Clovis cackled at the reaction, and a moment later their conversation resumed at a more normal volume.


    Idelle did her best to listen as she ate. Maybe she¡¯d be able to find some nuggets of wisdom about the different academies amid the impassioned insults.


    They finished the food a few minutes later, and Clovis turned away from the chatter to address her again. ¡°Oh, by the way, are you coming to Cateline¡¯s session after this? Better put the sword away if you do, I don¡¯t think she likes you enough yet for that.¡±


    Idelle reached over and touched the blade, letting out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°All right, the tyrants win again this time. I¡¯ll meet you outside.¡± Clovis grinned and waved, and she trotted upstairs to place the sword prominently above her training weapons on the rack in her room, before grabbing her spear and heading back downstairs.


    She arrived in the courtyard and joined Clovis and a scattering of other trainees warming up. The rugged sergeant hadn¡¯t arrived yet, unusually for her. It was only after most of the class had arrived, and just before the bell signaling the hour, that Idelle spotted her striding across the courtyard. Her face looked dour, was something wrong?


    She found out a minute, as Cateline clapped her hands for attention. ¡°Attention, everyone. Special announcement today. The caravan that arrived yesterday with our food supplies reported a total dearth of dire beasts along the southern road. Our scouts didn¡¯t notice anything amiss, but the Duke has decided to send out an extra hunting squad that way tomorrow, just in case. It could be dangerous, so we¡¯re only looking for volunteers who have participated before out of you lot.¡±


    Someone in the crowd raised their hand with a question. ¡°Sorry, wouldn¡¯t a lack of beasts be a good thing normally?¡±


    Cateline nodded. ¡°It would be if we knew why there was a lack of beasts. Often it¡¯s just coincidence, but sometimes it can mean that a particularly dangerous monster has established a territory and driven the others out. Or, in the worst case, there¡¯s usually no sign of beasts before a wave.¡±


    There was a murmur of voices, but the Sergeant raised a hand for quiet. ¡°It isn¡¯t that. I¡¯ve led several of the last hunting expeditions in that direction myself, I know for a fact the area is more than adequately culled. Still, the Duke is a paranoid sort, and it never hurts to find out. If something like a griffin has nested in the area, we might as well hunt it down now. Come to me after class if you¡¯re interested.¡±


    Idelle¡¯s heart beat faster. A griffin? She knew stories of them. Legendary magic beasts, far stronger and smarter than normal.


    She really wanted to hunt one. Wasn¡¯t this her chance? She wanted to get stronger, right? If feeding on an hours-dead elk was enough to make her noticeably faster, imagine¡­


    She forced herself to calm down. No, she shouldn¡¯t get ahead of herself. Even if it WAS a griffin, and they managed to kill it, she¡¯d still need to find an excuse to feed on it. It would take a miracle for everything to line up as easily as it had last time. And fighting something like that would be dangerous¡­


    She grinned. Who was she kidding? Risks or no, she wouldn¡¯t miss this for the world.

 Chapter 27: The Best-Laid Whims

    As training started, Idelle found herself way too excited to focus properly on the drills. She did her best to coast through on muscle memory, but her heart wasn¡¯t in it.


    A griffin. She wondered what it would look like. How big were they, actually? They technically flew with magic, right? Would she be able to fly, if she ate enough things that could?


    What would a griffin taste like?


    Clovis whispered over to her from the side. ¡°Something funny?¡± She glanced over in surprise, and he elaborated. ¡°You¡¯re grinning at something?¡±


    Oh. She schooled her face back to seriousness and whispered back. ¡°I¡¯m just excited about maybe seeing a griffin.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°We don¡¯t know if it even is a griffin or not. She just said that as an example.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but what if it is? A real-life griffin!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re braver than me, wanting to meet a griffin. Ah.¡±


    She was about to argue, but at his quiet exclamation she followed his gaze to see Cateline glancing pointedly in their direction. Oops. She should really focus on the lesson.


    ...Still, a griffin. Or what if it was something else? A manticore? A hydra? Her mind danced with images of three-headed dogs and enormous serpents with two heads and no tail.


    Idelle forced herself to stop fantasizing. She wasn¡¯t even sure if half of those were real. A hydra would be horrifyingly hard to kill if half the stories about it were true. But, imagine if she ate one and could regrow her head if it was chopped off...


    No, actually, she really didn¡¯t want to experience that regardless. Maybe an arm, or something.


    Trying to focus like this really wasn¡¯t working, she decided. Better to take a different approach. Like that time with Ivar. Don¡¯t imagine monsters in the abstract, imagine one was in front of you.


    Her eyes fell to the tip of her spear. She imagined a huge winged shape tearing forward on muscular hind legs. Spears shattering like twigs against feathers as hard as steel. Soldiers dropping their spears and breaking in terror, as massive claws and beak tore at them. How would she fight something like that? Go for the eyes, maybe? Or the neck? It must have weak spots.


    She brought her spear back up with Cateline¡¯s order, and turned to the right, melding into the second row this time as they lowered again into a bristling wall. She tried to imagine it¡­ It could work. Bracing the spears into the ground would help, too. And they¡¯d probably have bigger weapons than these, for something like a griffin.


    She resolved to ask the sergeant for more details after the class. Not that she was afraid, but it was just silly to not find out what you should expect.


    For now, she just kept practicing. If her ability to form a good spear wall with strangers was the only thing standing between her and something like that, she better pay attention and make sure she wasn¡¯t about to get her spear tangled up with someone next to her. Even if she was probably just imagining it as scarier than it was.


    When the time arrived, Idelle joined a small cluster of other students around Cateline. The woman had a clipboard and quickly went through the students, marking down some of them but shaking her head at others. When she arrived at Idelle, she paused, and Idelle spoke up before she could act further.


    ¡°Um, is it all right if I ask you a few questions first after this?¡±


    Cateline gave her an appraising look, and nodded, looking approving. ¡°Sure. Let me get through the rest first.¡±


    A minute later, she dismissed the group, telling them to meet back here before the first half bell tomorrow, and looked back to Idelle. ¡°All right, what¡¯s your questions? I don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    Idelle nodded. ¡°First, do you really think it¡¯s a griffin? Why?¡±


    Cateline shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a likely candidate. The magic here is too thin for higher-order beasts like that, so if there is something whatever it is must have come out of the mountains. Given that it needed to cross a river, a flying monster like a griffin makes the most sense.¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Then, is that something we¡¯re really equipped to fight? I don¡¯t know much about it, but what I¡¯ve heard makes griffins sound too strong and tough to stab with simple spears and crossbows. Not to mention flight.¡±


    Cateline gave her another approving look. ¡°Good question, its always wise to make sure you understand what you¡¯re hunting. You¡¯re right, we¡¯d be moving with a group of magicians and hunters. Your job would be similar to last time, fending off anything that comes near, but with longer, heavier pikes. And it¡¯s unlikely they¡¯d actually charge you. Creatures like griffins are smart, and won¡¯t throw themselves into a spear line when injured.¡±


    ¡°And the hunters would kill it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Standard procedure is to tie the enemy down with magic, then move in for the kill with specialized weapons like greatswords and enormous axes or clubs. Only in situations where we can¡¯t bring, or don¡¯t have, a full company would you see people hunting alone or in small groups like in the stories. It happens sometimes, in the mountains for example, but only rarely. That answer your questions?¡±


    Idelle eagerly nodded, then paused. ¡°Um. I got a new sword, I guess I was also wondering who I¡¯d ask about learning to hunt with it?¡±


    Cateline chuckled at that. ¡°I¡¯d just ask Ivar, for now. He¡¯s as close to a master as anyone I¡¯ve ever met. See if you can talk your way into his advanced class.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I already am. In his advanced class, I mean. I¡¯ll ask him.¡±


    Cateline gave her another considering look. ¡°That so?¡± Idelle¡¯s made an affirmative noise, and the other woman continued, ¡°Did you want to come on this next hunt, or just ask questions? I was thinking you were too green, but your head is in the right place¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡ª¡± Idelle realized her reply was maybe a little too enthusiastic and corrected herself. ¡°Um, I mean. Yes, I think it¡¯d be a good experience.¡±


    Cateline looked at her a little quizzically, then shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t come complaining to me if it¡¯s a false alarm and we don¡¯t find anything. And keep your head if we do, or we¡¯ll have a problem, whatever your relationship with the princess. Understand?¡±


    Idelle stood up straight and nodded. ¡°Got it, sergeant.¡±


    ¡°First half bell tomorrow, like the rest. Make sure you sleep well tonight, we¡¯ll be moving fast this time.¡±


    A moment later, Cateline was off, striding purposefully into the barracks. Idelle resisted the urge to cheer. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she had a good feeling about this. Like she was meant to go hunt. Maybe she had precognitive abilities to go along with her other, less comfortable abilities.


    Idelle frowned, suddenly upset at the thought. She shouldn¡¯t be stupid and get full of herself. Tagging along with experts on a hunt for a monster that might not even be there? That was a far cry from predicting the future, killing a griffin to drink its blood, and becoming an instant hero. It was a possible opportunity, nothing more. And risks of the hunt aside, even feeding on something would likely be an enormous risk. She still had no idea how anyone would react to her messed-up body.


    Still. It was something. She clenched her fists and hurried back upstairs to her room to retrieve her new sword. She still had much of the afternoon left, she should spend it productively. Not like she had anything better to do.


    Hours of practice later, when she went to bed that night, excitement and anxiety both had been washed away by exhaustion. She pulled herself under the covers, reminding herself to not sleep through the morning¡¯s first bell. That would be an embarrassing way for all this to end.


    An ambiguous amount of time later, Idelle found herself asleep. No, not just asleep, but once more dreaming. She was in a hazy forest, with half-familiar trees looming from the grey and fading into unseen canopies. No birds chirped and no insects sang around her. And everything was still. No wind rustled the unseen branches as it wandered to places unknown.


    ¡°What a lonely place¡­¡±


    Idelle¡¯s voice didn¡¯t echo back to her, it only vanished into the haze with everything else. She started walking, idly picking a purposeless path between trunks.


    She wandered like that for a while longer, then sat down to rest. Her new sword was leaning against the tree next to her, and she idly rubbed her fingers over the two moons interlocked on the pommel.


    She picked her sword up and wandered a little further.


    The boughs whispered.


    That wasn¡¯t right.


    They weren¡¯t supposed to move.


    The fog slid past her. Slowly, at first, then faster. It grew thinner as it moved and she stared in horror as it unveiled a crawling orange glow, still blurry in the distance.


    She turned and ran. The wind buffeted her face, mocking her as the fire grew, and grew, and grew. She sped between the trees despite it. A cave. There was a cave, that would be safe. As long as she was deep enough that it couldn¡¯t reach her air to devour it along with the trees. The mouth of the cave loomed, and she slowed as she entered, picking her way over rough, uncut tracts of rock.


    The rough stone walls closed around her, hugging her, comforting her. She was safe here. Safe from everything except the smell of ash, the distant shouts, and the bell that had just started ringing, ringing, ringing, ringing¡ª


    Her body spasmed as for a second she was plummeting through space, out of control, and she sucked in a huge gasp of air, nearly choking on the taste of smoke. She threw the covers aside and nearly fell as she grabbed for the windowsill. All she could see through the window were the shadows of buildings, dark against an orange glow.


    Shouts and footsteps sounded, and worse sounds as well, for all that she tried to ignore the wet sounds of meat being cut, all punctuated by the steady, monotonous clang of the alarm bell as it sounded over and over.


    The distant fire burned on, slow and inexorable despite the chaos.

 Chapter 28: Fire

    Idelle¡¯s knuckles were white on the windowsill as she stared at the burning city. Then, somehow, before she realized it, she had turned away and was moving for the door. No, she needed her gambeson first, it was better than nothing. Where was her sword? The rack. She grabbed it. She was lucky she had a proper weapon. Yesterday she wouldn¡¯t have had that on her side.


    Through the doorway. Someone was running through the hallway, shouting about an attack, hammering on doors. Who? How? She¡¯d thought Wyrlet was a city for defending against monsters. Monsters didn¡¯t set fires.


    She stepped aside as someone sprinted past her, heading for the stairs. She followed her, Idelle¡¯s sword scraping against the dark stairwell as she rounded the bend. A third figure. They came out into the courtyard. She could barely see, the distant fire too dim to see by through the thickening smoke.


    Was anyone in charge? Where was Adrian, or Cateline? Did they even sleep here?


    ¡°Over there!¡± Someone screamed the words, and a moment later she saw a group cut through the haze at the far side of the courtyard. Metal clanged against metal amid renewed cries of anger and hoarse shouts of pain.


    A second later, a familiar twang sounded in the distance and she flinched, diving for the ground even as the rasping hiss of crossbow bolts ended in a clattering rain. A few wet thuds were mixed in, and someone nearby her crumbled without a sound. A cold part of her brain whispered that she¡¯d only been lucky, she hadn¡¯t actually ducked in time.


    They were firing on people as they came out the entrance! Someone else had realized the same, she heard cries to shut the doors and use the windows instead. Idelle crawled along the side of the courtyard, as fast as she could move, jerking back as her hand pressed into someone¡¯s face. A bearded man, unconscious or dead. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to crawl over him and awkwardly squirmed around him. Her sword was so ungainly for this...


    She heard the next round of bolts land behind her. Now was her chance! She brought her feet back under her and sprinted, hugging the edge of the courtyard. Where were they firing from? There, was that someone? She couldn¡¯t make out the figure; they could be one of her fellow soldiers.


    The cold part of her brain whispered that she should attack anyway, that it was worth the risk, that she could feed¡ª


    A voice roared, so loud and livid that she almost didn¡¯t recognize Lieutenant Adrian. ¡°Soldiers! Look away!¡± She obeyed, and the next moment a great blossom of light spread from somewhere near the Lieutenant, so bright as to almost cast the courtyard into black and white. The fighting seemed to pause for a moment, as the scattered soldiers still on their feet blinked and found their bearings. Idelle glimpsed bodies strewn by the doorway and another group across the courtyard.


    Then her eye was drawn to figures, hooded and dressed all in black, as they turned and scattered between the buildings and away. Shouts of anger and war cries rang out as the group who had been fighting them started to chase after them, Idelle moving to follow, but Adrian¡¯s voice cracked across the square again. ¡°Do not pursue! Rally on me, those who already have shields form a line!¡± Her ears rang ¡ª was he using a spell to amplify his voice?


    She turned to obey but stumbled to a halt as she took in the sheer number of bodies in front of the doors. Most had visible wounds from the crossbows, she saw someone with a bolt straight through their eye, a bloody mess almost like a trail of tears running down his face, but just as many had necks or skulls laid open by long cuts. The enemy had initially been waiting outside the door and fallen on everyone as they stumbled out in the dark. Smart. Maybe they were even the ones who called for help in the first place.


    Her eyes swept across the corpses again, despite herself. Carefully moving from face to face, categorizing them. Most of them were strangers, but some she recognized. That woman was in Cateline¡¯s class with her. There was one of the cooks. Oh.


    That was Clovis, with his head tilted awkwardly and a mess of red and yellow drawn across his neck. No, it wasn¡¯t Clovis anymore. Clovis was dead. That was just leftover meat that looked like him.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    She turned back around. The black-cloaked figures had vanished, but she¡¯d seen which way they went. A trickle of blood ran down her finger as she clenched the hilt of her sword hard enough for her skin to tear. Calmly, she looked over the other group of corpses. They were more experienced soldiers, no one she recognized. That made sense. It was only the soldiers who were inexperienced or unlucky who were slaughtered like pigs as they came outside.


    They¡¯d gone the same way she¡¯d gone yesterday. Towards the keep.


    Adrian was barking more orders in the background. Idelle didn¡¯t hear him.


    She reached the edge of the courtyard. A moment later, she too vanished between the buildings. Running towards the keep. Towards the fire.


    Buildings flashed past her. People were in the streets, screaming, shouting, running. For all that Cecilia had called the city a fortress, most of the people still weren¡¯t soldiers. Their homes were burning just the same. She looked at them, searching for the black clothes she¡¯d seen. No one stood out. If they¡¯d been wearing more normal garb underneath, she¡¯d have no chance of identifying them. If anyone was carrying weapons¡­


    There were fewer people, now. She¡¯d been moving against the flow. Everyone was fleeing the fire, fleeing the city. So many innocent people, Idelle thought idly. They were probably wondering why, why was this happening? What had they done wrong? Was this some kind of punishment? Or just bad luck?


    She was at the keep. The doors were open. More meat was lying there. She stepped inside. Carpet pressed against her bare feet, soft and warm. Oh, she¡¯d forgotten her shoes, hadn¡¯t she?


    A few more turns. The tapestries were the same as yesterday. They deadened the echo of her footsteps to almost nothing. The screams were gone, now, inaudible through the thick stone walls. Only the bitter, choking air showed any sign of what had taken place.


    She stopped outside an open doorway, stepping over more meat. The room was empty. No one was inside. She looked down at the meat. It looked like an unfamiliar woman in uniform, blood soaking into the carpet from where her skull had cracked open and made even more of a mess.


    Idelle took a deep, shuddering breath. Cecilia wasn¡¯t here. She needed to find her, to help her, if the princess was still alive. She¡¯d promised to help her, right?


    Damp carpet pressed against Idelle¡¯s knees as she leaned down and gently bit the woman¡¯s neck. A lot of the corpse¡¯s blood was already gone, but what was left squirmed and came alive at her touch, pulsing one last time through dying veins. It flowed down Idelle¡¯s throat, gentle and soothing, whispering to her.


    It was an ordinary night, like any other. She was wasting time patrolling the hallways of the keep because the Duke was a paranoid ass. Still, he paid well, so she couldn¡¯t complain too much. Some of the older guards saved enough money to stop working altogether. What a concept. Maybe that¡¯d be her, someday, if she didn¡¯t die of boredom before then.


    She wandered past the princess¡¯s room. She hoped the girl was doing well. She was so young, really, and took so much on her shoulders. What was she trying to prove, anyway? She might be happier if she took things a little slower.


    A flash of pain.


    Idelle stopped cradling the body¡¯s head and lowered it gently to the floor. Her voice was barely a whisper in the hallway. ¡°Rest well¡­¡±


    Then she stood up, turning away from the meat.


    Another deep breath. She ignored the smoke. Count to seven, then seven, then seven.


    There must be another way, Idelle knew it. She just needed to figure it out. She turned back into the room. Tracking magic. She checked the desk and found a small black comb, a few strands of blonde hair tangled through the tines. It would be enough, Idelle promised herself. She¡¯d make it be enough.


    She closed her eyes, and took another series of breaths, counting to seven with each change. The comb sat in her hands, faint but still perceptible. She just needed to weave a compass out of the hair, it was the easiest thing in the world. She pictured it, using every ounce of focus she had. No meat, no blood, no screams, only a compass, that was all.


    Idelle¡¯s heart pounded inside her skull. She ignored it. She could feel something, like a distant pull. The needle on her compass spun lazily. She breathed, carefully, waiting for it to settle.


    Then, all at once, the glimmer that was the comb in her magic-sight distorted. No, the entire world distorted. A beautiful, shimmering, pulsating wave that washed through and everything, spiraling out from somewhere in the city. Idelle shrank back instinctually, like a mouse hiding from a light, a primal reaction that came from something fundamental to her very existence.


    The wave settled down, slowly, leaving only a single point. A shining beacon, somewhere close by. That was the place. Idelle stood up from her half-crouch, and sprinted for the door, almost tripping over Vi ¡ª the corpse, in her haste.

