The moment the gates to Yuliosa were in sight, I slowed the four horses from a full gallop to a canter, then to a trot. They were breathing hard, and Rita had to yell over the noise to tell me to keep up the pace. I refused. We were already turning up with an injured man in the back. The last thing I wanted to do was cause a panic with whatever town guards were bound to be waiting for us.

  As we approached the town’s walls, I found my caution vindicated. Three guards waited outside the gate, and all leveled spears at me, until I brought the coach to a stop. While one remained in his spot, spear down in an attempt to stop me from simply racing through, the two others approached me.

  I didn’t let the reins go, as I sat and watched the middle-aged man whose armor comprised a kettle cap, chest plate, greaves, and gauntlets march forward. His green and purple tabard displayed an image of a rearing three headed lion breathing fire. It wasn’t one I knew, and I made a mental note to check who the local lord was.

  He raised a hand and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, I took control of the conversation.

  “We have an injured man in the coach,” I said. “There was an ambush on the road, two men claiming to be bounty hunters.”

  Whatever he was about to say fell to the wayside when he glanced behind me. I didn’t know much about Reed's current condition, but from the way his gaze hardened, I could tell it wasn’t good. Doubtless he had seen the blood Rita’s stunt had left splattered on the door.

  In some ways, that was good as it proved my claim of a fight. The downside was he could easily decide the issue was banditry and that I was the cause. I would have to hope Rita and Reed being familiar faces would keep him from assuming the worst.

  He glanced towards me, and then to the man beside him. They were younger, maybe in his twenties, though he carried his spear as though he knew how to use it.

  “Perhaps you can describe these men?” The first one said, “Before we poke our noses somewhere, they might get lopped off?”

  Irritation flooded me, but I pressed it down. Anger wouldn’t help me, not here. They were suspicious and for good reason. All I needed to do was stay calm.

  “One was tall, dark-skinned, brown eyes, short hair. While the other was short, and chubby. The tall man answered to the name Jimmy, I believe? Can we hurry this up, Reeds caught a crossbow bolt in the shoulder.” My reply was terse, but that seemed to relax them somewhat.

  The guard spoke again. “And they’re still up the road?”

  “Yes.”

  As I answered, he pressed a finger to his lips; the ring shining slightly as he mouthed the words I had said back to me. A sending enchantment. It made sense for the guards to have one, as it would allow for rapid information gathering and quick mobilization. When he was done, he waved to the younger man.

  “Byron, check the coach. Don’t stick your head in.”

  I craned around to watch the man move to the coach, though I didn’t dare get too close to the older guard. He paused, and leaned close to study the blood, before he hooked his spear into the latch, and then tugged. To my surprise, the door opened, but then I saw him leap back.

  “James, sir!” He called out, and readied his spear at the now open door. “Rita is in the coach.”

  The older guard, James, cursed as he glared at me. “You were trying to smuggle her into the village? She knows the mayor banned her from entering last time. Get down and—”

  “Sir, Reeds is here too!” Byron called out.

  “It wasn’t even my fault!” Rita’s return cry was filled with vitriol, the angriest I had ever heard her. “If the fat blowhard hadn’t asked me to do that stupid job I would have simply left.”

  James sighed and gestured to Byron. “Grab her and then check Reeds. We’ll sort this out.”

  “Sirs, I wouldn’t,” My hesitant words came at the same time Rita said. “I can get out on my own. Just help Reeds.”

  “Orders, sorry.” To his credit, Byron sounded apologetic, but I doubted it would help.

  There was the sound of a brief scuffle, then a curse, before Byron groaned, and when he spoke, it sounded stuffy and painful. “She broke my nose.”

  “This is why he banned you in the first place! Violence won’t solve your problems, Rita,” James said, and he looked exasperated.

  “Go to Malycka’s grace, James. I told you what would happen if any of your people tried to detain me.”

  I resisted the urge to sigh. Whatever idea I had of Rita being someone of standing was quickly fading away. It was odd to see her like this. She had been so calm, so professional before. It left me somewhat worried. Still, this was getting us nowhere, less than nowhere. Without knowing how bad Reeds injuries were, it could be causing active harm, and I owed him for letting me have the initial ride. As they continued to shout, I reached for the whip and cracked it above my head.

