“Venna,” I responded somewhat irritated. “If I am going to be part of this group, I need to bear my share of the responsibilities.”
After a brief pause, Venna finally relented.
“Very well. We usually assign four shifts of three hours each. I guess we can still do that and just rotate a night off for everyone,” she conceded.
“Thank you,” I replied.
“Don’t thank me yet; you’re on third shift,” Venna smiled at me mischievously.
The second and third shifts were the least desirable watches, as either one meant that your night’s rest would come in two separate stretches. First or fourth were far better.
“Of course,” I replied dryly, as I realized that my assignment was the price I had paid for pushing the issue. In return, I gave Venna a broad, fake smile to let her know that I was fully aware of what she had done.
Since the night air was cool, and the stars shone clearly in the sky, we didn’t bother setting up tents and chose instead to simply lay our bedrolls around the remains of our small campfire. Once I settled in, I quickly fell asleep, fully aware that my rest would be interrupted when Stel woke me for my guard shift.
It felt like I had only just closed my eyes when Stel nudged me awake. I sat up slowly, and Stel waited patiently for a moment while I shook off the sleep and rose from my slumber. I gave him a quick nod when I was ready and took up a position overlooking the camp to begin my shift.
The night air felt cool against my skin and kept me from feeling drowsy. I listened closely to the sounds of the night and peered into the darkness with my Enhanced Sight, but there were no signs of danger. As I remained alert for any threats, I allowed part of my mind to go over the previous day’s battles in the ruins.
All things considered, we had done quite well for ourselves—we had benefitted from being able to plan almost every fight and had even won the battle against the wraith that had gone so poorly for us at first. The key to all of our success, however, seemed to be foresight. Whether it was merely having a peek into each room to assess our enemies before a battle, or the Abbott having provided Venna with the banishing rod in anticipation of the possibility that she might encounter a foe beyond her abilities, there was an obvious lesson in preparedness to be learned from every aspect of that day.
Throughout all the battles we’d fought, I had watched my status bars closely, with a specific focus on my Endurance. My relatively low Endurance stat had been a concern of mine from the very start, and several times during our battles in the ruins, I had seen my status bar dipping low as I repeatedly fired enhanced arrows at our foes. Then in the final battle, as I hacked away at the wraith, I had even seen it flashing red as my Endurance dropped below 20%. But with the additional thirty stat points I had added after leveling up, my concerns were somewhat alleviated, although I knew that I would always have to consider adding points to my Endurance whenever possible. I was certain that the Abilities I gained at higher levels would only come at ever higher Endurance costs, and I would need a significant pool of points in that stat if I wanted to successfully utilize those undoubtedly powerful talents.
As I thought about leveling, it reminded me of the new skills that I had gained. If I wanted to make my new skills useful, I would need to start working up my proficiencies with them. Fortunately, there was at least one particular skill that was perfectly suited to practice during my shift on the night watch.
I rose from my sentry post and stalked quietly over to the area that any stray undead might approach from the direction of the ruins. Then, I knelt down and instinctively laid one hand on the ground as I began to cast the Create Trap magic.
When I used my new spell for the first time, my mind instantly filled with magical knowledge. I suddenly knew that the one trap I had available to me was an Entangle snare. The information that sprung into my mind let me know that when any hostile creature stepped within the trap’s bounds, the snare would activate, and a burst of tangling vines would erupt from the ground. The grasping tendrils would wrap themselves around my enemies and bind them helplessly in their grasp. As the spell description indicated, other types of traps and triggers would become available to me as I progressed in my proficiency, but at my current level, what those variations might be was still unknown to me. As the knowledge settled in my mind, I completed casting the spell and stepped back to look over my work.