 Chapter 29: And Ice

    Idelle quickly navigated her way back outside and started down the street, the cobblestones cold against her bare feet. She passed quickly between buildings, a row of wooden two-story homes whose former inhabitants must have been wealthy. Her eyes scanned the buildings intently as she moved, making out everything she could under the light filtering through the streets from the burning horizon.


    The city streets were empty, now. The panicked shuffle of people crowding them had fled already. Anyone still remaining this close to the fire had something important to do.


    Maybe they had someone to find, like Idelle.


    She turned another corner. The buildings were stone here, worn and weathered by decades, or maybe even centuries of sun and rain. They certainly looked old-fashioned enough for it. Idelle kept going, not stopping to examine closer. She was getting closer.


    Her eyes flicked up. She had heard a shout and the clash of metal. It had come from the next street over, and Idelle quickly darted into an alley to follow. She came out into the street just in time to see a figure in a familiar uniform rush through a doorway, a few hundred meters away. She broke into a sprint.


    A moment later, she ducked through the doorway after him. The building was dark, but the ever brighter glow of the fire was just enough for her to see a short hallway. A door at the other end was open. She cursed, and stepped forward, bringing her sword up. There wasn¡¯t enough room to swing it, in here. Idelle bared her teeth. She¡¯d have to make do.


    A blade slashed for her face as she stepped through the door, and she almost reflexively batted it aside. A figure, in a hood and dark clothes, as best she could tell. The figure swung again and she stepped back, nearly tripping on a body lying on the floor.


    Another swing came for her, taking advantage of her mistake, and she barely deflected it, her sword catching on something hanging from the ceiling. She panicked, trying to regain her guard, but ¡ª


    ¡°Wait!¡± The voice was familiar. A young woman¡¯s voice.


    The figure in front of her paused, blade at the ready. Idelle desperately stepped back but hesitated before striking, looking around the room. ¡°Cecilia?¡±


    A small light sprang into being. Idelle flinched back against the wall as she realized that a second hooded figure had been behind her, with a blade ready to plunge into her back. But a moment later her gaze stopped on the fourth figure in the room, the source of the light. She was wearing a long cloak with another hood, but the freckles and blonde hair peeking out from under it were easily recognizable even in the dim light.


    ¡°Idelle? How did you find me? Why are you here?¡± Cecilia¡¯s words came out in a rush.


    ¡°I, I...:¡± Idelle struggled for words before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small, black comb.


    Cecilia stared at her, disbelief on her face. ¡°Y-You found me with that? After ¡ª no, that¡¯s impossible. No one should be able to track anything right now.¡±


    That was right, Idelle realized. The strange twisting beacon in her magic-sight wasn¡¯t here, though it was closer than ever. She could still perceive it, even now. ¡°I heard fighting, I guess. Saw a soldier.¡±


    She looked down. The soldier she¡¯d seen was lying dead on the floor with several others.


    She looked up at Cecilia again. The two black-clothed figures had moved to flank the princess, blades still held at the ready.


    A long moment passed. Cecilia¡¯s lips moved without speaking, surprise and dismay apparent in her expression before she forced it into a stiff semblance of calm.


    Cecilia met her eyes as she finally spoke. ¡°...You remember that favor I mentioned? I guess I¡¯m calling it in sooner than expected. You never saw me here, all right?¡±


    Idelle felt ice cold. She looked at the sword in her hands, the beautiful, expensive sword with the other girl¡¯s crest on the pommel. ¡°What are you even saying?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that you never saw me here. Do you understand, or not?¡± Cecilia¡¯s voice was clipped and harsh, the ball of light shaking slightly as she spoke.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t understand! I don¡¯t understand anything...¡± Idelle¡¯s voice rose as she stared at the princess. ¡°You killed them! They¡¯re dead. Meat, rotting on the ground. Why? Tell me why you killed them!¡±


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


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated, all right?!¡± Cecilia almost screamed the words at her before controlling her voice back into that horrible harsh monotone. ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to be here. I don¡¯t have time¡ª I¡¯ll explain later, just promise that you won¡¯t tell anyone that you saw me here.¡±


    Fury pulsed through Idelle at the words, cold and hard. Promise her? Cecilia had the gall to talk about promises? Like she would just ignore this while Clovis and the rest were dead. ¡°You¡¯ll explain now. Or was that another lie, when you said you¡¯d explain what was wrong, next time we met? Oh, let me guess, you were feeling guilty about the murder you were plotting.¡±


    Cecilia flinched at the words, her expression lost in the cloak¡¯s shadow. ¡°That¡¯s not... I didn¡¯t lie to you¡ª  ¡°


    Idelle cut her off, the words pouring out of her in a torrent. ¡°That¡¯s not what? Do you think I¡¯m stupid? Do you think I can¡¯t figure out what¡¯s going on here? You think I can¡¯t tell that you were trying to mislead me, to manipulate me? I¡¯m holding your expensive bribe right here in front of you, or are you going to lie about that, too? I won¡¯t be an accessory to whatever horrible, violent madness this is!¡±


    Idelle stared at Cecilia, her breathing fast and jagged.


    When the princess finally spoke, her voice was low and utterly calm. Like an executioner asking for someone¡¯s last words. ¡°It¡¯s awfully hypocritical of you, of all people, to claim that having secrets is the same as lying.¡±


    Idelle felt her heart jump, skipping in her chest. ¡°...What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°You know perfectly well what I¡¯m saying. Hypocrite. Or is murder only acceptable when you¡¯re the one tearing someone¡¯s throat out with your teeth and fleeing into the forest?¡±


    Idelle stepped back as if she¡¯d been struck. Her hands shook. ¡°You ¡ª How?¡±


    ¡°Stop acting stupid, we both know you¡¯re not.¡± The venom in Cecilia¡¯s words was palpable. ¡°No one competent would just ignore a soldier being attacked like that. A horseman arrived with the news a few days before you did. You were lucky that the guard who recognized you was one of my troops, you know. Duke Wyrlet would probably have executed you on sight. But I risked covering it up, and what do I find?¡±


    Cecilia stepped forward as her voice rose. Idelle found herself involuntarily taking another step back in response. This was all wrong, everything was horribly, violently wrong. Clovis was dead, Cecilia was... Why was it all so wrong? No answers came to her, Idelle couldn¡¯t think straight; her thoughts seemed to scatter like a startled flock of birds as she reached for them.


    Cecilia¡¯s tirade continued. ¡°A girl with more magic in her blood than I¡¯d ever seen in my life, a girl who I know for a fact killed someone, acting like a confused lost puppy.¡±


    Another step forward. ¡°Seriously, what is wrong with you? Do you not understand how much of a risk I took? Or do you just not care? I can¡¯t get a grip on you at all. Sure, there¡¯s the puppy act, but I see how you smile, sometimes. Like everyone around you is just insects for you to trample over to get whatever it is you want. Like they¡¯re not even real people, just meat like you said.¡±


    Her voice dropped back down, back to that horrible, deadly calm. ¡°So, sure. I¡¯m a liar; if that¡¯s what you want to believe. You¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t keep my promise. Now answer my question. Will you tell anyone about this?¡±


    Idelle couldn¡¯t meet the other girl¡¯s gaze, she found herself staring at her sword instead, her reflection barely visible as it stared back at her with wide eyes. When she finally spoke it was barely a whisper. ¡°I¡­ you killed him. Why¡¯d you kill him. What¡¯s wrong with you. Why?¡± She wasn¡¯t even sure who the question was supposed to be addressed at. Her voice sounded distant in her ears. Like it was coming from behind heavy walls. Her heart pulsed, painfully loud behind her eyes.


    Cecilia¡¯s gaze stayed fixed on Idelle, the princess¡¯s red and puffy eyes barely visible under the hooded cloak. One of the black-clad warriors next to her leaned over and whispered something, and Cecilia shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t have the time for... this.¡± She stepped back through the doorway, the two silent figures flanking her. ¡°Collapse the building on her. If she¡¯s lucky enough to survive, she won¡¯t be able to dig her way out until long after we¡¯re gone.¡±


    Idelle glanced back up at her as the words filtered their way through the pounding fog in her head. ¡°Oh. Trying to murder me too, then?¡±


    ¡°Would it kill you! To just say¡ª¡±


    Cecilia¡¯s words were cut off as the girl with the greatsword exploded across the room, her sword smashing through the chandelier it had gotten caught on earlier like it was glass as it tore through the air in a vicious swing. The rightmost figure in black reacted instantly, deflecting her sword, but the force of the blow sent their weapon scattering into the wall.


    She was already following up, her sword thrusting forward, but an instant before it could connect the light flashed out, replaced by a hurricane. The torrent of wind that filled the room felt like a giant punch to the chest, lifting her off the ground and slamming her against the wall. She screamed in frustration, and reached out for the flickering air, clawing at the magic, scraping at it with her will; she would shatter it even if she couldn¡¯t shape it herself.


    ¡°I said to collapse the building! Hurry! She¡¯s fighting me!¡±


    She tore harder as she heard the words, her frantic hands grasping uselessly at the air. She wouldn¡¯t die here. She couldn¡¯t! She felt the wind lessen, the iron will she was fighting against on the verge of losing control as she desperately struggled, and she pushed herself forward. She¡¯d lost her grip on her sword but she still had her teeth and claws and¡­


    She heard a sharp crack and an inexorable rumble of rock, and a moment later something smashed into her back, crushing her to the ground like an ant. She screamed, in agony this time, something in her chest felt horribly broken, and for a moment she thought she felt herself falling before a great mass slammed into her face and everything went black.

 Chapter 30: Survival Instinct

    Pain greeted Idelle as she returned to consciousness. A dull throbbing in her left arm and leg, and flashes of sharp searing agony in her chest whenever she breathed too deeply. Something heavy was on her back. She tried to push herself up, but something grated horribly in her left arm at the attempt, and she fell back down with a cry of pain. Only echoes responded.


    She laid there, keeping her breathing as shallow as she could, trying not to panic in the pitch blackness. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was arguing with Cecilia ¡ª no, that wasn¡¯t right. Cecilia had tried to kill her. She¡¯d defended herself. She¡¯d lost.


    Idelle clenched her teeth. She was still alive. That was more than could be said for the scattered bodies across the city.


    Her arm throbbed. If you lie to me again, I¡¯ll hate you. The memory of her own voice seemed to mock her. If you want to truly hate someone, you need something far more than petty lies, it taunted. Oh, what was that? Your wish came true! Aren¡¯t you happy?


    Her fingernails dug into her palm and she tried to force herself up into a kneeling position with only her right arm. Her body screamed at her for trying, her chest shouting to stop, to not under any circumstances do that. She tried to force it and was rewarded with another surge of agony just as she felt the weight on her back shift slightly. She crumpled back to the ground with a whimper.


    Idelle closed her eyes and tried to force the pain away, to press it into a little ball and hide it somewhere she couldn¡¯t feel it. Don¡¯t breathe too deep, don¡¯t move, just stay calm, she repeated the words to herself, clinging to them like a lifeline. The pain was so sharp and present that nothing else seemed real in comparison.


    Time passed, was it minutes or hours? Something was there, burning in front of her. Strange shapes seemed to dance in front of her eyes, beckoning her forward. Was she dreaming? She might have fallen back into unconsciousness, she wasn¡¯t sure.


    She kept breathing, vaguely aware of more seconds slipping away. She felt empty and nauseated. This wasn¡¯t good. But her only option was to be patient, and pray that her abnormal body could pull through.


    Eventually, slowly, the pain lessened, receding into the background of her consciousness. She felt her breathing steady; like someone else was regulating it. Good. That was the way. She pressed her arm against the ground again. On the count of three. Three, two, one¡­


    Idelle clenched her teeth and pressed her body away from the ground with everything she could muster. The now-familiar flash of pain came, but she already heard and felt something shifting, and the next moment the pressure on her back lessened as whatever debris she was pinned under fell to the side with a cacophonous crash. She shoved herself in the opposite direction, forcing back a scream as she rolled over her left arm and out from under the remainder.


    For a moment she just laid there panting. The pain in her chest was thankfully much better when she wasn¡¯t being crushed from both sides, but the throbbing in her arm had only intensified in exchange.


    Slowly, Idelle sat up. Everything was still pitch black. Could she cast a light spell? She reached out to her magic-sight ¡ª


    A whirling point of something indescribable sang in place, so bright that it nearly drowned out the magic around her. It beckoned her, calling her name, promising remedy, salvation¡­


    The pain receded. She focused out, and a tiny spot of light sprang into being, illuminating a rough-cut tunnel sealed off by a mess of wood and rock. Somehow, she¡¯d been thrown mostly clear of the collapse. Lucky, but that wouldn¡¯t help her further. She turned back, towards the beacon, her mind cold and calm.


    She flexed her left arm, but it could barely move past the elbow due to swelling. No matter. What about her leg? She looked down, a long cut visible on her skin. It had already clotted and was visibly closing.


    Right, her sword. She spotted the hilt, half-buried under a shower of small rock and dirt. She walked over to it and tried to pull it loose. No luck. She¡¯d have to take the time to unbury it. She let the light flicker out. She could work well enough in the dark for this.


    A few minutes later, she hauled the sword free. The blade was still intact, only a few scratches marking its shared ordeal with her. She set it over her shoulder and turned. The distortion in the surrounding magic had faded slightly. She should hurry. Something was wrong in her chest still, despite the fading pain. She needed to feed. To get more strength to heal herself with.


    She concentrated, her shimmer of light popping into existence in front of her again, and started down the tunnel, her footsteps echoing into the blackness. If the other end was blocked, she would be in trouble. Best not to worry about it for now.


    A minute later, her light started to dim. She frowned at it, then looked up in surprise. No, that wasn¡¯t right at all, the light was the same as ever. Instead, the tunnel walls were ever so slightly glowing.


    She dismissed her charm and continued on. Faster now, ignoring her injuries. The passage slowly widened, and another tunnel joined hers as the glow continued to intensify.


    There were markings on the walls, she realized. Her eyes scanned over figures, tiny stick-like humans and great monsters both. Some like huge flying birds, others like lions and great sinuous snakes, and still others strange combinations of them all. Here a small figure raised its hands and a bird was struck from the heavens, over there another one stood atop the head of a huge serpentine shadow, the details faded with time.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    She didn¡¯t have the time to examine them in detail, her destination still slowly growing fainter in her magic-sight even as she drew nearly atop it. She was jogging now. Flying past pillars and then through a great arched entryway.


    The air was cold here, unnaturally so, enough to cause even her discomfort. She ignored it, running through an ancient hall of stone. There was another entryway ahead, this one with great stone doors, words were written across them in a script she distantly recognized but could not read.


    She pushed the rightmost door with all her strength, struggling with its weight and her useless left arm. Slowly, it swung open, and she picked her sword back up and carefully stepped through.


    She was greeted by a beautiful circular chamber, dozens of meters across. Five more sets of stone doors were laid at intervals around it, with the seventh pair of wooden doors already slightly ajar. More pillars were carved from the rock around her, each ornately engraved with complex patterns. The walls between them held more of the faint paintings from earlier, endless worlds of illustrated stories that would take hours for anyone to look over fully.


    A spiraling series of tiles led into the center of the room, converging in what seemed to be a great circle. But the full pattern was impossible to make out.


    It was obscured by the great mass of darkness that lurked in the center of the room. A twisting, impenetrable fog of blackness, with tendrils of frozen air flaking away from it slowly as it curled around on itself. It moved like it was almost alive, like a dense swarm of insects lazily drifting as they devoured something.


    No, not ¡°like¡± at all. It was devouring something, Idelle realized, as she lowered her sword and stared. The fading source of the disturbance that had sent magic all across the city haywire was deep in the middle of the fog, tiny fragments slowly flaking away and scattering into twinkling dust. For a moment, she took in the scene in breathless wonder, barely even aware of her injuries or the headache that was starting to make itself known again.


    Then, the girl¡¯s eyes narrowed. The fog was unexpected. She didn¡¯t know how it would react. Experimentally, she took a step forward, her sword once again held at the ready. Another step. Still no reaction. Carefully, she continued closer.


    As she closed two-thirds of the distance, the fog suddenly twisted faster, congealing on her side of the room. She paused, considering. Then, like lightning, she stepped forward, her sword slashing through the blackness in a wild, uncontrolled swing as she tried to compensate for her broken left arm. The dark mess gave way to her blade, falling back, but even as her teeth shone in a rictus of triumph it condensed back and washed almost lazily back towards her.


    She cut through it again, and then again, as she stepped back, retreating halfway towards the wall before the fog returned to normal. Not that easy then.


    That was fine, she still had one more trump card. She considered. Yes, she¡¯d risk it on this next strike. Even if she didn¡¯t act, she would die here regardless before too long. She could feel her body failing, something in her chest had been crushed beyond her ability to heal, and even as she stood here her heart was working harder to try and compensate.


    Slowly, she walked back towards the fog as focused. Her body was light, ethereal, bereft of not only pain but weight as well. There was nothing to hold her back, nothing that COULD hold her back. One strike. That was all she needed.


    She leapt. The intangible inky mess in front of her split around her sword, fanning out to both sides like the petals of an eerie flower. Then the blade slashed into something solid, cutting deep into it before it was jerked out of her hand as it stuck in place. She nearly stumbled as she landed, awkwardly avoiding her own blade as she frantically lunged forward.


    For a second she saw myriad lavender reflections of her own face spread in front of her, eyes wide and lips curved into a snarl. Then, as the fog closed back around her, she pulled the sword free, grabbing it by the blade in her haste. She pressed her face against the gash it left and drank deeply.


    She almost screamed, choking on the blood.


    The first sweet mouthful felt as if her throat had caught aflame, and the fire almost instantly spread into her own blood; forcing itself through her heart to the rest of her body. It attacked her without hesitation, tearing her body apart from the inside as she tried to control it. There was a horrible bitter taste mixed with the flame as well, a sickening astringent flavor that made her want to puke. No, not just a taste, there was something else in the blood, a dark poison filled with a cold bitterness that seemed to fight only the flames, ignoring her body.


    She growled, fighting the flame, trying to control it, trying to make it hers as it tore her apart. She would not be denied! It was hers now! The flame tore at her further, even as she drank more of it. She ¡ª


    No, what was she doing? The flame would destroy her, Idelle screamed to herself. The fog was around her now, freezing cold, eating away at her skin even as her blood boiled. She felt her body being ripped apart from the inside. Desperately, she focused instead on the other liquid, ignoring the flame, pushing it back even as it tried to flow into her, and gulping down only the black filth within it despite the horrible flavor.


    She felt the poison bite at the flame, eroding it even as the conflict further ravaged her. Her vision blurred. The flame was weakening as the black liquid further permeated her body, swirling under her skin. She desperately grabbed at the excess as it spilled through her, forcing it into her broken blood vessels to try and heal them even as they continued to shatter, her heart desperately pumping to keep up. Just a moment longer¡­


    The flame seemed to flicker. In an instant, she asserted herself over it. It spread itself out through her body, no longer a scorching dagger but instead a gentle warmth that pushed away the icy fog.


    Images flashed through her mind, strange fragmented scenes that intoxicated Idelle even as they threatened to overwhelm her. A mountain, taller than the skies. A sun, burning, vast and untouchable. A strange cage with five sides. She struggled, trying to remember who she was, what she was doing, but the deluge of information continued, growing ever more incomprehensible. She felt dizzying joy and melancholy that seemed eternal, saw shapes that seemed to twist out of reality with a thousand sides, looked at a tree only to see every leaf at once, down to each individual uncountable vein¡­


    Something thrashed, and she once again felt her ribs shatter as she was violently flung out of the fog.


