《The Doomed Duke's Healer》


 1: Unchanging Fate - Part 1

    The breeze smelled of lavender-scented oil soap as Lianna placed another pin to hold a bedsheet on the drying line. That same breeze blew tendrils of her dark silver hair in front of her face. She tucked the offending tendril behind her ear before it could blow into her mouth or eyes. Having finished pinning the sheet, she went to grab another bit of the wash to hang up.


    "Miss, I really can hang these out by myself. I may be older now, but not so old that I can''t hang laundry." Charlona was by the wash bucket picking out her own piece of laundry to hang. She unwadded it from the ball it had become when it was wrung dry. She gave the same protest nearly every time Lianna came out to help her with the laundry, but Lianna could tell from the way Charlona rubbed her hands that doing too much with her hands made them ache. And it wasn''t like Lianna could sit and sip tea and read all day with the house and family in their current state. The county paperwork was finished for now, so she''d decided to help where she could.


    "I know." Lianna smiled and picked up a towel out of the bucket, shook it out, and began pinning it next to the bed sheet from before. She heard Charlona sigh behind her. Lianna knew Charlona was grateful for the help, but her insistence that Lianna shouldn''t be doing it seemed like something that she felt compelled to say to appease her conscience.


    It was an odd situation: the young miss of a count''s household helping her nanny and only maid do the laundry. However, that was the hard truth of their situation. Count Milliard''s estate was in shambles. Though the manor and gardens were once fairly grand, now they showed signs of disrepair. Some of the gardens had been let to go wild in absence of a gardener, and others had been transformed into kitchen gardens to help supplement the food supplies. Only Nanny Charlona, the cook who was also Charlona''s husband, two aging guards, the Count, Lianna, and Lianna''s younger brother Aaron were left. The rest had been let go or had left of their own accord as things declined. All of the count''s resources were spent trying to keep the county from falling down with them. If the county fell, there would be nothing at all for Aaron to inherit and the people who depended on the count''s family would suffer.


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    There were also plenty of other reasons to keep their county from falling into the hands of another noble, but Lianna put those particular thoughts out of her mind for now. She didn''t want to take out her frustrations on the innocent laundry or Charlona.


    Lianna finished pinning the towel and turned, only to be faced with Charlona and her frowning expression. Charlona grabbed hold of Lianna''s hands, turned them palm side up, and made a mournful sound. "Just as I thought, this work is making your hands prune up." She rubbed her thumb over Lianna''s palm before Lianna pulled her hands away. "There are calluses as well," Charlona continued. "How are you supposed to marry into a good house if you work enough to get callouses, wrinkled wash hands, muscles, and a tan on your fair skin? The late countess would surely reprimand me for letting this happen."


    Lianna swallowed her sigh and frustration at having the same old argument dredged up again. She couldn''t let herself say what she wanted, that her mother would have had to do work as well if she were still alive, and that there was a darker reason why she knew the state of her hands and body would never lead to her getting married into a good house. She forced a smile as she felt a chill go down her spine.


    Taking hold of Charlona''s shoulders, she squeezed them gently. "But there''s nothing for it. You know that, Nanny. We just do the best we can. There''s not much but the land and the title left to us now. If I find a husband, he''ll just have to accept this as well."


    The silence was a bit awkward as it always was when Charlona''s guilt was met with their pitiful reality, but on this day, the silence gave way to the sound of horse hooves in the distance. Lianna and Charlona turned as one towards the sound.


    "Was there a delivery expected today?" Lianna asked. When Charlona shook her head, Lianna''s chest tightened. From the look on Charlona''s face, Lianna knew her nanny felt the same sense of dread.


    Without a word, they both headed to the front corner of the manor. There, they peeked around it to get a view of the front gate. Though she had somewhat expected it, seeing the red and gold clad knight on a war horse ride in was enough to cause her heart to pound. The rider wasn''t the usual messenger from Duke Brendwald that came to collect payments a few times a year, but a knight. Brendwald never sent knights¨Cat least not until now.


    So, it has finally happened.

 2: Unchanging Fate - Part 2

    Lianna pressed herself against the wall of the manor and squeezed her eyes shut. In her memory, she knew what would come next. The knight would deliver a proposal to her father, one that would send her into a world of suffering and death, and her father¨Cthough he would delay as long as possible¨Cwould not be able to refuse. She thought she might have more time given that her coming of age had yet to happen. And though the details were fuzzy, she knew that delaying an answer to that proposal would only get her as far as her debut at the end of the summer.


    "Miss Lianna," Charlona whispered, "you''ve gone so pale! I''m sure your father is alright. He''ll deal with them and send them on their way in no time." Charlona''s hand patted Lianna lightly on her upper arm, but Lianna noted that the hand was chilled from anxiety despite her reassuring words.


    Lianna put on the best smile she could manage, patted her nanny''s hand, and nodded. Charlona would never believe her if she mentioned how she knew that, this time, things would not be okay. When she was younger, horrible visions of her future had filled her mind. She''d somehow been given them along with a dangerous and miraculous healing gift. Even she had been skeptical at first, but after the visions came true time and time again, she could no longer deny it. And of all the visions she had hoped were false, the scene she had witnessed just now was one of them.


    After several tense moments, Lianna heard footsteps. She peeked around the corner once more and saw the knight remount his horse and gallop back out of the front gate.


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    With a hand on her chest, Charlona sighed. "Thank the Goddess, he didn''t stay long."


    But Lianna couldn''t share her nanny''s relief. "I must go and see father."


    "Of course, of course." Charlona waved her on.


    Lianna lifted her skirts and ran around the front of the manor. Though she felt as if she were running towards her own execution, she kept up the pace, determined to catch her father with the proposal letter still out, so he wouldn''t be able to try and hide it. Her visions had shown her only just finding out about it on the day after her debut, when it was far too late to even try to do anything. Even if it was futile, she wanted to try anything to change that future. She''d failed so many times to change the other, previous futures she had seen, but perhaps more drastic actions than she had tried before would need to be taken to make a difference.


    Lianna startled Benjamin, the cook, and Harrace, one of their guards, as she ran through the main floor foyer and up the stairs. She didn''t stop until she had turned the handle and burst into her father''s room.


    Her father Count Milliard sat up in his bed with a handkerchief to his mouth. It was made of black linen so the flecks of red from his coughs wouldn''t show. Lianna''s eyes honed in on the piece of paper in his other hand, what she knew had to be the proposal letter.


    "Li¡­Lianna? What¨C" Her father was so startled that the letter fell from his fingers, drifting down and then across the floor to land in front of Lianna''s feet.


    Lianna bent down and picked the expensive, scented paper off of the floor and looked at her father. A sickly sweet perfume wafted up from it. When she looked up from the letter, she met her father''s eyes and said, "Father, we need to talk."

 3: Unchanging Fate - Part 3

    "Oh, that letter is nothing but rubbish. Give it here, would you?" The count reached out his thin hand for the letter, but Lianna held onto it. "It''s just another demand for repayment," he continued, his voice taking on a pleading tone despite his attempt at nonchalance. "So, give it here, and I''ll put it away." He tried to cover up his slip by sounding exasperated, but Lianna could see how his hand shook.


    Though Lianna already knew the basics of what the letter contained, she made a show of opening it and scanning it. Paragraphs of flowery language in neat penmanship sprawled down the page. Poetic phrases expressing an adoration for her left her feeling ill, and promises of easing their family''s debt filled her with anger. Her grip on the page was so tight that it creased. But she''d shown that she now knew what was in the letter. Her father couldn''t hide it any longer.


    When she looked back up at her father, his outstretched hand was now clenched into a fist, and his face had become even paler than usual. He let his hand fall back into his lap as a coughing fit overtook him. When it ended, he laid back in his bed, looking exhausted. Closing his eyes, he said, "We can''t refuse him. Worrying about it now won''t help us any. We have until your debut after you come of age. He says he''ll treat you well and that we may see some of the debt forgiven." His voice choked up as he said the last sentence.


    "Father, you know the duke won''t actually do what he promises. I''ll be nothing but a plaything¨Ca mistress with no rights and no power. He''ll toss me away when he gets bored, and he''ll still demand repayments from us. There will only be one less person to take care of you and Aaron. He won''t be satisfied until he has rung and bled us dry."


    Lianna felt tears stinging her eyes. But even as she voiced her doubts, she couldn''t think of any way to keep this future from playing out. Bursting into her fathers room and reading the letter was something she hadn''t done in her visions, but it had done nothing to change their situation.


    "Lia, my dear. I wish I had the power to change this. I truly do. But if I don''t comply with that letter, an even worse fate will await us. This ailing body and our mountain of debt won''t let me protect you and Aaron any longer. The most we can do is bide time." The lifelessness in her father''s voice wrapped around Lianna''s chest and squeezed until she felt she could barely take a full breath past the anxiety and despair that she was barely holding back.


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    With her jaw clenched so hard it ached, Lianna walked to her father''s night stand and placed the letter inside its drawer. "I won''t stop trying to think of a way out of this¡­for all of us, Father. I know there has to be something."


    Her father shook his head. "You think I haven''t tried to get out from under the duke''s thumb already? If there were an option that would absolve our debt and gain us protection from the duke, I would grasp it and not let go no matter if the rope was dangling over a pit of snakes. But no such rope exists, Lia. Brendwald has servants and allies everywhere. There''s no one we can trust to help us."


    Lianna looked at the floor, unable to witness the blatant grief on her father''s face. "Still¡­," she said softly. But there was no point in saying more. Louder, she said, "I''ll send up Benjamin with your food and medicine and go check on Aaron."


    Coughing overtook her father once more, and she slipped out of the room. She held it together long enough to deliver her message to the chef and to make sure Aaron was alright as he tagged along with Harrace. When she was free of those tasks and alone in her room, she could hold her composure no longer.


    Bitter tears streamed down her cheeks in hot trails. Her father was dying, she knew that, but it wasn''t the reason she cried. She looked down at her hands. Even her gift was no use against a failure of the body itself¨Cher past attempts had taught her that much¨Cand since his death was inevitable, she would give anything to give her father a peaceful passing, not one locked in despair and grief. She didn''t want him to die thinking that he''d left his daughter and son in a personal hell of the duke''s making.


    But what could be done? Her own despair was on her heels, but she still clung to her denial. She couldn''t acknowledge that fate. She would think of anything, but perhaps her own, limited perspectives weren''t enough. She''d never once been able to change the small bits of future she had seen. What use was knowing if she couldn''t do anything to change the outcome? Surely there had to be a way. But perhaps there was simply something missing from her understanding.


    She sniffed and scrubbed her cheeks with the heel of her hand, grimacing at the tear stains that she and Charlona would have to wash out of her sleeves and pillow case. She sorted through her thoughts.


    Tomorrow, I will ask discreetly for other perspectives and news from outside the county. Perhaps someone will know something that can lead me to an answer.


    She would go into town. It was an action she hadn''t seen herself take in her visions, though there was still the possibility that it might not matter. She shook her head. No, perhaps there was hope, even if only in the unknown.

 4: Trouble in Mills Yard - Part 1

    Lianna had opened the curtains in the study. The hours just before lunch gave the best light due to the angle of the sun. Using the sunlight saved on candles and oil in the lamps, so they made use of it whenever they could. The light warmed her back as she sat at a table across from her brother.


    She looked up from her book to check how Aaron was doing with writing his letters. He could already read and write on a basic level, but now those skills needed to be practiced and polished, along with reading and studying various subjects. He would, hopefully, one day be the count of this land. Soon after he was born, she had learned the basics of most subjects he would need to better become his teacher when he was old enough, but still she studied farther into those subjects herself to keep ahead of him. She would not let her brother go without the knowledge he needed just because they had no money to hire tutors.


    "Aaron, try to write that line a bit straighter, and drawing the round part first helps form that letter a bit easier." She smiled as Aaron nodded, his face scrunched in concentration.


    Lianna was proud of her brother''s effort, but she did often wish he could be more carefree. He was only twelve after all.


    She waited until he had written a few more lines of practice letters for his calligraphy before calling a stop to it. "Okay. I think that''s enough for today." She ruffled his hair a bit. "Why don''t you spend some time with Harace or in your room for a while. It won''t be long before Nanny brings you lunch."


    Aaron looked up from his notebook, his dusty blonde hair falling over his blue eyes as he tilted his head. "You won''t be eating lunch with us? Are you going somewhere?"


    Lianna inwardly groaned. She had hoped he wouldn''t notice until she was already on her way. "Yes, I''m going into town for a bit. I''ll be taking Reggie with me." Reggie was their other guard and also their handyman. Earlier that morning, he had caught Lianna trying to make preparations to take the horse and cart to town on her own and had insisted on going with her. By the time the matter was settled, it had become time for her and Aaron''s lessons.


    Aaron pouted but then sighed. "Will you ever take me with you to town?"


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    "Perhaps for your birthday," she said, patting his head. The last thing they needed was Aaron running into Duke Brendwald''s knights, and there were bound to be a few hanging around town since one had just delivered a message from him.


    Aaron ducked out from under her hand with a stricken look on his face. "But my birthday is months away!"


    "I know, but I have to do something on my own today. If it''s possible to take you before your birthday I''ll let you know, okay?" Lianna put on her best placating smile.


    Aaron huffed before jumping down from his chair and running to the door. "Fine. Just be careful." With that, he ran out the door.


    The smile fell from Lianna''s face, and she closed the book she had been reading, running her finger along the cover. Today, she would head to town to buy flour but to also fish for information. She knew where she might be able to start.


    There was a pub and a general store in town where people talked, and if she were lucky, she might catch someone traveling through with news from beyond their small county.


    She made her way down to the front gate, grabbing a wide brimmed straw hat with a simple ribbon tied around it as she stepped out the door. Reggie was waiting for her with the cart and horse all ready to go. Except for the sword at his belt, not many would guess Reggie was a guard if they didn''t know him. He dressed more like a carpenter, with his salted brown hair often spotted with sawdust and his brown eyes rimmed with lines from being out in the sun.


    With a rough hand, Reggie helped Lianna onto the seat of the cart beside him. "Hold on tight, miss. The roads have only gotten rougher since the spring rains."


    Lianna nodded, holding tight to the seat as Reggie urged the horse and cart forward and out onto the dirt road. There was no money to repair the road, so it was truly in a sorry state. They had to go slowly most of the way due to the amount of holes and dips along the road. But the small town of Mills Yard came into view eventually. Just slightly bigger than a village, the town was mostly essential shops and trade buildings while most of the residents of the county lived farther out on their farms, only coming into town to buy and sell. Only those connected to the shops, the pub, and the inn stayed in the town proper.


    Lianna flinched as she stepped down from the cart. Even with Reggie helping her, the soreness in her muscles and backside from the bumpy ride couldn''t be ignored. "Thank you, Reggie. I''ll be heading to buy flour first, but I want to check around town as well to see how the people are fairing. Father wanted me to give him a report on it." That was the lie she had decided on, and it wasn''t far from the truth except that her father was in no condition to act on any reports she may give.


    "Alright, miss." Reggie accepted her story readily enough. "I will do some business myself, so as not to draw too much attention, but we should stay within eyesight of each other for safety''s sake."


    Lianna nodded. Staying within sight of Reggie was something she could manage, and some distance between them would allow her to do what she needed to.

 5: Trouble in Mills Yard - Part 2

    She made her way to the general store first, keeping sight of Reggie out of the corner of her eye. He was visiting the blacksmith on the corner. As she ordered and paid for three large satchels of flour she hid her concern that the price had gone up once more and instead listened to the conversation around her.