Before me was a series of faintly glowing red lines that showed the outline of the magically-trapped area, and when I tentatively stepped into the zone that was outlined, the trap did not activate. My little test confirmed that, as the Spell description indicated, the trap would only trigger when a hostile creature entered the area. I assumed that the glow could only be observed by my own allies, or perhaps an adversary with sufficient proficiency to detect such a trap. Then I left the protected area and moved to another location with the idea of creating a trapped perimeter around our campsite.
I placed a second trap along another likely approach to our camp and then noticed something odd about my Aura pool. While casting the two Create Trap spells had used eighty of my four hundred Aura points, they were not regenerating as they should have. When I focused on my Aura bar, a prompt I had never seen before came up.
Aura 320/400
80 Aura Reserved
Create Trap – 40
Create Trap – 40
Once I viewed the prompt, the relevant information instantly became known to me, even though it was quite obvious what had happened. Create Trap was not like a fireball or even my Enhanced Sight spell. It was not a Spell that was simply cast and then instantly invoked its effects. The trap was placed, and then the caster had to wait for its effects to be triggered. In order to maintain the magic, it had to constantly draw Aura from my pool. The limitation made perfect sense as well; otherwise, I could simply cast traps practically limitlessly as my Aura pool refilled. While I could still place eight more traps if I wanted to, that would leave me dangerously low on Aura, so I only laid two more around our camp before I settled back into my watch.
My shift was rather boring, and the rest of it passed uneventfully until I woke Khorim when it was his turn to take over. Once I was certain that he was fully awake, I informed him of the traps I had placed, and even showed him one, so that he knew its exact location and to confirm that he did indeed see the faint outline of the trap as I had suspected he would. When I was satisfied with both issues, I returned to my bedroll and tried to get as much rest as possible before dawn.
I awoke sometime later to the sound of wood crackling in a fire, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that Khorim was busy stoking the campfire back to life before waking the others. I slowly rose from my bedroll, and stretched my muscles, working out the few kinks that had settled in while I had slept. As the rest of my companions slowly woke up and joined us, I pulled up my Aura stat and dismissed each trap one by one. I was relieved to see that when I let the first trap go, my Aura began to immediately regenerate again.
“What’s this I hear about you placing traps around our camp last night?” Venna inquired.
“Oh, well, it’s a talent I gained after we cleared the ruins, and I thought it might be helpful,” I replied to her.
“That’s definitely going to improve our security a great deal,” she answered, sounding somewhat impressed. “You’re now officially first shift when you don’t have the night off. All I ask is that you start each night by laying your traps. I’m sure no one will object, considering the added value to our defenses.”
“Happy to oblige, on my nights off as well, of course,” I gratefully accepted her offer.
“I’ll certainly count that as a bargain well-made,” added Stel as he listened in on us.
Once our new night-time arrangements had been settled, we had a quick breakfast before breaking camp and heading back to Clermont.
Even though the town was barely a half day’s journey from our campsite, I still tried to make the most of the time by firing arrows e
nhanced with Hamstring, Blood Price, and Blind as often as I could, but I only cast Elemental Arrow once. My first attempt revealed to me that the one elemental effect I had access to was fire, and since I didn’t want to cause a conflagration amid the forest around us, I avoided casting it again. Just like some of my other Abilities and Spells, different effects would become available as I gained proficiency with Elemental Arrow, but for now, the only one I had access to was fire.
I also used the time to discreetly inspect my companions. The increased proficiency I had gained in Identify Enemy had provided me with additional information on my foes. I hoped that the same would be true as I advanced my Identify Person skill as well—with everyone keeping their talents so secret, boosting that skill might be the only way I could learn more about the people I encountered. While I wasn’t concerned about having to fight my friends one day, the same could not be said about everyone else I might come across, and the ability to gather as much information as possible might make the difference in such instances. Or, it might even provide insight into my own Abilities. Either way, it was one more skill that I needed to develop.