    She hung in the air for a moment that seemed to stretch out, endless.


    Then she smashed awkwardly against the ground; sliding almost to the edge of the room. She laid there for a moment, dazed, her body urgently absorbing the rest of the black ooze she¡¯d drunk to repair itself. Her head swam and for a moment the thought flashed through her head that she really would die here.


    Her vision stilled. The girl forced herself back onto her feet, frowning as she felt her ankle twist in a direction it wasn¡¯t supposed to. That was broken too. And her sword¡­


    She looked towards the center of the room. The fog was slowly unwinding itself, painfully squirming its way in her direction. Too bad for it. She wasn¡¯t dead yet.

 Chapter 31: Hunter

    The girl stood on one side of the temple, watching carefully as her strange opponent lurched towards her. The fog had congealed tighter around it; wrapping into slowly twisting chains of shadow whose layers still obscured its full form. It grew longer as she watched, stretching out probingly towards her. Its movements were awkward, like a marionette controlled by a child.


    She flexed her arms experimentally. Her left arm could move again. Good. She could feel that some of the internal damage was healed as well. Probably enough to escape, if it came down to it.


    She wouldn¡¯t run, though. Not yet. She wanted more. The power contained in the being beggared belief, even a tiny fraction of it had been enough to mostly heal her when she finally seized control of it.


    Drinking it had subtly shifted her body as well, in a way that she couldn¡¯t fully comprehend. She wasn¡¯t faster, or stronger. But she felt somehow more present in the world, more connected. As if she¡¯d only been a reflection on the surface of a lake, until now.


    And the thing was weak, dying, the fog only an external manifestation of the poison that was slowly consuming it. On top of that, the poison held nearly as much power as the creature itself. Albeit in a form less accessible to her.


    No need to rush, though. She felt her ankle swelling, the bone unable to knit back together yet but locked in place despite that. Good. She would need to move quickly. Whatever was dying inside the shadows could crush her with ease, if it got close enough.


    The thing came closer, thrusting forward like the head of an enormous, shadowy snake. She kept her eyes locked on it. Her nails shifted, growing curved and sharp. She stepped slowly to one side, experimentally circling away. The massive head of fog turned, jerkily, following her.


    She stepped forward this time, baiting it. In response the fog solidified further, lashing out at her in long, sharp tendrils. But despite their speed, they seemed to move instinctually, with no thought behind them, swinging in wide, predictable arcs. She danced back, trying to favor her uninjured right foot, and slashed with her claws. To her surprise, she easily cut through one of the shadows and it seemed to melt away. It was seemingly unable to sustain itself without a connection to its host.


    More tendrils of fog swept towards her, and one brushed her shoulder as she cut back at them. It seemed almost intangible, with no force behind it, but she hissed in pain as she felt her flesh corrode under her jacket. She sliced through it a moment later, and the pain dulled slightly. She could take a few hits then. Good to know.


    A second later, her eyes widened as the main mass of fog lunged ponderously towards her. She threw herself to one side, and it smashed into the ground with a huge crash of breaking stone. A fragment of tile sliced her cheek open as she continued to backpedal, cutting down more tendrils of shadow as she retreated further around the room.


    She wouldn¡¯t be taking one of those hits, that was for sure.


    The thing raised its head (she was growing more sure that this was its head), questing towards her again. She was smiling, her bared teeth exposed to the cold air. Her foe was slow, weakened far beyond what seemed natural by its internal conflict. Barely faster than the partners she¡¯d sparred with in Ivar¡¯s class, and far more predictable. The only danger was its huge size, and the risk of getting overwhelmed by the fog if she moved too close.


    She glanced back towards the center of the temple. Her sword was visible now, the fog having pulled away from it as the creature uncoiled itself. The blade was gleaming red and black in the strange, ever-present light coming from the walls.


    The girl continued to skirt the pillars by the edge of the room, staying just at the edge of her opponent¡¯s range. Slowly, carefully, she cut away pieces of the fog as she continued to fall back. She could see the shadows by its head shrinking. The damage she was inflicting must be adding up.


    Then, as she drew more than halfway around the circular room, she moved, darting back towards the center. Her ankle screamed at the abuse, but she ignored it, snatching back up her sword and quickly falling back from the remaining fog at the center of the room. As she retreated, something enormous within it curled out towards her, smashing into the ground behind her. A tail?


    The tail didn¡¯t move again. The fog was slowing, stilling in places, she realized. She turned back towards the head, half limping back across towards it, sword in hand.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    A few more tendrils came at her as she approached. Her sword batted them aside with ease, the blade far too long for them to approach her. Her grin widened further. Her sword was made to fight monsters, after all.


    Again, she stepped forward. No longer was she restricted to slashing through one or two of the shadowy tentacles at a time, her sword flashing in great arcs as she dissected them.


    She chopped to her right. A stray strike came at her from the other side and she cut it down with the claws on her left hand, wielding her sword one-handed for a moment. She was in her element now, a bird finally given wings. She barely even needed to think, her sword moving almost automatically to strike down the repetitive attacks.


    She slashed again, almost contemptuously now. The tendrils had slowed further, she realized. They came at her only sporadically now, in half-hearted flailing bursts. As if they were giving up¡ª


    Oh. Oh.


    Idelle used her magic-sight. It came easily to her, feeling more natural than it ever had before.


    The room suddenly seemed almost empty to her. The great tempest of magic that had filled the black mist was nothing more than faint embers.


    Another few of them winked out even as she watched.


    The fog was dissipating around them as they faded, slowly slipping away, in patchwork pieces, where there was no magic left to feed it.


    The burning desire for the power she¡¯d seen, the hunger that had filled her? It had quietly slipped away as well, leaving only a sense of loss in its place.


    Idelle looked down at her bloodstained sword, filled with a sudden inexplicable feeling of shame.


    Was this all she really was? Someone who would attack and kill anything in front of her to survive and grow stronger, who would just discard other people if they got in her way?


    She really was a hypocrite, wasn¡¯t she.


    The scattered, barely comprehensible memories she¡¯d seen rose back to her mind. They weren¡¯t the memories of some mindless monster, they had been filled with emotion and imagination. She¡¯d touched the soul of a thinking, breathing creature, for all that it was far beyond her comprehension.


    She set her sword down and limped forward, ignoring the pounding in her head. The fog seemed to struggle and writhe as she approached, but she ignored it, stopping just in front of it.


    Haltingly, she spoke. ¡°...I don¡¯t know if you can hear me. No, I don¡¯t know if you could even understand me. But. I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡±


    Neither the fog nor the creature within it reacted to her words. She pressed on regardless.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can help you¡­ but I can try. Is that all right with you?¡±


    Still no response. A few of the embers of magic winked out of existence.


    ¡°...I hate this¡­¡± Idelle mumbled, staring at the shadowed creature lying in front of her. Her hands balled into fists, claws cutting into her palms.


    What was the point of surviving, of being strong, if all you did with that strength was hurt people? She remembered Clovis¡¯s face, his neck cut open as he laid among countless other corpses in the courtyard where she¡¯d met him, and her heart clenched.


    Was her sin really so irredeemable, compared to that?


    She stepped forward, closing her eyes. What was left of the fog ate once more into her skin, but she ignored the pain. She deserved it, anyway. She groped forward, feeling something smooth and tough under her hands and she quickly pressed against it and sank her teeth into it.


    Idelle tasted the same blood as before, still sweet but nearly bereft of that tyrannical fire, and she ignored it. Instead, she seized the poison that ran through it, the bitter contaminating filth, pulling at it with all her will. It came at her call, flowing black and viscous into her mouth, clogging her throat and choking her.


    She felt the poison stir for a moment, as if it distantly recognized her this time, pressing back against her control, but it was too weak to resist. It spread through her body, dissipating, slowly healing her wounds. She could almost pretend the foul flavor was medicine like this; good medicine tastes bitter, after all.


    She choked again, struggling to handle the sheer quantity of the black liquid. She¡¯d never tried to drink this much before. Not that she was really drinking, as she could tell now, she was somehow channeling everything through her heart and into her bloodstream where it was absorbed into her body. The process felt natural and obvious, despite flying against everything she knew of digestion.


    And still, more of the fading poison came. Would she reach a limit, Idelle wondered? What would happen when her body was fully healed, could she still absorb more? She didn¡¯t know. She wished she¡¯d forced herself to explore her power further before now. No, there couldn¡¯t be much more, she realized, for the fog was no longer eating away at her skin ¡ª


    For a moment, her mouth cleared of the filth and she tasted only a sweet, gentle heat that filled her with a wild, unstoppable craving. Then, all at once, the embers in her magic-sight burst apart into tiny sparkling motes of light. Before she could open her eyes, she felt something vast and ancient brush against her mind, and she slumped to the ground, unconscious.

 Chapter 32: Future and Past

    Idelle was dreaming again. Or was she? She wasn¡¯t sure this time. It felt almost like she had woken up, instead, but that couldn¡¯t be right.


    She stared around her. The world around her seemed to shift under her eyes. One moment she was atop an ancient mountain, the next it seemed to slowly wither away into a set of plains, covered in flowers and grasses. A river seemed to dance across it, leaving a set of long tracks, and she felt a strange urge to dance with it, to uncurl herself and let her body flow and sing eternally.


    She looked again. A figure was there, standing with her. It¡¯d been there the whole time, she realized without surprise. It was beautiful, enchanting like no one and nothing she¡¯d ever seen, and yet when she tried to describe something as simple as the color of its hair it was like she could see nothing at all. She tried to look closer, glimpsing for a moment a flash of glimmering scales; but her eyes began to sting and water and when she blinked back the tears the moment had passed.


    ¡°Thank you, little ones.¡± She heard no voice, yet knew without a doubt that the figure was the one addressing her. She smiled at it, filled with almost instinctual happiness. She felt it smile back. ¡°You have done me an unexpected service.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know for certain that it was me, actually. I tried my best, but¡­¡± She hesitated, wondering why she didn¡¯t want to say more. It must have been her, right? There was no one else¡­ But she felt like saying that was taking more credit than she deserved. She spoke again, voice uncertain. ¡°Will you be all right?¡±


    The being shrugged. ¡°I could survive even at the end of the world. But you have, perhaps unintentionally, given me a rare gift, and freed me from an onerous obligation.¡±


    Idelle¡¯s innocent smile widened. ¡°I¡¯m glad. Truly.¡± She had no doubt that she would be believed. To lie in this place seemed profane, unthinkable even.


    The figure was receding away from her as they talked, but it spoke without any trace of impatience or hurry. ¡°Might I ask something of you? The blood you shed, I have a use for it.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± She replied without hesitation. Somehow, she knew that the being would not mislead her and meant no harm, even if she didn¡¯t understand why it was asking.


    ¡°Then, I thank you again. I will owe you a favor beyond the gift I have already given.¡±


    Idelle solemnly nodded. ¡°Where can I find you, if I need it?¡±


    The figure paused, considering. ¡°I do not know. It will take some time before we can meet again, and when that time comes we will no longer be as we are now. But that is true of all partings, no? We can only ever move forward in time, after all.¡±


    Idelle felt a strange pang of sorrow at the thought. It was true, wasn¡¯t it? Every moment she spent was gone forever, irreplaceable, never again to be spent on anything else...


    The being let out something like a sigh, and the sorrow left her.


    ¡°Forgive me, talking like this can be¡­ taxing, for your kind. This will be goodbye, for now.¡±


    Idelle looked around her. The dancing river had settled, and the world was stable again. But something of its dance still lingered, in the way it fell between stones and wound between bends. She did her best to memorize the changes she¡¯d seen, knowing they were a precious sight. A chance to see the world differently, even if only for an instant.


    There was a final sense of approval, one that needed no words to convey, and then she was alone again.


    No, she wasn¡¯t quite alone.


    There was a child¡¯s voice in the distance. A young child, barely old enough to speak. They were calling out, sounding almost petulant, as if someone had taken a toy from them and refused to give it back. But she couldn¡¯t quite make out their words.


    She looked around, searching for the child, but the world was empty now. Not even she herself stood there, she realized with a start. Then where was she?


    ¡­


    Slowly, Idelle opened her eyes and looked around her. She was lying on her side in the strange temple. The fog, and the ancient being within it, were both gone. All that remained were a few great shattered gouges in the tiles and a powdering of fine violet dust all across the floor.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    She reached out, running her hand through the dust. It felt soft and warm. It comforted her, running her rough fingers through it. She slowly sat up, feeling more dust scatter out of her hair and down from her clothes.


    Had she succeeded? Idelle wasn¡¯t sure. She felt like she¡¯d stopped the poison, but there was no sign left of her success. Only the strange memory of someone, or something, speaking without words in a world that seemed alive with magic.


    A favor. She¡¯d been granted a favor, she remembered that much. So whatever had come of her actions, she¡¯d done something worthwhile, as far as the bestower was concerned. And her body was more or less healed. Even her recurrent headache had faded, for now. That was something.


    She clambered to her feet. Most important of all, she was still alive. That was a miracle, with everything she¡¯d encountered over the past¡­ night? Day? She wasn¡¯t sure. She¡¯d spent too much time unconscious to even guess.


    She turned and found her sword, lying in the dust a few steps behind her. She carefully picked it up, examining it in the strange glow cast by the rock walls and ceiling. It looked fine, no worse for wear than she was. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t the only lucky thing here, she thought dryly.


    Idelle looked around again. How would she get out of here? Her eyes fell on the wooden doors, still hanging slightly ajar. She started towards them, the dust shifting under her feet. If it was a one in seven chance, she might as well try the odd one out.


    She was rewarded with the sight of a staircase behind them, spiraling upward into blackness.


    Idelle paused in front of the first step, hesitating. She had no idea what she¡¯d find up there. She thought back to the city, the orange glow cast on the houses as she sprinted through the streets. People fleeing the flames. Dead bodies, lying unburied as the living fought and fled.


    She closed her eyes and took a long breath. Her quiet voice echoed up the stairs as she spoke to herself. ¡°...Are you really going to run away again?¡±


    She reopened her eyes. No. Not this time. Not after what Cecilia had done.


    Idelle¡¯s jaw set and she started up the stairs, her footsteps firm. She had asked herself what the point of being strong, of staying alive was. Well, how was that for an answer? She might be weak now, so weak that she¡¯d been utterly helpless in front of Cecilia¡¯s magic. But her power could change that. Her power would change that.


    And once she finally became powerful?


    She¡¯d find the princess, and force an answer out of her. No more games, no more secrets. Idelle would ask her why she¡¯d betrayed them, what exactly Cecilia thought was so important that she was willing to kill hundreds, thousands of people for it.


    Another step. Idelle¡¯s hand tightened unconsciously around the hilt of her sword. And if Cecilia didn¡¯t have a good answer ready?


    Idelle would make sure she was strong enough to kill the other girl.


    She didn¡¯t look back as she rounded the corner, or she might have noticed the dust slowly spiraling inward behind her ¡ª as if being blown together by a gentle wind.


    Soon after, she reached the top of the stairs. They opened into a dark room, too dark to see clearly. Idelle flicked her hand, and a small orb of light appeared above it. A long stone wall greeted her, set atop rails that were carved out of the stone floor. There was a long lever next to it.


    She stepped forward, tugging on the lever, and was rewarded with a loud click. She glanced around, then tentatively pressed on the wall, pushing it to the side. It slid easily, despite the weight, as if it had been well maintained. A ray of dim light came through the revealed passage, and she dismissed her charm in response.


    Stepping through the aperture revealed an inconspicuous shrine, the kind of small and tidy place of worship that could be found anywhere in the kingdom. This particular one was less than tidy, however. The door was gone, and ash was scattered across the stone floor. The air was warm, and Idelle tasted a little smoke still.


    She hesitated, then turned back and slid the wall shut again. It locked into place with another click. She wasn¡¯t totally sure why she did it. It just felt right, somehow, like the strange place she¡¯d been in was special and should be kept apart from the world.


    Then, she quietly strode across the shrine and through the burnt-out doorway.


    The city stretched out around her. She was still in the older, primarily stone section, she realized; and as such her immediate surroundings were still mostly intact. In the distance, however, she could see hints of wreckage, blackened wood visible amidst fallen bricks. She saw a flicker of flames still definitely burning in one of the piles.


    She started down the streets. No one else was visible in this part of the city, not even bodies. Either they were burnt beyond recognition, hidden under rubble or inside buildings, or everyone had fled the city. The sun was barely peeking through the haze of smoke, high overhead.


    Idelle looked around her. Which way to go? She found it impossible to imagine any of the city had been spared from the flames, with how far they had spread already when she had woken up the night before. They¡¯d probably been set in multiple places at once, and firefighting efforts forced back with violence. Her heart clenched at the thought.


    No, the survivors must be outside the city entirely. The merchant camp, that was the most likely place. She tried to figure out where she was relative to the gates, but the city was unrecognizable to her. Finally, she just chose the direction with the fewest lingering flames, and started towards the outer walls, picking her way carefully across the rubble that had spilled into the street.

 Chapter 33: The Wicked

    The extent of the destruction brought by the fire was fully revealed as Idelle made her way out of the city.


    Whole city blocks had been reduced entirely to ash and scattered rubble, often blocking what was left of the often narrow former roads. As she walked her feet kicked up dust that mixed with the still smoky air and made her throat itch and eyes water. She covered her hand with her sleeve, wishing she had a handkerchief or something. Thankfully, her recent feeding seemed to have satisfied her need for water or food for the moment.


    Despite that, it was easy enough to work towards the outer walls. Even with buildings in the way, they had loomed tall enough to be visible from much of the city. Now, they ringed it like the sides of a distant cage in the smoke. She couldn¡¯t imagine anyone would be left feeling that protected by them, after this. Not that they had been designed to help against an attack like the one that had taken place last night.


    The night before?


    Probably still last night, Idelle decided, it was hard to imagine she¡¯d spent a whole twenty-four hours unconscious.


    Despite herself, she coughed into her arm, her chest spasming with the motion. It ached slightly, still tender, and she winced. It was getting hard to not feel a little thankful for her strange powers, given the abuse she¡¯d managed to survive thanks to them. Being smashed away and into the ground by something that was probably a thousand times heavier than her had been an unpleasant experience, to say the least.


    At least she was alive, she reminded herself again. As long as she stayed alive, she could keep growing stronger. As strong as she needed to be. A body and mind like steel, that was what she needed right now.


    The walls reached ever higher towards the skies as she drew closer. The blocky tower that made out the gatehouse was only a few minutes walk away, so she started to head towards it more directly, clambering over a messy pile of bricks that might have once been a fireplace or oven before the building that housed it had collapsed. She half expected to see someone guarding the gates, but no one was visible. Right, what was there even left to guard, at this point?


    The main gates and side entrance both had been left open, and the smoke lessened slightly as she passed through them. Idelle looked over to the merchant camp, visible by the edge of the woods a distance away, and was greeted by a mass of improvised tents and bustling activity. More shelters were still being improvised, with others working to dig latrines and a third group in the process of chopping down a section of the nearby trees. Soldiers were positioned in groups around the outskirts of the camp, weapons nearby.


    Idelle quickly strode over towards the camp, the nearest group of soldiers quickly noticing her and waving. One of them spoke as she drew closer.