  Everyone stopped. Then, after a second of silence, both guards grabbed their spears and pointed them at me. I was grateful for Poker Face, which helped keep my expression impassive, though it was a near thing.

  “Sir, how about a deal?” My words were quick, and my tone unimpressed as I met the lead guard’s eyes. “I can tell you I didn’t know she was banned, a fact she can collaborate. But both your man and Reeds need medical attention sooner rather than later. Let me in. She can stay out here.”

  To my surprise, it was Byron who spoke up. “It’s true, he’s wounded.”

  “That’s not procedure. There are forms—”

  “No one but you cares about the paperwork, James!” Rita scoffed. “Let them in.”

  “The captain—”

  “Will want to talk to me anyway,” Rita pointed out.

  James looked like he was about to argue, and then he placed a finger to his lips and mouthed some words, though this time he also cupped his hand around his ear. He looked annoyed, but then he pointed at Rita, who strode forward and stood, hand on her sword.

  “The Captain says you can stay at the gate.” James pointed at me. “You’re to go in. Byron will take you to see Healer Anna.”

  “Thank you,” I said, and shifted aside for Byron to climb up beside me, which was difficult as he was clutching his nose with one hand. Once he was settled, and the third guard was out of the way, I flicked the reins and we rode inside.

  Bare earth streets greeted us, and we moved down them at a clipped pace. We got more than a few annoyed glances at my lack of caution, but I ignored them. As far as I was concerned, anyone who stood in the way of a coach got what was coming to them. Next to me, Byron seemed alert, giving instructions as we wound around the curving streets, a hazard of any circular town or city.

  Soon, I heard him stuffily telling me to park, and I pulled the horses to a stop. As I got down to tie the horses to a nearby pole, I let my nose wrinkle. Even without his directions, I felt confident I could have found this place by scent alone. It was a simple squat wooden building, the same material as the surrounding ones. Large bushels of herbs hung on either side of the wide-open door, and more sat in the windows, undoubtedly the source of the smell.

  Once I had taken care of the horses, I moved to grab Reeds as Byron raced into the shop. The old man was light, and even my untrained body could lift him with some ease. Nearby, I could hear shouting.

  “Anna! Anna! We need help!”

  I followed the shouts, moving into the store, with Reeds held in my arms. From a door behind the counter, hobbled an old woman. Her hair was tied back, and a leather apron tinged with various coloured stains in stains covered the front of her simple red dress. A soft thunk proceeded every step, and I spotted the gnarled walking stick she held and the series of crushed leaves sticking out of the top.

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  “I’m not deaf, boy,” she snarled. “What have you done to yourself now? If you—”

  Her gaze fell on me, and she stopped. I watched as her face twisted up, and then she jabbed a finger in my direction. She didn’t say another word as she turned and moved back through the door, and I didn’t need her to. It was obvious she wanted me to follow her, and I did so, though having to move through the shelves slowed me down.

  The room behind the counter stunk of herbs, but also the coppery scent of blood and something harsher. I coughed, and Anna shot me a dirty look before gesturing for me to place Reeds on a stone slab that acted as a table. He cracked open an eye as I set him down, and he let out a low moan when he tried to move his shoulder.

  To my shock, Anna gave him a gentle slap. “Don’t move, you idiot. Sheryl will want to kill you, and I can’t watch her do it if you damage yourself.”

  “How much will healing him cost?” I asked and then reached into my pocket to produce a gold coin.

  “Are you stupid?” The look she gave me could have curdled milk. “I don’t want your money. Reeds here knows what he owes me. Get out and take that other moron with you. He can wait outside until I’ve dealt with this.”

  “Of course, ma’am. Though if I may ask, will he be ok?”

  Anna snorted and shook her head. “Boy, he has Lungrot, and he’s got a bolt lodged in his shoulder. If it was anyone else but this old coot, I would say he’s a goner. This one, however, survived Sheryl’s father and therefore I’m not convinced he can die.”

