Now to watch Way retrieve all his weapons. This is going to be both interesting and boring; he has so many. Handing over my ticket now—I am glad I did not leave that somewhere! WayWocket picks up the tray with some of his weapons and pours them into a bag. What? Those things can explode, but that pouch looks like a few marbles have been chucked into it!

“Hey, Way, what is that?”

“My infinity pouch. Can put stuff in there and it is stored. Good pouch; took a while to perfect it, but it came up good.”

That explains everything. “Is everyone ready?”

“Sure am, Joan.”

Gunnar grunts “Boss”, and WayWocket is looking at some piece of wood with a moving burn mark. “This way.” He points to the wall.

“Um, maybe we should leave first and then get a bearing, Way?” Just a suggestion.

He just keeps pointing at the wall, and as we move, his finger moves a little as well. “There she goes.”

“What are we waiting for? Let us get Zlata!”

Stillwater looks at me. “Keep it down! The others will catch up with us later. We must bring her back for interrogation. From your line of questioning and statements, she knows more than we think.”

As we leave the church, Gunnar calls out to Stillwater. Now his huge brindle mastiff and massive mottled cat are with him—where were they all this time? “And if she doesn’t come quietly or puts up a fight?”

“We disarm her and bring her in. First thing is to take out the teeth before she can kill herself.”

Way points down Shrine Road. “That way.”

“Let’s go! She has a few minutes on us.”

Thanks for that update, Stillwater. I had not realised. Running down Shrine, Way points up Resolution Boulevard. “We need to run. She might be heading towards the gate!”

Pushing through some of the crowd. After a few rich folks get knocked down, they start to give way. Stillwater must be pissed off; no excuse me or anything. I like her like this. It is refreshing.

We quicken our pace with WayWocket in the lead. He is surprisingly fast and hard to keep up with, yet he only has little legs. Way then points towards Coin Street. She is moving into the noble area?

“She isn’t going for the main gate, but the Count’s Entrance. Do you think they briefed the Watch on the gate about Zlata?”

Calling out to Stillwater. “Let us hope so.”

WayWocket keeps pointing towards the gate. She must be there. One thing I like about the rich area—not so many people. Reaching the gate, it is closed. Breathless now. I really do need to start running again, like I did in the army. Drinking is making me slow.

One of the Watch walks forward and puts up her hand. “I’m sorry, but you need to turn around.”

So that is a no. They were not told. Stillwater squares up to the Watch-lady. “Delanna, you will step aside. This is the Duke’s business.”

“I have been ordered by Commander Zlata not to allow anyone through here.”

Oh great. “You have five seconds to move or I will move you.”

Stillwater’s diplomacy at work. I step forward. “So, do you know Stillwater here?” Delanna nods. “You know that you can trust her word?”

“Of course, but we have our orders.”

“Corporal Delanna, Zlata is currently charged with poisoning the Commander, attempted poisoning of our entire town and, worst of all, attempted assassination of the Duke. We are pursuing her from the courthouse. Please, let us through.”

“She poisoned the Commander?”

Stillwater lays a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Yes, and if we do not pursue her, there will be no one who can tell us whether a bigger threat is looming.”

Delanna calls out, “Raise the gate! Grab horses for these four.”

Great, a horse. As a black and white horse with feathered legs appears, it sees me and starts to buck. “WayWocket, is there something you can do?”

“Sure.” Hoping he will do something for the horse, but I feel a wet splash on my back, and Way starts to circle me, flinging liquid on me. “There you go. Now she will like you.”

The horse stops bucking and sniffs at the air, then trots over, rubbing me with its head “What was that?”

“Just some horse pheromone. She thinks you are part of the herd now.”

Great. Grabbing on to the saddle’s horn, I lift myself up on the seat. The rest of the Rejects do the same and the gate opens halfway. Stillwater kicks her horse and we are off.

Wondering where we are heading. About half an hour has passed and all we have been doing is following WayWocket’s finger. This is getting tedious: where is she going?

WayWocket grabs his reins and halts his pony. “She stopped moving.” Points over an open field, and there was a building in the distance. “She is there, and not moving.”

We got the ‘not moving’ the first time. On his horse, flanked by his two animals, Gunnar chimes in. “Should I send my companions around to see what is happening?”

Stillwater considers this. I think is it a great idea—have those mangy pets deal with Zlata!

“No, we need to head in ourselves. I need to end this.”

Cocking my head. “Um, Joan, there has a bit of fatalism to that statement. Are you going to be alright?”

