Two years ago

Rainen threw another knife. A dull thud resounded as it dug into the log. He pumped a fist and let out a muffled cry. That was the tenth one in a row. He tried not to lose his focus as he collected the three knives given to him for practice. They were dulling, misshapen things, too thick around the base and too thin at the point, but knives nonetheless.

He reset at twenty paces, near the sheathed shortsword, and paced back five more.

“How long have you been at it?” came a voice from the side.

“Do you really need to ask? I’ve got what, two weeks left? Can't be wasting time with other stuff.”

Alvis winced and corrected him. “Only one.”

“One? You’re joking.” Rainen’s next throw missed and he swore under his breath. Missing wasn’t that big of a deal, but this was training. If he was having trouble here, what about when he had to do it for real?

“What's your highest in a row?”

“Ten,” Rainen said.

“That’s pretty good, especially at that distance. The target’s on the small side too. No need to be stressed about it.”

“The target isn’t moving, Alvis,” Rainen sighed. “Throwing things at something that doesn’t move and doesn’t try to attack you is easy. If this was all fighting was, you and I would both be Ashen Knight level by now.”

Alvis chuckled, “I don’t know about that. An Ashen Knight probably would’ve made the last throw, no?”

“Oh, fuck off. If you didn’t break my concentration then I would’ve made it to fifty-no, one hundred in a row.”

“Uh-huh. Just like when you were going to break five in a row then couldn’t because the sun got in your eye, right?”

“It did.”

“On a cloudy day?”

“The clouds parted just for the sun at that moment. It’s true,” Rainen said, throwing the last of his knives. “Anyway, why’d you come? Does Master need us?”

“A man can’t come to watch his junior practice?”

“I’ll believe that the barmaid likes you before I believe that you came here just to watch.”

“She does like me. And…”

“And?”

“And if she doesn’t, then I still have some time to charm her.”

“Yeah, a week. Sucks for both of us.” Rainen collected the knives again and returned to where he stood before.

Alvis stopped him, pulling out his short sword, though it was still in its sheath. “Master’s going to expect more than a good throw. Why don’t you see if you can get a cut in against me?”

Rainen shrugged and shifted the grip on his knives.

“Fuck.”

I ran, retracing my steps and blinking past the half-asleep guard. My body ached from the repeated use. I had to stop at the top of the stairs to catch my breath. Any more and I might’ve collapsed.

In the auction room, I called out for the kids. They stayed hidden, only reappearing once I ran down the aisles yelling for them. The pair held onto each other as if they were stitched together at the hands. They looked around frantically, startled by my actions.

“Where's the elf lady?” The boy asked.

“Don’t know. I couldn’t find her.”

“Are you ok?” the girl asked, worried. “D-Did you fight the guards?”

I shook my head. “No, but they’re coming.”

The girl pulled the boy along as we hurried down the hall. Steps echoed from behind. Doors opened and slammed closed. Shouts resounded through the halls as people barked orders and argued, “Check those rooms!” and, “You didn’t see him run past?”

I looked back and saw the kids were doing the same. They were hardly keeping up. I could leave them and escape by myself, but there was still a chance to save them. If it was possible, I had to try. I slowed down and grabbed the girl by the wrist. She flinched as I pulled on her raw skin. Part of me wanted to let go, but we couldn’t spare the time.

Would running back toward the party be the obvious route?

Someone had to be suspicious of the guests. They were the most obvious choice, aside from servants and other guards, to be hiding infiltrators. It was impossible to return there anyway, considering the kids.

Turning down a different hall, we ducked into a room just in time to dodge a pair on patrol. I lost my bearings for a second. The white walls and similar-looking decorations made the place a mess to navigate. It wasn’t until we reached the windows that I reoriented myself.

“W-Where do we go now?” the girl asked.

“Give me a second,” I said. The main staircase and secret passage were the only ways I knew how to get to the first floor. I glanced out the window. Goatee and the Calundi man were there but their backs were turned. I had a rope. I could probably tie it to something and we could climb down.

Would they notice us before we could run? If they do notice me, then Hannah’s disguise would be blown.

It seemed like Hannah had been helping Anne a lot. If Hannah’s discovered because of me, then Anne’s probably going to get suspicion thrown on her too.

Fuck.

“Mister?” the boy asked, voice barely a whisper. He nervously glanced at the hall we came from and back to me.

“Let’s keep going.”

It didn’t take long to find another staircase. We skidded to a stop as guards rounded the corner. Two were left to block the exit while the others continued to roam and search rooms. The kids stared wide-eyed at the guards, spooked at how close we were to getting caught.

We continued searching for other exits, weaving in and out of rooms as wandering guards passed by. They were so spurred by the hint of something happening, that they didn’t care how loud they were as long as it didn’t grab the attention of the guests. It made them predictable.

From second-floor kitchens to the windows I thought about jumping from before, and even the auction room's doors, every exit was blocked. The two kids sat on the ground, hunched over and gasping for breath. Their faces were marred with fatigue and exhaustion. The girl flinched as I pulled her along.

After the tenth dead end, we ended up hiding. They needed a chance to rest and I needed time to think. It was the bathroom. It had four stalls and thankfully none were occupied. The kids sunk down again, though this time they leaned against each other, the boy with his eyes closed and the girl holding back her tears.

It’s impossible to escape with them.

If I let myself get caught so the kids could escape, they’d still have to somehow make it out into the city. What then? The first floor was probably swarming with guards too, and if I let myself get caught, that’d throw suspicion on Hannah. The whole mission would be at risk, and all the other slaves would be doomed.