The day passed quickly as I practiced my talents and before long, we came to the outskirts of Clermont. I had grown accustomed to the freedom of not having to wear my hood all the time, so it was with a sense of reluctance that I once again drew it over my head. Although I had grown tremendously in strength in the short time we had been out of town, until I was either outside the Bloody Hearts’ turf or the threat had been otherwise eliminated, I felt discretion was still the wiser course for me.
Once we entered town, we immediately headed for the merchant’s shop. Not only did we want to cash in all the loot we had gathered, but we also desperately needed to be rid of the cumbersome weight we had been carrying in the spare backpacks.
“Hello, Carlon. I hope you’re in a buying mood today,” Stel immediately greeted the merchant standing behind the counter.
Despite doing a bit of business with him, I had never known the man’s name. During all of our transactions, he had never offered it, and I hadn’t bothered to ask.
“Stel!” The merchant replied good-naturedly. “Good to see you back. Why don’t you show me what you’ve got; then we can talk business.”
Everyone began to empty our spare packs onto the counter, which soon became piled high with our loot; at that point, we were forced to place the remaining items on the floor. Once the spare packs were empty, we simply dropped them on top of the piles of gear and started unloading even more loot from our regular packs. As the loot continued to pile up, Carlon’s eyes grew ever wider. His expression seemed to be a mixture of desire and despair. Clearly, he wanted to purchase as much of it as possible. The only issue was, just how much would we be asking, and how much could he actually afford?
Since Stel had cultivated the best relationship with Carlon, we agreed that he would conduct the negotiations on our behalf. So, as soon as all our goods were laid out, I took the opportunity to step away. Once outside, I simply took a seat on the small bench on the shop’s front porch and spent some time practicing my Identify Person skill on anyone who happened to walk by. As I sat there, a wagon rolled into town, and a knot formed in the pit of my stomach as I recognized Wil steering the horses towards Carlon’s shop.
My heart raced in my chest, and I warred inside myself—part of me wanted to flee, to escape before he might somehow recognize me. The rest of me burned with the desire to simply rise up and empty my entire quiver into his pathetic body. My conflicted thoughts were interrupted as Venna quietly sat down beside me. As she did so, Khorim moved to stand just in front of me and blocked Wil’s line of sight.
“We recognized him from your description,” Venna said softly. “I doubt he would recognize you, covered as you are; still, we will keep him from getting too close.”
My anxiety immediately vanished, and it was replaced was an overwhelming sense of gratitude and appreciation for my companions’ thoughtfulness. Not only had they perceived my distress without me uttering a single word, but they had acted both selflessly and with sensitivity to calm and protect me. I knew then that the people I had found were not simply companions, but true friends.
Wil brought his wagon to a halt in front of the shop just as Broda and Stel walked out. Each of them was carrying a bulging pack that obviously contained the goods Carlon had been either unwilling or unable to purchase from us. As they both took in the scene, Stel’s eyes widened briefly as a look of comprehension slid over his face. He immediately moved to stand beside Khorim and guided Broda along with him. Together, the three of them formed a screen between the shop’s entrance and the bench where Venna and I were sitting together. Venna took my hand in hers and gave it a quick reassuring squeeze as Wil dismounted the wagon and walked past us and then into Carlon’s store.
Once the door closed behind him, I let out a breath of air I hadn’t realized I had been holding in. Reassured by my friends’ act of solidarity, I rose silently and nodded towards the inn, still hesitant to speak, in case Wil ventured outside unexpectedly.
After we crossed the street and entering the inn, we sat around a table in the back, and I was finally able to relax a little. Venna gave Stel a look I could not decipher, and he immediately got up and headed straight for the barman. When I glanced over at her in confusion, she explained.
“Sorry to be the bearer of more bad news,” Venna began. “But a merchant arriving in town this late in the day will not be moving on until morning, at the earliest. This being the only inn, it is likely we will be sharing a roof with him tonight. I had Stel get us rooms close together, with yours being the farthest away from any other guests as possible.”