    ¡°Did something else happen? Any orders for us?¡±


    Idelle shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, sorry¡­ I just came out of the city.¡±


    He whistled in surprise. ¡°Just now? Are you all right? What happened to you? I assumed everyone who hadn¡¯t fled by now was dead already.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I was trapped for a while and injured, couldn¡¯t get out until now.¡±


    The man took a closer look at her blood-stained gambeson and winced. ¡°Wow. Um, do you need help getting to the medical camps? They¡¯re around the other side of the city, closer to the barracks. Most of us are over there, tending to the wounded. Though¡­¡± He hesitated, looking pained. ¡°Well. There¡¯s less wounded than you might hope for.¡±


    Idelle grimaced. That didn¡¯t surprise her, given how ruthless the attack had been. ¡°I¡¯m all right, I think it looks worse than it is. I was lucky enough to be trapped away from the fire¡­ It just took me a while to get out, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ I¡¯m glad to hear that someone was lucky in all this. Either way, though, you should go get it checked out. There¡¯s no reason to risk infection or anything, right?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll go do that, then. Around the city by the barracks, you said?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s more work to be done over there anyway, what with all the dead to bury.¡± The man shrugged, the morose bitterness in his voice apparent to anyone listening.


    Idelle thanked him and quickly started her way back around the city. Dead to bury, huh? She wondered if she could find any corpses from the mysterious attackers. If she could, her powers might give her a real shot at tracking them down, or at least finding out where they come from. As effective as the night attack had been, she couldn¡¯t imagine that at least some of them hadn¡¯t died. Not with people like Ivar on their side.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    A few minutes later, she arrived at the medical camps the soldier on guard had mentioned. They were nothing more than another series of temporary shelters, with bedrolls and a few cots laid out under them for the wounded.


    People were moving among them, distributing water, food, blankets, and the like. Quiet cries and moans of pain drifted over to her ears, and she involuntarily looked away.


    More soldiers were carrying stretchers out of the city, unloading them in the grass nearby where another group was grimly digging long lines of what could only be graves. More of her comrades were resting under trees, some downright asleep and others looking too exhausted for conversation or games. No one seemed eager to blame them or force them back to work. She wondered who was even in charge. Adrian? He would have survived, right?


    Idelle glanced around further and saw a larger shelter, really just a shade, set up a little further away. Sure enough, Adrian was standing under it, along with several secretaries seated at tables along with a great deal of paperwork. His face looked like iron as he discussed something with a woman she didn¡¯t recognize who was dressed in an expensive embroidered tunic. Better not to bother him, she thought.


    She hesitated, then started towards the gravediggers. Better to get the work done, for now, and ask questions later. As she approached, she spotted a familiar face. It was Sergeant Cateline, carrying the front end of a stretcher with yet another corpse out of the city. Idelle hastened over, the rugged older woman¡¯s face displaying a surprised look as she recognized her.


    Cateline spoke first before Idelle had a chance. ¡°Idelle, was it? You all right? You look like crap.¡±


    Idelle glanced down at herself. Yeah, she had to admit she did in fact look like crap. Blood had stained a large part of her gambeson, and the rest was covered in ash and dirt. Her left arm was still visibly bruised as well, her body having prioritized healing more serious injuries, and there was a large cut in her leggings with encrusted blood visible underneath that as well. She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been better, but I¡¯m still alive, so it could be worse.¡±


    Cateline lowered the stretcher she was carrying with a thud, her lips curled into a humorless grin. ¡°Truth. I didn¡¯t see you until now, were you badly injured? Don¡¯t push yourself.¡±


    Idelle shook her head. ¡°No, nothing too bad. I only just got out of the city, that¡¯s why.¡± She hesitated for a moment, then her jaw tightened and continued. ¡°I went to find Ce ¡ª the princess ¡­ Last night, I mean.¡±


    Cateline met her gaze with an overcast expression. ¡°Ah, then you probably already know. She¡¯s vanished after the attack. Kidnapped, or dead somewhere we haven¡¯t found her. Swordmaster Ivar is missing as well, Adrian thinks he might be a traitor.¡±


    Idelle¡¯s hands curled into fists, looking down at the ground, away from Cateline¡¯s hard eyes. Ivar as well? ¡°...Actually¡­ I ¡ª I think the princess was the traitor. I saw her, working with the people attacking us.¡±


    Cateline didn¡¯t respond for a long second. When she did, her voice was quiet. ¡°Are you sure? Do you have any proof?¡±


    Idelle still didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Not really. Just my word, I suppose, that I saw her.¡±


    There was another agonizing pause in the conversation before Cateline finally spoke again. ¡°I think you must have been mistaken. Maybe it was someone else, disguised as her? Or maybe she was being kidnapped, and simply going along with them out of fear or until she could find a moment to escape.¡±


    Idelle met Cateline¡¯s eyes again, the older woman¡¯s expression had softened but still held that steely glint of conviction. ¡°What makes you so sure?¡±


    Cateline shrugged. ¡°Her Highness was ¡ª is, a good woman. The only one in the royal family, as far as I¡¯m concerned. She treats us common soldiers better than anyone, and I know a lot of us would die for her because of it. No, she treats everyone well. The nobles hate her guts for it too, you know.¡±


    Idelle hesitated, unsure what to say in response. ¡°It really was her, though. I spoke with her, actually. She didn¡¯t even deny that she was involved.¡±


    Cateline¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly at that. ¡°You spoke with her? And then what, she just let you go?¡±


    Idelle¡¯s brow furrowed into a frown. ¡°No, she, um¡­ She tried to kill me.¡±


    ¡°...Clearly she didn¡¯t do a very good job.¡±


    Cateline¡¯s words held no trace of amusement, and Idelle backtracked. ¡°Sorry. You¡¯re right, I must be confused. It¡¯s ¡ª a lot happened. Sorry.¡±


    Cateline sighed, looking away from her. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I believe that you saw something, at least, so I¡¯ll take this as a sign that Her Highness is still alive, if nothin¡¯ else. But you should go to one of the medical tents and rest. The bad air might be getting to you.¡±


    Idelle shook her head from side to side in a firm refusal. ¡°No, I¡¯m all right. Just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything. Is there anything I can help with for now, Sergeant?¡±


    ¡°You can help with burying the dead if you want. Plenty of that going around, as you can see. Just don¡¯t spread any other strange rumors while you do it, or I¡¯ll personally make sure you rest. Understand?¡± Cateline¡¯s tone was inscrutable.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry. Like I said, a lot happened.¡±


    ¡°Apology accepted.¡± The sergeant looked at the teenage boy who had been carrying the other side of her stretcher. He¡¯d flopped to the ground during their conversation, eyes half-closed and breathing slightly fast. ¡°You there, Erik, right? Go get some proper rest. Idelle will help me with this.¡±


    He nodded, slowly clambering to his feet, and Cateline jerked her head between Idelle and the stretcher. ¡°Come on then. We can talk while we work.¡± Idelle grimaced. Maybe she shouldn¡¯t have said anything.

 Chapter 34: Trust

    Despite her earlier words, it took Cateline several minutes after Idelle leaned her sword against a tree and took up the back end of the stretcher before the older woman spoke further. When she did, her voice was stern, but without the trace of anger or judgment that Idelle half expected after their earlier discussion.


    ¡°Idelle. Can you tell me further about seeing Her Highness? If you weren¡¯t confused, then you¡¯re the only one I¡¯m aware of who saw any trace of her last night. When and how did you meet her? And, while we¡¯re at it, why didn¡¯t you evacuate the city until now?¡±


    Idelle glanced up at the sergeant¡¯s back. She¡¯d already decided to share as much as she could without discussing details of her powers, but she was starting to regret that decision. From Cateline¡¯s point of view, it seemed hard to imagine someone in Idelle¡¯s position coming back to explain herself if she had done something truly wrong. But, the more she thought about it, the wilder her story sounded, even without the most over-the-top details.


    ¡°Um. I woke up to fighting in the courtyard. I went outside to try and help, but Adrian scared them off.¡± Her description of events sounded almost comically understated to Idelle¡¯s ears, but she hesitantly pressed on regardless. ¡°I kind of panicked after that, thinking Cecilia was in danger, and I ran after them towards the castle.¡±


    As they walked through the city gates, Idelle continued explaining how she¡¯d found the castle left only with corpses, how she¡¯d tried to track Cecilia with magic, and how she¡¯d gone in search of the magical disturbance instead in her confusion. Cateline interrupted her there.


    ¡°Hold on. You were nearby whatever spell caused that¡­ chaos?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Why do you ask?¡±


    Cateline stopped and looked back at Idelle. Miraculously this part of the city had been mostly spared from the fires. Idelle assumed that most of the nearby demolished buildings were intentionally torn down to create firebreaks. Either way, they stood in the shadow of a surviving house as the sergeant spoke.


    ¡°Did you find anything about it? Any soldiers who were in the area died there, and by the time we mustered a force to investigate the whole area was burning too heavily to break through.¡±


    Idelle hesitated again. She couldn¡¯t think of any way to explain even a little of that particular encounter without going into far too much detail about her powers. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know what it was. Only that Cecilia was nearby. I heard fighting and followed it inside a building. Someone attacked me until she spoke up and told us to stop fighting.¡±


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t actually see her?¡±


    ¡°She cast a charm of light after that. It was still dim, but it certainly looked like her.¡± And she had known things only the princess could have known ¡ª unless the Cecilia that Idelle knew had been an imposter all along. But Idelle kept that last part of the thought to herself, for now.


    Cateline let out a huff of air, turning away and starting to lead the way again towards the barracks, through the slowly thinning smoke. ¡°And what specifically did she tell you, after that?¡±


    ¡°Honestly? Not much. She wouldn¡¯t explain what was going on, she just kept asking me to not tell anyone that I saw her there. But, well. It seemed like someone should know; since she¡¯s missing.¡±


    The sergeant brushed over her hesitation. ¡°Of course. But what makes you think she wasn¡¯t just being kidnapped?¡±


    Again, Idelle hesitated, the memory of Cecilia¡¯s acid-filled accusations ringing in her ears. ¡°She was with two of the attackers. I recognized them ¡ª they¡¯d killed soldiers in that very building. And they listened to her when she told them to stop at first.¡±


    ¡°They could have just been trying to stop her from fighting back, no? Better a soft touch than risk an important prisoner dying.¡± Cateline said, a little pointedly.


    Idelle didn¡¯t want to argue about it further. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡­ must have just been jumping to conclusions, or something. Anyway, the two with her collapsed the building on me after that, and I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was in a tunnel under the city, and I didn¡¯t manage to find the way out until a little while ago.¡±


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Cateline whistled in response to her words. ¡°I¡¯d heard rumors of tunnels under the old city, but you¡¯re pretty lucky to have survived that. Or pretty durable.¡±


    The two of them reached the familiar courtyard in front of the barracks as she spoke, and Idelle forced herself not to flinch as she saw the remaining bodies still scattered in front of the doors to the barracks. No wonder they¡¯d established a temporary camp outside the city¡­


    Cateline turned back at the pause, and her expression softened a little as she saw something on Idelle¡¯s face. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all right, girl? I¡¯m sorry to interrogate ya like this, this must all be a lot for you to handle. It¡¯s no wonder you¡¯d leap to odd conclusions.¡±


    Idelle tore her eyes away from the corpses and closed them, forcing herself to take a deep breath despite the smoke. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m all right. At least until the work is done.¡±


    A shrug. ¡°Suit yourself then. Just don¡¯t forget that your mind needs rest, even if your body is still strong. Somehow. Any other secrets to share?¡±


    Another memory of Cecilia¡¯s voice rang in her ears again, taunting her as a hypocrite, and Idelle¡¯s nails bit into her palms. She forced herself to say the words; even as part of her brain screamed at her to run and hide away in some dark corner or other.


    Finally, she spoke. ¡°...There¡¯s one more thing, but it can wait until later. Adrian should know, too, if he doesn¡¯t already.¡±


    There. Now she was committed, for better or for worse. She didn¡¯t have to explain everything, but the longer she waited to mention her powers the more suspicious it would seem. Especially now that Cecilia was¡­ gone.


    It was either this or run away on her own again, she thought to herself. And she was tired of running.


    She hoped she wasn¡¯t making a terrible mistake.


    Cateline raised an eyebrow, but in the end she only nodded. ¡°The Lieutenant is very busy, so it¡¯ll have to wait if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, it¡¯ll have to wait then. It¡¯s something more¡­ personal, anyway. Nothing directly related to Cecilia.¡± Idelle reassured her. The lingering smoke caught in her throat, and she broke into a coughing fit, despite herself, unable to regain her breath for a long moment.


    Cateline passed her a canteen. ¡°Here. Water. Drink, then we shouldn¡¯t stay here too long. The smoke is bad for your lungs.¡±


    Idelle accepted it gratefully. At least Cateline seemed to trust her and be on her side, even if the sergeant didn¡¯t believe her entirely about Cecilia. Thank the dragons.


    Now that the adrenaline of spilling some of her secrets was fading, she was realizing how risky it could have been to accuse the princess of something like that. What if she¡¯d be accused of treason or something? Or what if the other woman had been working with Cecilia and the attackers all along? Idelle had left her sword behind and come unarmed, after all.


    Sure, she had a few secret weapons if it came down to a fight ¡ª or, perhaps better, if she had to flee for it, but even so¡­ She¡¯d seen the kind of magic and skills some of the stronger soldiers were capable of last night. She should be cautious, from here. Best to make sure she could trust people before sharing too much, and keep a few cards in her hand. Yeah.


    Just in case worst came to worst again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡± Idelle said. Cateline nodded, and the two of them once more raised the stretcher.


    A moment later, they gently lifted the broken body of a young woman onto it together. Idelle looked away from the body¡¯s face, from the neck that had been slashed open into a violent smile, despite herself. To think they still weren¡¯t even done burying the corpses, most of a day later. How many of them must have died?


    Cecilia, or whoever she was, would pay for that, she promised herself again. Whatever Cateline believed, Idelle knew the princess had helped cause this. The next time the two of them met, Idelle would face her with a clear conscience. So she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do whatever she needed to do until then.


    The extra weight on the stretcher barely seemed noticeable to her.


    ¡°Are there still corpses of, uh, whoever it was that attacked us around?¡± Idelle asked as they started back out of the city.


    Cateline spat to one side. ¡°Of course. As if we¡¯d bury them before our own dead. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°...I have a spell I might be able to use, to try and track them, or something. I don¡¯t know if it will still work, though.¡± Idelle paused, then elaborated, trying to sound natural. ¡°And I¡¯d need privacy for it, to focus well enough.¡± She hoped she wasn¡¯t making another mistake by bringing it up, but what harm could it cause? She was just asking, and she didn¡¯t want to let any clues slip away from her if she could avoid it.


    The possibility of being free to use her powers for things like this was one of the reasons why she was trying to open up in the first place, after all.


    Cateline glanced back at her. ¡°One of your blood magic tricks? I¡¯d heard you were talented at them, was that why Her Highness recruited you in the first place?¡±


    Idelle winced. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do, then. No promises, you understand. And let¡¯s get everyone buried first. It doesn¡¯t do to let the dead rot like this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡±


    The two of them trudged onward; Idelle still pointedly keeping her gaze cast to one side. Pointedly avoiding making eye contact with the maimed sack of meat that lay peacefully on the stretcher between them.

 Chapter 35: Planning for Plots

    Idelle and Cateline spoke little after that, focusing instead on the slow and painful work of finishing the burials. By the time all the bodies had been carted out of the city, it was near sunset, and this time the sergeant really did insist that Idelle take a break and rest.


    Idelle didn¡¯t complain. For all that her body could continue, she felt numb and distant after the day¡¯s events. The realities of her situation were finally starting to sink in again. The closest of her friends were gone, her worst secrets might be an open secret among some of the most powerful people around her, and she had no idea who she could trust, and what she should trust them with.


    She¡¯d felt less alone when she was still lost in Perien Forest, in a way. There her loneliness had only been an absence, an ache settled almost comfortably in the background of her quickly passing days. Now? It felt more like thorns lodged under her skin. She found herself staring at her fellow soldiers as she leaned against a tree next to her sword. Wondering if any of them had been involved in the attack, with their faces hidden, only to rejoin their supposed comrades later in the chaos of evacuating the city.


    She wished she had someone to confide in, to ask what she should do from here. It was easy to promise herself that she would plan ahead, this time, but now that she had a real break to actually do it in? She found her mind instead stuck in the past day¡¯s events. Replaying her conversation with Cecilia, brooding on what she could have done differently.


    Should she have just told the princess she trusted her, Idelle wondered? Asked to go along with her, until Cecilia had time to explain, and confronted her about it then if she hadn¡¯t liked the explanation? It would have been smart, in retrospect, but her stomach turned at the idea of lying and plotting like that. Of trying to keep her true feelings hidden until she got what she wanted.


    Besides, it was already over and done with. Her path was set, for better or for worse. Her only other option was to run away, to escape from all of this and try to start again with a new name or something.


    She dismissed the thought out of hand. She was no coward, and she would see that smug, superior grin wiped off Cecilia¡¯s face for what the princess had done to her. Yes, next time they met, the other girl would be the one kneeling, the one forced to plead, as was the rightful order of ¡ª


    Idelle shook her head, feeling the bark of the tree behind her rough against her scalp as she wrenched her mind away from the errant uncharacteristic fantasy. Focus, she reminded herself. She needed a plan for what to do here and now. She could figure out the far future later. If she was strong enough, she could discard things like plans anyway, who would be able to stop her? But she had to get there first.


    Idly, she ran her fingers along the smooth side of her blade, skirting the edge but never quite touching it. She had two things she needed to do, as she saw it.


    First, she needed to grow stronger. That was easy in principle ¡ª she had her power. But she still didn¡¯t think it was a good idea to be completely open about it. The more she learned and experienced, the more she was convinced: whatever it was, it was far more dangerous and powerful than any magic or abilities that a normal soldier would have the chance to more than glimpse at.


    Second, she needed information. Somehow, Idelle doubted that Cecilia would just show back up at Wyrlet for her to interrogate. No, she would need to hunt her down. How?


    Her fingers drummed lightly on the blade. She could only think of two options. One was to investigate traditionally, using people. She could gain the trust of those with intelligence networks, or even use her powers to discover secrets from¡­ unsavory people, she decided to call them. Find out who was behind the attack, and then hunt them down until she found Cecilia¡¯s trail.


    The other option was simpler, but Idelle was less sure of how it might work. Her mind flashed back to her conversations about magic. Tracking magic was out, at this point. But she remembered mentions of more advanced forms, of scrying and the like. If magic really was just a way to impose your will on the world, it must be possible to use it to follow someone, to uncover a scent that had long since dissipated. The problem would be finding someone who could teach her how.


    Stolen story; please report.


    She was under the impression there were other magicians in the garrison here, but she suspected none of them were talented and specialized enough for such advanced spells. She herself almost certainly hadn¡¯t been.


    Until now, that was. Her fingers snapped, and a ball of light materialized in front of her, easily visible despite the blades of sunlight still slowly slicing horizontal through the trees. The blood she¡¯d drunk under the city had fundamentally shifted something about her affinities, and the magic came easily to her now; just a moment¡¯s focus away as it permeated around and through her.


    Idelle found herself grinning, despite everything. Yes, magic was definitely an option.


    She let the light fade away. The garrison might have someone to teach her beyond Cecilia, she supposed, it was not like she¡¯d ever actually asked. Another thing to check up on.


    Learning magic would potentially be a safer choice, as well, especially compared to using her powers to find things out that she shouldn¡¯t know. Hmmm. Safety¡­ Idelle considered, maybe she should add that to the list as well. All right.


    Third, she needed to keep herself safe. That meant continuing to keep some secrets, at least until she was powerful enough to deal with any potential messy repercussions.