“There is only her. Just spread out. Gunnar and Lone, you take the back, and Way and myself will take the front. Have your companions keep an eye on the sides.”

“Sure thing, Boss.”

Typical Gunnar, being a yes man. We start to move towards the manor, trying to keep our noise down. “Just make a run for the back. If she is paying attention she would have seen us already.”

Whatever, Stillwater. “Coming, Gunnar?” He grunts at me and digs in his heels, then takes off. “Take that as a yes.”

Splitting off to make sure there is no way she can head in another direction. Why are there five horses here? A little late now, as we are committed. We should have sent in Gunnar’s pets, but how do they communicate back to him?

I reach the back door first; should I go in or wait? Well, it is answered for me. Zlata, Roth and a few of his thugs come out the back door. “How did they find us, Zlata?” Roth growls.

“How would I know? They should have been held up by the Watch at the gate.” Then they notice me sitting on my horse. “You!”

She pulls two short swords out, pointing one at me. Nice to see you too, Zlata. Roth pulls his meat cleaver from his belt, testing the edge with his thumb. “Good, I wanted a rematch. Spread out, boys.”

I am staying on my horse, as that gives me an advantage, though drawing my sword while keeping my horse under control is a challenge. “Rematch? Not here for you, Roth. Walk away, as I am not alone.”

Yelling the last part, hoping everyone can hear that. No one comes. They are leaving me to die. Frick you, Rejects!

“I don’t see anyone, do you Zlata?”

Grinning at me, “No, I don’t, Roth. Let’s get rid of this distraction.”

“Gladly.”

Great, what should I do? I am better fighting on the ground, but the horse is trained, I hope, and I have height advantage. Roth motions the three thugs at me. I turn the horse and start to ride away. I hear Roth call out, “Coward!”

Hoping this works, I pull the reins to the side as well as using my knees to direct the horse to turn back. With a swift kick to the flanks, the horse launches into a gallop. One of the thugs is caught unawares by the quick move. An overhead chop and he is down. Next two in quick succession fall under my blade. Roth spits on his hands before rubbing them together, then takes his oversized meat cleaver in both hands. He is going for a horse leg chop.

Launching myself off the saddle toward Roth’s head, I hope he is concentrating on the horse more than me. He ducks and I roll back up to my feet; my old Sarge would be proud of that manoeuvre. I did feel something hit my side; looking down, the leather is cut and one of my plates underneath is exposed.

“Nearly had you, Truth-spawn!”

“Yeah, you did, but now it is just you and Zlata.”

He spits on the ground. “We’re enough to deal with you.”

Zlata is hanging back, more likely looking for escape. Roth starts to swing his cleaver in front of himself. No skill, just brute strength. Backing up, I need more room to dodge that monstrous weapon. My back hits the wall of the cottage, and while I am distracted I see Roth sending an overhand chop towards me. Jumping out of the way, I then feel something smash against my head. It was the flat side of the Cleaver. He must have known I would dodge right.

Shaking off the pain, I yell out. “Help me! Zlata and Roth are back here!”

Zlata watches, and asks me. “Who are you yelling for? Stillwater? Gunnar? WayWocket? They are a little busy. Roth, stop playing with him and finish this.”

Hearing an explosion inside the house, I know Way is still kicking and if he is, Joan is definitely alive. Roth starts to swing his weapon faster; in his frenzied swings there does not seem to be an opening, so I must make one.

Grabbing my dagger from my belt, I step back, keeping my distance from Roth. I wait until he begins in another swing, then I throw my dagger at his head. He flinches as the hilt strikes him in the face, staggering him, and I dive and roll in while his weapon is high, then thrust into his lower gut. He swings down and I leave my sword in him, rolling away, clumps of dirt spewing from the impact.

Rolling back over on to his cleaver, I pin it to the ground with my weight and retrieve my weapon with a spray of blood. I then stab upwards once, twice and three times in a row. Last one must have hit his lung as he spews blood all over me.

As Roth drops, I stand. “No one left, Zlata. Come quietly and you can have a fair trial.”

Then Stillwater bursts through the back door, and I see Gunnar and his pets come around the corner. Way is nowhere to be seen. No time for that. Stillwater calls out, “Give up, Zlata, you are surrounded.”

Her shoulders slump. Zlata looks around, then opens her mouth. “Stop her! She is taking her suicide pill!”

As I yell, a glass flask is thrown from inside and hits Zlata, freezing her to the spot. Ice encases her in a matter of moments, but not quickly enough to stop her.

Her body starts to liquefy, and she looks straight at me and says, “This is not the end!”

But my dear Zlata, you are dead, and it is.