Alina stood with her hands bound in front of herself, her face burning, her eyes glazed, but at least she was conscious. The kidnappers had separated her and Reese once she had awoken, and currently Roscoe and Dexter were standing fidgeting on the edge of the forest. A hundred feet away was the cliffside that overlooked the Alcide Sea, which shone brilliantly in the summer sun.

Her groggy mind told Alina that she was most likely near the furthest reaches of Xava’s border, though all she recalled being in that area were farm lands and forests as far as the eyes could see. There was no dwelling or settlement for anyone to hide… let alone a harbor or inlet…

“You’ll not say a word,” Roscoe growled. Despite his warning tone, the man looked more than a little skittish with his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep and his entire being tense. “Sooner I’m rid of you, the better.”

Alina didn’t bother asking him who exactly he was pawning her off to. She knew it had something to do with the Zinferan traders, but her energy was dangerously low, and her throat hurt brutally. She had a horrid cold and was focusing on remaining upright and breathing slowly so that she could avoid another attack.

It felt like an hour that Alina stood swaying on the spot waiting for Gods knew what, but then, she could hear distant voices…

She wondered for a moment if she were going mad thanks to her sickness, but the antsy shift in Roscoe’s footing told her he heard them too.

After another few moments, five heads appeared over the cliffside edge, making Alina guess that there was a hidden path that lead down to the water…

The five men were all Zinferan, and all wore faded loose pants tied with sashes at their waist. All were armed with curved swords at their hips, and all looked appropriately rough with their dirty tunics varying from white to black. Most of them wore their hair long, though not all of them looked particularly well kept…

The man who looked to be their leader wore a tricorn hat that had seen better days a decade ago, and had an impressive white full set of teeth.

“I hear we’re providing passage for a young lady?” the leader called out as his men behind him either smiled or craned their necks to catch a glimpse of Alina.

“Yeah, we got ourselves a noble. Worth a decent amount, but we’ll give her cheap if you take her now, no questions.” Dexter stepped forward and blocked Alina from view, and kept his hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword.

“Why the hurry?” the Zinferan asked with a slow blink of his slanted eyes. It was clear he could sense their impatience and was enjoying having the upper hand.

“We have other matters to attend to, and I said no questions,” Dexter answered shortly.

“I see… and this wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain missing Princess would it?” the Zinferan trader grinned knowingly.

Dexter’s hand slowly curled around the hilt of his sword, and the Zinferan men behind their leader immediately drew their weapons. Roscoe took a halting step backwards, though Alina stayed put.

She was so tired… yet she knew she should be panicking…

“You’ll get the girl and we’ll be on our way. I’d say eight gold is more than a fair price, and if you want to try and pawn her as the missing Daxarian Princess for more money, that’s your neck to risk. Just keep me out of it.” Dexter’s voice was steady and confident, but while the Zinferan leader hesitated his movements, he didn’t stop smiling.

“Considering that the missing Princess has made moving my… product in and out of Austice near impossible with all of the checks the guards are doing, I’d say I should be receiving gold rather than paying it. Not to mention even the Dragon is getting involved now because of it.”

Dexter grew stiff. “The Dragon? I thought they were laying low and sinking all their time into their brothels, why would they-”

“Perhaps you should consider retirement. To be involved in kidnapping you should know at the very least that the Dragon still has eyes and ears everywhere,” the Zinferan drew a circle in the air as he stepped forward with a mad glint in his eye to match his smile. “The Dragon has just become powerful enough to become a ghost. Let me tell you… if even the Dragon is troubled by this, you’re in a world of trouble old man.”

“So make her disappear. You took Zinferan Princes and Princesses, and made it happen.” Dexter glared, his tone dark.

“No one cared about them. Do you know how many Zinferan Princes and Princesses there are? Some of them aren’t even blood related, but were adopted because of the Emperor’s whim,” the Zinferan laughed while still staring intently at Dexter. “Daxaria only has one,” his eyes darted to Alina for a moment before his smile turned hungry. “One Princess, who, a little bird told me, just so happens to also be the next Queen of Troivack. The way I see it, she’s worth almost as much as my own beloved Emperor.”