    For starters, if she told anyone about her power, she wouldn¡¯t reveal that she could steal memories and skills from feeding on people ¡ª that was definitely a giant no-go. Even admitting that she could grow stronger by feeding on people at all seemed like a huge risk, honestly.


    Idelle winced, remembering that she¡¯d already mentioned a tracking spell that used corpses to Cateline. At least it wasn¡¯t an obvious connection to the aspect of her powers that strengthened her body, and the sergeant had assumed that it was simply blood magic. It would be much better to avoid slips like that in the future, however. She supposed that was why she was thinking this through in the first place.


    Still, she didn¡¯t see any way to get stronger without either fleeing into the mountains on her own or admitting publicly admitting at least some of her unique abilities.


    The shadows slowly deepened among the trees as Idelle considered. All right, then. She¡¯d say that she had an ability to grow stronger using the blood of freshly hunted cursed beasts. That much was true. She¡¯d admit as well that Cecilia had known about it, and that it was the reason they¡¯d met ¡ª that was technically true as well, ironically, and it wasn¡¯t like the princess was here to contest it even if it wasn¡¯t.


    Beyond that, she¡¯d be as vague as reasonably possible. It would be best if she could arrange privacy to feed, or better yet figure out if it was possible to do more subtly than straight-up biting into corpses. It wasn¡¯t like the corpses had a beating heart that was pumping the blood into her, or that she was digesting the magic with her stomach somehow; that much was for sure.


    Another thing to experiment with, when she had the opportunity. Yet again, she regretted not exploring her strange powers in more detail before this. If she hadn¡¯t been such a coward; if she hadn¡¯t tried to run away from what she¡¯d done¡­


    Idelle¡¯s jaw clenched. No, there was no use fixating on it, she reminded herself. All she could do was plan better, for next time.


    She was getting off track again. As far as anyone was concerned, she had a special form of something like blood magic that let her strengthen her physical body with the blood of magic beasts. Cecilia had recruited her because of it, and if they wanted to assume she¡¯d been secretly trained in swordsmanship or something to go along with it, great. The more she could play up the mysterious background until she knew for certain how much Cecilia had told her Lieutenant, the better.


    Beyond that, she was a model soldier from here on forwards. Her momentary confusion about Cecilia¡¯s loyalty was just that and had been easily cleared up by Cateline¡¯s explanations. She wanted to find the princess in hopes of rescuing her, nothing more, and her efforts to grow strong were all in pursuit of that same goal.


    As far as her past? If anyone asked, her parents were dead, and Her Royal Highness Cecilia had recruited her into the princess¡¯s personal troops for her special talents ¡ª until the two of them had been violently separated. No complicated details to remember or get confused and it was technically almost all true, so there shouldn¡¯t be any inconsistencies with anything Adrian, or anyone else for that matter, might know.


    Idelle¡¯s fingers slid, almost tenderly, over the crested pommel of her sword, before firmly grasping the hilt as she slowly straightened her back and rose to her feet. All right. She had a plan, time to see about putting it into action.


    Step one was to stop beating around the bush and make totally sure Adrian and Cateline weren¡¯t plotting to kill or imprison her, or something. If they were, then step two would probably involve a lot more running for it. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t come to that.

 Chapter 36: Secrets

    ¡°She seemed like she¡¯d been through a lot, she had the eyes, ya know? Like she was looking right through me. She seemed confused, as well, kept saying strange things. And she was covered in blood but refused to go be treated. It was all I could do to make her rest.¡±


    The man massaged his temples. ¡°It figures. I don¡¯t know the details, but she¡¯s the closest thing to a friend I¡¯ve seen Her Highness have since I met her. I¡¯ll talk to her when I can.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I hope she listens. She said she had something to tell us, as well, I don¡¯t know what.¡±


    ¡­


    The smell of cooking drifted through the rows of tents as Idelle walked between them. It smelled delicious on some intellectual level, rich with flavors and spices that she couldn¡¯t quite differentiate, but she didn¡¯t feel hungry despite that. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was due to having fed magically the night before, or just good old-fashioned nerves. She did know that her heart was beating fast, her heartbeat and pulse were easily perceptible to her even over the background noise of the camp.


    Her thumb rubbed across the hilt of her sword, the texture of the leather rough against her skin. She¡¯d noticed a few looks from other soldiers, the oversized blade over her shoulder unique enough to draw attention when she was in the midst of the well-defended camp, but she didn¡¯t care. Many of her other comrades were openly wearing smaller weapons at their hips, something that would have been a novelty even just the day before.


    And even if they hadn¡¯t been, Idelle didn¡¯t want to be unarmed. Just in case.


    She tried not to dwell on which case that might be.


    Adrian¡¯s canopy loomed against the trees, highlighted by a bright torch. He was seated, this time, his back slightly bent. Had he slept since the attack last night? Idelle didn¡¯t think he had, from the look of him. She wondered if his lack of rest might not be a good thing for her ¡ª he would be that more likely to brush over any minor inconsistencies that might come up.


    The lieutenant was talking with another soldier, and she caught the tail end of their conversation as she warily stepped closer.


    ¡°...move back into the barracks, tomorrow. The fires have mostly died out. As far as the outer walls, they¡¯re almost undamaged. Between the firebreak and the stone, there was nothing really to burn.¡±


    ¡°Good, we¡¯ll plan on that. It¡¯s more important than ever the city remain manned.¡± Adrian¡¯s voice betrayed none of the weariness visible in his posture. ¡°Pass the word on that we¡¯ll be maintaining these camps tonight, and beginning the reclamation process in the morning.¡±


    The soldier nodded, saluted, and turned away. Idelle quickly stepped out of the way as they purposefully strode past her. Her gaze followed the unfamiliar soldier for a moment, then she looked back at the temporary command tent only to meet Adrian¡¯s eyes. His expression was inscrutable, and she took a moment to collect herself in response before stepping forward.


    She didn¡¯t bother with a salute, unsure of the correct form even if she had wanted to show him the extra courtesy. ¡°Lieutenant. I have something you should know about.¡±


    He gestured to continue. ¡°Cateline spoke with me earlier and mentioned as much.¡± Anything else Cateline had mentioned was left unsaid, and Idelle wasn¡¯t about to ask for clarification. Even if she regretted speaking up about Cecilia¡¯s betrayal, that ship had already sailed. So be it, she¡¯d lost much of her appetite for secrets over the last twenty four hours.


    The flame of the torch lighting up the canopy flickered, reflected in her eyes as she spoke. ¡°Actually, Ce ¡ª Her Highness might have already told you. I have a unique ability.¡±


    Was it her imagination, or had Adrian¡¯s eyes imperceptibly narrowed? ¡°She did not, in fact, inform me. Elaborate.¡±


    Idelle paused, choosing her words carefully before she slowly spoke. ¡°You¡¯re aware that I¡¯m stronger and faster than seems normal, yes? This is why. I have the ability to slowly strengthen myself ¡ª by hunting ¡ª and killing ¡ª magic beasts.¡±


    Adrian considered her, his face still expressionless. ¡°That would¡­ explain some things. You say that Princess Cecilia knew?¡±


    Idelle nodded, trying to keep her expression equally impassive as Adrian continued. ¡°Inconvenient, then, that Her Highness has been kidnapped.¡±


    She stared back at him, forcing herself to meet his gaze without flinching. ¡°That¡¯s why I felt I should bring it up now, instead of later. It¡¯s no huge secret, after all.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Why bring it up at all, then?¡±


    Idelle hesitated again. The man¡¯s lack of a bigger response unnerved her. Did he already know about her powers? What about the soldier she¡¯d ¡ª how much had Cecilia trusted him with? She couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that he was working with the princess, as part of some larger scheme. ¡°I was hoping to get permission to hunt, on my own. And ideally access to monster lures ¡ª¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Denied.¡± Adrian¡¯s face had settled into a slight frown.


    ¡°Wait ¡ª denied? Why?¡± Idelle¡¯s composure finally slipped, a sudden burst of annoyance flooding her at his blunt refusal. Denied? Just like that?


    Adrian sat up straighter and leaned forward slightly, meeting her scowl head-on. ¡°Miss Idelle. I understand that you have a¡­ unique relationship with Her Highness. But she has been kidnapped, the duke is dead, along with nearly all of the upper echelons of the main garrison and half of the troops stationed here, and the city is nearly destroyed on top of that.¡±


    His voice rose slightly as he continued. ¡°As such, it has fallen to me to deal with this disaster, and make sure that, dragons forbid, we don¡¯t find ourselves dealing with a beast wave or worse. I do not have the time, the manpower, or frankly the patience to babysit some girl who wants to go off on her own to fight monsters like some hero of old.¡±


    Idelle¡¯s fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword. ¡°Hey. Don¡¯t call me a child. And I¡¯m not asking you to babysit me, I¡¯m asking for permission to help. The magic beasts need to be culled regardless of the situation, no?¡±


    He gave her an extremely pointed look. ¡°And when Her Highness is rescued and asks where you are, who do you think it will be who has to explain that you ran out and got eaten by a griffin while trying to play hero?¡±


    Idelle glared at him, face flushed. ¡°I can take care of myself. I¡¯ve done it before.¡±


    Adrian sighed, falling back against his chair. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have. Nonetheless, the answer is no. You¡¯re a soldier, aren¡¯t you? Act like one. You can speak with Sergeant Cateline about your ability, and using it in group hunts, if you want. I¡¯ve never heard of such a power before, but if Her Highness thought it was worth cultivating, there must be something to it.¡±


    Idelle opened her mouth to retort, then closed it again. Why was she losing her temper over nothing? She took a deep breath, forcing herself to respond calmly. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry. The stress must be getting to me.¡±


    The look he gave seemed genuinely sympathetic, and that rankled Idelle more than anything. ¡°I think it¡¯s getting to all of us. Go rest. You aren¡¯t the only one worried about the princess, but the kingdom won¡¯t take this lying down. Stronger warriors than you and I will be involved before long. Leave it to them, and keep yourself safe until they can rescue her.¡±


    Idelle nodded, stony-faced. ¡°I¡¯ll do that. Goodnight, lieutenant.¡±


    She forced herself to wait for his farewell to finish before she turned and strode away. Deep breaths, she reminded herself. But despite her best efforts, she found herself smoldering with frustration. How dare he be so patronizing? What did he think she was, a child who was afraid because her friend had been kidnapped? He didn¡¯t understand a thing ¡ª


    She clamped down on her anger. Her left hand had curled into a fist, nails digging into her palm, and she forced it back open. Seriously, what was wrong with her today? She really must be stressed.


    If she thought about it rationally, the conversation had gone well, as far as she was concerned. Either Adrian was a great actor, or he knew nothing about either Cecilia¡¯s treachery or Idelle¡¯s own past failure, and was assuming that the weirdness in her behavior was due purely to stress and youth. And he seemed to think nothing major of her power, on top of that. Wasn¡¯t that basically the best possible outcome for her?


    Sure, she might not have the ability to freely feed, but she hadn¡¯t had it before now either. She could probably figure something out, maybe even just sneaking out to hunt. It wasn¡¯t like Adrian could realistically spare the soldiers to keep her guarded, or something.


    No, wait. Something wasn¡¯t adding up. She turned back and stared at Adrian¡¯s temporary office with narrowed eyes. Why hadn¡¯t he asked her about what she¡¯d told Cateline? He¡¯d said that Cateline had talked to him about her, Idelle reminded herself. Why ignore the elephant in the room? She must still be missing something.


    She thought back to their conversation. Had he been being intentionally patronizing? Trying to upset her, to provoke her into letting something slip? That must be it. He must have been trying to get her to reveal something. But what, and what did he know that led him to suspect her?


    Try as she might, Idelle didn¡¯t come to any answers. Adrian had been too inscrutable throughout the conversation, the only emotions she¡¯d recognized in him were a hint of annoyance and his eventual pity. She let out a frustrated hiss of air. He¡¯d just been mocking her, hadn¡¯t he. Maybe he¡¯d known about Cecilia¡¯s treachery all along, for some reason.


    A barely perceptible noise disturbed her thoughts, and she snapped her head around. Her eyes landed on a soldier with a spear, standing amongst the trees. He turned away as she stared, but he¡¯d definitely been looking at her. He was just part of the normal watch for the camp, right? Like the one she¡¯d spoken with earlier that day at the merchant camp.


    Idelle looked at him a moment longer, then quickly turned and walked further into the camp. She couldn¡¯t be too careful, she reminded herself. Cecilia had basically taken her out alone, and there were hundreds of soldiers in potentially every direction right now. If Adrian decided to capture or kill her, she would have no chance to escape unless she realized ahead of time and acted first.


    Maybe it would be best to leave Wyrlet behind and strike out on her own again.


    She shook her head. She didn¡¯t want to settle back into her old, impulsive habits. If she left, she needed to do it with a plan and a destination, somewhere that could help her accomplish her goals¡­


    She paused between steps, considering. Actually, maybe she did have a possible destination or two. Clovis had mentioned them. It¡¯d been the last time they spoke, she remembered, with a twisting feeling in her gut.


    The royal academies. Cecilia had mentioned one of them once, as well. The magic academy, in a city called Hudbria. If there was any place she¡¯d be able to learn advanced magic, it would be there. And it would be safe as well, no one there would know her. It¡¯d be hard to find anything to hunt, maybe, but that was already the case for her.


    She grimaced. Too bad she had almost no idea where the city was. Somewhere to the south, maybe? Seemingly neither she nor the people she had¡­ Well, one way or another, she didn¡¯t know.


    Still, it was the start of something. She would see what she could figure out, Idelle thought to herself.

 Chapter 37: Giving Up

    Idelle looked for Sergeant Cateline that night, but the older woman must have still been out helping with one of the many tasks left behind in the wake of the attack, as no one Idelle asked had seen her. She didn¡¯t look for long, however, before someone came through the camp to explain the night¡¯s sleeping arrangements and inform everyone that they would be reclaiming the city, starting tomorrow.


    There were no cheers at the announcement, only hard eyes and grim nods. Most of the camp went straight to sleep after eating. Idelle skipped the meal but, with nothing better to do, went with her campmates to try and rest.


    It took her a long time to fall asleep, lying under the rough shelter of dirty canvas as she listened to the sounds of the other soldiers around her breathing. One teenage boy cried out several times in his sleep, soft, wordless mumbles of fear or pain. She winced at the sound.


    As time trickled slowly by, she tried to use her insomnia productively and focus on fleshing out her plans from earlier but found herself unable to stay on track. Too much had happened, too much to keep track of, and Idelle felt overwhelmed by it all. More and more, she felt the urge to just run away, to escape in the night and hide somewhere until everything fixed itself.


    But things wouldn¡¯t fix themselves, she reminded herself. The only reason she was here right now was because Cecilia had fixed things for her. She felt a flash of indignant anger rising up in her at the memory of the princess¡¯s accusatory final words to her. Idelle hadn¡¯t asked for someone to take care of her behind her back.


    Then solve your problems yourself. The voice whispered in the back of her head, and her anger cooled into a muddle of guilt. It was true. It wasn¡¯t fair to be angry at others for trying to help her when she seemed so completely incapable of cleaning up her own messes.


    She wished she had a better idea of how to do that.


    Finally, in the wee hours of the morning when everyone else had fallen silent, she drifted off into sleep. Her nightmares that night were nothing more, nothing stranger than her own memories, Cecilia¡¯s poisonous, rage-filled words and Clovis¡¯s slack face played back at her while a quiet voice reminded her that this was her fault, that she could have stopped Cecilia if she¡¯d realized, that she should have just stayed alone and broken in the forest like she deserved.


    ¡­


    ¡°Oi! Time to wake up, there¡¯s far too much work to do and we¡¯re missing daylight!¡± The unfamiliar woman¡¯s holler brought Idelle instantly awake, her eyes snapping open as her hand reached for her sword. She caught herself a moment later as the contents of the words filtered through her mind.


    Right. Adrian planned for them to start reclaiming the city today. Ugh. She drowsily sat up, glancing around at the other stirring figures in the tent, before rising to her feet, crouching slightly to avoid bumping her head against the canvas as she stepped out from under it. Her body moved easily, any last lingering pain totally gone, and she still wasn¡¯t even hungry yet. Physically she felt great, actually.


    She wished she could say the same of her mind.


    Still, she supposed she should eat a little. She wasn¡¯t sure how long her strange body could sustain itself after feeding, but it definitely didn¡¯t seem to mind any extra, more mundane, food. And maybe it would help her focus and shake off her current lethargy and vaguely foul mood. She stepped out from the shelter and quickly tracked after the smell of breakfast that drifted across the camp.


    A minute later saw her sitting on the ground with a bowl of dull porridge. She spooned it into her mouth mechanically as she squinted around the camp. Already, many of the tents were being cleaned up, only the core of the camp where the injured laid was untouched. The smoke had fully cleared now, and she could see all the way into the treeline in the sharp morning sunlight.


    Everywhere she looked, she saw sullen, angry faces. One of them met her eyes, and she looked away quickly. Was he glaring at her? No, it was just her imagination, right?


    She hunched a little lower over her porridge.


    ¡°Oh, Idelle. Did ya speak with Adrian already?¡±


    Idelle¡¯s head flicked back up at the voice. Cateline gave her a quick wave of greeting as the sergeant stepped closer, and Idelle¡¯s face fell as she processed the words. So she¡¯d have to explain things to Cateline as well, then. She wished she¡¯d just kept her stupid secret.


    ¡°Um. Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t think he likes me very much, though.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Cateline frowned at her words. ¡°Why¡¯s that? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Idelle¡¯s lips tightened. ¡°Other than¡­ all of this?¡± She jerked her head in the vague direction of the city, a little angrily. What a stupid question.