    Two women who had just purchased some small things from the general store, stood to the side of the building. Apparently spring planting had not gone well this year. Something seemed to be wrong with the seed they were sold, and only the seed they had saved themselves was sprouting. The women complained that the merchants sent from the Brendwald dukedom had no issue scamming the folk of Mills Yard, though they didn''t name Brendwald specifically.


    Lianna frowned as the women moved on down the street. It was true that Duke Brendwald directed merchants through their county, and since they were backed by the duke, there was little the people of this county could do against them if they sold faulty products. And with seeds, they could blame it on how the farmers had planted it and get out of any responsibility. There were sure to be other products like that as well.


    She watched the hired hand from the general store load the bags of flour into their cart and wondered if the flour itself had been adulterated. The health of her family and her county''s people were at stake if so. Extending flour with plaster and other fillers would only serve to weaken the citizens, and if the price was also going up regardless, things were now worse than she had feared. And there was no alternative either. All the merchants traveled through the duke''s land first and were likely endorsed by him.


    Lianna had a hard time controlling the surge of anger that rose up in her. But that anger had nowhere to go. It settled into a tight lump in her stomach.


    She thanked the hired hand at the general store, and then began to move down the street until she came to the pub. It was a low building built onto the side of the only inn in town. At the entrance, she stopped long enough to catch Reggie''s eye and signaled discretely with her hand that she was going inside. At his nod, she turned and entered the pub.


    She blinked to let her eyes adjust to the sudden low light. Her movements were followed by quick glances and a few open stares. She ignored them and made her way to the back counter. Karlin, the owner of the pub and the inn, was behind the counter, organizing the bowls of stew and drinks that would be taken out to the few patrons at the tables.


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    Karlin spotted her and waved. While most people in town didn''t know who she was, Karlin was one of the few who did. He owned the inn and the pub while often acting as the town''s mayor when someone in an official capacity was needed. His curly, mostly-gray hair was oiled on his head in thick but short ringlets. He was a bit shorter than most men, about a hand-width shorter than Reggie, but he was stocky and muscular, with only a bit of a belly that came from age and ale.


    Karlin wiped his hands on his stained, canvas apron. "What can I do for you, miss?"


    Lianna leaned slightly on the counter. "I''ll have a small bowl of the stew and a halved ale."


    "Sure thing, miss." He signaled to his wife who was heading back into the kitchen. When she approached, he repeated Lianna''s order to her. With a quick, business smile and a nod, his wife went into the kitchen to get the food.


    "How have things been? Any visitors passing through?" Lianna asked Karlin. She wanted to see if things had changed since the last time someone from her household had come into town. And ideally, if there were travelers, she might glean some information about the surrounding areas¨Cpossibly even the capital.


    "About the same, miss. Though, this year seems to be a bit worse than the last, at least in terms of the goods merchants are bringing through. My business is surviving, but I can''t say the same for the rest." Karlin''s brows drew together, his whole expression radiating concern, but also resignation. There wasn''t much that could be done. He smiled sadly and shrugged. "But I know how much the count has given us, even of his own resources, so there''s no reason for you to feel upset by it, miss. We''ll all just do the best we can."


    Lianna''s worry must have shown on her face. She quickly smoothed her expression and returned Karlin''s smile. "I see. Yes, we''ll do the best we can."


    "Oh, and as for travelers, there are a few." He lowered his voice and pointed with his chin to a table where two men were sitting. Their clothing was quite nice, but they wore sour expressions on their faces. "Seems they are coming from the Rithan Duchy. I heard them say they were turned away at the border. But you''re better off not mixing with them. I heard they have decided to make their way to the Brendwald Duchy since they are sore at Duke Rithan now." Though most believed Brendwald to be a benevolent if difficult man, Karlin and many people in their county knew him to be otherwise.


    Karlin''s wife brought the food and Karlin himself poured Lianna an ale cut halfway with water. She thanked Karlin for the info and began eating. Her eyes strayed to the two travelers once again. The men were angry at Duke Rithan, though if they were barred from entering the duchy, there had to be a good reason. Perhaps they were known in Rithan for something nefarious. But regardless, it seems their grudge had turned them into men seeking to get into Brendwald''s good graces.


    Are the two dukes in opposition to each other? Are they enemies?


    She tried to remember, but there was only the vague feeling that she knew something of Duke Rithan, something from her visions, but what that was, she had forgotten. In truth, most of her visions were now blurry or forgotten. She had only seen them briefly when she was ten years old after all. And the only ones that stuck with her were the ones that often filled her nightmares, mainly the ones of being sent off to Brendwald.


    While she couldn''t do anything about her lack of memory on the part of the visions, she could do something to find out more from the travelers.

 6: Trouble in Mills Yard - Part 3

    She finished her meal as the plan formed in her mind, and by the time she ate her last bite and thanked Karlin''s wife for the meal and Karlin for the drink, her hands were chilled and slick with sweat.


    I''m really going to do this, aren''t I? She swallowed hard and steeled herself. Nothing would change if she didn''t act boldly. She needed to be bold, but she had to be careful that it didn''t become recklessness.


    She turned her feet in the direction of the travelers'' table before she could change her mind. The men saw her approaching and gave her irritated stares.


    "We''re just drinking. We''re not ordering more," said the taller one. He clearly thought she was a serving girl of some kind.


    She smiled kindly despite his tone. "Oh, no, good sirs. I''m simply traveling through this county with my family, but thought you seemed like travelers yourselves. We are thinking about heading to the Rithan Duchy, and I wondered if you had been there and could let us know how things are there for those looking to do business? It''s good to know things about the local lords in the area, don''t you agree?" She tried to put a bit of an accent into her words, and it seemed that her story worked.


    "Rithan?" The shorter one scoffed. "It''s better not to waste your time. It seems they don''t want good business there. Quite a few restrictions too." Lianna nodded along as if she agreed, encouraging them to talk more.


    "With a closed minded lord like Duke Rithan, he''ll see his duchy''s economy fall, mark my words!" The tall took a sip of his drink and brought it down so hard that it sloshed. "But he''ll be sorry once we take our business to Duke Brendwald. Brendwald seems to be kind to those who''ve been wronged by Duke Rithan. I''d say your family would be better off heading to the Brendwald Duchy rather than wasting your time with Rithan."


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    "I see. I greatly appreciate you sharing your advice. I''ll be sure to pass it along to my father and brother." She quickly made up a merchant father and older brother in her mind. "But why do you think Duke Brendwald is so helpful to those who''ve been wronged by the Rithan Duchy? Or is he that helpful to most people who have difficulty elsewhere too?" She made a big show of pondering this question, frowning as if it were truly puzzling.


    "Goodness, child!" said the shorter one. "Your family must not do business near the capital at all if you haven''t heard of the conflict between Rithan and Brendwald. It''s said in the capital that an enemy of Rithan is a friend of Brendwald, and we''re definitely glad for it."


    "That is news to us! I''m glad I asked you gentlemen for advice. We certainly don''t want to involve ourselves in a conflict between dukedoms. It might just be best to avoid it altogether." She nodded as if that were the best course of action she could think of.


    "Ah, but then you wouldn''t get the reward¨Cow!" The tall one started to speak but then it seemed the shorter man kicked his companion underneath the table. "Anyway," he began again, coughing to cover his outburst, "If you''re small-time business people, then perhaps you''re right."


    The men had begun to eye her with irritation again. It seemed that her conversation with them had come to an end. The shorter one squinted at her and said, "What did you say your name was again?"


    "Ah, well¡­." Thankfully, Lianna saw Reggie step into the pub out of the corner of her eye. "Oh, there''s my father. I''ll have to be going now. Thank you ever so much for the advice, gentlemen. Best of luck in Brendwald."


    She hurried over to Reggie and took hold of his arm as if she were his daughter and turned him around so the men wouldn''t see Reggie''s look of surprise. "What do you mean best of luck in Brendwald?" he asked in a whisper, having caught the last bit of her conversation.


    "Oh, that''s nothing, father." She tried to signal to Reggie that she was pretending for a reason, and he narrowed his eyes at her but seemed to finally catch on


    "Right, well, let''s be going." He walked her back to the cart, and they quickly set off.

 7: Trouble in Mills Yard - Part 4

    When they had gone a short ways, Reggie pinned her with a look. "What was that about, miss? You didn''t get in any trouble back there, did you?"


    Lianna rested her hand on her chest. "No, we left just in time. I just needed some information from those travelers."


    "So that''s why I suddenly got the honorary title of ''father.'' I could have asked around for you. So, please ask me next time before doing something so risky. I know I only got a glimpse of them, but those men didn''t look like the savory type."


    Lianna nodded but couldn''t make any promises. "I know, but it was necessary."


    "Well, did you get it at least?"


    "What?" He let the matter of her behavior drop so quickly that she wasn''t sure what he meant for a moment.


    "The information. Did you manage to get it?" Reggie kept his eyes on the bumpy road as they left the town and headed back towards the manor.


    "I think so--one piece at least." She wasn''t exactly sure what to do with the information she got, but she had a plan to find out. She was hesitant to go looking for that information, but she didn''t truly have a choice.


    "Well, I suppose it wasn''t all for nothing then." They rode in silence for a ways, and eventually the trees and the manor''s patchwork roof came into view.


    "Um, Reggie?" Out here by themselves, Lianna thought the slight as well pose a question and see what Reggie might have to say on it.


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    "Yes, miss?"


    "Well, say you had an enemy who was very strong, impossibly strong, and you still had to oppose them, what would you do?" Lianna saw Reggie stiffen next to her out of the corner of her eye, but then he relaxed again.


    "Hmm, if I had to go up against someone that outmatched me...this isn''t in a duel right?"


    "No, anything goes and everything is on the line." Lianna had to keep her voice from breaking and betraying her anxiety, cutting off her explanation before that could happen.


    "Ah, well, in that case, I''d find someone equally as strong and possibly someone who was already opposed to them. You know the saying, ''The enemy of my enemy is my friend''? Well, at least a temporary ally anyway. I don''t think friendship comes into it."


    Lianna felt her heartbeat pick up speed. The beginnings of an idea was starting to form. She took a slow breath to steady herself. "But what if they won''t work with you? What if they don''t know you or have any reason to trust you?"


    Reggie gave a dry laugh. "Trust is for friends. Remember I said allies. Well, allies have something to gain from one another in lue of trust. I would find out what they needed. Hopefully it would be something I could provide, and then we could strike a deal."


    "You sound like you''ve done something of the sort before." Lianna gave Reggie a side glance.


    "Well, I did have my wild days in my youth and my own share of conflict before I became a guard for the count." He sighed as he seemed to be recollecting events from his younger years. "But it seems to me that your questions are a bit pointed, miss. Any reason?"


    Sorry, Reggie. I can''t tell you those reasons. Even if you believed me, it would only put you in danger. Lianna shook her head. "Not particularly. Just something those men said made me wonder."


    Thankfully, that seemed to settle the matter, and it wasn''t long before they pulled back up to the manor. Benjamin was there to unload the flour, and Reggie began tending to the horses and the cart, so Lianna left them to it. Once inside, Lianna looked out on the back court yard from her window.


    Aaron was there with Harrace, a wooden practice sword in his hands. Under Harrace''s instruction, the boy took several swings at a post wrapped with tightly bound straw. As she watched him practice, she thought she saw a desperation to his swings, to the way he pushed himself more than a kid really needed to. Her hand that pressed against the window pane slowly drew into a fist.


    I need to try harder. I can''t run away from this any more than he can, but at least I''m of an age to try. And how can I protect Aaron when I can''t even protect myself? To do that, she''d have to revisit the curse she''d received in addition to her gift all those years ago.

 8: Reacquainted with the Nightmare - Part 1

    Lianna reached over and turned down the wick on the bedside table until it went out, and then she picked up her own lamp.


    "Goodnight and sleep well," she told her brother. She ran her hand over Aaron''s hair and leaned in to kiss his forehead. Even though he was not a baby, and he often frowned at her when she did things like this, he still never told her not to. Perhaps it was because she and their nanny had been stand-in mothers for him most of his life.


    "Lia, do you truly promise to take me next time you go into town?" Aaron clutched his blankets up under his chin as he pleaded, trying to make himself look pitiful.


    Lia laughed. "You make it sound like getting flour and checking in with Karlin is some grand adventure."


    "Maybe not grand, but it''s still an adventure compared to being cooped up in the manor all the time." In the dark it was hard to tell, but Lianna could well imagine the pout on Aaron''s face at that moment. He was a young boy after all. Adventure of any kind called to him. If only the world were truly like one of those adventure stories in their library, not a place of cruel men and cruel fates.


    "I will see if it''s possible. You have my word on that, but it may be some time before another trip is needed." She walked to the doorway, letting the lantern in her hand shine light just ahead of her. "Now get to sleep."


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    "Alright. Goodnight, Sister."


    Lianna shut the door with a click and headed down the hall to her own room. The smile she''d given Aaron vanished. She was already washed and changed into her nightgown, but going to bed was not part of her immediate plans.


    It was time to take out the book she''d kept hidden since she was ten years old, one she''d long since given up hope of being fiction and one she''d still hoped she would never have to take out again.


    She went to her wardrobe and opened the doors wide. She lifted a few small cases out of the bottom that contained the things her mother had left her, many of which she was saving to finally wear for her debut. The bottom board of the wardrobe had a bent nail in it at the back. By pulling this nail, it lifted the board up. But it didn''t come loose easily. She had to pull hard with both hands and one foot braced against the outside of the wardrobe. With a pop and a small cloud of dust, the board came free.


    An empty space was revealed below the board, but this was just a deterrent to get anyone who checked to give up, thinking nothing was hidden here. The real hiding spot was in this space and on the back wall of the wardrobe. A knot in the wood pressed in just enough to allow Lianna to hook her little finger onto the wood and pull. This opened a bit easier than the large board, and once a small rectangle of wood popped out to reveal a small, shallow, hole, she let out a breath she hadn''t realized she was holding.


    So much for not wanting to revisit this.


    She reached into the hole and immediately felt the cool, soft leather cover of the book she had hidden there. She pulled it out and carried it over to her writing desk. Sitting her lamp on the desk too, she saw that the book looked exactly the same as the day she had placed it in the hiding spot. The secret compartment was originally meant for jewels, but since the only ones she still owed were paste jewels¨Cwell, besides the one necklace she never removed¨Cthere had been no reason for her to use it until she''d written in this book.


    Lianna placed her hand on the cover of the book and gritted her teeth. She steeled herself with a deep breath. Mother, Goddess Reiza, if either of you can hear my thoughts, please guide me. Please don''t let these evil visions sear my soul again in vain. Help me to find what I''m looking for.

 9: Reacquainted with the Nightmare - Part 2

    Even though she prayed, she couldn''t bring herself to open the book so easily. She still remembered some things vividly, like the day that she''d saved Aaron from a nasty fall from one of the trees. She''d cried so hard when she saw her little brother laying still on the ground after a sickening thud, his leg bent in an unnatural angle. She hadn''t thought anything beyond wanting him to be alright, for his leg not to be broken, for him to still be breathing. Her hands had touched the broken leg and immediately warmth began to flow out of her, replaced by cold and pain. Her own leg had hurt so much that she''d been sure it had snapped in two, but it appeared fine when she''d grabbed at it and looked. But the pain only increased, and soon, she''d blacked out.