  “As you say, ma’am. One more question, if I may, though I didn’t mean to be a disturbance.” I gestured back into the main room. “Do you know how long this will take? I want to know if I should unhitch the horses.”

  “I don’t want those filthy beasts loitering around my shop, you dullard. Take them to Reed’s house. That way, you’re out of my hair.” Her tone was sharp, but I could tell there was no true venom in it.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She met my attempt at politeness with another snort, and I quickly left the room. I let my gaze sweep over her store as I gestured for Byron to head outside with me. It wasn’t anything that different from most herbalist stores. Lots of jars of salves, bushels of herbs, and other healing items I didn’t have the name for. A use of Item Vaulification told me none of it was worth more than a single silver.

  “What did she say?” Bryon asked, as we moved to lean against the coach while the horses drank from a nearby public trough.

  “She called him an idiot.” I paused and then added. “Which seems like her favourite thing to say to people.”

  Byron laughed, then groaned in pain at the action. “Healer Anna has never tolerated those she considered fools well.”

  “She also asked me to deliver the horses back to Reed’s house. Are you going to be ok here?”

  “The Captain won’t like you going by yourself.” He then shrugged. “But I think he won’t mind too much if it’s just Reed’s house. Sheryl will keep you in line.”

  “I’m growing eager to meet her. From what people keep saying, I’m expecting great things.” I let myself smile, and he grinned back.

  “You should.”

  With a quick goodbye, I let the horses finish their drink, checked them over, and hitched them back up to the coach. The driver’s seat creaked as I climbed into it, and I wondered how difficult it would be to fix that as I drove off. This time I kept my pace slow, both because there was no particular rush, and because I realised without my navigator, I had no directions.

  That last wasn’t a problem. There would be a market, or town square of some sort, anywhere people gathered. Someone could tell me where I needed to go. I simply needed to find it. As I searched for the path that would lead me towards my goal, a voice shouted out.

  “HEY!”

  I tugged the reins, cursing as I saw a group of men glaring at me. They were a motley collection, and when my attention fell on their foreheads, Poker Face kicked in to stop my shock. Each wore a familiar yellow headband, too similar to the ones we found in Philim to be a coincidence. Though these had a rather distinct change to them. Small glowing blue lines covered the fabric, a sure sign the object was enchanted.

  The youngest, and easily shortest, of the group stepped forward, his hand resting on a knife clipped to his belt. When I met his eye, he sneered, showing off a cracked tooth, and then puffed up his chest. I resisted the urge to sigh. This type of showboating was never particularly interesting. Those who had something to prove did it my way, with coin.

  “You think you can just drive wherever you want to, old man?” He demanded, his accent thick and his voice rough.

  “Yes.” I said bluntly, not showing how irritated I was at the comment; twenty-five was not old. “Do you know the ways to the Reeds estate?”

  “Estate?” came a laugh, this one from an older man, bulky in the same way as a hardworking farmer.

  More laughter followed, and the young boy looked up at me with a sneer. “You are some fancy city boy, aren’t ya?”

  “I suppose I am.”

  My hand went to the gun. One bullet, and provided I didn’t miss, they would die. It was a simple tradeoff, a fair deal. The question was which one to shoot. His sneer widened, and he pressed closer, making a fatal mistake. He got behind one of the horses.

  “And why should we tell you anything?” he asked.

  “Because I asked nicely, and you all seem reasonable.”

  When he moved closer, I let go of the gun and instead moved my hand to the whip. He watched me do it and laughed. Then, to my shock, a glimmering shield appeared around him. I blinked and examined him, seeing the way his headband shimmered. It wasn’t the enchantment I had expected. I activated my skill to see how much it cost.

  {Enchanted Headband: Three Gold. Five Silver. 0 bronze.}

  It wasn't the most expensive enchanted item I had ever seen, but it was still more pricey than I expected to find this far out from any city. Did it mean there was a local enchanter? Or were they being shipped in? If it was the latter, how and why did these people have them?