    Cateline¡¯s face softened, and she clapped her hand on Idelle¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. What did you talk to Adrian about?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I just wanted to explain some things to him.¡± Idelle shrugged sardonically. ¡°I guess it wasn¡¯t as important as I thought. I guess maybe I¡¯m not as important as I thought.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s not true. You¡¯re a friend of Her Highness, that¡¯s a rare thing.¡±


    ¡°Is that what I am?¡± Idelle spat out the words before controlling herself. ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, is that all I am? An accessory to someone else?¡±


    Cateline raised her hands in a placating gesture. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have said it!¡±


    Idelle almost immediately regretted the words as they lashed out of her, but Cateline seemed to take them in stride. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry¡­ Was this what you talked with the Lieutenant about?¡±


    Idelle turned her face away, shame rising in her at her outburst. Cateline was clearly just trying to help her feel better. What was she doing, taking out her annoyance on the other woman? ¡°Not really. I¡­ I have an ability. A special one, as far as I know. It¡¯s like a spell, that lets me get stronger from killing magic beasts.¡±


    She paused, searching for the right words. Her voice was quiet and harsh when she continued. ¡°I guess I just feel helpless. Powerless. I wanted him to give me the chance to hunt, to get stronger. Adrian wouldn¡¯t hear of it. Thought it was too dangerous, or something.¡±


    She heard a sound of surprised recognition from Cateline. ¡°Oh! Is that why ya wanted to see those corpses after the hunt?¡±


    Idelle shrank even smaller. She felt like crying. ¡°Yeah. I guess.¡±


    ¡°Her Highness knew, I take it? I was wondering why she would have paid such attention to ya.¡±


    ¡°Something like that¡­¡±


    She felt Cateline¡¯s hand pat her shoulder again, gently this time. ¡°It¡¯s all right. The Lieutenant is a real hardheaded sort, even compared to me. I¡¯ll talk to him for you, maybe he¡¯ll come around.¡±


    Idelle shook her head wordlessly. Cateline kept the comforting hand on her shoulder, waiting for her to speak. Finally, Idelle¡¯s voice slipped out again. ¡°...I don¡¯t want to do this. I don¡¯t want to be here anymore. I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Cateline snorted, not unkindly. ¡°You¡¯d be stupid not to be afraid. Fear keeps us alive, that¡¯s why we feel it.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m stupid regardless¡­¡± The words came out of her slightly choked, despite her best efforts. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what I should do.¡±


    She saw Cateline shrug from the corner of her blurry vision. ¡°I can¡¯t help ya with that. We all have our own paths.¡±


    Idelle just sat there for a few seconds, collecting herself. She slowly took another bite of the porridge. It wasn¡¯t warm anymore, and the way it filled her mouth suddenly left her feeling vaguely disgusted. She forced herself to swallow anyway. Finally, she came to a decision and spoke again. ¡°...Can I ask you for a favor? Or, two favors, I guess?¡±


    ¡°No harm in asking.¡±


    Idelle kept her eyes fixed on the bowl in her lap. ¡°Is it all right if I leave? Go to one of the royal academies? I was thinking about it, before¡­ all of this.¡± She let out a hollow laugh. ¡°I wanted to be more useful to Cecilia. Imagine that.¡±


    There was a pause, then Cateline slowly spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not¡­ You¡¯re hardly a regular soldier in the first place. If that¡¯s what you want, I can convince Adrian for you, on the condition that ya travel with the next merchant caravan. No doing anything reckless.¡±


    Idelle winced. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ do my best.¡±


    ¡°And the other favor, then?¡±


    ¡°I, ah¡­ I just wanted to see a map. If you have one. I don¡¯t really know where the academies are, actually.¡±


    Cateline chucked. ¡°Sure. They aren¡¯t as rare as all that, though the quality can vary.¡±


    Idelle felt the tears welling up again. Maybe she¡¯d just been overthinking things. No, maybe Adrian was the only suspicious one here. He¡¯d worked directly with Cecilia, after all. But, clearly, most of the princess¡¯s soldiers hadn¡¯t known anything, or they wouldn¡¯t have died like that, and Cateline must be among those.


    ¡°...Thanks.¡± Her voice came out clearer, though still soft. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d think I was running away, or something.¡±


    Cateline let out another sardonic snort. ¡°If we forced every soldier who wanted to leave after something like this to stay, half our army would be too depressed to fight. I won¡¯t judge you for your choices. ¡®Sides, the academies train warriors and hunters anyway. Not like you¡¯re off to become a weaver or something.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Idelle hesitated. She¡¯d meant running away under the presumption that she¡¯d been involved somehow in the attack. No, better not to correct the misunderstanding. If Cateline didn¡¯t find her suspicious despite still believing in Cecilia, that wasn¡¯t Idelle¡¯s problem. She should take the chance to leave openly since it was being given. That would give her a clean background from here on. Just in case.


    And if Adrian was a traitor, she¡¯d just have to get strong enough to deal with him, too. She¡¯d just have to make sure she had proof, this time.


    She realized Cateline still had a hand on her shoulder, waiting for her response, and straightened her back. ¡°...Yeah. Thanks. I really mean it.¡±


    The sergeant gave her a rough smile. ¡°This is part of my job too, believe it or not. Glad you¡¯re feeling better.¡±

 Chapter 38: Loose Ends

    The rest of the day went by in a blur for Idelle. After breakfast, everyone was instructed to bring anything they had in the camp back into the barracks and then to quickly convene in the main courtyard to begin the cleanup process. There were a few questions, a young woman asked what to do if her lodging had been destroyed and was told to talk to her commander (or failing that, one of the secretaries) to find a newly unused room, but no complaints from the assembled soldiers. Like Idelle, they mostly seemed happy to throw themselves into the catharsis of simple labor.


    Idelle didn¡¯t really have any possessions beyond the little already left in her room, so she took the time to finally change her underclothes before somewhat nervously putting her sword back on the weapon rack.


    Down in the gray courtyard, they were told to sort back into their units if they could. Then the miscellaneous remainder whose commanding officers were injured or dead were quickly reassigned to temporarily fill gaps in other groups. Cateline¡¯s hunting squad was better than many, but it was apparent that between the dead and injured the troop count had been reduced by more than a third. A few stragglers were assigned to their group; Idelle tried not to think about who they were replacing.


    After that, things quickly devolved into mindless work. They were told to focus on clearing the roads so wagons or carts could pass through again and aid with further efforts. Under Cateline¡¯s directions, the group quickly worked to shift piles of stone, brick, half-burned boards, and other rubble into whatever empty places they could find, hauling anything that might still be usable into rough piles here and there between burnt-out plots.


    By the time they broke for a quick meal, Idelle¡¯s hands were sore from the constant abrasion of rough edges and splinters. She glanced around and realized that most of the others in the group were wearing gloves, with the few who weren¡¯t nursing cuts and scrapes. She guessed that this must be another benefit of her powers, then. Was there anything about her body it didn¡¯t improve?


    Once she finished eating, she slid her hands under her jacket, despite the cold not bothering them.


    Then it was back to the ash-covered streets. The slog continued until it was nearly dark, with Cateline only calling for them to stop when she noticed some of the group starting to stumble, from exhaustion or perhaps simply the poor visibility. She gave the group a few terse words of congratulations on the work, and then they trudged back to the courtyard to be dismissed, with instructions to meet up again tomorrow in the late morning.


    As Idelle turned to go with the rest, Cateline called out to her. She warily turned around, but the sergeant quickly explained. ¡°It¡¯s about what you asked for yesterday. They¡¯re planning to burn the bodies tonight.¡±


    Idelle took a moment to recall. Right, she¡¯d asked Cateline if they¡¯d found any corpses from the attackers. She nodded and nervously followed the woman a little ways back into the city. She was greeted by a rank stench that left her gagging a minute before she saw the corpses. A wide space had been cleared in what was once likely a shrine of some sort (before it had been burned) and a small pile of bodies had been unceremoniously stacked in the center atop wood and charcoal.


    Idelle stepped forward. Should she ask Cateline to leave? No, better to examine first¡­ She leaned forward and carefully sniffed. The decay and rot filled her nose and she retched despite herself, forcing down bile. No, it won¡¯t do at all. Too long dead.


    She shook her head. ¡°Sorry. They¡¯ve been dead too long, the spell won¡¯t work.¡±


    Cateline shrugged. ¡°Figures. Come with me then, Adrian wanted to confirm some things with you.¡±


    Idelle glanced up at her. ¡°You talked to him already?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a merchant caravan leaving tomorrow, I figured you might want in.¡±


    She nodded in thanks and quickly fell back in behind the sergeant¡¯s fast stride back to the barracks.


    Adrian was back in his austere office and looked up expectantly as Cateline entered with Idelle behind her. They stopped in front of his desk, and he gave her a long, careful look. Finally, he spoke. ¡°Sergeant Cateline tells me you want to enroll in one of the academies. Do you know which one?¡±


    Idelle replied without hesitating. ¡°Hunters.¡±


    He nodded without expression. ¡°That would make sense with what you told me. Are you aware that all the academies require a tuition fee from commoners? There are scholarships available, and you might well qualify if what you told me about your ability is true, but there¡¯s no guarantee.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Idelle stared back at him, face carefully kept still. ¡°I am. I¡¯ll make it work.¡± She was aware now, at least.


    ¡°Admirable determination.¡± He turned to Cateline. ¡°You said she agreed to travel with the merchant caravans, yes?¡±


    Cateline nodded amiably. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°In that case, I see no reason to say no. It¡¯s much wiser than trying to hunt alone and untrained, certainly.¡± Idelle kept her gaze fixed on him, trying to evaluate the man. Was he just letting her go, or was there something else he was implying? Adrian didn¡¯t seem to notice her look as he continued. ¡°You¡¯ll need some supplies, yes?¡±


    Idelle shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve made do before, but if you¡¯re offering¡­¡±


    He raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°I¡¯ll just arrange for a pack to be sent to your room. Along with some new clothes, I think.¡±


    ¡°...Thanks.¡± He was being patronizing again, wasn¡¯t he? She ignored the spark of annoyance this time. He¡¯d be out of her hair soon enough.


    He waved dismissively. ¡°Not a problem. I hope you¡¯ll do the kingdom, and Her Highness, proud.¡± He looked to Cateline again. ¡°Was there anything else, Sergeant?¡±


    Cateline shook her head and saluted, Idelle awkwardly imitating her after a moment¡¯s hesitation, and quickly turned and left the room as Adrian returned to the papers on his desk. Idelle followed her again, forcing herself not to look back. The older woman spoke as the door closed behind them.


    ¡°See, he¡¯s reasonable enough. Ya wanted to see a map still as well?¡±


    Idelle nodded. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°All right, then.¡±


    Cateline lead the way, and they stepped into another office a few dozen meters further down the corridor. Smaller, but more decorated, with oversized horns, teeth, and even a full skull mounted on the walls behind the woman. Cateline caught Idelle¡¯s look and grinned at her. ¡°Trophies. I went to the hunter¡¯s academy back in the day as well, ya know. It¡¯s a good choice.¡±


    Idelle tried not to avert her gaze. ¡°Oh, um. I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t talk about it much. It¡¯s not all that relevant, usually.¡± The sergeant pulled open her desk, and unfurled a rolled map on the surface, pushing aside a few other papers in the process. Idelle saw one of them was a list of names, with some of them crossed off in red, and quickly turned her attention to the map.


    Cateline carefully scrutinized the map. ¡°Let¡¯s see, Morlais is right¡­ Here.¡± The woman pointed to a little labeled drawing of a city, nestled in the mountains to the north of the map.


    Her finger moved southwest across the map. ¡°And Wyrlet is here. The caravan is heading east, towards the capital, so you¡¯ll need to find a group going north at some point.¡±


    Idelle quickly took in as much as she could of the chart. Wyrlet was a drawing of a castle, on the edge of the same range of mountains that led northeast to Morlais. West of the mountains was a mass of forest, while to the east stretched what appeared to be hilly plains, gradually giving way to a further, more interspersed, mess of mountains, worming like caterpillars to the southwest.


    She didn¡¯t see the name she was looking for in the plains, however. Her eyes fell southward, where the plains eventually gave way to a desert. There it was, right next to the desert. Hudbria. Another city near the mountains ¡ª she wondered why were there so many? Well, it didn¡¯t matter right now.


    She looked back up at Cateline. ¡°Thanks. Just wanted to know more or less where I¡¯m going. For once.¡± She said the last words dryly.


    The sergeant let out a snorted chuckle at her joke. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. We¡¯re sending a group of troops with the merchants to help requisition supplies, as several of the granaries were destroyed. They¡¯ll be meeting in the courtyard tomorrow and leaving after the second bell. Anything else you need?¡±


    Idelle shook her head. ¡°Thanks again. I¡¯ll pay you back, someday.¡±


    Cateline¡¯s reply was as matter-of-fact as usual. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    The end of the day passed just as quickly as the start. Idelle went and forced herself to eat a little more, before returning to her room to find a large backpack, partially packed with some food, a large canvas cloth, cord, and other travel essentials laid out alongside a replacement gambeson and other clothes. It seemed generous of Adrian to arrange all this, but then a cynical part of her reminded her that there was surely no shortage of extra equipment, after the other night.


    She took the time to go through everything and pack what little extra she had inside. Mostly just more clothes, some of them in need of washing. Oh well. She also still had the dress she¡¯d purchased with¡­ What was her name? Martine. She hoped the other girl was still alive, Idelle couldn¡¯t remember seeing her since the attack. She hesitated for a moment, then decided to pack it as best she could. It might still be useful to look important at some point, after all.


    The only other thing of note she found was Cecilia¡¯s letter, from when she¡¯d first arrived, placed carefully inside the drawer in the small desk. She crumpled it into a ball and threw it angrily into the corner of the room. She definitely wouldn¡¯t need that. Maybe she¡¯d grab it tomorrow and burn it, or throw it into a river.


    After that, she took some of the cord and did her best to tie her sword to the pack, a little awkwardly. It really was too big to easily carry around like this, but there was no way she was giving up on it. Bribe or no, it had saved her life, and unless she decided to hide somewhere and live as a farmer for the rest of her life, she¡¯d be needing it again.


    She took one last glance around the room, then crawled under the covers of her bed to descend once more into fitful sleep.

 Chapter 39: No New Beginnings

    Idelle awoke to the next morning¡¯s bell with nerves buzzing, despite herself. She thought about stopping by the cafeteria, but she still wasn¡¯t hungry and the thought of forcing herself to eat again left her feeling sick. Instead, she grabbed her pack and went down to the courtyard. It was mostly empty, the normal exercises suspended and the group she would be traveling with not yet gathering.


    Despite that, a few diligent people were training on their own. Idelle glanced around. She had a while still. Ugh.


    Impulsively, she laid her pack down and strode to the edge of the courtyard before breaking into a run. She started slowly, barely more than a jog, but sped up faster and faster as she lapped the court as if her pounding heart could force away her anxieties. In a way it did, by the time she blurred to a stop she was breathing too hard to think straight, her chest aching from the exertion.


    She ignored the looks a few of the soldiers sent her way as she flopped down by her pack, gasping. Let them stare. She¡¯d be gone after today, and she was sick of hiding away how much better than them she was.


    She blinked at the thought. Maybe that wasn¡¯t fair to them? It wasn¡¯t like she was naturally this talented.


    Or was she? Idelle looked down at herself. She still wasn¡¯t sure if her powers were something inherent to her body, or some kind of enchantment or curse, or something related to her amnesia. Whatever. All the more reason to go to the magic academy, maybe they¡¯d have more answers.


    A group began to gather a few minutes later, most outfitted with packs like her own, and after a moment she went over to stand with them. A few made conversation among themselves, but she didn¡¯t join in. None of them were people she recognized, and this would be easier if no one paid attention to her.


    Finally, the second bell rang, and the man in charge of the expedition gave the order to head out, remarking nonchalantly that they¡¯d just have to do without anyone who hadn¡¯t made it.


    They quickly marched through the newly cleared roads (only a few sections still partially blocked, to Idelle¡¯s gratification as she remembered her sore hands) and met up with a large group of wagons and merchants.


    Many of them looked a little disgruntled, to Idelle¡¯s surprise, but none of them expressed any verbal complaints.


    The wagons were mostly empty, and after a moment¡¯s discussion their commander told them to seat themselves freely aboard. Several of her fellow soldiers looked grateful at the notion, and a few minutes later they were all loaded into wagons and trundling eastward along the road.


    The day passed slowly, with none of the talking and singing of the hunting expedition. A few of her wagonmates talked among themselves at times, but Idelle again didn¡¯t join them beyond a few short words.


    Instead, she sat off to one side and practiced her basic charms for the first time since the attack. They came much more easily to her, and she found it helped calm her resurgent nerves as she carefully focused, trying to adjust the intensity of a tiny flame and the speed of a little whirlwind above her hand.


    They ate lunch on the road, so it was only when they stopped for dinner just after sunset that she dismounted the wagon. She ate a little, to keep up appearances, before turning to one of her wagonmates with a smile. ¡°Hey, I think I see one of my friends over there, actually. Is it all right if I go see if she has space in her wagon?¡±


    He gave her an odd look. ¡°Sure, suit yourself.¡±


    Idelle waved, grabbed her pack and sword, then walked off. She passed quickly through the temporary camp of wagons. No one was on guard, and almost everyone was still finishing dinner. Perfect.


    She casually stepped outside the wagons, into the trees, trying her best to look (despite her pack) as if she just needed to urinate.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    She glanced back. No one was looking her way, at least that she could see through the wagons.


    A moment later she quietly started to jog away, heading as close to south as she could. The quiet sounds and flickering light of the encamped caravans quickly faded away, and she was left with only the pounding of her heart to keep her company amidst the dark green of the woods.


    It took some time before Idelle felt safe slowing back down to a walk. It didn¡¯t seem like anyone had noticed or cared about her presence in the group, but she still half-expected pursuers to come racing after her with enraged shouts or even weapons drawn.


    Of course, none came, and her fears started to feel silly. Like she¡¯d said to Cateline, maybe she wasn¡¯t as important as she thought.


    Her anxiety was eaten away by a rising sense of accomplishment and relief. She supposed she hadn¡¯t really done much, at the end of the day, but she felt as if she¡¯d laid aside a great weight despite that. Whatever plots (real or imagined) that she had been drawn into, they were behind her for now. And she would only be finding them again on her own terms.


    A breeze stirred for a moment, and the trees murmured around her. Despite the darkness, broken in places only by the flickers of light from a slim crescent moon and the stars, Idelle found that she could see dozens, if not hundreds of meters around her. The dim trunks were smaller and sparser than the tall evergreens that pooled in the valleys and meadows around Wyrlet, but she felt a sense of familiarity nonetheless.


    She knew the things that might lurk here, and they didn¡¯t scare her anymore.


    The breeze settled again, and she continued on her way with a satisfied little smile, the soft pat of her footsteps dispersed among the sounds of the woods and the insects that lived in it.


    She didn¡¯t sleep that night, only feeling an easily dismissed hint of drowsiness even by the time the eastern horizon began to glow with gentle greens; the barest hints of yellow peeking just above the trees. She paused a moment to take in the sunrise before pushing herself forward again.


    Idelle continued her southerly trek for the rest of that day, attempting to put as much distance between her and the city as she could, just in case. But the journey was peaceful; the only animals she spotted were the mundane sort, untouched by magic, and the regular exertion of hiking with her pack enough to stop her mind from wandering.


    As the day drew on she found herself descending from the gently rolling hills into a proper plain, where the trees grew sparser still, and it was there she finally ended up stopping to rest by a narrow brook that gurgled eastward. She flopped down next to it, uncaring of the mud, and scooped up the water in cupped hands to drink. A moment later she shrugged off her pack and laid back, staring up at the sky as the tension of the trip slowly drained out of her.


    Idly, she raised her hand up to shade her eyes from the sun as it hung low in the sky. To her surprise, her body wasn¡¯t noticeably sore, though she was finally feeling a touch of hunger. She wondered if she might not be happier like this, wandering alone far away from people and their problems.


    The thought only lasted a moment before it brought on a surge of guilt. Did she really just want to run away still, after everything that had happened? After seeing her friends die and betray her, even after accepting that she¡¯d killed someone? Idelle closed her eyes and let her hand drop to the ground, breathing in a deep lungful of air.


    When she opened them again, they were hard and focused. She owed the dead answers. She wouldn''t ¡ª couldn¡¯t ignore that. She wasn¡¯t like that, wasn¡¯t like her, a cold-hearted monster who lied to hurt other people.


    She thought back to the woman who¡¯d guarded Cecilia¡¯s quarters in Wyrlet. Victoria. That had been her name. Victoria had worried for Cecilia, despite not really knowing her or having any reason to care. The princess had killed her regardless, maybe even with her own hands.


    And before that, the arrogant man in the village who¡¯d tried to grab her. Idelle forced herself to remember his name too. Crispin. He¡¯d been no one important, just a teenager who¡¯d let a little bit of power go straight to his ego.


    And she¡¯d killed him, attacked him like he was mere prey trying to lash out at her. She barely remembered doing it, but she was certain of it nonetheless. She had some of his memories, after all.


    She¡¯d killed him, leaving him no different to all those corpses she¡¯d helped carry out of Wyrlet.