“So do you want her or not?” Dexter demanded irritably as the Zinferan then stepped around Dexter, his hands clasped leisurely behind his back as he moved closer to Alina who didn’t bother looking up.

“She’s sick. You said she was in prime condition. I’ll come back in three days, and if she’s recovered I might take her.” The Zinferan strut back towards his men jauntily.

“That was not the deal!” Roscoe shouted hoarsely.

“You aren’t in a position to negotiate, my friend. If you survive the three days and she’s well, I’ll consider it fate. Best wishes to you.” The Zinferan leader didn’t bother turning around fully as he glanced over his shoulder and touched the tip of his hat in farewell, his smile still bright.

Once the men had disappeared over the edge, their swords still drawn as they stared at Dexter whose gaze looked rather deadly, Dexter rounded on Roscoe, his jaw set and his face pale.

“We bury her, and we split up. Take your bard, and never contact me again. Understand?”

At this Alina raised her eyes to the mercenary’s profile that looked strained.

Was this the end?

Was she going to see her mother in the forest of the afterlife… or… was there still a chance for a bloody miracle?

*

“What is this?” Brendan asked, eyeing the cart with what looked like a sail attached to it.

“It’s a cart that can move faster than any horse if an air witch is at the back pushing us forward like a ship on water,” Fin replied while leaping nimbly up onto the cart’s seat.

Norman, Captain Taylor, and Annika were already in the back.

Brendan followed suit, and settled down beside Annika who was pinning back her dark hair more firmly, before reaching for the crossbow at her feet and tucking it into her lap.

“It’s quite telling, you realize, that you are a part of the rescue team,” Brendan murmured to the Viscountess, his dark eyes fixed ahead of himself as squadrons of elite Knights boarded another cart with four members of the Wittica Coven moving towards each vehicle.

Annika lifted her own gaze forward while replying just as softly. “I know what you suspect of me, and if this becomes a war between us, then so be it. Today, however, we work for the same goal, understood?” While quiet, her voice was cold.

Brendan grit his teeth. “Yes.”

“Straight Troivackian justice, or the jigsaw?” she asked while gripping her weapon more firmly.

Brendan shot her a sidelong glance, and couldn’t help but feel a corner of his mouth lift in dark appreciation.

“I like that the Troivackian jigsaw method is on your mind. We will see if there is time.”

“Once we see them, we have all the time in the world, my husband will make sure of it,” Annika replied while ignoring Norman’s frown as he began to eavesdrop on their exchange.

“If Alina is… if she…” Brendan began, his voice becoming hoarse.

“If they’ve done worse to Alina than they have my daughter, the King will not permit you to carry out… that method. Though I can arrange it for you to see it done regardless,” Annika managed even more quietly.

Brendan nodded in understanding.

‘Gods, I forgot that she’s scary,’ Captain Taylor had managed to hear the exchange while sitting across from the two Troivackians and resisting the urge to shudder. ‘Though he’s not helping matters.’

Captain Taylor had learned of the Viscountess’ secret work and identity shortly after he had been promoted from his station as elite Knight. While he knew his perception of his friend’s wife shouldn’t change so drastically, there were some thing’s he had seen and learned in his time that made it impossible not to.

“We’re off!” Fin called over his shoulder.

Whatever Brendan had been expecting, it most certainly wasn’t the wild ride that nearly rattled his teeth free of his head, or the mind blowing speed that he had never experienced in his life.

In fact, it was so quick, his stomach was beginning to churn as the scenery began to blur.

‘Gods… let us… make it in time…’

*

“I’m not paying you more money to kill her!” Roscoe shouted, his spittle flying as they moved deeper back into the forest nearer where Patrick and Reese waited.

“I know. I’m not staying with you after it’s done and we will say our business is complete. I recommend once things settle down, to get out of Daxaria as soon as possible.” Dexter continued walking, while guiding Alina along, her gait slow thanks to her sickness.