    It was in that darkness that the visions had come. They had been fresh and vivid, as if she''d lived every minute of them. The shock had left her bedridden for several days, and when she finally began to accept that those visions were not her current reality, she decided to write them all down to get them out of her mind and try to forget them. They felt so real that she couldn''t just forget them completely, so writing them into the book was the best solution. The shadow they had cast on her had completely overtaken the relief and awe she should have felt at realizing that her brother had been found underneath the tree safe and sound with no sign his leg was ever broken.


    It was a miracle according to their nanny, but Lianna knew it had been something she had done. The memory of that pain was still clear to her. But she would not find out the details on how she had done it until over a year later.


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    Thankfully, most of the memories had faded, some even being fully forgotten, but a few remained, like the ones where her favorite horse sickened and died, being sent to Duke Brendwald''s estate, the neglect and abuse she received from the duke and his wife only to be expected to warm his bed when he wished, and when she had found out that her father had died and her brother had been killed in a rather convenient accident. The very last memory she still saw vividly was that of hearing Duke Brendwald mention that it wasn''t truly an accident that killed her brother, and his tone being that of someone talking about the weather. And in the next breath he had revealed that he had always aimed to swallow up their county.


    Those were the memories that haunted her nightmares, especially when tiny recollections kept shocking her with dejavu moments, reminding her that these visions were slowly coming true, that time was moving her towards her nightmare, and there might be nothing she could do to stop it.


    These things have yet to happen. She reminded herself of this before opening the book. She was greeted with her more childish handwriting, but the words on the page were not descriptions a normal child would have made. As she read, she had to fight the urge to close the book. The images that had faded from her memory now came back to her in sharp contrast.


    It was past midnight when Lianna realized the next page was blank. She had read through them all.


    Her head and jaw ached from where she''d clenched it, and her eyes stung, but her feeling of horror couldn''t completely drown out the sense of accomplishment she felt. She had found mention of Duke Rithan just as she''d thought, and her current situation did not seem as hopeless as it was before. Daunting still, yes, but not hopeless.


    Resting her head on the desk, she closed her eyes, intending only to still her mind for a moment. However, a blessedly dreamless sleep claimed her instead.

 10: Reacquainted with the Nightmare - Part 3

    Ugh. What''s that tapping?


    Lianna woke to the edge of a book pressing into her cheek. She snapped her eyes open and realized someone was knocking on her bedroom door. She had locked it the night before and had fallen asleep before unlocking it again.


    "Young miss! Are you alright? Are you awake?" It was Charlona, her voice nearly frantic. Lianna had not locked her bedroom door since she was ten¨Con the nights she''d written down her visions in the book. It was unusual certainly, but her sleep-fogged brain couldn''t understand why that would make her frantic like this.


    She rubbed her eyes and look up. No wonder!


    The sunshine was already pouring through the cracks in the thin curtains. Lianna tried her best to ignore the aches in her neck and back from the position she''d slept in and hurriedly shut the book. She replaced it in the wardrobe and secured the false bottom as Charlona began knocking once more. Lianna didn''t have time to do more than that, so she ran to open the door for Charlona.


    "Forgive me. I was reading and dozed off." She smiled apologetically and tried to keep her breathing even, though she wanted to pant from all her rushing about.


    Charlona stood in the doorway, her hand raised to keep knocking. When she focused on Lianna, her expression changed from worried to startled to relieved in a matter of moments. "Thank Reiza! I worried you''d taken sick and that I''d have to have Reggie remove the door handle to reach you. You gave me quiet the fright!"


    "No, no. I may be tired, but I''m fine." After a few deep breaths, Lianna thankfully no longer struggled to catch her breath. "I''m sorry to have worried you. My neck is rather worse for sleeping oddly, but I''m not sick, I promise." She rubbed the back of her neck as if to emphasize and smiled sheepishly.


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    Charlona chuckled softly. Lianna knew her nanny was laughing and thinking about how childish it was that she fell asleep away from her bed like that. Then, Charlona''s eyes focused on something past Lianna. "Were you going through the countess''s things?"


    Lianna turned, following Charlon''s gaze, and saw the cases that were still out in front of the wardrobe. "Ah, yes¡­well, I wanted to remind myself of what was in them," she lied smoothly. "My debut is not far off, you know." It was a plausible answer at least.


    "That it is, child. Oh goodness," Charlona''s hand flew to her mouth, "I won''t be able to call you child much longer will I?" Charlona''s smile was tinged with sadness, and her eyes shone wetly. "You have grown so much, my dear. And into such a beauty as well. You look so much like your mother now, though no one can doubt you are your father''s child too."


    Lianna just smiled. Charlona seemed to see her with the eyes of a mother. Lianna knew herself to be quite pretty, she would admit, but she was not a ravishing beauty. And as for her resemblance to her mother, she couldn''t argue that she took after her, especially now that she was grown, but she didn''t see the same delicate beauty in herself as she remembered her mother having. As Charlona had said the other day, her tanned skin and muscular figure was far from the thin, waspish figures that were popular in the illustrations that sometimes came through their county from the capital and the duchies.


    But that was alright. She wasn''t anticipating finding a husband at her debut, rather she would be busy avoiding the spotlight, especially where Duke Brendwald and his people were concerned. The last thing she wanted was to draw his attention, though she knew it might be futile to try and avoid it. It was at her debut that she caught his attention in her visions after all.


    Charlona snapped her fingers suddenly. "Ah, you must be starved, dear. Breakfast was already made earlier, but there should be some bread left. And I think I can convince Ben to whip up some eggs as well. The old hens are laying again now that it''s warm."


    "That sounds nice." Lianna smiled her thanks as Charlona went off to deal with breakfast. She shut the door, putting her back to it, and sighed. Finally fully awake, she was now faced with everything she had uncovered last night, and she was reluctant to allow her thoughts to travel down that path again.


    Even if just for a few more moments, she wished to just think about the morning and the regular household duties she had to attend to, but to do so would only waste time. And time was something she was quickly running out of.

 11: Reacquainted with the Nightmare - Part 4

    Now that Charlona had left her alone, she allowed the ideas from last night to come back to her. She forced down the images tied to the memories in the book and just tried to focus on the facts that had been helpful. Her chest tightened and her face and hands went cold, but she succeeded in not letting the memories overwhelm her.


    Their county had once been larger, but now it was quite small, with the forest in the north having been claimed by the crown in her grandfather''s day. But what she had read and remembered from her book was why Duke Brendwald had wanted her family''s land in the first place, why he had been willing to torment them for years to get it. There were two reasons.


    The first was that in the hills to the south was an old, forgotten mine. The mine would later be revealed to have both emeralds as well as a mineral known as jensite. Jensite had no use back when the mine was open to find emeralds, and most of the emeralds were already gone. But now, in the last decade, jensite had been revealed as a rare mineral, once thought of as worthless, that could strengthen metals beyond that of steel. It couldn''t be found just anywhere, so it was expensive and used only on special weapons commissioned by the royal family.


    Brendwald had desired that mine to make an even more dangerous ploy: creating strong weapons of his own which were able to rival the royal military. Though, her visions did not show her what Brendwald''s end game was. Her own death¨Cpoisoning by Brendwald''s wife¨Chad come before that could be revealed. But she had several terrible conclusions she could imagine.


    The second reason was that their county bordered not only the Brendwald duchy, but also the Rithan duchy, the former to the east and the later to the south-west. Control of their county would put Brendwald in a position to gather his own forces right outside of the Rithan border. That was why the mention of Rithan had seemed so familiar to her.


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    In her visions, there were many times news of covert attacks on Duke Rithan had reached her. The servants were not shy with their disdain for the rival duke. It seemed he had been attacked so often that his injuries kept him from attending court, then showing his face, and eventually from leading the military during unrest or conflict with neighboring lands.


    And Brendwald broke out the fine cognac on the day Duke Rithan''s death was announced and celebrated. But my vision self barely noticed the news since Brendwald had also chosen that night to visit my chambers. A shiver ran through Lianna, and she forcefully pushed all images related to that memory away.


    But what she did know was that the Duke Rithan was doomed to die after many close calls that left him injured and weakened, yet he was the only major power that stood a chance of opposing Brendwald. Even the royal family had been duped by him, and they seemed to believe him to be a loyal and honorable man¨Cor at least they never made a move against him. If anything could change the future, saving Duke Rithan could be it. His mere presence kept Brendwald in check, and who knows what he could have done if he hadn''t been injured.


    And that was when Lianna''s sleep-deprived thoughts had clicked together. She had recalled Reggie''s words from their trip home from town: "Well, allies have something to gain from one another in lue of trust. I would find out what they needed. Hopefully it would be something I could provide, and then we could strike a deal."


    Though it came with a horrible cost, she could heal anything that was not a natural failure of the body, even something fatal. She could trade her healing ability¨Cand even the secret of the mine¨Cfor her and her family''s safety and for a chance to change her nightmares.


    Lianna pushed up off the door and began putting her mother''s things back in the wardrobe. The beginnings of a plan had taken root, and now she just needed a way to make it happen. She''d have to meet with Duke Rithan somehow, probably travel there well before her debut, and in order to do that, she''d have to worry and anger the rest of her household and her family. But she had no time to feel sorry for what she was going to do.


    I''ll need to make preparations as soon as I can and in ways that won''t be noticed. She finished putting her mother''s things away just as Charlona''s footsteps came down the hall to her door heralding her breakfast.

 12: A Change for the Worse - Part 1

    Over the course of two weeks, not much had changed despite Lianna¡¯s firm resolution to approach Duke Rithan before her debut. The laundry still needed washing and hanging, Aaron still needed help with his studies, and her father still needed lots of care for his illness. And many of the counts duties fell to her. There simply wasn¡¯t time for her to sit back and dwell on what was to come¨Cat least not much.


    It still haunted her dreams, however. Even when she couldn¡¯t remember the exact events in the dream, she¡¯d wake up in a cold sweat, filled with that odd feeling in her mind that she got when recalling the visions.


    She kept working to support her family and her people, but the splinter in her chest was that she knew her plan would cause her to have to abandon all of this¨Cat least for a time. Before the end of the summer, she would have to leave¨Ceither with her father¡¯s permission or without it¨Cand ride several days to the Rithan Duchy¡¯s capital on the vague hope that she could elicit help from the duke.


    When her work was done for the day, she would gather a few more items and store them under the removable bottom of her wardrobe. Little by little, she put things aside for the trip. But with each day that passed, she felt herself becoming more and more reluctant to set out.


    Will I be able to do it in a few months?


    On the fifteenth day following her trip to town and deep dive into the record of her visions, she found herself sorting through her father¡¯s paperwork at his desk. His study was a small room on the second floor, but it had a large window that opened up onto a balcony. From the window, she could see the area just in front of the manor. Cloudy weather and the occasional rain shower made it necessary for her to have a lamp in the office, but she kept the wick as low as she could tolerate to save oil.


    The sound of pounding horse hooves carried up to the study. Lianna¡¯s chest tightened as she stood and moved to the window. A shockwave of panic ran through her at the sight of a Brendwald knight galloping into the courtyard, the hooves throwing up cakes of mud as they struck the soggy ground. But it wasn¡¯t just the knight that made her blood run cold, it was the fact that this was new.


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    Her memory of the visions was now complete after having read over her old records. But there had been absolutely no vision in which a second knight had visited their manor before Lianna¡¯s debut. Only couriers had delivered higher and higher requests for payment in an attempt to pressure her father into answering more quickly and favorably.


    Something has changed! But there was only one thing she had done that could have made an impact like this: talking to those travelers. Have I only made things worse? Whatever ripple of change her bold action had caused, this knight was now the result, and knowing Brendwald, Lianna could not think the knight brought any good news with him.


    The knight dismounted and came towards the house. Lianna could no longer see him due the angle of the roof that overhung the front steps. Almost immediately, Lianna heard raised voices coming from downstairs. She went quickly to the desk, extinguished the lamp, and shut the account book before locking the study door behind her and heading down. She had to find out what the knight wanted.


    Lifting her skirts, she held onto the railing and rushed down the first flight of stairs. On the landing, she caught sight of the knight and Harrace facing off in the foyer.


    ¡°You can¡¯t barge into the count¡¯s residence like this! Once before was enough. Give me what you have to deliver, and I¡¯ll give it to him. Then, you can go back to Brendwald and leave us be.¡± Harrace was furious, but the knight didn¡¯t budge and just looked at Harrace with disdain.


    ¡°I¡¯ve an order to deliver a message directly to the count, not his servant.¡± He said the last word with the same tone one would talk about something pathetic, clearly not acknowledging Harrace as a guard knight at all. ¡°And there is nothing to hand you. My message can only be delivered in person, aloud. So move!¡± The knight rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and took a step towards Harrace. Harrace tensed, his hand going towards the hilt of his own worn sword.


    ¡°Hold! Both of you!¡± Lianna put as much force into her voice; it resounded through the foyer. She stepped forward, and all eyes turned towards her. She paused but then steeled herself. Mustering as much grace as she could, she held her head high. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say that my father is unwell today. Delivering a message to him will not be possible. But I am acting in the count¡¯s stead today. While he is resting, you may deliver it to me.¡±

 13: A Change for the Worse - Part 2

    The knight narrowed his eyes but seemed to be thinking if her solution would be acceptable to his master or not. Then his eyes widened, and an unkind smile spread across his face. ¡°Fine then, acting countess. I will pass on Duke Brendwald¡¯s message to you instead.¡±


    Lianna clasped her hands together in front of her waist to keep them from trembling. She nodded with a polite smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. Otherwise, we would have had to send you away before you¡¯d completed your assignment. I¡¯ve heard that Duke Brendwald doesn¡¯t take kindly to those who fail to complete the tasks he gives them.¡± The knight¡¯s smile faded at her subtle threat. At the very least, he didn¡¯t seem sure about whether she could have carried through with it or not. ¡°Harrace, leave us, and keep the others from entering the foyer for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t¨C¡±


    ¡°Harrace, this is an order, not a request. You can stay just outside. I will call if I need you.¡± She had to be firm, just as if she were truly the countess.


    Harrace seemed to sense her need for authority in front of the knight. ¡°As you wish, miss.¡± He bowed despite his face still showing that he clearly wished she¡¯d reconsider.


    Sorry Harrace. I don¡¯t want anyone hearing what this knight has to say just yet. Her bad feeling had only doubled now that the knight had agreed to speak with her, sneering as if she were walking into a trap, but at least she didn¡¯t think the knight would go out of his way to harm her directly.


    ¡°So, what does your master wish my father to know?¡± she asked when Harrace had moved into the hallway and shut the door behind him. She stayed on the landing, forcing the knight to look up at her.


    ¡°Duke Brendwald seeks an answer to the request that was delivered earlier.¡± The knight continued to smile. It seemed he knew the contents of that previous request. ¡°He is understanding that the count has been unwell, so he has sent me to find out whether an answer has been sent yet or not, and if not, to return with one.¡±


    Lianna¡¯s heart pounded in her chest. She was thankful that there was no way the knight could hear it. So he¡¯s been sent here to get a reply and won¡¯t leave until we give him one? This was quite different from her visions. Acquiring her had almost been an afterthought it seemed, something that was not in the forefront of Brendwald¡¯s mind until he had seen her at her debut. But obviously, something had redirected his interests, shining a clear focus on her. Her uneasiness over the last few days now seemed warranted. The last place she wanted to be was within Brendwald¡¯s sights.


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    ¡°No reply has been sent yet due to my father¡¯s health,¡± she answered, mostly truthfully. Her father was still following the actions she was familiar with. He was simply putting the request away until he was forced to answer. But it was true enough that his health was part of that reason. Only now, the forcing had come much earlier.