  “Neat, ain’t it? Though I bet a city boy like you has seen plenty,” He said, breaking my train of thought. “No weapon can get through it, so good luck. Now get down and I’ll—”

  A flick of my wrist caused the whip to crack in the air, and the horse bucked. His hooves landed against the boy’s back, who cried out as he thunked against the driver’s ledge and ended up in the dirt. He was moaning in pain, and to my surprise, the shield remained up for another fifteen seconds before it flickered away.

  That was the interesting thing about enchantments, how literal they often were. It made them pricey, and sometimes dangerous to use, but they came in handy. With a smooth motion, I hopped from the driver’s seat and pulled it off him. While I didn’t know if it would require recharging, I found I didn’t care. Even out here, I bet I could find a willing buyer and get a decent price for it.

  As I patted the horse, I pulled the gun from my pocket, pointed it down at the boy on the floor. Shield or not, the others flinched, and I watched them, my face impassive. It was time to offer these gentlemen a deal, and none appeared eager to get close to me. When I was sure I had their attention, I spoke, my gaze flicking to the tallest of the men.

  “Directions to the Reeds estate?”

  He swallowed, and I could see the way his hands shook. Shields popped on, one by one, until each of the group had them. A tap on the horse’s flank made it whinny, and they flinched. As they watched me, I could feel my heart racing. I didn’t want to fight them. Not really. If they tried, I could get away. None of them appeared eager to step in front of the coach, giving me a clear escape reroute.

  To my relief, the man nodded and pointed a finger. When he did, the others moved to the side. Slowly, I moved the boy away from the horses and then climbed back into the driver’s seat. When I had settled, I gave them a polite nod.

  “Thank you,” I said, as I flicked the reins.

  The horses trotted forward, but as I passed, the bigger man shouted at me. “You made an enemy today! The Howlers don’t forgive or forget!”

  Multiple uncreative insults met my wave as I drove off. Twice more, I stopped for directions, and found myself surprised that the gang member had indeed pointed me towards the right place. The horses let out a soft neigh as we reached the outskirts of town, nestled up against the city wall.

  The wooden construction wasn’t high enough to cast me into shadow, but it was enough to obscure the view of the outside. Although through the gaps, I could see trees, and what appeared to be a broken hut that might have once been a part of a logging camp.

  As I reached the two-story house, I didn’t have enough time to get a good look at it before an older woman charged out carrying a large rolling pin. At the sight of her, the horses stopped, which gave me enough time to examine her. The first thing I noticed was that she was a beast-kin, though a vulpine rather than a Cathinil.

  Her auburn hair, with streaks of silver, was up in a bun that rested neatly between her two fox ears. Behind her, her bushy tail, auburn with a white tip, trashed about, showing her blinding rage. Fear gripped me, and I dropped the reins and held up my hands. At the sight, she skidded to a stop in such a hurry that her strange blue and green garment shifted around her.

  She dressed in a classical western outfit, not quite a toga, but close. It hung from one shoulder, showing off the other, with a split up the side of the long skirt section that most of the women back home would have called indecent on anyone younger. Though if such a thing concerned her, she didn’t show it.

  “Who are you?!” Sheryl demanded, sticking the rolling pin under my nose before I could blink. “That’s my husband’s carriage! I swear if you’ve done something stupid, your ancestors will spend eternity weeping for your ill decisions that disallowed you to see them again!”

  Her voice held the same lilt as Mulvinia, and I kept my hands raised. One arm ached, but I didn’t dare so much as let them twitch. People had mentioned that she got violent, and I didn’t want to test that myself. With a small cough to clear the strange sticky sensation in my throat, I did my best to explain.

  Sheryl didn’t interrupt, nor lower her weapon, until I finished. Then her yellow eyes softened, and she shook her head.

  “That man is a fool,” she said. “A stubborn, reckless fool. You will follow my instructions, and stable the horses. Then you shall escort me to Anna’s. I’m not as spry as I used to be.”

  “You could have fooled me,” I said, the words falling out before I could stop them.

  The light tap of her tanned skinned hand against my cheek surprised me as much as the smile. “I am much too old for flattery from strangers to work on me. Now come, let us put the horses away and then see my darling husband. Perhaps Anna has got him conscious enough that he can understand why I’ve chosen to kill him this time.”