    Idelle¡¯s nails cut into her palms, and she realized her hands were clenched into fists. She forced them back open, her fingers shaking slightly. Then she pushed herself back to a sitting position and pulled a loaf of hard bread from her pack. Her teeth tore into it, tearing off long strips of hard crust as the sun started to dip below the trees once more. She promised herself again, as she ate, that she wouldn¡¯t forget.


    When, not long after that, she fell asleep under the rough shelter she¡¯d set up according to Crispin¡¯s memories, her nightmares reminded her that she couldn¡¯t forget even if she¡¯d wanted to.

 Chapter 40: Onward

    The next day¡¯s sunrise saw Idelle already awake and packing up her shelter, too restless to try to sleep further. She¡¯d decided to cut back west from there until she approached the foot of the mountains again, and then skirt along the east side of the range as she traveled south. That way she would have an easy landmark to follow despite avoiding the roads, and as a bonus it would increase her chances of finding magic beasts to hunt as she traveled.


    Her lips curled at the thought of hunting, a shiver of joy running through her despite her nerves. A chance to cut loose and use her power to grow stronger, at last. She could hardly wait for some monster to appear from behind the trees, unaware of just who it was up against.


    Let them come. She¡¯d killed with nothing more than rocks last time, but with her sword¡­


    She glanced down at the sword as she prepared to sling the pack over her shoulders. Actually, tied as it was, she wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d actually be able to have it ready to fight in time. Ugh. Why was it so long? She begrudgingly untied it and laid it on her shoulder after putting the pack on. It was inconvenient, but that was better than fiddling around with knots if something did show up.


    Considering herself prepared, Idelle started her way back towards the mountains, chewing on another piece of hard bread as she went.


    To her vague annoyance, she was once again not interrupted by anything more than a few easily frightened squirrels and a single deer. Without the adrenaline brought on by yesterday¡¯s long day and sudden freedom, she soon found herself bored; and began once again practicing her elemental charms as she walked.


    The exercises were quickly becoming routine, and Idelle¡¯s thoughts strayed ahead to her destination. A magic academy¡­ She didn¡¯t honestly know what to expect. Her only real experience with magic was learning from Cecilia, and she wasn¡¯t totally sure anymore how complete that education had actually been.


    Adrian had also mentioned a test of some kind being necessary to get in (unless she wanted to impersonate nobility, which just sounded like a bad idea). Well, unless her parents suddenly showed up out of nowhere to explain that she was actually a count¡¯s daughter or something. She was more confident in her abilities after the boost she¡¯d received from drinking the blood of the serpent (or whatever it had been) under Wyrlet, but if there was a written test or something she might be in trouble.


    It couldn¡¯t be that hard, though, if it was intended for commoners. After all, most of them only knew the basics of reading and writing in the first place.


    Still. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to have something to show off when she arrived there. Idelle decided to try and practice casting two charms at once; she was quickly rewarded with the knowledge that it was fiendishly difficult. Between her practice and her recently increased affinities with magic, she could now maintain the image of her little ball of light without too much effort, but trying to focus on an entirely different visualization at the same time was far trickier than merely maintaining one while mindlessly walking.


    The attempts ate up the rest of her morning until she stumbled on something unexpected. It was another road winding down out of the hills, presumably the one that led south out of Wyrlet. She¡¯d thought herself farther east of it, but its presence would definitely help explain the lack of cursed beasts despite her relative proximity to the mountains.


    Or she might just be lucky, she¡¯d only encountered two in her time in Perien Forest, after all.


    Regardless, she quickly crossed the road and ducked her way into a scattered grove of trees without incident. She didn¡¯t want to risk the small chance of being spotted by other travelers, not while she was still this close to the city.


    Idelle continued cutting her way westward towards the foothills. She really wished she could have got her hands on some of those alchemical monster baits, but she hadn¡¯t wanted to push her luck by asking or risk her clean exit by trying to steal them.


    It wasn¡¯t until late in the afternoon, as the gentle roll of the hills she walked through gave way to steeper, rockier slopes dotted with evergreens, that she finally got her chance to hunt.


    She was distracted as she cut her way across a ridge, wondering if she shouldn¡¯t start more south from her. Instead, she found herself pausing, struck by an odd feeling of something out of place. She glanced around her, but saw nothing strange, and shrugged to herself before continuing on her way ¡ª


    No. Use your nose. The thought came to her abruptly and she did a double-take as she sniffed the air.


    Yes, she could smell something, a faint musky odor with a tinge of a familiar sweetness coming from across the ridge. It was another dire wolf, Idelle was sure of it. Her nose twitched. She could smell a lot when she paid attention, she realized, a complicated medley of mostly inscrutable scents.


    Right, speaking of wolves, scents were how they tracked their prey. She thought about the way her nails had curved and grown longer under the city, reminiscent of the claws of a bear. She was ever more certain of it, the peculiarities of her body brought on by her powers weren¡¯t arbitrary. They were related to the things she hunted and fed upon.


    In that case, wasn¡¯t this a perfect opportunity to test some things? She sniffed the air again, trying to burn the sensation, the chaotic mess of faint smells and information, into her brain for later comparison. The smell of the wolf was stronger, it was coming closer.


    Perfect.


    Idelle shrugged off her pack, leaning it against a tall pine, before stepping towards the intruder, looking for a good spot. There ¡ª she spotted an opening among the trees. The clearing was a mess of fallen branches and rocks, complete with a tree that had died and fallen to rot across the side, but it would more than do, she just wanted the room to maneuver.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    She stepped lightly into the middle, rolling her shoulders experimentally as she hefted her sword. It swung easily, feeling at once light and heavy. Light in that moving it took her almost no effort, but heavy in that she needed to adjust her stance to compensate for the weight. Good, if this wolf was anything like the last two she¡¯d want the weight on her side.


    Her opponent appeared a moment later, and her supposition was confirmed; it was definitely huge. Maybe the largest of the three she¡¯d seen so far, though she hadn¡¯t paid close enough attention to the others to make a proper comparison. It snarled at her, but she was surprised to see it take a hesitant step back, looking for all the world like it was nervous. Its smell surrounded her, strong to the point that she wasn¡¯t sure if she could ignore it if she wanted to.


    She took a step of her own forward, and it snarled again (louder this time), but still didn¡¯t move. Was it afraid of her?


    A grin twisted across her face, and she advanced another stride. It wouldn¡¯t run away, magic beasts despised people, she knew that much. Indeed, it growled and paced sideways instead, trying to circle her. She turned with it, the tip of her sword catching the light as it stayed fixed on the creature. Come on, she thought, make the first move. You know you want to¡­


    The soft crunch of paws on needles rang out. Behind you.


    Idelle grasped the second threat in an instant, as the first wolf suddenly broke into a quickly accelerating lope towards her. She cursed internally; dragons take her, that¡¯s why the smell had been so strong, there was more than one of them!


    Even as the realization passed through her head, she was already twisting around to look behind her. She saw a glimpse of jaw already spread wide and a blur of limbs and reacted without thinking, her feet digging into the ground in a spray of dirt as she threw herself into a sprint to meet it. She was fast too, she¡¯d deal with this one before the other had a chance to reach her ¡ª


    Her sword swung down with a sickening crunch as they clashed together, the power of the blow forcing the wolf¡¯s head and shoulders into the floor of the clearing. Its momentum sent its body tumbling and skidding towards her. Idelle tried her best to slip around it, but her footwork was too slow and it slammed into her shins sending her stumbling to the side.


    For a horrible second, she thought she would fall; but she barely managed to regain her balance, her feet sliding amidst the fallen needles and branches. She realized with horror that there was a third lupine figure slipping out from among the trees, but there was no time to run or look for more, as she desperately turned back to face the first wolf, the big one.


    It was already upon her by then and she retreated backward in a mess of shuffling steps, her feet catching awkwardly on the debris of the clearing as she tried to make enough room to swing her sword properly. The great beast snapped at her face, trying to find its way around the blade, and she managed to find a foothold to brace herself as she grabbed her blade to shove its enormous head back with sheer strength. For a moment it stagged away, but she could see that she¡¯d only barely cut its skin through the fur.


    It didn¡¯t seem to notice the injury, unrelenting in its advance as it tried to get a bite on one of her limbs. Idelle frantically kept stumbling away as she tried to make an opening for her sword; she had to hurry, if the third wolf got to her as well she would be in huge trouble¡­


    Idiot. The thought was so unexpected she almost laughed. Of course, what was she doing?


    She had other weapons too.


    The giant dire wolf lunged for her again. This time, she stepped forward to meet it, forcing its face aside with one hand on the flat of her blade. Its shoulders bunched as it tried to knock her down, but she was too strong for that. For a moment they tussled again as her nails extended and curved, and then abruptly her hand slid free of her sword and clawed a series of deep gouges along its neck.


    Her enemy cried out and instinctually jerked away, and she pulled away as well, scrabbling to pick up her sword. It came at her again a moment later, desperately yowling, but by then it was too late, and she forced the point of her sword deep into its neck before giving it a violent jerk. Blood spurted, its scent metallic and sweet, and she yanked her sword loose as it pooled on the ground.


    The third one had crossed the clearing by now and was almost atop her, but it hesitated and pulled back as she locked eyes with it. It too started to try and circle behind her, but she didn¡¯t hesitate this time to step forward and slash at its face. It howled in pain as blood welled from an ugly gash across its snout then abruptly leapt at her, almost desperately.


    That was the last thing it did, as she rammed her sword through the back of its throat and into its brain. Its neck twisted as it fell, nearly pulling her blade from her hands, but she kept a hold on it and forcefully pulled it free.


    For a long couple of seconds, she stood there panting, eyes scanning the trees around her as she listened for any sign of further beasts.


    There was none, and when she sniffed the air all she could make out was the stench of the three corpses and their blood.


    Her panting slowed. Good. That had almost gone poorly, but she¡¯d done it. She¡¯d killed all three of them, despite not having realized their numbers, and done it without receiving so much as a scratch. The monsters were right to fear her.


    She carefully laid her sword on the ground and grabbed the closest corpse by the neck. She tried to lift it off the ground, but it was too heavy even for her, so with a huff of annoyance she knelt and bit into its neck. Blood flowed into her mouth, heady with the ever-more-familiar sweetness of magic.


    Idelle let herself become lost in the sensation, drowning out any lingering disgust she felt with the joyful taste of it and the knowledge that it would make her stronger again, at last.


    When the first corpse had nothing more for her to take, she casually stepped over it and fed on the next, and then the third. Only after that did she reclaim her blade and let herself sit down onto the bloodied floor of the clearing. She took a deep breath of air, catching sight of her reflection in the dirty metal of her sword. Well, maybe there was something to be said of the safety and ease of fighting them in groups with spears.


    Then she remembered her thoughts from earlier and took a second breath in through her nose instead. The hodge-podge of smells was clearer, now, a tantalizing array of trails pulling her in a hundred different directions at once. She sat there for a long minute, taking them in, letting her mind sort through them. One or two had that faint tinge of sweetness to them. She tried to follow them, to figure out which direction they were in, but¡­


    Idelle sighed in distaste before leaning over and awkwardly sniffing the ground. None of the sweet smells were strong enough, but she thought she could maybe track one of the others. If only it didn¡¯t feel so demeaning to have to follow them by sniffing the ground like an animal.


    She resolved to set the ability aside and see how many magic beasts she managed to run into by chance, at least for now.

 Chapter 41: Hunters and Prey

    Despite her restlessness wanderlust Idelle chose to wait and think, sprawled among the blood-stained pine needles and dirt, instead of setting off again immediately after her hunt. Well, her hunt of sorts, at least. That was the problem she wanted to tackle, as the brawl with the dire wolves had made a couple of things clear.


    Most important was her growing realization that she didn¡¯t actually have any idea how to use her mess of skills and abilities cohesively. Her skill with her sword was competent enough, if not amazing, based on what she¡¯d seen with Ivar and in her acquired memories. But it was very basic and generalized, focusing on simple motions and footwork, and intended for a lighter blade than the one she¡¯d ended up with.


    Meanwhile, her body¡¯s strength and speed were far above the norm, maybe even accounting for body enhancement, and she suspected she was above average in harder to quantify ways, as well, such as her reflexes and ability to follow fast motions with her eyes. She wondered if there was a name for that. Visual tracking?


    Oh, and on the subject of body enhancement, she hadn¡¯t really been using that at all. She vaguely remembered using it when she attacked Cecilia, and in the later encounter with the being under the city, but thinking back to it now those fights felt uncomfortably distant. Impersonal, even, but in a different way than the foreign memories she had.


    Idelle winced at the thought. She really hadn¡¯t been in a good mental state, had she? Something else to work on.


    She pulled her thoughts back on topic. Body enhancement. And magic in general, for that matter. Even without anything more complicated, she could imagine using flashes of light or manipulating sand or dust to blind someone or distract them, to potentially lethal effect¡­


    Her face fell into a grimace. It was easier said than done. Even discounting the difficulties of casting magic while focusing on something else, it was clear that just staying on her feet during a fight was a struggle. Actually, had she had a single fight up ¡®till now where she hadn¡¯t been knocked down at some point? Even during Ivar¡¯s advanced sword class, she¡¯d found herself hitting the ground once or twice.


    She supposed that this must mean progress, of some kind, but with the number of times that she¡¯d almost tripped she found it hard to imagine this would be the end of it.


    Anyway. She should focus on trying to practice and integrate a few things at a time, to keep things manageable. Idelle¡¯s eyes fell to the intertwined moons decorating the pommel of her sword. Her reflection gazed back at her from the blade, her eyes seeming to shine slightly in the twilight as they peeked out from under a dark mess of bangs.


    She frowned again, though it must have been too subtle to show on her impassive reflection. Another side effect of her powers? Didn¡¯t wolves have eyes that shone like that in the dark? One more thing to try and keep track of.


    She let the sword swing back and forth in a little dance. Regardless of its origins, she would be an idiot to not focus on it ¡ª for now at least. When hunting cursed beasts outdoors, at least, the reach it gave her was invaluable, and it had proven itself able to take the beating inflicted by her abnormal strength without issues. So far, at least.


    Her eyes fell on her hands, and she carefully lifted one of them from the hilt. She focused on it, trying to remember the sensation she¡¯d felt earlier. It¡¯d come to her instinctually in the moment, but the ease with which her nails had shifted into claws seemed to have vanished.


    Idelle concentrated harder. She had the right feeling, she was sure of it, but it felt like something was missing. The seconds stretched out into a minute, and then two, but there was no success. She thought back to the moment in the fight. Her heart had been racing, panic rising as she tried to deal with the wolf quickly before its companion could arrive.


    And then it¡¯d just¡­ happened, naturally, as if someone had turned a key and unlocked a door that she hadn¡¯t even realized she was trying to open.


    Finally, she gave up. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but that particular door seemed to be locked again, at least for now. She supposed that maybe it was for the best ¡ª as useful as the ability was for fighting up close, she was leery of relying on it when she didn¡¯t know if she should expose it around other people. Who knew how they might react, she was already (apparently) creepy enough.


    Still, it would be useful to have something to rely on when her sword was too long to be useful. She resolved to find a knife when she had a chance. It¡¯d be useful to have as a tool anyway and offer her a modicum more protection when she inevitably would be unable to carry around her oversized greatsword.


    There was a repetitive tap of her foot against the ground, and Idelle realized she had started impatiently fidgeting with her leg. Maybe it was time she moved on. There was still light left, and she was more confident than ever in her ability to see even after sunset. She decided she could think further on the road if she wanted.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Moments later, she¡¯d picked back up her pack and was striding purposefully off again, headed just left of the jagged mountain that the sun had recently hidden behind.


    ¡­


    Despite her hesitation around using her nose, Idelle stumbled upon several more monsters to hunt over the next few days. Most of them were easy kills, even relatively dangerous animals like the magically mutated brown bear who found her late one night were unable to get past the deadly reach of her sword, much less lone smaller predators and the occasional cursed herbivore.


    The only exception was a terrifyingly fast snake, who struck at her from its hiding place between a pair of uneven rocks as she clambered over them. She only narrowly managed to throw herself away, half falling onto her rear in the process before she brought her sword down to decapitate it.


    Idelle wasn¡¯t actually totally sure how venomous that particular breed of snake normally was, and half wondered if venom resistance mightn¡¯t come with her enhanced body anyway, but she had no intention of testing either of those questions out any time soon if she could help it.


    Still, the encounters kept her constantly on her toes. She found herself settling into a rhythm of only sleeping for an hour or two at a time, and only after searching the area for any strong traces of the sweet tainted scents that marked magic beasts. Her body didn¡¯t seem to mind, and she covered the distance south along the mountains at a truly prodigious rate because of it.


    She used the extra time to continue practicing her magic as well and finally found herself catching the hang of maintaining two charms at once, to her delight. It would still take a lot of practice to sustain for more than a second or two, but she was definitely moving in the right direction.


    It was nearing dusk about a week after she split from the caravan that the next notable incident occurred.


    It had grown drier as Idelle moved south, and the tall ensembles of pines and other straight evergreens had been reduced to a few stragglers hiding amidst clumps of junipers and other smaller trees. She was humming her half-remembered tune to herself in high spirits, having comfortably put down and fed on yet another wolf earlier that day. Maybe she had an affinity with them? They were hunters too, after all. And, when she thought about it, it wasn¡¯t like they had any choice in the matter either. It was just in their nature to eat meat.


    Maybe that was how it was for her, too, she thought to herself. Except, you know, with blood instead of meat. She could eat meat, but she could eat vegetables too.


    Her meandering thoughts were interrupted by a sudden flicker in the distance. She squinted at it for a moment, seeing nothing, and only after a long moment of seeing nothing did she realize.


    It wasn¡¯t a flicker of light, but of her now almost omnipresent magic-sight.


    The disturbance grew closer, and suddenly she found herself gripped by panic. Whatever it was approached her through the sky at a terrifying speed, and as it grew closer the flicker of its magic seemed to grow along with it into a great raging ball.


    Something in her quailed at its presence, a foreign instinct that whispered that this thing was too powerful, too sovereign for ordinary creatures like her that crawled and crept upon the ground. Annoyance swelled in her at the notion, demanding that she make the creature her prey as was her right, but she quickly quashed it and flattened herself against the ground under the branches of the nearest tree.


    Her instincts could argue all they wanted, but she knew intellectually that that was too much for her to handle.


    A second later, the creature swept overhead, high above the trees but enormous enough to seem huge despite that. She caught a glimpse of enormous wings, of talons large enough to wrap around her body and then some matched with a pair of great clawed paws, a long tail that swept snakelike through the air behind it, and most unsettlingly a flash of a black eye nestled amidst mottled feathers that narrowed into a great curved beak.


    The eye seemed to linger on her for a moment and she pressed herself deeper into the dirt, uncaring of the needles and branches that scratched against her face and arms.


    Then it was gone, sweeping away north and back into the mountains as quickly as it came.


    Idelle sat there, watching it go. A griffin. That was a griffin, right?


    She had wanted to fight one of those? Were they all that big? Surely not, right? Cateline wouldn¡¯t have expected people like her to go up against something like that with nothing but spears and bravery.


    And she¡¯d wanted to feed on it too. She shuddered, remembering the way the magic in the blood of the creature under Wyrlet had burned inside her, even when it had already been weakened to nearly nothing by that strange poison. The griffin¡¯s magic had been comparable. Lesser, maybe, but comparable. She couldn¡¯t imagine that it would make for a much more comfortable meal.