    ¡°I see. Then, I should meet with him and get his answer to take back with me. That will surely solve the issue.¡± The knight took a step towards the stairs as if he would march right up to her father¡¯s bedroom.


    Lianna stepped towards the knight, coming to stand in his way just two steps above him. ¡°I will not let anyone disturb him. Without his rest, he will only become more ill. If you wish to get his answer, then you¡¯ll have to make a request for a time to see him and come back another day.¡± She swallowed as her voice almost cracked towards the end.


    The knight leaned forward as if to press her, but she did not flinch and would not move. He frowned and stepped back. ¡°I see I¡¯ve come at a bad time.¡± His cruel smile returned. ¡°But miss, you are the acting countess today. Surely you could give an answer to the request. You do know the nature of the request, correct?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Lianna might be able to bend the truth, but she couldn¡¯t lie outright to a knight of Brendwald. She knew from the clammy chill that settled on her face that she¡¯d lost all color in her cheeks at the thought of the knight pressing her for the answer.


    ¡°I see. Then you know how generous His Grace¡¯s offer is and how favorably he looks upon you, young miss. I have been given permission to say that he is willing to be even more generous than was mentioned before. I already admire His Grace, but hearing him say he is willing to raise up and save the family of a poverty-stricken count makes me admire him all the more. And surely you¡¯re a dutiful daughter who would welcome such generosity to save her family?¡±


    The knight¡¯s sly words caused bile to sting the back of Lianna¡¯s throat. But more than that, she couldn¡¯t help but feel her anger rising as well. ¡°And who are you to judge me so, you who are lower than a count? Poor or not, my family still has the right to decide our actions, and while the duke may be showing much generosity, we will still weigh our decision ourselves. As a dutiful daughter, I know when not to overstep my bounds while acting in the count¡¯s stead.¡± Lianna gazed down at the knight whose expression had turned dark. ¡°I¡¯ll let my father know what you¡¯ve said. We¡¯ll contact you soon to give our answer.¡±


    The knight¡¯s jaw muscles twitched. ¡°One week, young miss. I¡¯ll be staying at the inn. I¡¯ll wait there. If you have not contacted me within a week, I will return, and I will meet with the count. Please inform him of the day so that he may be well rested before then.¡± The knight didn¡¯t wait for Lianna¡¯s reply but turned on his heel and left.


    Lianna stood frozen on the stairs until she heard the sound of horse hooves fading into the distance. She took a step down, but her knees buckled. She fell into a sitting position on the stairs, her hand clasping the railing uselessly.

 14: A Change for the Worse - Part 3

    Harrace must have heard the retreating hoofbeats as well. He emerged from the hallway and rushed over to her. ¡°Are you alright, miss? You should have never met with him alone!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Harrace, I¡¯m alright for now.¡± She tried to give him a smile to calm him, but knew from the deepening look of concern on Harrace¡¯s face that it had not come close. Lianna stared at the slightly ajar front door to the manor and sighed against the roar of thoughts that tangled themselves in the back of her mind. ¡°May I borrow your arm for a moment? I think I¡¯d like to rest in my room for a bit.¡±


    The frown did not leave Harrace¡¯s face, but he more than willingly offered her his arm. With his help, she was able to stand. He escorted her up the stairs and to her room door.


    ¡°Thank you. Check on Aaron if you would? I¡¯ll just be resting.¡± She entered her room, leaving Harrace in the hall, looking for all the world like he wanted to question her about what happened, but all his questions went unsaid.


    ***


    Once in her room alone, Lianna found all her thoughts rushing to the forefront of her mind. She stood frozen in the center of her bedroom, her hands clenched into fists over her chest. Her eyes stared off towards the window, but she did not truly see the window itself, so inward was her attention.


    One week? One week would not be enough to convince her father to go along with her plan to seek help from Duke Rithan¨Clet alone also travel the three days to the Rithan border gate, request a meeting with the duke, and convince him to help them.


    I don¡¯t even know what Duke Rithan is really like or if he would just turn me away! Slander and rumors she¡¯d heard in her visions of when she¡¯d lived as Brendwald¡¯s mistress were all she had to go on, and she didn¡¯t dare believe most of them


    And then there was Brendwald. If she left that night, once the knight staying at the inn found out she had left rather than promise herself to Brendwald, there would only be a few days before Brendwald would know of it. The thought of his retaliation should he find her gone left her shaking. She might be temporarily free, but what would happen to her father and brother? The duke might not overtly harm them, but there were other ways. She could see him using them like hostages¨Che practically was already hanging their wellbeing over her head like a well-placed snare.


    And though harming the count and his heir directly might not be within immediate reach, the same cannot be said for Charlona and the others. She might be signing their death warrants by running. So, this is how it ends, huh? My bold move, my plan¡­all it comes down to is the same path in the end. Am I trapped in this fate no matter what I do? She pressed her fists to her chest for a moment to keep them from shaking.


    Needing to move¨Cto do something¨CLianna went to her wardrobe, removed the chests, and picked up the false bottom. A leather bag of the last true jewelry pieces her mother had left her, her book of visions, a too-big rain cloak, a pair of plain clothes, and a wax cloth wrap full of dried meat and fruit was all she had gathered. It was enough to survive the trip alone. There was no way she could take her father with her, and if Aaron came with her, she would end up giving him the provisions, leaving herself to possibly starve. Taking their already meager staff would surely leave her father without any help and leave Aaron more vulnerable.


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    Panic forced her hand. I have to leave tonight. She had just resolved to try and take more provisions that night, when she heard a sharp intake of breath behind her. Turning, she saw the shocked face of Charlona. Lianna¡¯s eyes widened and her chest tightened. Lia, you dummy! How could you open these things now! Of course Harrace would alert Charlona that I was unwell after seeing me like that!


    Waiting for someone to break the silence was like waiting for a guillotine to fall. Charlona¡¯s gaze flitted from the items in the wardrobe to Lianna and back again, and finally, she spoke. ¡°Miss Lia¡­child, what is all this?¡± She came rushing forward, falling to her knees beside where Lianna already knelt, and placed her wash-weathered hands on either side of Lianna¡¯s face. ¡°What has happened?¡±


    Lianna¡¯s breath caught, and tears began to spill down her cheeks at Charlona¡¯s touch, but she gently pulled her nanny¡¯s hands away and held them in front of her. ¡°I have to leave and find help for us. Brendwald will take me away from here and then slowly kill everyone or take everything I hold dear before I die an early death.¡± Hearing it said out loud made her more sure, and the tightness in her chest loosened a little bit. Her trembling began to fade.


    Charlona¡¯s eyes were wide, her mouth agape. ¡°You know this to be true?¡±


    Lianna nodded. She watched Charlona¡¯s expression become one of horror when she told her of the letter that was currently resting in the drawer of her father¡¯s bedside table. ¡°He promises to help with our debt, but that will never be true. If he were truly generous, he would not be sending fraudulent merchants to sell our people adulterated goods and seed that will never sprout for their fields. I heard as much when I visited town several days ago.¡± These truths about what was happening in town were things her father had kept to himself in her visions, but now, she knew them as well.


    ¡°Ah¡­then, what will we do? We can¡¯t send you to that man. How could your father even think of it!¡± Charlona¡¯s hands tightened around Lianna¡¯s even as her cheeks reddened at having just chastised her master and questioned his ability to make decisions.


    For some reason, seeing someone else worry about this and take her side settled the circling thoughts in Lianna¡¯s mind. She had made a plan. She had been somewhat hopeful to enjoy more days with her family just like she had been, so much so that she¡¯d lost sight of the fact that she had to do this. Even if she failed, the result was the same either way. Her bold actions were the only things that would change her visions. She had already proved that they could change, but this change was not enough. The outcome had only become expedited. She needed to diver the whole of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found a weakness that we can exploit,¡± she confessed to Charlona. ¡°I¡¯m going to ride as fast as I can to the Rithan duchy. I¡¯ll petition the duke to help us any way I can. But now that you know, I need to ask you to take care of Aaron and Father for me. If word doesn¡¯t come from Rithan duchy or myself in six days, I want you to take Aaron and gather up the other servants and guards. Leave, and go somewhere safe for as long as you can.¡±


    ¡°But the count¡­¡±


    ¡°Father won¡¯t leave even if he was well enough to do so,¡± Lianna said with sad surety. ¡°But Brendwald will not be able to hurt him directly, at least not for a while. He¡¯s more likely to go after you and Benjamin and the others. If he gets his hands on Aaron, we are as good as done for anyway. But I will return or send help, as soon as I can.¡±


    Lianna waited while Charlona stared at their clasped hands. She was silent for several moments. Then, she nodded. ¡°The late countess would have wanted to reach for any possibility. Knowing her, she would have taken you and Aaron and run off with you both even sooner, maybe years before now.¡± Charlona gave Lianna a sad smile and moved to stand, pulling Lianna up with her.


    In a breath, Charlona went from shocked and saddened to taking action. She extracted her hands from Lianna¡¯s and went to get a closer look at the provisions in the wardrobe. ¡°This won¡¯t be nearly enough. Come. If we¡¯re all soon to be running, we might as well use up the food stores in the root cellar, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    Charlona sprung up and grabbed Lianna¡¯s hand, seeming to have gained the energy of a much younger woman. She pulled Lianna along down the stairs, out the back of the manor, and through the drizzle of rain to the root cellar. There, Charlona directed Lianna on what to grab. Her nanny¡¯s sharp eye for this kind of preparation stunned Lianna into silence.


    You¡¯d think she had done something like this before. Lianna kept her nervous chuckle to herself, then pressed her lips together and focused on the task at hand.

 15: Departure - Part 1

    Lianna forced herself to spoon her soup into her mouth and swallow again and again, but she tasted none of it. Her eyes were on Aaron who sat across from her at the table. Her father¡¯s seat, of course, was vacant.


    Ah, this is harder than I thought. She and Charlona had packed several saddle bags and stored them under some hay in the stables earlier, but there was still some time before Lianna could leave under the cover of night. Dinner had been unavoidable, and through it all, she had to act as if nothing was amiss.


    But her brother was sharp. He kept giving her curious glances as she stared at him. I can¡¯t help it though. This may be the last time I see him if things go horribly wrong.


    ¡°Lia, is everything alright?¡± Aaron set down his spoon and frowned at her.


    Lia flashed him another calm smile, the same one she had given him each time he had caught her staring at him. She knew she couldn¡¯t deny everything, but she settled for the least amount of truth she could get by with. ¡°Ah, well, mostly. But it was just unpleasant to deal with that knight earlier.¡± Aaron would have caught wind of that altercation, so there was no use denying it, but she wasn¡¯t going to divulge the reason for it.


    Aaron scrunched up his nose. ¡°Yes, that would be enough to make anyone uncomfortable. Have you told father about it yet?¡±


    ¡°No. It hasn¡¯t been that long since the last knight came to bother him. All that stress is making his condition worse. I want him to at least get another week of rest.¡± She sighed and tried to smother the guilt she felt about the lie she was about to tell him. ¡°Some of the reports that came in from the citizens in Riverbend is troubling. I¡¯m going to have to make a visit there, so I¡¯ll be gone for a bit. I know this is sudden, but will you be alright taking charge of the manor with Charlona while I¡¯m gone and looking after father?¡±


    Aaron¡¯s eyes widened, and then he frowned. ¡°Of course I can. I¡¯m not a little kid anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Lianna chuckled and blinked the tears that threatened to form away. ¡°You are about to be thirteen. You¡¯re a young man now.¡± She only smiled wider when he nodded emphatically. ¡°And try not to let father know I¡¯m gone. I don¡¯t want him to worry about Riverbend. I¡¯ll make a full report to him once things are taken care of. Right now, he just needs rest, right?¡±


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    Aaron thought a moment. ¡°Yes, that would only stress him out more. Okay. I won¡¯t tell him. But are you sure you¡¯ll be okay going by yourself? Riverbend is a two-day ride even on a fast horse.¡±


    ¡°Ah, good. You haven''t been slacking on your study of the county maps.¡± She smiled at his look that said, Of course! ¡°But I¡¯ll be fine. It may take me longer since I won¡¯t be galloping the whole way. And I¡¯ll be heading down with others that have business that way. There will be guards and other women there.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Well, if you¡¯re sure, but shouldn¡¯t you take¡­well, no, taking Harrace or Reggie would leave too few people here.¡±


    Lianna nodded, proud that he¡¯d discovered that conclusion on his own even though the situation as a whole was a lie. Though the part about everyone else needing to stay here is at least true. It was small comfort, but Lianna would take it.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She glanced out the dining room windows at the lavender and pink clouds that marked the sunset. ¡°We should both turn in early. You¡¯ll need to be up early to manage the manor, and I¡¯ll need to be up extra early to head out.¡±


    Aaron pinched mouth told her that he didn¡¯t really like the idea of going to bed early. So he is a kid still after all. But he nodded and got up from the table. Lianna followed him upstairs to his room. She decided to take her time tucking him into bed tonight. No doubt, he would complain that she was treating him like a baby, but she¡¯d ignore him this once.


    If only he knew how precious this time really was¡­


    ***


    The air was warm and muggy as Lianna mounted her horse, Thicket. The stable¡¯s natural odor was especially thick and seemed to stick in the back of her throat. She could almost taste the hay and manure.


    ¡°Please be careful. Avoid the usual checkpoints on the roads near town, and stay close to the roads and villages once you¡¯re far enough away. Try to wait to sell the jewelry until you get to Yivim near the border. You¡¯ll need it in Rithan.¡± Charlona patted Lianna¡¯s leg as she looked up at her with concern drawing deep lines on her face.


    Lianna nodded and appreciated the warnings. ¡°You all take care as well. Should the knight break his promise and come back before a week is up, buy as much time as you can. And run if need be.¡±


    There was no real need to say more. Lianna was firm in what she had to do, and Charlona had committed to helping her hours before. There were unshed tears in Lianna¡¯s eyes, making her vision waiver until she blinked, and she was sure from the way Charlona blinked that her nanny had them as well, but she refused to think that this could be the last time she saw Charlona¨Clet alone the rest of her family.


    Still, it was one of the hardest things Lianna had ever done, to lift her heel and tap Thicket¡¯s flanks. But after that one movement, she simply gripped the reins tight, the leather biting into her palm, the pain of it clearing her thoughts. She pushed Thicket to move a little faster.

 16: Departure - Part 2

    At the end of the courtyard, Lianna cast her eyes over her shoulder, getting one last look at the manor. Even under the moonlight, she knew every line of its architecture.


    She turned away and forced herself to focus her eyes ahead of her. Tonight would be the most difficult part of the journey. She had to make it past Mills Yard and avoid any lookouts that the knight might have left. It was possible the knight had not posted lookouts, counting on a delicate noble girl to stay at home until the situation resolved itself, but Lianna couldn¡¯t take that risk. She¡¯d stood up to him earlier, and he just might think she had more backbone than that now. In fact, placing lookouts along the road that leads from the manor to the town would be one of the first things she¡¯d do if she were in that knight¡¯s shoes.


    Thinking that, she turned Thicket¡¯s head off the road once she got out of the manor. Charlona had already scouted around the area near the manor and determined there were no lookouts there, but that didn¡¯t mean he hadn¡¯t hid some over the next hill or bend in the road. At least with the cover of night, it would be hard for any lookout to notice her. They might hear hoof beats but they wouldn¡¯t be able to tell much else.