“Alright, then l-let’s just do it here!” Roscoe rounded on him, his eyes flashing, and his cheeks flushed.

Dexter hesitated, then turned to face the young woman who was very clearly fevered.

“We will not breathe a word about this after today,” Dexter started slowly while slowly drawing his sword out.

Alina’s gaze snapped to Dexter’s, and when he gave a small guilty wince, she straightened her shoulders to address the man again. She couldn’t let it end without another word, without another try…

“You have not listened when we’ve given you sound reasoning, or threats, and I will not beg you to spare my life,” she began, her voice faint, but her stare steady. “I just hope that you know this is your last chance to walk away from this situation morally and physically safe. Don't kill me. Leave me here in the woods, and run.” Alina’s strange calm was clearly disconcerting to both the men. Though she wasn’t entirely certain she knew where her strength was coming from– if she were being honest with herself, she suspected it had more to do with her weakened health dulling her senses.

Both Roscoe and Dexter stared at each other, both clearly torn about the decision.

“RUN! THAT CRAZY BITCH IS BACK!” Patrick’s sudden roar had the two men snapping to attention as their third accomplice bolted towards them from where he and Reese had waited.

The bard had been left on the ground behind, and when Dexter squinted to stare beyond Patrick into stare through the trees, at first he saw nothing. Then, the unmistakable galloping hooves reached his ears, and not long after the beast and its rider appeared. The faint orange-golden glow told them that it was indeed their former captive returning.

As Patrick wove frantically between the trees in frantic zig zags, Roscoe was about to ask what the hell he was doing, when an arrow whistled through the air, and winged Dexter, making the man instinctively drop his sword.

Hastily, Roscoe grabbed Alina and pressed a dagger to her throat as he backed away swiftly.

Patrick on the other hand immediately seized the dropped sword as soon as he reached them, and swung with all his might from behind a tree at the horse’s breast as it bore down on them.

The beast immediately bucked its rider, and crashed to the ground heaving, but the force of the blow had Patrick dropping the sword with a yelp.

Roscoe continued backing away while glancing periodically over his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t running into any trees.

Kat was on her feet, a dagger in her hand and the glow around her burning brighter as her eyes gleamed magically, making her look even more beastly.

“Two Knights are behind me, let her go,” she panted while sidestepping the horse and eyeing Roscoe who kept the blade pressed to Alina’s throat until it began to bite into her skin.

Patrick was slowly lifting the sword back up as he faced Kat who was already slowly bending down and picking up the bow she had borrowed from the Knights.

“Roscoe, you make me any more nervous and it'll summon my father here a little faster, and believe me, for now, I’m the lesser evil,” Kat called out while raising the bow alongside a knife she had pulled free from her boot. Patrick hastily brandished the sword at her as Dexter backed away with a single hand in the air.

Roscoe didn’t have time to respond before Patrick lunged at her, making Kat dodge and instead whack his forearms hard enough with her bow that the sword once again fell from his grip. When he moved to pick it back up Kat kneed him in the face, then shoved him to the ground.

“S-STOP!” Roscoe roared, the knife against Alina’s throat breaking the skin and drawing blood.

It was the sight of her friend's blood beading along the blade that something strange happened to Kat then…

Her eyes suddenly filled with nothing but golden light, and the strange magical aura around her burned higher, and brighter, as though she were on fire.

“I’ve held off as long… as I can,” she ground out before she flipped the knife in her hand, and Alina then realized that Kat was aiming for Roscoe’s face.

Her arm wound back to throw.

“N-No-!” Alina’s shout was interrupted when blue lightning exploded around them, launching Roscoe and her apart.

Katarina, however, despite the earth lurching beneath them landed on a knee, her free fist punching the ground to steady her as her glowing eyes remained on Roscoe as though nothing of great consequence had happened.

Finlay Ashowan emerged through the trees in the distance where Kat had originated from, as several other elite Knights surged forward, with Brendan Devark at the front, all running straight towards them.

The cavalry had arrived.