“What do we do?” the boy asked in a whimper.

“We’ll be ok,” his sister said. She looked up at me, her small brown eyes searching for reassurance. I had none to give.

The bathroom door swung open. The lead guard from before walked in then stopped, frozen. We looked at each other and instinct compelled me to go for my knife.

Kill him.

The instinct turned into an impulse. The knife dropped to my hand. The man reached for his sword and the kids gasped. My body lurched forward.

No!

A nasty wetness coated my hands. I almost dropped the knife. My whole body urged me toward the sink but I knew it wasn’t real. I hadn’t killed anyone today. I hadn’t killed anyone since then. With a breath, I withdrew the knife.

“What are you doing?” he asked, hand still over the blade.

“I was just finishing up here when these kids ran in. Why are they in rags? What’s going on?”

“None of your business,” he said. He whistled and several guards ran, forming up behind him. “Step aside.”

They flooded the room. The girl stood and hugged her brother tightly. “Please,” the girl whispered. One man took her by the arm. She slipped free, pulling her brother along as she grabbed onto me. “Please don’t let them take us.”

My mana swirled. I felt the crackle of lightning and fire on the verge of flaring out as I gathered the energy needed to blink.

Work. Work just this once.

The magic spread to my whole body, latching onto my clothes, bracers, and pendant. It screamed inside of me, roaring to be freed onto the world. Though it took less than a second in real-time, the sensations slowed my perception. I felt the mana pulling me to a spot in the corner of my eye, transferring everything that I was and held. Except for the children.

Their added weight, the burden, the shackle of other living souls stopped the blink. I gasped as the effort left me drained. Both of them were looking up at me, pleading with their eyes.

I looked away.

The kids were dragged out of the room.

I was escorted back to the party. The eyes of other guests fell on me but I barely felt it. The captain whispered into the ear of one of the guards and he kept an eye on me until the end of the party.

That was fine. I wasn't doing anything anyways.

I kept at a distance from the carriages. Goatee, Calundi man, and Hands saw the guests off and I didn’t feel like playing around. Hannah deftly avoided getting into Brahnum’s carriage, waving the man goodbye. I followed after her and we met up with Anne and Henry a few blocks away.

The three of them wore cloaks to hide their clothes. Hannah walked around in her heels just fine, but Anne had changed to flats. She sat on a chair, rubbing her feet, and grimaced as she did. Henry peered through the window, chewing on some food he’d taken from the party.

“So,” Hannah said, “How’d it go? Did you find out anything important?”

My teeth and jaw ached. I grabbed my chin and forcibly loosened it. The tension didn’t disappear. It transferred to my neck, constricting the words and jumbling how they came out. “I… I found the slaves. Underground. Like a maze. Lots of doors. Lots of guards.”

Do I tell them about the kids? No, is there any point? We’ll save them during the mission.

I caught Anne watching me with narrowed, thoughtful eyes. She didn’t say anything, so I just ignored her. Henry stopped staring out the window and clapped me on the shoulder.

“Good job. I knew you’d pull through. With what you just told us, we can get in there, find the proof, and bring the city watch down on them,” Henry said.

“I was spotted while I was down there. They might move where they’re keeping the slaves.”

Henry nodded, “I wasn’t expecting it to be easy. Slave trading is a nasty business and only the worst kinds of people deal in it nowadays after the city restricted it. When I told Carlyle about the shipment of slaves, he wouldn’t budge.” Henry clenched his fists.

“Don’t blame him too much,” Hannah jumped in. “He’s got a lot on his plate. Besides, we can’t risk our lives and our accomplishments on shaky information.”

“It was good info, Han.”

“Unconfirmed,” she replied.

“But I was right. Now that we know that, we have to infiltrate their stronghold, find the slaves, and bring one out before the city lord acts,” he said in exasperation.

“It was the only way. Henry, what if the wagon we raided was wrong?”

“It wouldn’t have been.”

“I’m asking you,” she said slowly. “What you would have us do if it was wrong? The Talons,” I stiffened at the word. “Have been hands off these things for a reason. Lots of nobles, like Brahnum, want the underground auction to happen. We can’t anger the wrong people without proof.”

Henry scoffed. “Yeah, and now tens to hundreds of people are going to suffer in chains for longer because we have to play footsie with those fucks!”

“Hey,” Anne said, her voice gentle. “The others are on missions away from here, so we’ve only got each other for this mission. We’ll rescue them, alright?”

Henry took a deep breath. “Yeah, sorry.”

“It’s ok, Henry. We know how you feel about it,” Hannah said.

“I had a chance to get two of them out,” I said suddenly.

Henry jolted. “What?”

“I found two kids. They escaped and were hiding under a table. I might’ve been able to get them out if I hadn’t gotten spotted down there.”

"We could've avoided more parties?" Anne asked, though likely not meaning to say it aloud, as she quickly covered her mouth.

“Shit,” Henry whispered. “We could’ve saved them all tonight. Oh, I’m not blaming you or anything,” he quickly added. “It’s a tough situation. I’m sure you had an idea but I know Carlyle didn’t tell you much.”

I nodded.

“Gods,” Anne sighed. “They have elven children too?”

“Elves?” I asked. Why would she assume the kids were elves?

Hannah gave me a confused look. “The kids weren’t elves?”

“No, they were humans.”

The realization hit me a second later, along with a memory of the pained expressions on the kids’ faces as I let them get taken away.

“It's only illegal to sell elves,” Anne said.