    A light mist had begun to fall before she reached the cover of the trees. It chilled her face and hands, clinging to her, but soon the overhead branches sheltered her from it¨Cat least when she stuck closer to the trees. But she had to slow down and follow the open bits of sky here. The moon¡¯s light gave just enough light for her to make out shapes and for her horse to find a good path. For a moment, she pulled Thicket to a stop and glanced behind her. She¡¯d heard something, but now that she was listening for it, there were no sounds except her own, the occasional call of a night bird, and the steady, slow drip of rain off the leaves.


    Her heartbeat picked up speed at the thought that someone had hidden themselves outside of the manor¨Csomeone Charlona had missed¨Cand had followed her. Her shoulders hunched against the thought of eyes on her, she turned and gave Thicket a nudge once again. The horse was much better at avoiding tripping on tree roots than she would have been, and once they were out of the trees and in the fields outside of town, she planned on letting him run faster by the creek that ran there at the bottom of the hills.


    She kept glancing back, but the darkness beneath the trees gave up nothing, and soon they were at the edge of the fields. She picked her way along the edge of the trees until the reached the little valley where the creek ran. She carefully pushed Thicket to jump the small creek. The other side was flatter and easier for her horse. The last thing I need is for the horse to get hurt! On foot, she would have no hope at all of reaching Rithan in time.


    The gurgle of the creek, the billowing of frogs, and the singing of crickets was deafening down in the ravine. She couldn¡¯t have listened for a follower if she¡¯d tried. The creek also wound back and forth, keeping visibility behind and in front of her to minimum even with the moon¡¯s light shining clearer here than it had within the trees.


    Around the next bend, a dark figure stood in their path. Lianna jerked the reins as panic bolted through her like lightning, starling Thicket as well. The horse reared back. Only a deathgrip on the reins kept Lianna from being thrown. When Thicket landed back on all fours, Lianna fell forward, the pommel digging into her ribs. But even though the pain, she kept her eyes locked on the space ahead of them. Finally, she was able to make out the figure as it bounded away.


    A deer! Ah¡­ Sucking in air as she gasped hurt. She pried her hands off the reins and rubbed Thicket¡¯s neck, slowly calming the horse. Sorry boy. Thicket snorted and shook his head, but finally his ears, which had been laid back, stood up again.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Lianna willed her racing heart to slow as she nudged Thicket forward once again. The sides of the creek alternated their steepness, and Lianna had to urge Thicket to jump the creek a few times before they finally reached the end of the fields. As she climbed out of the ravine, she could see a faint glow in the distance. Some lights were still on in town and they created a distant and dim dot of light along the horizon. She had come out a bit closer to town than she expected.


    The trees on this side of the field were sparse, forming little clumps to either side of the road up ahead. She debated getting off her horse and walking him from one clump to the other, but if someone did happen to spot them, it would take a longer to remount and run away. So, she guided Thicket from one bunch of trees to another as best she could from the saddle. They had reached the third set of trees when she heard a noise behind her.


    Craning her head around, she caught sight of a shadow merging with one set of trees behind them. Every bone in her body was sure that someone was following her now. She urged Thicket onward, looking back over her shoulder over and over. But as she neared the road, the one she would be able to take towards the border with the Rithan Duchy, she heard voices.


    She swallowed hard. A shadow behind me, voices in front of me¡­do I wait and let whoever¡¯s following me catch up or do I keep going? She edged Thicket to the side of the trees and looked ahead of them. There, she saw two shadowed figures moving by the edge of the road. Two men seemed to be standing there. Their voices were low. Lianna strained to hear what they were saying, all the while keeping her eyes on the direction they¡¯d come from in case their pursuer made a move.


    ¡°Hell if I know,¡± one man said, seeming to answer a question that Lianna had missed. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind standing out here and getting paid for doing nothing.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± agreed the other man. ¡°He¡¯s one crazy knight to think some girl would be wandering the road this late at night. Ugh, I wish I¡¯d had one more helping of my wife¡¯s cooking before we came out here. I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Man, quit bragging about your new wife already!¡± the first man complained. ¡°Your stomach can wait a few more hours.¡± The shadows blended together as the men stood close together. The second man just laughed.


    So they are out here because of that knight. If they see me, I¡¯m pretty sure I can get away with them on foot, but they will report back to the knight for sure. Lianna bit her lip in frustration. Should I wait until they walk a little farther away? Her gaze looked farther down the roadside. Or try to make it farther down without being seen?


    Just as she was about to make a decision, horse hooves pounded down the road towards them from the direction of town. They slowed, and Lianna saw a figure on a horse come to a stop by the men.


    ¡°Hey! Who are ya?¡± one of the men asked the rider, but then answered his own question with, ¡°Ah, this ain¡¯t no girl. Mister, what are you doing out here?¡±


    The rider responded, ¡°Ah, I was told you two had come out this way. A knight told me to come tell you that he needs you closer to the town.¡±


    Lianna¡¯s mouth dropped open. The voice of the rider was none other than Reggie. She covered her mouth with her hand and tears stung her eyes. He followed me, and he¡¯s distracting those men so I can get past them. I didn¡¯t know he was so skilled! She almost laughed with the relief she felt, but she held it in.


    ¡°He did? Ah, fancy knights and nobles always change their minds. I guess if we want to get our full payment, we¡¯d better do it.¡± The men grumbled but began following Reggie¨Cthough they didn''t¡¯ know that¨Cback towards the town.


    As they got farther away, the last audible words she heard was Reggie say, ¡°You two have certainly put up with a lot. How about I give you the last half of this wine skin? I think you¡¯ve earned it.¡± The two men laughed in agreement.


    Thank you, Reggie! I promise I will try my hardest to make it back in time to save you and everyone else! She wasted no time in urging Thicket forward. She kept to the side of the road until she could no longer hear the men at all. Once on the road, she pressed her heels into Thicket¡¯s sides, urging him to a gallop. It was time to put some distance between herself and Mills Yard.


    I will be back, she thought as the wind and mist rushed over her.

 17: Tedious - Part 1

    It was late in the evening, but Duke Tylin Rithian still sat immersed in paperwork at his desk. A man in all black kneeled to one side of his chair and held out a new stack of papers. Tylin took them and began to leaf through them. The first few papers were records of the types of goods sold in Milliard County over the last few months and the names of the merchants and which groups and lands they belonged to. Flipping past those lists, he stopped on the next to last page.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure this is accurate?¡± he asked the kneeling man. The man nodded, and Tylin stroked the stubble along his chin and sighed. ¡°You may go. Keep watch around Mills Yard as you have been.¡±


    The man stood, bowed, and within a few steps and a leap, was gone out of the tall, open window.


    You¡¯d think they¡¯d at least close it behind themselves, Tylin thought wryly. But then he groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose. I¡¯ve been at this too long. He had people watching Milliard County and tracking any movement that originated with Brendwald¨Cand there had been quite a lot recently. It was worrying that the influx of merchants that were selling adulterated or useless goods was rising. The count had already gone into debt to bail his people out once, and it seemed history was about to repeat itself.


    But it was the last few pages that had shocked Tylin into doubting the intelligence his informant had provided. Apparently a knight of Brendwald had been seen heading to the count¡¯s manor, not only once but twice. It seemed his people had expedited this information to him due to that. However, Tylin knew Duke Brendwald to be a cautious man, especially about his image. To the kingdom at large, Brendwald was a successful and benevolent man, one who donated much and lent portions of his fortune to those in need and even backed several of the king¡¯s projects. He was popular among merchants and charities alike¨Cmostly due to his wealth. He rarely allowed his knights to get directly involved in anything that could put a stain on that saintly reputation of his, such as the sabotaging of a county¡¯s economy and food supplies for example. Something had caught Brendwald¡¯s attention enough that he was willing to risk it.


    Though, he likely has a nice cover story in place already, one that promotes his generosity. And it looked like Tylin¡¯s guess was correct. As he turned to the last page of the report, he saw that the knight had spread word that he was there out of concern for the count.


    Tylin pressed his lips together. There was another possibility as well. Though he knew Count Milliard to be an upstanding man, hard times and disease could push a man to do things he shouldn¡¯t. Tylin had sent his informants back to Mills Yard for that very reason. There was no evidence that the count had given in to Brendwald¡¯s demands¨Cwhatever they were¨Cbut he felt that it might just be a matter of time. And those demands would no doubt be a pivotal move against him and the rest of Rithan.


    There was a light knock at the door. Tylin gave permission to enter. There were only a few possibilities as to who it could be; most wouldn¡¯t dare to interrupt him late at night like this.


    A man with blonde hair that was cut short in a military style and ocean blue eyes stepped into the room. ¡°Up late again, I see,¡± he said with a friendly smile. He teased, but he himself was still up and dressed in his commander¡¯s uniform. ¡°You know, you¡¯re going to prematurely age if you don¡¯t get some sleep once in a while.¡±


    Tylin scoffed at Erik¡¯s nagging. ¡°Says one who is also working late. And only you would have the nerve to say such a thing to me.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason that I do say it. And at least my late nights are not as frequent as yours.¡± Erik sauntered over to the desk and sat on its far corner. He took a cursory glance at the papers. ¡°Hmm. News from Milliard?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and it appears things are getting desperate. Brendwald is pulling strings to bury the count soon, it seems. However¨C¡±


    ¡°However?¡±


    ¡°It seems he has foregone his usual caution and sent two of his knights to the count instead of the regular courier or merchant, and I¡¯m not sure what to make of it. But knowing him, it will only lead to ruin..¡± Tylin didn¡¯t have to add that the ruin he spoke of would also include harm to himself and Rithan¨Cit always did. Brendwald was always taking jabs at his lands, his duchy¡¯s economy, his reputation, and now even the lands he shared borders with. And while there were other lands that bordered their two duchies, none had been as vulnerable as Milliard County. It had become the ideal target.


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    ¡°I feel sorry for Count Milliard. Have you thought of offering him aid instead?¡± Erik¡¯s idea was a logical conclusion, but Tylin shook his head.


    ¡°It would be no use. The count took the loan with Brendwald when he was drowning in grief over his wife only to find he¡¯d made a deal with a devil disguised as a saint. Do you think a man who came to his senses over that would accept help from another duke so easily?¡± Tylin organized the stack of papers and slid it into a large folder. ¡°Brendwald got to him first, and ever since, he has refused similar help from anyone, including Brendwald.¡±


    ¡°Yes, though the timing could be right for it, I see what you mean. There is no way the count could truly know who may be extending a hand on Brendwald¡¯s orders. And while you¡¯d never be one to follow in Brendwald¡¯s footsteps to ruin a lesser noble or have them ruinously indebted to you¨Cwell, without good reason¨Cyou do have quite the reputation yourself.¡± Erik smiled to soften the reminder.


    Truthfully, Tylin did not mind that he had a reputation for being bloodthirsty and unyielding, the exact opposite of Brendwald¡¯s public image. Where Brendwald was seen as the kingdom¡¯s benefactor, Rithan was the king¡¯s sword. The people of his duchy even sometimes agreed with that image of him, but he knew they also respected him and knew him to be fair. But that side of things was never what sold newspapers. The count would likely think him to be even worse than Brendwald.


    ¡°I¡¯m allowing several Rithan merchant caravans to travel through County Milliard as they go north to Arsthen. The quality of the goods they will carry has been assured, and I¡¯ve kept my name out of it. That¡¯s the most I can do.¡± Tylin leaned back in his chair and glanced at the still-open window. ¡°The respectable merchants should buy us a little bit of time.¡± But Tylin¡¯s tone sounded doubtful, even to his own ears. It was well known that Milliard was gravely ill and that his heir was still a child.


    Yes, buying time is the most we can do at this point. He would have to be satisfied with preparing for the day that Brendwald gained control of Milliard County completely.


    ¡°I see,¡± was all Erik said in response.


    ¡°Ah, since you¡¯re here and you¡¯re so eager to see me have less work to worry about, how about you do me a favor?¡± Tylin smiled at his friend¡¯s grimace. ¡°I need someone I trust implicitly to accompany the Rithan merchants as far as the second town across the border.¡±


    Erik smiled wryly. ¡°So, you want me to go to the border town and see if any groups of people who might be Brendwald¡¯s men or hire-swords have gathered?¡±


    ¡°See, you understand even when I don¡¯t spell it out for you. Who better to go than you? Besides, it¡¯s a bit odd that one thing or another seemingly always deters our merchants from traveling to the interior of the county. A few times may be coincidence, but several is suspicious. But not even my informants can pinpoint anything on it. ¡±


    ¡°Suspicious indeed. Perhaps whoever is pulling strings there is hiding behind several layers of curtains?¡± Erik tapped his lower lip, his curiosity peaked.


    Well, now that he¡¯s curious, I know he¡¯ll do a good job at least. If anyone could sniff out what was happening at the border, Erik could. Tylin just hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to send him away for that long until now. The overwhelming amount of work that had been needed following his hasty succession to the title of duke was finally leveling out.


    Tylin stifled a yawn. ¡°Ugh. I suppose it is time to call it a night.¡±


    ¡°Hell, it¡¯s almost morning.¡± Erik smiled but shook his head. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take a trip incognito to the border, but I¡¯ll be sure to collect my reward when I return. You still owe me a drink from the last favor I did for you, so we¡¯ll make it double.¡±


    ¡°You know most commanders carry out all kinds of orders for their lords without so much fuss.¡± He leveled a glare at Erik, but his usual imposing stare had no effect on the man who had known him since he was small.


    ¡°Yes, yes. And I would, of course¨Cif you pressed me¨Cbut then I¡¯d never get you to loosen up and have a drink once in a while.¡± Erik held his hands up and shrugged.


    Tylin nodded and waved Erik out the door. Erik made a half bow and made his exit without another word. Tylin could feel his exhaustion pulling at him, weighing him down, and looking at Erik¡¯s teasing smile was starting to get under his skin. At least Erik knows when to make a hasty retreat.


    He got up, closed the window, and latched it, but as he stepped away from it, something crashed through one of the window panes and lodged itself in the floor where he¡¯d been standing.


    Tylin moved away from the window, his gaze locking onto the crossbow bolt that was now deeply lodged into his study¡¯s floor boards amid a scattering of broken glass. Pounding footsteps preceded a knight who then burst into the room.


    ¡°Your Grace! Are you alright? We heard¨Cah.¡± The knight¡¯s eyes had searched the room as soon as he flung open the door, and soon landed on the bolt and the broken glass.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Tylin¡¯s voice was flat. This type of attack happened so often that he was mostly numb to it. The culprits were always only somewhat skilled, and only a few had ever managed to actually injure him. So tedious. ¡°Have the guards search the grounds, especially anywhere within crossbow range of this window.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Grace.¡± The knight gave a kurt bow and left quickly, waking much of the castle in his wake.


    Tylin retreated to his bedroom to await the knights¡¯ report. He sat on the edge of his bed and watched the low flames in his fireplace flicker as the back of his mind filled with dark thoughts.


    Tedious indeed.

 18: Tedious - Part 2

    Erik had been stretching his arms above his head, having only just reached the main floor of the manor when he heard the sound of shattering glass. Far from surprised after his long service with the duke, Erik dashed outside without hesitation. While other knights ran upstairs, Erik arrived in the courtyard just in time to see a figure drop down from one of the trees and start running.


    He took one glance at the broken pane of glass and the moonlight shining off the window before taking off after the figure. He knew Tylin was likely okay, but the fact that worry had been created in his mind fueled his anger¨Cand his anger fueled his legs.


    He directed mana to his feet, silencing his footfalls and putting extra distance to each step. His target was fast, but he managed to catch a glimpse of the figure through the trees and bushes every so often. Heading for the wall? I think not.