My mind had been elsewhere, and I hadn’t considered this possibility at all. Just the thought of sleeping in the same place as that piece of shit sent a shiver down my spine. Once again, my friends’ greater wealth of knowledge and experience, not to mention their empathy and consideration, had proven to be beyond value.
“Thank you, all of you,” I said, and my voice cracked with emotion.
I had despaired at finding real friends in this world since I had been forced to leave Marli, Georl, and Ella behind in Tula. Venna and the others were truly a blessing to me in what was proving to be a very harsh world.
“You are one of us now, girl,” Khorim replied kindly, and I was surprised by the warmth of his tone. Even more surprising was that Broda didn’t raise an eyebrow in response; instead, she echoed his sentiment.
“Aye,” Broda concurred. “We’ll not let the likes of that scum anywhere near you.”
Stel’s return cut off our conversation before I could reply, and as he handed me a key, he gave out the room assignments.
“Your room is at the far end of the hall, Dae. We will be in both of the adjacent rooms,” Stel informed me. “The barkeep has agreed that, should a certain undesirable person need a room for the night, he will be at the opposite end of the hall from us.”
“Thank you, Stel. That will certainly help ease my worries for the night,” I replied gratefully.
“Good,” Khorim broke in before the unpleasant conversation extended any further. “Now let’s get some food and drink while Stel tells us about all the coin he’s gotten for us!”
Without waiting for a response, Khorim gestured to Jessah who had just finished with a nearby table. She quickly nodded back at him and vanished into the kitchen. After only a moment she returned, and her arms were piled high with plates of food. She deftly deposited the plates before us on the table and then hurried over to the barman who already had full mugs of ale waiting for her. Once she gathered up the drinks, she returned again and placed one in front of each of us. Then, after flashing me a quick smile and a wink, she was off yet again, tending to the next table of customers. I couldn’t help but smile in return, even though she was already gone and her back was facing me. The young woman’s genuine grin was just so infectious and radiant that my response was simply automati
c.
I joined in as my friends began eating and drinking, and our conversation shifted to retellings of our fights in the ruins. Each version seemed to grow just a bit more elaborate, and soon I was wondering if we had even witnessed the same battles. Still, even with the blatant exaggeration, I enjoyed the camaraderie immensely.
After a moment, I realized that I recognized the raucous sounds that were echoing from our table. They were comprised of the same hearty laughter and happy banter that I had heard when I first noticed my companions as I sat across the room from them. The only difference was that I was actually part of the celebration. For the first time since I had been forced to flee Tula, I felt not only comfortable and at ease, but relatively safe as well.
This world was a dangerous place—even more so for a woman who traveled it alone, but I wasn’t alone anymore. Not only had I found companions, but I had found true friends. Friends who were clearly looking out for me and were willing to protect me. It felt good, and I knew that as much as Venna, Stel, Khorim, and Broda were behind me, I was going to be there for them as well. Then a hush came over my friends, and the sudden silence broke me from my private thoughts. Stel was handing out coin purses again, our share of the profits from the sale of the loot.
“Now,” he said quietly as he finished passing out the pouches. “Carlon was unable to purchase everything. Not surprising, since this is only a small town. We still have nearly two packs full, mostly with the higher-value gold and silver items.”
“We still have to return to Hasse, so I can make my report to the Abbott,” Venna replied. “We can sell them there.”
When she spoke, my heart fell into my stomach for the second time that evening.
Hasse was the one city Marli had made a point of telling me to stay away from. It was located in the middle of the Kingdom, and it served as a crossroads for all sorts of travel and commerce. Commerce that included the illegal business of the Bloody Hearts, who used the city as an almost de facto headquarters. But that precaution had come when I was alone, and far weaker. I was much stronger now and had friends with me—companions who knew my secrets and were willing to not only keep those secrets but protect me as well. I thought that if I kept a low profile, wore my hood, and didn’t do anything stupid, I would be safe.
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