    But¡­ If she kept growing stronger off lesser beings first¡­


    She let the thought pass for now. No use getting ahead of herself. It¡¯s not like she had even the slimmest chance of hunting something like that as she was, anyway.


    Don¡¯t underestimate yourself.


    She blinked. Where had that thought come from? Was it really underestimating herself to recognize that she would be nothing more than a worm in front of a sparrow to that monster?


    Well. She supposed worms couldn¡¯t exactly grow into something stronger. Maybe she was more like a caterpillar or some other larva, gifted with the chance to change herself, to be reborn as someone better.


    The odd idea still gave her a spark of joy and confidence, and as the last flickers of the griffin¡¯s magic faded into the background she quickly scrambled out from her hiding place and started off south again, breaking into a jog in her haste. She was glad that it had been flying in the opposite direction of her heading.

 Chapter 42: Fear

    The next few days saw the grasslands that Idelle glimpsed here and there from atop hills fade slowly from green into dusty browns and yellows. Even staying near the mountains, where the empty creeks waiting for the yearly snowmelt had carved gullies that squirmed out from the mountain like oversized feelers, Idelle could feel the way the air had grown dry and still as she continued to pick her way south. She knew she must be getting close to her destination, especially after she noticed one day that the intensity of the magic permeating the air and land around her had grown noticeably brighter at some point.


    Despite that, she didn¡¯t hurry to break away from the mountains. She could feel herself growing stronger with every passing day as she fed on the beasts she found lurking among the hills. The improvements weren¡¯t as rapid as they had been for her first few kills, but she didn¡¯t know when her next chance to freely hunt like this might be, so she intended to make the best of it.


    In the worst case, she decided would simply overshoot her destination and work her way back up north. It would make for all the more confusion if something changed and someone decided to track her down.


    The prey she found shifted as well. She hadn¡¯t seen one of her wolf ¡°friends¡± in several days, and predators had grown rarer. Instead, vicious oversized elk and deer had become the most common, and even a wild horse at one point.


    She was thankful for the change, as it had become apparent that feeding repeatedly on the same types of beasts did less and less for her with each hunt.


    But despite the placid natures of their original species, who almost always fled immediately if she caught a glimpse of them, the magic variants of herbivores were aggressive and deadly.


    Without teeth or claws, they resorted instead to charging her to gore her with their antlers or simply attempting to trample her beneath great beefy legs and bodies. And more than once she was knocked over by crushing kicks to her chest while trying to circle around from in front of an angry creature. There was simply no way for her to do anything but avoid the blows, the animals were too massive and heavy, and she was certain that the kicks had cracked her ribs on at least one occasion.


    As much as she appreciated her ability to heal at unreasonable speeds from injuries, she did not want to see how well the ability worked on a crushed hand, or worse yet a broken skull.


    There were stranger and rarer animals among those inflicted with the curse as well. She¡¯d been under the impression that the animals effected were large and often predators, but here small rodents (well, relative to those she¡¯d fought before they were small, some were as large as more ordinary wolves after the effects of the magic), snakes like the one she¡¯d seen some days ago, and even birds could be found reeking of the sweet smell that she¡¯d learned to associate with magic beasts.


    There was another immediate advantage to the variety, as it proved an excellent teacher when it came to her ability to fight. She was quickly growing accustomed to the ways she needed to adapt to each new threat; be that focusing on evasion and staying at a distance for larger creatures, mixing in violent kicks and stomps against oversized rodents as they tried to tear at her legs with their teeth, or even just swatting a bird out of the air with her open palm as it tried to claw at her face and eyes.


    That last one left several painful gouges on her hand, much to her annoyance. She hoped she didn¡¯t run into an entire flock, or she¡¯d have no confidence in her ability to escape without more serious injuries. It simply didn¡¯t seem possible to guard her face and head against that many without a proper helmet or something, and she held little faith in her ever-more-tattered gambeson to hold up long even if they just went for the rest of her body.


    Idelle doubted they could kill her, at least not without numbers that would probably entail a beast wave, but it was a painful reminder that simply being physically strong wasn¡¯t enough on its own. Maybe if she got fast and skilled enough to kill anything that came close in a single hit before it could reach her, but she was a long ways away from that. No, was such a thing ever possible?


    She thought back to Ivar, who she¡¯d never seen take a single hit from a practice sword, even while outnumbered, and whose sword had always been unerringly able to kiss an attackers throat or tap above their heart in demonstrations. Yeah. Maybe him.


    Cateline had said he had disappeared as well. If the man was working with Cecilia, there was a chance that she might end up having to fight him some day.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    She shivered at the thought, something that didn¡¯t seem to happen due to cold anymore. She¡¯d just have to hope it didn¡¯t come to that. Or at least practice running away. If she used body enhancement, she could probably outrun him. Probably. She¡¯d never actually seen him run, or take more than the small measured steps necessary to barely graze past a swing.


    A few days after the bird, Idelle found something else strange. She¡¯d caught the scent of a great cat, a mountain lion, with only the hint of sweetness to it. She suspected that meant it had only recently changed, a guess that was reinforced when she locked eyes with it a minute later across a rocky gully filled with scree and saw that it was barely larger than she was.


    The cat had hissed at her, and started to circle, a tactic she had grown familiar with by now. But when she plopped down her pack and started to lope across the rocks toward it, intending to kill it quickly in case of any complications, rather than the normal (sometimes hesitant) aggression it hissed again before suddenly turning away from her. With a quick bound of coiled haunches, it was out of the ditch and disappeared into the undergrowth.


    The sight was so unexpected that she hesitated for a moment before sprinting after it, the scrubby bushes layering the hill scraping against her legs as she tore through them in a burst of speed.


    Idelle caught up with it a minute later, the animal quickly turning back when it realized her pursuit. It hissed at her again, and she examined it closely. It was definitely cursed, even if it was recent, even with its size set aside it clearly had more magic than normal pulsing through it.


    She carefully stepped closer, expecting it to attack this time, but to her shock it pulled back further from her ¡ª whimpering and pressing itself to the ground as if it was trying to look smaller. A few more strides brought her within pouncing distance, but there was no sudden bite or bounding flash of the claws.


    It looked afraid, nothing more.


    She gave it a long look, annoyed but also strangely gratified by the reaction. ¡°What, am I supposed to be the bad guy here? Or are you some weird extra smart magical beast?¡±


    The beast only whimpered and pressed itself lower into the dirt, showing no signs of understanding.


    Idelle raised her sword, about to slice into the creatures neck to give it a quick death, but something in her hesitated at the sight. Why bother? She¡¯d fed on a larger mountain lion than this a few days ago, and the thing was clearly terrified.


    She supposed even a little power was still power, but¡­


    No. Just kill it.


    There was a gleaming arc of metal and a momentary spurt of red, and Idelle let out a long breath. There was no point in hesitating. She¡¯d killed dozens of magic beasts since she¡¯d left Wyrlet, there was no point in feeling pity for this one, right? Besides, even if it was afraid of her right now, it might wander out of the mountains and hurt someone later.


    Yeah, that was a good enough reason.


    She leaned in to feed, catching only a momentary glimpse of her impassive face reflected in the corpse¡¯s yellow eyes before her jaws clamped down on the cut she¡¯d opened in its neck.


    After she finishing feeding, Idelle gave the beast¡¯s body a long look. She hadn¡¯t gained almost any strength from it after all. Why had it acted so deferential?


    She thought back to the griffin, and the way it had seemed like an untouchable overlord as it flew past, and the fact that powerful monsters like that would apparently drive lesser magic beasts out of their territory over time.


    Her eyes instinctively fell to her own body, despite her lack of need for real vision when using her magic sight. Idelle''s magic pulsed in her chest, a rough ball in her heart that spun off strands of all sizes through her blood. It was strong, no doubt about that, and when she really looked closely she realized that she could feel further energy coiled up inside her heart; hidden by the pulsing outer layers.


    Was it as simple as that, she wondered? Beings with lots of magic were scary to those with less? That would be an easy and comfortable explanation, for sure.


    Idelle hoped there wasn¡¯t something more. The idea that her hunting might have changed her in some fundamental way that the magic beasts could detect left her with a knot of worry that refused to quite unravel, even as she moved on from the encounter.


    In the end, she decided to start making her way down towards Hudbria, or at least the safer and more settled plains away from the mountain range if it turned out she¡¯d misjudged the distance. She was approaching a bottleneck in how much she could gain from feeding, and surely there would be opportunities to practice hunting or dueling back among people. There were always a need for warm bodies to help cull beasts, for better or for worse.


    And if her renewed anxieties about the nature of her power refused to die down, maybe she could find some more insight into that as well. There must be a library or something at the academy, maybe there would be records or stories of someone with similar abilities?


    The thought of spending hours slowly reading through books to try and find a passing mention of an apparently obscure power made her face fall, but she¡¯d cross that bridge if she came to it.

 Chapter 43: Distance

    It didn¡¯t take long for Idelle to find the road again, despite the mess of rugged foothills she had to pass through. It carved its way southward just as it had to the north, a wide lane of hard-packed dirt tramped down by generations of wheels and feet.


    Before starting down it, Idelle ran her fingers through her tangled hair in a half-hearted attempt to make herself look presentable before giving up; she figured that it would be impossible to hide the signs of her weeks of travel without a bath and likely a change of clothes. She thought it might take a long time to encounter other people in this part of the kingdom, anyway.


    That particular thought turned out to be almost completely wrong. It was only the next day, near noon, when she found fallow fields next to the road. A few more minutes brought her to a small fork in the road (just before it crossed over a stream via an aging wooden bridge) and she turned to follow the split, thinking to find someone to ask for directions.


    As the tops of a scattered cluster of houses came into view in the distance, she spotted two men hard at work in one of the fields. One of them looked up as she approached, his gaze sweeping over her battered uniform and sword before meeting her eyes with an irritated glare. He spoke before she had a chance.


    ¡°Oi, you want something?¡± His voice was curt. ¡°There ain¡¯t nothing for soldiers to do around here.¡±


    ¡°Just directions¡­¡± Idelle said hesitantly.


    The man snorted and shook his mop of reddish hair. ¡°Directions? What, are you lost?¡±


    Before Idelle could respond the other farmer, a tan man who was shorter than his fellow, interjected. ¡°Don¡¯t be an ass. Directions to where miss?¡±


    Her eyes flicked over to his face. He didn¡¯t look actively upset, but his face was still guarded despite his polite words. ¡°Hudbria. I had to take a detour off the road and wanted to make sure I was still on the right track.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a day or two south of here on the main road you just turned off. Can¡¯t miss it. Was that all?¡± The tan man said.


    ¡°...Yes.¡± Idelle paused impulsively before turning away. ¡°Unless there¡¯s some problem I can help with?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a problem all right.¡± The red-haired man spoke again before his companion could stop him. ¡°You soldiers are the problem, coming in here and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Leo. Can it.¡± The short man¡¯s voice brooked no argument. ¡°There¡¯s no problem, miss. It¡¯s just been a rough winter, and we don¡¯t want any trouble, that¡¯s all he¡¯s trying to say.¡±


    Idelle looked between them, her own irritation rising. She wasn¡¯t even a real soldier, what was going on with this jerk? She¡¯d just been trying to be helpful. ¡°It sounds like he has a problem to me.¡±


    He winced, and Leo took the opportunity to cut in again. ¡°My problem is that your type won¡¯t mind your own business. Always coming in here and demanding a bigger cut of the taxes or some favor, or maybe you need to commission some of our wagons that we won¡¯t ever see again, or maybe you just want to recruit more of our workforce, or just waste our time because you can¡¯t even keep track of your own ass¡ª¡±


    ¡°Leo. Enough. Look at her, she¡¯s just some girl.¡± Leo finally shut up, turning back to his work with an angry jerk of his head, and the other farmer looked at Idelle and continued, his voice quiet and clipped. ¡°I think it¡¯d be best if you leave. If you got nothing else to do here. Sorry.¡±


    Idelle shrugged and spoke, her voice sullen. ¡°Fine. For the record, though, that¡¯s all got nothing to do with me either, so find someone else to complain at.¡±


    Leo just snorted. Idelle stared at him, the thought of grabbing his shoulder and knocking him to his knees to teach him some respect flashing through her mind, but her fingers only drummed on the hilt of her sword. She saw the tan man whose name she still hadn¡¯t heard eyeing them nervously and controlled herself, forcing her face into a reassuring smile.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Idelle turned away and started back between the narrow rows of rough fences, missing the way the man took a step back and grabbed Leo¡¯s shoulder and muttered something. Whatever. It wasn¡¯t her problem if some stranger¡¯s mouth got him into trouble.


    Just like she¡¯d been told, it was late that evening when Idelle caught sight of Hudbria, still clearly visible to her eyes in the last vestiges of twilight. The city was nestled in the crook of a shallow hill, with a scattering of buildings trailing up the hillside before culminating in a grand stone complex with a long, spindly tower near the center. Dust-colored scrub surrounded the city, and to the east, the plains stretched away in long swatches of dry rock, sand, and amber grasses; a few lonely bushes clinging to cracks in the rock and hiding in slight gulleys and behind ridges.


    Unlike Wyrlet, the city had no great walls. Its buildings and roads instead encroached upon the surrounding desert seemingly at random, and as she drew closer she saw many of them were made of rough stone or clay, often reinforced in places with mud-covered boards. Only on the hillside did the construction look made to last, with some of the larger structures even displaying metal or glass in their windows and fencing off ornate balconies.


    She soon came across a small guard post next to the road, a bored guard in a near-identical gambeson to hers fiddling with a little wooden puzzle involving sliding different blocks of wood past each other as they slumped against one wall. Idelle coughed politely as she approached, and the guard glanced up before hurriedly standing and stepping forward to meet her.


    ¡°Anything I can do for you?¡±


    Idelle shrugged. ¡°Mmh. I¡¯m just trying to enter the city. I¡¯m headed to the Royal Academy of Magic. Do I need to do anything to go in, or¡­?¡±


    The guard waved a languid hand. ¡°Not unless you¡¯re a merchant illegally wearing that armor or something. Though I¡¯m afraid the academy will be all closed this late. Do you know where the barracks are?¡±


    Idelle paused. ¡°Actually, could you tell me where an inn or something is? And the academy is the building on top of the hill, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The pride of Hudbria, as they say.¡± The guard stood up a little straighter. ¡°Anyway, if you aren¡¯t here on official business, I¡¯d just wander down the main way until you go past the well, then take the second right. You¡¯ll see ¡®The Lonely Pony¡¯ on your left, it¡¯s as good a spot as any.¡±


    Idelle expressed her thanks and received an amiable nod in response. At least some people were nice around here, she thought as she headed back down the road.


    The Lonely Pony was a tall brick building with a passable impression of a horse carved into a sign above the doorway. The door opened into a common room, and Idelle saw an assortment of folks, many in the kingdom¡¯s familiar uniform, drinking and chatting at tables. The room was rowdy, and no one gave her a second glance and she crossed the room to a long counter. The bored woman lounging behind it glanced up at her with a nod.


    ¡°Anything I can do for you?¡±


    ¡°Just a room.¡±


    The woman held out her hand. ¡°That¡¯ll be 4 denier for the night. Unless you want to pay ahead or want food.¡±


    Idelle leaned her sword against the counter, prompting a wordless glance from the woman, and then unslung her pack to dig inside for a moment. She found the pouch and frowned as she realized she only had two of the smaller coins. She grabbed one of the few remaining larger silver gros instead. ¡°Is this all right?¡±


    The bartender accepted it without complaint. ¡°No food, then?¡±


    Idelle shook her head. ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    She accepted the handful of change, and the woman jerked her thumb at the door to one side of the room. ¡°Second floor, third room on the right. Leave the door unlocked if you want us to drop by with a fresh jug of water in the morning.¡±


    Idelle nodded and thanked her again. She gathered her stuff back up, turned, and headed for the door, but a loud voice cut across her thoughts as one of the soldiers waved and hailed her as she passed his table. ¡°Hey, huge sword girl!¡±


    She flinched, stepping back at his unexpected words, but he continued without noticing. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been on the road a while. Got any good stories? Come tell us!¡±


    The man was clearly drunk ¡ª along with the rest of his table. Idelle shook her head at him, but his companions joined in, encouraging her with shouts and the offer of a drink. She grimaced, but the man rose to his feet at the encouragement and stepped forward. ¡°Come on, it¡¯ll be fun! You must be bored, you¡¯ve just arrived, right?¡±


    She shook her head again. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t have any good stories anyway¡ª¡± The man reached forward for her shoulder, and she slapped his arm away forcefully, ¡±¡ªDon¡¯t touch me! I said I¡¯m fine, all right?¡±


    He shrugged and rubbed his hand, giving her a surprised look. ¡°Your loss, sword girl. We got plenty to talk about either way.¡±


    He turned and headed back to his table, but a few of his companions kept surprised faces trained on her as she backed away to the doorway.


    Idelle caught one of them, a woman, murmuring a question as she fled the room. ¡°What¡¯s her problem? Think she¡¯s just tired¡­?¡± Whatever was said in response was lost in the clamor of the room as she closed the door behind her and hurriedly retreated up the flight of stairs behind it.

 Update: Coming Back Soon(ish)

    Hi everyone!!


    Sorry for going off the radar and the unexpected hiatus, some health stuff and major life events got in the way and its been hard to get back in the flow... I''m working on getting some chapters stocked up, and will be posting again once I get enough that I can keep it going for a while even if more stuff comes up :)


    Hope everyone has been hanging in there, and if it''s been rough for anyone else I''m sending all my love ya way??


    Anyway chapters need to be at least 500 characters so uhhhhhh idk here''s part of a weird text document i found on the deepweb once i guess


    - You cannot avoid it.


    - Jamming it will be noticed immediately and acted upon.


    - Wrecking surveillance capabilities, while admirable, will eventually result


    in the powers that be replacing them and passing laws that make it more and


    more hazardous to do so until even acknowledging their presence will put you


    up on charges.


    - Strategies to evade notice involve losing yourself in the noise, i.e., not


    standing out from everyone else.


    - Case in point, the Mossad''s assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in early 2010.


    - Their hit squad knew that they''d be under surveillance almost constantly, not


    because they were well known but because that is the default setting of first


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.  world (and first world-like) societies in the twenty-first century.


    - They changed their appearances multiple times throughout the op.


    - Multiple sets of clothing (some undoubtedly stolen).


    - Multiple sets of ID (with lines of credit) were used as well as cash


    transactions.


    - Learn the profile of where you live or where you will be going and blend in


    rather than stand out.


    - Travel with groups of people.


    - Be amiable, polite, and boring.


    - Most security cameras are not equipped with microphones.


    - More and more security cameras are IP-enabled, meaning that they must be


    connected to a network to function.  They stream captured footage to a file


    server for archival.


    - Wireless IP cameras exist but are rare right now.


    - Observers view the footage from standard workstations.


    - IP cameras can be hacked.  Specifically, they can be logged into, usually with


    a web interface, and reconfigured, hijacked, or used for unauthorized


    surveillance.


    - The video feeds from IP cameras can be spoofed in near-realtime.


    - Default user IDs and passwords are easy to find online.


    - Compromise of default user IDs is trivial to automate.


    - Operation can be disabled, but when detected the owners of the IP cameras will


    audit and tighten their security posture.  Don''t waste a good resource.


    - They can work for or against you, depending upon how proactive you are.


    - Software exists to feed a static image to at least some IP cameras out there.


    - It may be advisable to gain and maintain access to data networks near your


    places of operation, on the off chance that they will need to be exploited to


    further your plans.


    - There are thousands of networks that have been compromised for years, and


    still are.