    He guessed his target''s destination with practiced accuracy. And at the moment that the target slowed to attempt to scurry up the wall, Erik was on him before he could get more than one hand hold.


    Erik jumped onto the man''s back, arm locking around his throat. As soon as his feet touched soil again, he twisted and threw the assassin head first into the dirt. Stunned, the man coughed and groaned, struggling to get up. But in the time it took for the assassin to prop up on his arms, Erik had drawn his sword and pressed the tip to the man''s neck.


    The man froze, his dirt-stained and cloth covered face turning slowly until his eyes locked with Erik''s. Those eyes widened. "The Angel of D¨C" His words cut off in a choke as Erik''s blade tip drew blood.


    Erik grinned, but the expression held no mercy, and the man tried to back away from him. But skuttle as he might, backwards like a crab, Erik''s blade followed him and soon he stopped.


    "You seem to know of me, as you likely know of the one I serve." Erik pressed the point against the man until it drew blood once again, and the man began to tremble. If the odor he smelled on the wind was correct, the man had also just wet himself. "I''m curious," Erik continued. "Just what kind of beast''s den did you think you''d walk into when you took this job?"


    The man wasn''t even a professional assassin, just some sloppy and overconfident man who took the job offered. If he''d been a professional, they wouldn''t even be having this conversation. The man would have already activated a kill spell or taken poison to keep himself from being taken alive.


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    "I¡­I¡­um¡­don''t you need to keep me alive, perhaps for me to tell you who¡­who hired me?" Erik could see the thoughts and schemes whirling behind the man''s eyes, frantically trying to find a way out of his current situation, perhaps even planning on being taken prisoner long enough to think of a way to escape or get on well with his captors.


    Erik let his grin fade. His normally serene face darkening at the audacity of the would-be assassin. "No, not really. Who hired you is of no real use to us, so neither are you."


    Before the man could do more than gape with surprise, Erik used a flick of his wrist and a surge of mana to take the man''s head clean off. It rolled, still maintaining it''s surprised expression and coming to a stop as the body slumped to the ground.


    Erik closed his eyes and swallowed down a frustrated groan as he burned the blood from his blade with a flash of blue mana. Resheathing his sword, he began walking back towards the manor.


    He reported the location of the body to a set of knights who were searching around the courtyard for clues. Ignoring the knights'' awe-filled faces, he made his way back up the stairs and to the duke¡¯s study.


    ¡°Come in,¡± came the duke¡¯s voice through the door at Erik¡¯s knock.


    Erik entered the study. Seeing no one behind the desk or on the sofas, he immediately went to the door that led to the adjoining bedroom. There, he found Tylin sitting on the edge of the bed. He went before his friend and knelt, bowing his head.


    ¡°The would-be assassin has been caught, Your Grace. I beheaded him before he managed to climb the wall south of here.¡± Erik kept his head bowed, frustration making his shoulders rigid. Was there really nothing he could do to better protect his lord and friend?


    ¡°Get up, Erik. There¡¯s nothing more you could do.¡± Tylin knew him so well that it seemed he¡¯d read Erik¡¯s mind. ¡°I take it that it was another random hire?¡±


    Erik lifted his head but didn¡¯t stand, rocking his weight back onto his heel. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. ¡°Just some greedy man who¡¯d take on anyone for the right amount of gold.¡± They both knew who was really behind the assassin, but there was never any hard proof. The only thing investigations ever got them were unrelated men taking the fall and dead leads¨Cliterally. One investigation had only turned up one dead or missing informant after another. Brendwald was nothing if not thorough. That was the thing that made the recent slip up of Brendwald¡¯s knights visiting Count Milliard¡¯s manor¨Cmost likely for extortion¨C so odd.


    Tylin grunted his agreement, but also seemed to think along the same lines as Erik. ¡°So his patterns haven¡¯t changed here, but only in Milliard. This makes me even more curious as to what¡¯s going on between the count and Brendwald.¡±


    Having found a way that he could do something to help, Erik seized the opportunity. ¡°If your informants aren¡¯t able to get close enough, I¡¯ll learn what I can in their place.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I can¡¯t owe you a week¡¯s worth of drinks, now can I?¡± Tylin gave Erik a tired grin.


    Erik let his shoulders drop and returned the grin. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll hold you to that second drink, but as for the rest. I¡¯m volunteering on my own. If we let this out of character behavior go without searching for an opportunity to bring that bastard down a peg or two, then the liquor will only taste dull, won¡¯t it?¡±


    Tylin stood, and Erik finally stood as well. Tylin stepped forward and clapped his hand down on Erik¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you, my friend.¡±

 19: Reluctance

    The road was a long and monotonous string of grassland and forest, alternating one after the other. In the moonlight, it was really just an alternating pattern of dim light and dark shadow. The chirping of crickets filled the night, and only the occasional run-in with nocturnal creatures jarred Lianna enough to keep her from zoning out completely. Once, a fox ran in front of Thicket as it crossed the road, its eyes shining in the moonlight. It put shivers down Lianna¡¯s spine and caused Thicket to rear up. It took quite a bit of cajoling to keep Thicket from bolting outright.


    Farther down the road, Lianna jerked her head up as the hoot of an owl came from the tree limb above her. She groaned and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Her initial burst of adrenaline having worn out earlier, her exhaustion was now catching up with her. The steady clip-clop of hooves and the songs of the crickets made her eyelids heavy.


    I¡¯d better find some place to stop before something goes wrong. She didn¡¯t trust Thicket not to bolt if he got spooked, so falling asleep in the saddle, even if tied on, was out of the question. Her horse still needed quite a bit of nudging to maintain their pace and direction. Lianna could feel Thicket¡¯s resistance to being out so late and so far from home. The furtive glances that Thicket kept casting back in the direction of Mills Yard made Lianna feel guilty for having to take him on such a perilous journey.


    She rubbed her horse¡¯s neck, eliciting a snort from him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boy. We¡¯ll be able to do the rest of this journey by daylight, hopefully.¡±


    As they descended into a valley between two low hills, the trees pressed even closer around and over the road. Lianna pulled the reins, stopping Thicket. She winced as she threw her leg over the pommel and eased herself down. Her muscles were completely stiff, but she forced her legs to stand straight as she led Thicket to the side of the road and through the trees.


    As soon as the road was just out of sight, Lianna looked around and saw a large fallen oak. It had been ripped out of the ground, the root ball exposed. But the trunk formed a natural lean-to. The back was even closed off against the trunk of a neighboring tree. The fallen tree also left a hole in the canopy, letting light in.


    This seems as good a place as any. Lianna tied Thicket¡¯s reins securely to one of the largest roots on the rootball and pulled her cloak more tightly around herself. She had no idea what time it was, but from the chill in the air, she had to guess that it was at least within four or five hours of sun-rise, perhaps even less. At least the clouds and misting rain had lessened the farther she had traveled.


    Lianna crawled into the space beneath the trunk and sat down, putting her back against the other tree. Pulling her hood up, she brought her knees up and hugged them to her chest. Now that she was still, a bit of her earlier anxiety came back to life. She looked out into the dark. I wonder how father and Aaron will react when I¡¯m not there in the morning, when I don¡¯t come down for breakfast, when I¡¯m not there to help Aaron with his lessons and bring father his medicine¡­


    One thought after another bubbled its way to the surface of her mind, but none of the questions had any answers. She knew that this was the only way. She only wished she didn¡¯t have to hurt and worry those she was trying to protect in the first place.


    At least Charlona and Reggie know. They can keep Father and Aaron calm if needed, I¡¯m sure. She turned her head to the side and rested it against her arms on top of her knees. She thought for sure these thoughts would keep circling in her head and wouldn¡¯t let her sleep, but the cricket song and Thicket¡¯s breathing nearby were steady, and soon, her eyelids fell shut.


    ***


    From his second floor bedroom, Count Kerith Milliard stood by the window and watched a tiny lantern light flicker out by the front gate. Charlona stood there, holding it up as she peered into the night beyond their courtyard. She had stood there for what seemed like forever, though in truth, it had probably only been half a bell.


    Kerith had been standing for that long at least. He felt it in his bones. He didn¡¯t know when the last time he¡¯d been out of bed this long was, but he couldn¡¯t tear his gaze away from that little light. He had long since leaned most of his weight against the window frame, refusing to return to his bed, when a figure on horseback finally came up to Charlona in the courtyard. The figure was nothing more than a dark shadow, but Kerith knew it had to be Reggie. Charlona¡¯s quick hug around the figure¡¯s neck only confirmed it.


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    Only when Kerith saw that both Charlona and Reggie were headed back into the manor, did he finally let the curtains fall back and return to his bed. He kept himself in a sitting position, knowing that he¡¯d be hearing a knock at the door soon. And nearly as soon as he had straightened the bed covers over his lower half, it came.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Kerith beckoned.


    Charlona and Reggie came into the room. Charlona¡¯s eyes were red rimmed, but she was smiling. Reggie took of his hat, and they both gave a small bow before Charlona was at his bedside. She took Kerith¡¯s hand, and for once her own hands were colder than his.


    ¡°Our lady made it, my lord. Reggie said it was a close call, but she is well down the road by now and that knight is none the wiser.¡± Charlona¡¯s grateful gaze flickered to Reggie.


    ¡°That is good to hear,¡± he said, keeping his voice even. ¡°Can you tell me what happened, Reggie?¡±


    ¡°Well, it looks like that knight was rather thorough,¡± said Reggie, stepping forward. He swallowed the words the bastard that Kerith knew he wanted to say and continued. ¡°He posted lookouts by hiring some of the local townsfolk who are desperate for any coin they can earn. The young miss circled the town well on her own, but I had a hunch that there¡¯d be trouble once she reached the road propper. I circled around and found two lookouts walking by the road. But a little misdirection, and a promise of some wine got them turned back towards town. When I got the two men settled, I left them and went back down the road. By that time, she had moved on. She has good instincts.¡± Reggie grinned, though it didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    Kerith leaned back against the headboard and sighed, his eyes focused on the ceiling. ¡°So, she has left to find help in Rithan. I have no idea if she will find help or merely a worse fate. I¡¯m reluctant to raise my hopes, but I¡¯m also reluctant to discount Saoirse¡¯s words.¡±


    Charlona squeezed Kerith¡¯s hand. ¡°I know Countess Saoirse loved everyone here. I don¡¯t know how she knew that one day Miss Lia would leave like this and warn us to let her go if she did, but I know she would never say such a thing if it would bring harm to Miss Lia or to any of us.¡±


    ¡°And I think the same,¡± said Reggie. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the countess do some downright amazing things in the past, and I wouldn¡¯t write her warning off now for anything.¡±


    Kerith nodded, all the words he could have said stuck in his throat.


    Charlona stood and began tucking the covers a bit more snuggly around Kerith. ¡°You should try to get some rest, my lord. I promise that myself and Ben will keep our ears open for anything that many happen from here on out. I know Reggie and Harrace will do the same.¡±


    Kerith nodded again and waved them out. Once the door was shut behind them, he reached into this nightstand drawer, past the letter from Brendwald and several other letters he kept close but whose content was only more fuel for his current anger and despair. Underneath all of that was a thin book. He took it out and ran his fingers over the slightly worn, leather cover. His late wife¡¯s finger marks were rubbed into the leather where she¡¯d carried the booklet around so much. He was always careful not to make his own marks lest his mess up the shape of hers.


    Opening the cover, there was a yellowed piece of paper. He knew what it said even without taking it out.


    My Dearest Kerith,


    I will always regret that we¡¯ve had to part. I wish our time had been longer, but it brought us great joy and our daughter and son all the same. I would not change my life with you and them for anything.


    I¡¯m leaving my special journal with you for now. I know that you can¡¯t read it, but I want you to pass it onto Lianna when it is time. She¡¯ll be able to find how to read it eventually. But more importantly than that is the timing of when you¡¯ll give it to her.


    I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to believe me or to trust your memory of me when I¡¯m gone, but Lianna will one day make a desperate journey to try and prevent disaster for our family and our county. When she does, I ask that you let her go. I know it will be one of the hardest things you ever do, but if there is one thing you would do for me when I¡¯m gone, it is this.


    I trust Lianna, and I hope that you will too. I have left her as much of my legacy as I can.


    Until we meet again on the far side of the river, my love.


    Forever yours,


    Saoirse


    Kerith gritted his teeth and shut the book. With his hand on the cover, he closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve done it, my love. I¡¯ve kept this promise. Just please be right about her return. I want her to return safely so that I can fulfill the second part of that promise. I¡¯ll give her this book as you wanted. Just please watch over her from beyond the veil until I do.¡± Since her death, he¡¯d been dreading this day, but at the same time, the fact that it had come at all meant the words of his late wife were true. He had to believe in the rest as well.


    Replacing the book in the drawer, Kerith lowered his pillows and laid down, but he didn¡¯t sleep. His mind was full of what he would tell Aaron in the morning, if his daughter had found a safe place to get some rest before morning, and half-formed plans on how to delay and confuse the knight staying in his town.

 20: Journeys - Part 1

    One moment Lianna was bouncing along in Thicket¡¯s saddle as the morning sun warmed them, and the next, she was laying next to her mother. Her body had become smaller, and she curled up at her mother¡¯s side. Her mother¡¯s breathing was raspy and labored. She had listened to that sound for a while.


    ¡°Mother?¡± Lianna asked when she felt her mother stir.


    ¡°Ah, Lia. You¡¯ve snuck into my bed again.¡± She could hear the smile in her mother¡¯s voice. ¡°You should be out playing with Aaron, not in this dreary room.¡±


    Lia frowned. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave us, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re not going to get better.¡±


    Her mother sighed. After a long silence, she finally said, ¡°You¡¯re right, my love. My body is failing. If there were a way to prevent it, I would do it in a heartbeat, but sadly, I knew this day would come.¡±


    ¡°If you knew it would come, then why can¡¯t you change it?¡± She knew she was pleading for something that couldn¡¯t be done. She knew she was being childish, but Lianna couldn¡¯t help it.


    Fingers stroked her head with a light touch. ¡°I could have. But then I wouldn¡¯t have been able to meet your father, or to have you and your brother. The three of you aren¡¯t the cause of this, but this is where the path I chose to take has led me. I do wish it were different, but I wouldn¡¯t choose differently if given another chance to choose again.¡±


    Lianna didn¡¯t know exactly what her mother meant, but she could feel the love in her words. She scooted a bit closer to her mother¡¯s side.


    ¡°One day, you¡¯ll know all about it, but you have to be strong, my Lia. And when your turn comes to choose a path, make the choice you know you won¡¯t regret, the one that protects what is precious to you.¡±


    Bang-boom!


    Lianna¡¯s eyes snapped open at a loud sound ahead of her. Disoriented, she realized she was still in Thicket¡¯s saddle, riding towards the Rithan dutchy. But she wasn¡¯t the only one on the road.


    Dust rose up into the air from where a wagon had gone off the road and turned on its side in a ditch. The sound of a horse whinnying in panic was followed by people¡¯s shouts. As the brain fog from her dream faded and her heartbeat began to race, Lianna urged Thicket to reach the wrecked wagon faster.


    ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± Lianna pulled Thicket to a stop and dismounted. She approached as two men, one older with gray in his hair and one younger helped an older woman and a young girl out of the overturned wagon. Lianna breathed a sigh of relief to see that, while they were both disheveled, they seemed to be moving alright. The woman and girl moved quickly to tend to the panicked horses.


    ¡°Eh?¡± The older man turned to see her. ¡°Ah, yes, I think we¡¯re alright, just shaken up, I think. Don¡¯t mind us, Miss. We¡¯ll be getting back up and going shortly, I¡¯m sure.¡± It seemed the man didn¡¯t want to trouble her.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need¨C¡± Lianna began, about to offer to help push the wagon upright or at least to check them over for any injuries, but the older woman¡¯s cries cut her off.


    ¡°Oh, Nevin! The horse!¡± Her voice was full of dismay.


    The old man, Nevin, and the younger one both ran up to where the woman and girl were trying to encourage the horse to stand up. But the horse just whined as its sides heaved, clearly in distress or pain. The family fussed over the horse. The young man tried getting the horse to its feet, and it did finally try, but it was clear that something was wrong with its back leg. That leg folded up under it and the horse collapsed to the ground again.


    ¡°Oh, Papa! Poor Daisy! What will we do?¡± The young girl went carefully up the horse and stroked its cheek.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good. Can we make it to Mills Yard with just one horse?¡± The young man ran his hands through his hair.


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave her here! Surely¨C¡±


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    ¡°Hush, child. I hate it too, but you know as well as I do that a leg that wounded is just a slow death for a horse.¡± The woman patted the girl on the shoulder as the girl started to cry.


    ¡°One horse won¡¯t do, not for the weight of the goods we have. And we can¡¯t skimp on the cargo. It¡¯s too important.¡± The older man rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Ah, what bad luck!¡±


    Lianna, who had been standing behind them, cleared her throat softly as the family became silent, unsure what to do. It seemed these people were a merchant family that was bringing goods into Milliard County. From the direction they were traveling, they were from Rithan or at least they had passed through there. They weren¡¯t merchants sent by Brendwald, something that was desperately needed for her county¡¯s people right now. Though her stomach tightened at the thought, there was something she could do to help.


    The family¡¯s heads turned her way. It was clear from their surprise that they¡¯d forgotten she was there in their anxiety over the horse¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Would you mind if I took a look at the horse? It¡¯s possible it isn¡¯t as severe as it seems, and I know a thing or two about treating horses. I may be able to get her back up and at least walking for you.¡± Lianna smiled. Most of what she said was a lie, but without her explanation, what she was about to do might end up attracting too much attention.


    ¡°You can really save Daisy?¡± The girl asked. Hope blossomed on her face as she scrubbed her tears away with the back of her hands.


    ¡°Ah, dear¡­,¡± the older woman looked from her daughter, to the horse, to Lianna, clearly torn and not truly believing anything could be done.


    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt to have me take a look, will it? It can¡¯t be worse than what you fear now, right?¡± If they wouldn¡¯t let her try, then that would be that, but Lianna knew they seemed desperate enough to try anything, so she pressed on. ¡°But I really do think I can help her.¡±


    ¡°Papa, let¡¯s let this woman try. It can¡¯t hurt, can it?¡± The young man pleaded with his father and gave Lianna an uncertain smile.


    The older man sighed. ¡°I hate drag you into our troubles and bad luck, Miss. If you say you can help her, I¡¯ll let you try. She¡¯s a good horse, and our arrival at our destination with all our cargo is very important. Please, see if you can help her leg.¡± The older man bowed his head low. The rest of the family did so as well.


    ¡°No need to bow. I¡¯ve already offered freely to help you.¡± Lianna approached the horse and the family made room for her. She went straight to the back leg that had given out under the horse earlier. As soon as her hands touched the leg, the horse flinched.


    ¡°Shhh, there¡¯s a good girl.¡± The young girl petted the horse and spoke to it softly to calm it.


    Lianna could tell right away that the leg was badly broken. The sensation of tension and heat, like a knot that was burning, showed her where the break was. The feeling radiated a long way down the leg. A splint wouldn¡¯t do.


    If I hadn¡¯t been riding along the road and heard them crash¡­ But there was no use thinking about that. At least she was here and could do something to ensure some honest merchants made it to Mills Yard.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to massage it a bit. I think it¡¯s just a bad sprain and the shock of the accident, not to worry!¡± Lianna kept the smile on her face and was relieved to see that the older family members began to show some hope in their anxious expressions. Now, to do this quickly and leave as quickly as I can.


    Lianna pinned the horse¡¯s foot between her knees and knelt down in a more stable position. Her hands lightly ran over the leg to pretend she was massaging it, but really she was concentrating on the hot, tight knots that she felt. She pulled at them with her gift. It wasn¡¯t long until the tension began to ease and the heat was pulled into her hands. Almost immediately, heat began to concentrate itself in her left leg. When her hands no longer felt any heat besides the natural warmth of the horse¡¯s leg, she stopped and stood up.


    ¡°Give her a minute or two to calm down, and then try to stand her up again. She should be good enough to walk, though I¡¯d wait until tomorrow to try to go any faster.¡± It was another lie. The horse was fully healed right now, but she didn¡¯t want them to know that right away. It was too suspicious.


    ¡°Really! Oh, thank the Goddess!¡± The young girl hugged the horse¡¯s head, overjoyed.


    ¡°If what you say is true, I don¡¯t know how to thank you for alleviating our fears!¡± The mother bowed her head to Lia again as the two men also nodded in agreement with her words.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do much,¡± Lianna said. ¡°I¡¯m just glad everyone was okay. I¡¯m sorry to leave you to right the wagon on your own, but I really do need to be going. Not much time to get where I¡¯m going, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve done more than enough. We appreciate it.¡± The older man smiled at her just as the horse decided to try its legs and stand. Its legs held as Lianna knew they would.


    While the family marveled at their horse that was now on her feet, Lianna slipped away. She pulled herself up onto Thicket and headed down the road. Her leg was already burning as if it were on fire. She gripped the pommel with white knuckles, looking back over her shoulder to make sure she was no longer in the family¡¯s line of sight before she let herself lean forward in the saddle and press her eyes shut against the pain.


    She forced herself to take deep breaths in and out. And just as she expected, she felt pain explode in her left leg as if it had been broken in two places. Sometimes she had several minutes till the pain hit, and other times, there was little time. Stars danced behind her closed eyelids, but she kept breathing through it even when her breaths nearly became cries


    Lianna could feel Thicket turning his head to look back at her. Perhaps he was worried about her. But thankfully, the pain began to ease after several long moments. About a hundred breaths later, her entire leg ached, but at least it didn¡¯t feel as though her bone had been shattered any longer. It was finally bearable.


    She sat up in the saddle and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and neck. And I¡¯m really thinking about trading the use of this curse to Duke Rithan so he¡¯ll protect the county and my family? The question passed through her mind, sounding like she was asking if she was still sane to be thinking about using her ability to heal at all. And she had thought to offer to heal the duke himself from the effects of the future assassination attempts he would suffer at Brendwald¡¯s hands. The pain from healing a fatal wound would likely be so much worse.


    But the answer to that question was obvious. Of course she would. She had already chosen this path. It was the only one that could possibly save her family and her own life as well. If I have to experience this to change our fates, then so be it.

 21: Journeys - Part 2

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to see you go. You¡¯ve been a big help to us.¡± The merchant held out a small bag of coin, and Erik took it from him with a slight bow.


    ¡°Always glad for the job, and you can¡¯t be too careful now-a-days.¡± Erik had ridden alongside the second, and largest, merchant caravan that had entered Milliard County from the Rithan Duchy. Disguised as a mercenary, he¡¯d fended off one attempt to sabotage the caravan and one attack by a bear who was eager to eat some of the more perishable goods. The merchants only knew about the bear. Erik kept his encounter with the thieves a secret since he¡¯d dealt with them out of range of the caravan during the night.


    ¡°More reason for us to wish you were continuing on with us. But you¡¯re meeting that friend of yours you mentioned here in Yivim, right? Too bad.¡± The merchant¡¯s wife put her hand to her cheek and pouted.


    Erik flashed her a winning smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do fine past this point.¡± He didn¡¯t mention that Duke Rithan¡¯s men were continuing to tail them from here on out. He had a bit of investigating to do here in this border town, so he¡¯d have to part ways with them.


    ¡°Right, right. Take care then.¡± The merchant and his wife rejoined the caravan, and the group urged their horses forward.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see¡­.¡± Erik walked down the main street, his horse¡¯s lead in his hand. He spotted the inn when he came in sight of the market square. It was the largest building on one end. Next to it on one side was a small courier station, and on the other side were the town offices.


    He tied his horse¡¯s lead to one of the posts outside the courier station, and went inside. He dodged a young man heading out with a bag full of letters and parcels and found the head courier behind the counter.


    ¡°Anything for Ignatious Menthi?¡± he asked, leaning his elbow on the counter. While the duke¡¯s shadows wouldn¡¯t contact him directly unless there was an emergency, they would send regular reports under his alias to the local courier stations. His first order of business would be to check up on any reports that had been sent.


    ¡°Hm? You¡¯re Mr. Menthi? I was thinking those letters were misdirected since I didn¡¯t know anyone by that name in town.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m traveling through, but I left my travel schedule with my parents and fiance. They like to write me when I¡¯m on the road.¡± Erik smiled, illiciting an echoing smile from the courier.


    ¡°Ah, I see. How lucky you are to get letters as you travel. One moment.¡± The head courier stepped into the back room. In a moment, he returned with two letters in nondescript, but thick envelopes.


    Erik thanked the head courier, took his letters, and stepped into a small corner of the courier station with his back to the corner. No one was likely to disturb him for a bit here. First, he looked over the envelopes, only his alias¡¯s name and the town name were on them, but what he was looking for was evidence that they¡¯d been opened and read by someone they shouldn¡¯t have.


    The glue that was used was quite strong and would tear and fray the paper when opened. Even if someone wanted to glue it back together and did so perfectly, the distress would be impossible to cover up unless they replaced the whole envelope, and thankfully, the envelope paper seemed to be consistent with what the shadows had sent in the past. With a little flow of mana from his fingertips, the hidden fibers in the paper darkened just a bit.


    Taking out his small knife, he slit open the first one. It seems luck may be on our side.


    The letter was a coded report about how the first small merchant¡¯s wagon had had an accident. The horse appeared badly injured. The shadow tailing them wasn¡¯t allowed to step in unless the wagon was under attack, so they had been forced to watch as their first bit of hope to get good merchants and goods into Milliard had a run-in with bad luck. But it seemed that a young lady had helped get the horse back on its feet¨Cthough perhaps it wasn¡¯t as badly hurt as was first though¨Cbefore leaving in a hurry. The shadow had tailed the young lady a short ways before going back to the merchant wagon, and reported that the young lady had seemed quite ill after helping the merchants, but soon recovered some. Once the shadow was certain the young lady wasn¡¯t dangerous or about to collapse off her horse, they had returned to the merchant wagon and drafted this report. A sketch of the young lady in question was included as well at the bottom of the report.


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    This one is quite thorough. The situation seemed a bit odd, but the important thing was that the merchant wagon got to continue on to Mills Yard. It was probably nearly there by now. He took another glance at the sketch. It was decent and showed the most notable features. Quite decent looking.


    He folded the letter up and put it in his coat¡¯s inner pocket before opening the second one. This one simply confirmed that a watcher was already in place for the caravan that just left and that the road ahead towards Mills Yard seemed clear.


    So, the trouble lies here in Yivim or between Yivim and Rithan. He¡¯d had a lot of time to think about things on the ride to Yivim, and even more so when he¡¯d interrogated the thieves that had hid near the road and targeted the caravan. He¡¯d secured those few that had surrendered and left them to get picked up later. But they had mentioned that their boss had just told them that good supplies were coming through that day, and they had set up to take advantage of it. It seemed like a good excuse, except when it was clear from earlier reports that only the merchants coming in from Rithan had been getting attacked. Clearly somewhere up the chain, someone was targeting those bringing quality goods into Milliard County.


    He folded and stored the second letter away and headed out of the station. Shielding his eyes from the glare of low-angle sunlight, he reclaimed his horse¡¯s lead and walked the market square. All seemed fairly quiet. The market was mostly deserted since it was nearing evening time. But the frantic tone in a voice nearby broke the stillness and caught his attention.


    ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re absolutely certain that you can¡¯t buy these from me? I¡¯ll even take just what the stones are worth if that¡¯s what you can give me.¡± The woman¡¯s voice sounded desperate. Erik knew that only something bad could make someone that desperate to sell some jewels. And while the current state of Milliard County certainly qualified as desperate times, the next statement had Erik¡¯s instincts on high alert.


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry. Even the stones are high enough quality that I couldn¡¯t give you what they are worth, let alone sell them. I¡¯m not a jeweler by trade. You¡¯d be better off trying to sell something like that in Rithan. I could tell you I¡¯d buy them, but I wouldn¡¯t think you¡¯d accept the little I could give you for them. I just want to be honest with you.¡± The shop keeper scratched his head and sighed.


    ¡°Okay. I see. Sorry to bother you then.¡± The woman¡¯s voice sounded completely dejected. Clutching the items she¡¯d tried to sell to her chest, she turned around. That was when Erik saw the woman¡¯s face. It was the young woman from the sketch.


    Looks like she¡¯s only gotten bad luck despite doing some good on the road here. That didn¡¯t sit right with Erik, especially knowing what she had done had helped the duke¡¯s plans. Not to mention the report had said she seemed ill as well. Could she possibly be selling those jewels to get medicine? Then why was she traveling if she was ill?


    Erik stepped forward. ¡°Miss, I couldn¡¯t help but overhear. May I take a look at what you¡¯re selling? I¡¯m on my way to get some food and drink at the inn. Mind if we talk there?¡±


    She looked up so sharply that the hood of her cloak fell back. Her dark silver hair shone like steel in the sun, and even through the travel dust and dirt, she was pretty and held herself differently from other townsfolk he¡¯d seen.


    ¡°A meal? I don¡¯t have any money on me. I was trying to sell these to get some to travel with, so I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to buy anything at the inn. But if you¡¯re willing to buy these jewels from me, I¡¯d be grateful.¡± The look she gave him was guarded, but she clearly didn¡¯t have many options it seemed, so talking to a man dressed as a traveling mercenary wasn¡¯t something she could avoid.


    ¡°I can cover the meal, don¡¯t worry. We can deduct it from what I owe you for the jewels if I purchase them. But if I don¡¯t, then consider it a consolation for wasting your time. There¡¯s no need to feel obligated.¡± Erik began walking towards the inn, knowing she would likely follow once he made a move to leave.


    ¡°Well, if you insist. We can talk over a meal.¡± Her words and tone were firm, making it clear that just talking over a meal would be all that was involved. Erik had to give her points for that. She put her hood back up, her graceful movements once again making her stand out, and grabbed her horse¡¯s lead before following him.


    With the words of that report starting to replay in his mind, the mystery of this woman seemed to grow as he watched her out of the corner of his eye. Well, I needed to visit the inn to catch some gossip anyway. Perhaps I can take care of more than one thing this way. He¡¯d see that the woman¡¯s good deed was repaid, maybe unravel a bit of a mystery at the same time, have a good drink with company instead of alone¨Cwhich he detested¨Cand still manage to keep an ear out for any leads for his investigation here in town.


    Yes, perhaps I¡¯ll find out why there¡¯s desperate woman who moves and talks like a noble while selling jewels no common person would be able to get their hands on legally.


    When they¡¯d both tied their horses to the posts, Erik gave a boy standing outside the inn a few coppers to give the two horses some feed while they were there. Then, he held the door of the inn¡¯s common room open for the woman.


    ¡°After you, miss,¡± he said with a smile.

 22: Secrets in Yivim - Part 1

    Lianna reluctantly followed the man into the inn. Her entire body was on high alert as she clutched the small bag of jewelry in her hand. At the first sign of foul play, she was prepared to bolt. Thankfully, the common room was filled with people. The din of voice, the clanking utensils and glasses, was jarring after the relative quiet of the market square.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you choose where you¡¯d like us to sit? I wouldn¡¯t want to choose seats that you didn¡¯t like.¡± The man flashed her a dazzling smile over his shoulder.


    She pursed her lips, hearing the acknowledgement of her suspicion in his words, before scanning the room. There were several open seats and small tables around the edge of the room, but the exits were less accessible from them as well. But the ones closest to the front entrance were all taken. She had planned on choosing the table regardless of what the man wanted, but now it seemed her choices were limited. She was weighing her options for the spots that were left when two women vacated the seats nearest to the door servers were using to come in and out of the common room.


    ¡°Those seats will do,¡± she said, pointing to the table the two women stepped away from. She half expected the man to find something wrong with her choice, but he simply nodded and headed in that direction.


    He pulled her chair out for her before circling around the small table and sitting down in his own.


    ¡°Uh, thank you,¡± Lianna said. ¡°You have some manners for a traveler. Not that that¡¯s a bad thing, but it isn¡¯t as common in small towns like this.¡± She paused, then clamped her lips shut to keep herself from continuing to babble. As nervous as she was, she would need to keep what she said to a minimum.


    A waitress came by as soon as they¡¯d taken their seats.The man deferred to Lianna to order first, and then he did, but the whole time, his eyes barely left Lianna. It seemed like he had something on his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m a mercenary¨Cand quite a good one if I¡¯m to say so myself,¡± he said after the waitress had left. ¡°So, I¡¯ve worked a few times for nobles. Manners are a necessity if you¡¯re a merc wanting to have nobles as clients. But I could say the same for you? Are you perhaps a lady¡¯s maid? You¡¯re not a noble woman in disguise, are you? That could get me into a spot of trouble if I¡¯m buying jewelry stolen from a noble¡¯s house.¡± He pitched his voice low so as not to be overheard by others over the noise of the common room, and his smile never wavered, but Lianna felt suddenly exposed under the man¡¯s gaze.


    She cleared her throat. ¡°Well, like you, I¡¯ve had to work with nobles before as well. It¡¯s natural to pick up a few habits, I suppose. If you¡¯re astute enough to notice such mannerisms in me, then you¡¯ll know if I¡¯m lying when I say these aren¡¯t stolen. They were given to me.¡± Lianna looked him straight in the eyes and didn¡¯t let her gaze waver in the least.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t seem to be lying about that at least, and that should be enough for me. I¡¯ve no interest in peeling back anymore secrets. I just didn¡¯t want some noble to come looking for my head over this purchase.¡±


    Lianna wasn¡¯t an expert at detecting lies, but she knew the man before her certainly didn¡¯t look worried. She wondered if it was all a pretense. No, she told herself, I have to sell these in Yivim or I¡¯ll never cross the border in time. She needed enough to pay for necessities as well as the gate tax. The newer the traveler, the higher the tax due to extra paperwork, and a few extra coins went a long way towards speeding up that paperwork. The last thing she needed was to be held up too long at the border gate due to slow paperwork.


    ¡°I suppose that is good to hear,¡± she said, deciding to drop her suspicions for now. ¡°Did you want to take a look at them now? You can suggest an amount once you do.¡± Lianna leaned a bit forward and tried to pull from her memories of seeing merchants strike deals in Mills Yard.


    When he held out his hand, she only hesitated for a second before placing the bag on his palm. He didn¡¯t dump it out for everyone in the common room to see, which was a relief, only tilting the bag so that the light from the chandelier showed the few bits of jewelry within. He poked around in the bag with his finger for a few moments, but Lianna couldn¡¯t tell if he was really assessing the jewels or not.


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    He put his thumb in and scratched the surface of one of the jewels. ¡°These seem to be real and about mid-grade, more or less¨Ccertainly a grade above what that shopkeep could buy and sell but not high quality.¡± He tightened the string on the bag and bounced it in his hand before setting it on the table between them. ¡°How about we eat before deciding on a price? I did say that I would buy the meal regardless.¡±


    Lianna wondered if he was simply buying more time to think over his offer, but her stomach chose that moment to rumble. She simply nodded as she tucked the bag of jewelry back into her pocket, thankful that the noises in the common room drowned out her stomach¡¯s complaints. The man flagged down the waitress, and they both gave their orders. It wasn¡¯t long before the food and drinks were brought out.


    ¡°I¡¯m called Ignatious,¡± he said, raising his mug towards her, the smile on his lips seeming genuine.


    Lia wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted at first, but then she realized she¡¯d seen people raise their glasses towards each other while drinking before. She registered that he said he was called Ignatious and not that it was his name, so she felt no qualms about giving him an alias as well. She picked up her own mug and tapped it to his, saying, ¡°A pleasure, Mr. Ignatious. You may call me Lia.¡±


    They both brought their drinks to their lips, but after one small sip, Lianna grimaced.


    Ignatious chuckled. ¡°A bit courser than you¡¯re used to, Miss Lia? And feel free to call me Nate.¡±


    ¡°A-ah, no. I¡¯m just not a fan of ale in general, but that was the cheapest they had.¡± His guess had been correct though, but Lianna had no intention of letting him know that.


    ¡°You could have ordered the wine instead, though it¡¯s not of particularly good stock either. But drink is drink.¡± He knocked back his mug and quickly drank it down to half.


    Lianna stared into her mug, wondering if she needed to do the same, but decided to focus on the food instead. That was when she noticed that her companion had ordered foods that weren¡¯t quite as popular with those of her county. She could only assume they were possibly foods that were popular across the border.


    ¡°Are you from the duchy?¡± she asked, her upbringing of keeping polite conversation going over food, prompting her to ask something.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he said around a bite before swallowing. ¡°Not originally, but I have spent quite a lot of time there. I sometimes hire myself out as a guard for travelers and merchants, though, so I¡¯ve seen many places.¡± Then he raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you on your way to the border by chance?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­,¡± she hesitated, unsure whether talking about wanting to cross the border into Rithan would raise suspicion or whether refuting it would look more suspicious. Since Ignatious seemed to be an observant man, she decided to opt for as close to the truth as she could manage without giving anything away. ¡°I do intend to make my way there soon, yes.¡± She looked down at her food, trying to look distraught enough at the subject that he¡¯d let it drop.


    ¡°I apologize if it is an uncomfortable subject. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. I intend to head back that way soon as well, so I thought perhaps you might be in need of a guard.¡± He flashed her a winning smile once more. ¡°I have a few loose ends to tie up here in Yivim though, but if our schedules aligned, I wondered if you¡¯d hire me to escort you into Rithan. What you have on you,¡± and he gestured to where the jewelry was stuffed in my pocket, ¡°you could easily pay my fee and still have quite enough left over to pay for travel expenses.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the salesman,¡± she said, and he shrugged, still smiling between bites. Lianna thought that sounded nice, but she needed to leave as soon as possible for the border gate and couldn¡¯t wait. Having a guard who was familiar with Rithan would have put some of her anxiety to rest, but adding another day or two unnecessarily just wasn¡¯t possible. She¡¯d have to find another guide or source of information on the duke¡¯s whereabouts once she crossed the border.


    ¡°Your offer is tempting,¡± Lianna said finally, ¡°but I don¡¯t think I can wait for your business to be concluded before I leave. I¡¯d like to settle the sale here and now if possible.¡±


    ¡°Too bad then, but I understand.¡± He reached into an inside pocket of his overcoat and pulled out a small pouch half the size of the one she carried her jewelry in and laid it on the table, sliding it over to her. ¡°Take this then. I believe it will be enough to cover the purchase.¡±


    Lianna picked up the bag, surprised at how light it was. She glanced at the man in front of her, dubious as to whether he were toying with her or not. The bag did not feel heavy enough to contain enough silver to cover the cost. But when she pulled the top open and looked inside, two large gold coins sat within it¨Cnot even small golds but large ones!


    This man can¡¯t be serious? She knew the jewelry was probably worth one large gold in the state it was in, but two?


    ¡°You¡¯re aware of what you just handed me, correct?¡± she asked.


    He nodded and sipped his drink before saying, ¡°Yes. And I wouldn¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m spending my money how I see fit. Since I won¡¯t be your guard for the journey, perhaps the extra will help instead.¡±


    Lianna bit her lip, feeling a bit guilty about taking more than the jewelry was worth, but knowing the extra really would help her. ¡°Alright,¡± she said and handed him the bag of jewelry in exchange. ¡°But don¡¯t regret it later, okay?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±

 23: Secrets in Yivim - Part 2

    The waitress had wanted to refill Erik¡¯s mug, but now that he was alone at the table, he no longer felt like drinking. He covered his mug with his hand, and the waitress passed him by.


    The young woman he¡¯d dined with¨CLia, as she¡¯d named herself¨Chad finished every speck of food on her plate, revealing how hungry she¡¯d been, and promptly thanked him and bid him a pleasant evening. He¡¯d watched as she approached the innkeeper, paid for a room, and received change for one of his coins. Key in hand, she¡¯d disappeared from sight up the staircase and around the landing.


    Erik jostled the jewelry bag in his pocket as he watched several men out of the corner of his eye. They¡¯d come into the common room towards the end of his conversation with Lia, and immediately, he knew they were there looking for someone and were not there to just eat and drink. He wasn¡¯t sure if Lia had seen the men or not, but it was a possibility since she left to find a room soon after they showed up.


    Three of the men had on well-worn clothing and looked no different from the locals. Several of the townsfolk gave them familiar looks, though none were friendly. However, the fourth man wore simple clothes, but they were not worn, as if he¡¯d just purchased them, and the straight posture and raise of his chin set him apart instantly from the other three.


    Now there¡¯s trouble if I¡¯ve ever seen it.


    He was certain the fourth man was either a knight or some lordling parading around as a commoner. The man¡¯s eyes had searched the room slowly enough that Erik thought if he hadn¡¯t been already on alert that he wouldn¡¯t have noticed. His gaze had stopped on a young woman in the corner of the room for a while before landing on Lia whose cloak hood was still raised. The group had taken a seat at a far table, but Erik noticed that the fourth man¡¯s gaze still strayed to Lia¡¯s back every so often. Once Lia had made her exit, Erik watched the man¡¯s gaze follow Lia¡¯s path to the second floor rooms.


    If Erik wasn¡¯t already certain that the men were targeting Lia for some reason, he would have lost all doubt as soon as the men got up and walked over to him. The possible knight or lordling led the way, stopping at Erik¡¯s table to stand and stare at him.


    ¡°Can I do something for you?¡± Erik asked with a business-like grin on his face as he took note of the sword on the man¡¯s belt.


    ¡°The woman you were talking with, who was she?¡± Even the man¡¯s tone suggested he gave orders and asked questions all the time and expected them to be answered and followed without pause.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite an odd question. If you don¡¯t know her, why does it matter?¡± Erik put on his most unassuming expression.


    The man¡¯s already cold expression turned frigid, his eyes narrowing. ¡°It matters because I asked. Who was she?¡±


    Erik ignored the glare and shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse me. I just didn¡¯t think you lot would have any reason to be asking about the daughter of the merchant I escorted from Rithan. I can assure you she¡¯s in town with all the legal permissions that are required. So, if it¡¯s taxes you¡¯re worried about, your town already has them. Check the town hall under the name Framer, her father¡¯s name, if you¡¯re concerned.¡±


    Erik suppressed a grin as the man¡¯s eye twitched at being thought of as a mere tax collector or town militia member.


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    ¡°I see,¡± the man said tersely. He glanced up the stairs once more. ¡°We¡¯ll be on our way then.¡± He rounded up the other three men, who seemed disappointed to be leaving the inn and the possibility of drinks, and walked out of the common room.


    Erik waited a bit to move from his seat, but he¡¯d already made up his mind. He found the innkeeper and asked for a room as well. He made sure to mention Lia, though not by name, and ask for a room adjacent to hers, giving the same story about her being a merchant¡¯s daughter he¡¯s looking out for. The innkeeper bought the story, took his payment, and gave him the key to the room next to hers.


    Seems a paying customer is more his style than asking after trouble.


    Once in his room, he moved to the window and opened it. He propped it up with a letter opener he pulled from his pocket. Lighting the oil lamp, he sat it on the table where it could be seen out of the window. To others it would look like he¡¯d used any old thing to prop the window open and wanted light by the bedside, but for the right people, it would be a clear invitation. He waited by sitting in the chair in the corner just out of sight of the window.


    They clearly were looking for a woman, and a young one who was possibly a stranger to this town specifically. He rubbed his chin as he mused. The men hadn¡¯t spared a glance for the older women working around the common room or the ones that were seated with other townsfolk. They didn¡¯t seem interested in the story of her being a merchant¡¯s daughter, so perhaps they are something separate to what I¡¯m investigating? He pondered the details, wondering if these men could be connected to those who were attacking Rithan merchants. It was possible they were connected, but he didn¡¯t have much to go on so far. He needed to see where else those men went and what else they did before he could make a firm judgment.


    A knock came at his door then, and he opened it. A young man was there, dressed like many of the townsfolk and wearing an apron that was stained from use. ¡°I saw your lamp was lit. Can I refill the oil for you?¡±


    Erik let the young man in and closed the door. As soon as it clicked shut, the young man knelt and put his right hand up to his left shoulder.


    ¡°I await your order, sir.¡±


    Erik waved at him to stand and the young man stood, his demeanor completely different from that of a servant just moments before.


    ¡°There are four men who just left this inn. One holds himself with the bearing of a knight or a lord. I want them followed discretely and reports made to me every bell on who they speak with, where they go, and what they say if it can be overheard. And have at least two watch this inn at ground level. If anyone tries to gain access to the room to the left of this one who isn¡¯t part of the inn staff, they are to be stopped and captured. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Once the orders were accepted, the young man¡¯s easygoing expression returned, and he exited the room.


    Erik sighed and tugged at his dust covered clothes, wishing he could have wash water brought up and be able to take off his travel clothes to lay on the bed, but he needed to be ready in case he had to head out.


    It wasn¡¯t long until the town hall bell chimed eight times across the dimly lit buildings and the purpled evening sky. A folded piece of paper slid beneath his door just as the last chime faded. Picking it up, he touched it with mana and revealed the true message.


    Oho! What have we here? It appeared there was a connection, both to Lia and to the attacks on merchants, and it hadn¡¯t taken long for his people to learn several interesting details once they knew where to look. Normally, he¡¯d have gone to take care of the caravan raiders at once, but he worried about the other details the message revealed.


    It seemed the surly man he¡¯d spoken with had asked around the square for a young woman with dark silver hair. Apparently, the merchant who couldn¡¯t afford to buy Lia¡¯s jewels had spilled the beans. But though they knew their target was in town, they hadn¡¯t moved like they were sure where she was just yet. But given that there was no movement to attack any merchants either, as any new ones from Rithan wouldn¡¯t arrive until the morning at the earliest, he could afford to stay put for now.


    Who is chasing you, and why? He stared at the wall that separated their rooms, wishing he had an answer to that question. The authoritative man¡¯s face popped up in his memory. Well, he''s definitely no concerned knight wanting to bring a lady back home, that¡¯s for sure.


    Erik ran a frustrated hand through his hair and chuckled darkly at where his thoughts took him. Tylin will probably get mad¡­no, definitely.