“We should leave, get distance between us and the area.” Liliana insisted, head swiveling on her neck like a top. Eyes scanning the room.

Did that middle-aged man missing three teeth and the rapidly escaping hairline look suspicious, or was he simply drunk? Or that young woman with the glazed eyes. Her nerves felt stretched near to snapping with so many possible threats around her and so many people she was expected to protect.

Diana shook her head, reaching out a hand to lie on Liliana’s shoulder, grounding her. “Lili, it’s late afternoon. By the time we leave, it’ll be close to dark. We won’t get very far before we have to set up a camp. We can’t have the second years traveling in the dark. It’s not safe.”

Liliana hated that she was right. But it wasn’t in her nature to sit and wait, to hide like prey in a bolt hole. Her nature was to fight, to run, to fly, to move.

“It’s easier to fight in open areas than in a building.” Liliana pointed out stubbornly, already tying to run it in her mind if someone attacked them right now in this backwater tavern.

There were so many townsfolk, they’d likely panic, and she could lose track of the second years far too quickly in the resulting mob. The floor was hazardous, coated in questionable liquids and filled with shoddy furniture that would break at a wrong look and create more tripping hazards.

“It’s also harder to defend like that. In an inn, we have walls at our backs. If it’s out in the wild, it’s just us between the second years and danger, and that leaves us open. Vulnerable.” Diana dismantled her argument with ruthless efficiency.

Liliana wanted to growl or hiss or break something. Do anything with the violent, nervous energy crackling under her skin, looking for a threat she couldn’t see but could feel. The hairs on the back of her neck felt like they were standing on end, and the skin between her shoulders itched as if there were eyes boring into her.

Liliana could sense she was losing the argument. “Fuck. Fine,” she conceded, “we’ll stay. But I don’t want us to split up more than necessary. Two rooms, we each get half the second years.” Her tone brooked no argument.

If she could’ve had it her way, she’d have demanded one room. But she knew what the rooms in towns like this looked like. They’d barely all fit in two rooms and some would need to sleep piled on the floor even still.

Diana smiled, relief slumping her shoulders. The other woman was not prone to arguments, and it had been clear from the tense way she’d held herself that she was uncomfortable with the disagreement. Her hands had wrapped tightly in the fabric of her blouse, enough to wrinkle the fabric, and her lips had thinned to nearly disappearing. Diana hated confrontation, and it showed how unsettled she was and how scared she was for her to argue so firmly against Liliana.

If Liliana was less stressed, she would’ve spared the energy to feel impressed that Diana had stood her ground twice that day. It was a marked improvement from the way she’d used to simply stay quiet and follow along with whatever the stronger personalities around her said. She wore confidence well, like a fine gown she kept cloistered in her closet, afraid to don it for fear of damaging it.

“We’ll stay here for the night and head out at first light. Get the second years to Heartbreach and strategize to take this organization down,” Diana said with a nod and a small smile, her posture relaxing as she spoke and the skeleton of a plan took shape. Diana wasn’t like Liliana, craving action and battle, but they both settled easier with a goal in mind.

“Lelantos will stay the night with your group.” Liliana added in, holding up a hand to forestall Diana’s exasperated argument. “It’s sensible, you can’t deny that. You’re not a fighter. Lelantos is a tank. With him there, if it turns into a fight, you’ll be free to use your spells as you please without worrying about evasion.”

Liliana felt her own stress lowering, though not leaving her. Not until the second years were safe in some posh hotel in Heartbreach paid for with Rosengarde coin. And that man missing the three teeth was still suspicious, if only for his appalling lack of dental hygiene.

Diana frowned, tugging at her braid as she tried to come up with an argument to decline the offer. “Alright, fine. That makes sense.” She acquiesced. Liliana shot her a smile that she hoped didn’t come off too smug. They’d both known Diana would’ve bowed to her request, but it was always nice to have someone listen to her.

“They probably won’t attack us tonight. They’ve always targeted children when they’re outside, left alone.” Diana tacked on. Liliana bit her lip as she thought, but did not nod to agree.

Diana was right, but it didn’t settle her stretched nerves, or stop her from checking on the second years every few minutes. She’d already called Polaris and Lelantos back from scouting to patrol the perimeter of the town. But since it was humans they were defending against, there was little they could do.

There was no scent for them to follow when there were so many human scents suffusing the town, and Liliana didn’t have a specific scent for them to track. They didn’t even know what to look for, [Identify] could only tell them so much and Trafficker wasn’t exactly a class one could, or would, take. That was assuming the traffickers didn’t have some type of skills that could obfuscate their information. Liliana had a feeling an organization clever enough to manage a deception of this size would not overlook such a necessary step.

“They’re going to expect a fight. One way or another. Attacking us when we’re asleep is the wisest, and in an inn where we’ll presumably be split up in different rooms would be the easiest. It’s what I would do,” Liliana said, feeling her hands clenching into ineffective fists. There was nothing here for her to fight or kill or destroy, and she loathed it.

She scanned the room again, unsettled by the increase of patrons filling the inn as the day crept closer towards night. Too many of the townsfolk were paying attention to the strangers in their mix, and Liliana couldn’t decipher what was honest curiosity and what was more insidious. She was tempted to use [Empathy]. She didn’t. She knew it would render her useless as she was drowned under a veritable torrent of emotions.

“They haven’t attacked us yet, Lili. They’re probably waiting for us to leave.” Diana rationalized, reaching out a tentative hand to rest on Liliana’s tensed arm. “They’re more likely to attack us somewhere with fewer witnesses, surely.”

As gentle as the contact was, it still caused a flinch. For a moment, Diana’s expression turned to despair before it was hidden as she retracted her hand. Without thinking, Liliana grabbed Diana’s hand before it could fully retreat.

“Lili?” Diana asked, hesitant. Liliana blinked down at her own hand, surprised at the movement. She slowly placed Diana’s hand back on her arm and released her grip as if she’d been burned. A slow but dark flush crept over Diana’s face.

The touch felt nice. It helped her settle back into her skin and feel less like a ball of anxious energy about to explode.

“Sorry, I’m jumpy right now,” Liliana explained, struggling to force a chagrined smile on her face that was probably closer to a grimace. Diana accepted it nonetheless with a bright smile as she squeezed Liliana’s arm.

“They might not attack tonight, but we need to act like they will. I’ll gather the second years and let them know of the change in plans,” Liliana said after a few moments of companionable silence. Still, she felt almost reluctant to pull away from the calm air that Diana always seemed to exude. Liliana would almost believe it was the girl’s aura if she didn’t already know how Diana’s aura felt.

“Right, yeah,” Diana said, unreasonably flustered as she pulled her hand hastily back.

She moved her hand in an abortive motion to push her hair behind her ear before she apparently remembered her hair was tied back in a braid. Her hand hung awkwardly in the air before it dropped limply to her lap, where Diana stared at it with intensity as her skin flushed an even deeper shade of red.

Liliana blinked once at her friend before she shifted out of her seat, resigned to the fact that Diana’s actions would continue to mystify her and disinclined to attempt to untangle the confusing girl. Liliana bee-lined for the Rosier twins, who were still talking to the barkeep and the few patrons who had taken up seats on the stools near them. The twins were identical. The only thing differentiating them was their chosen attire.

Oliver Rosier preferred heavier materials, befitting his class as a tank. Andrew Rosier preferred lighter materials as a fighter needing maneuverability. Their physiques, despite their classes, were startlingly similar. Both sporting muscles and gangly limbs. Liliana was often reminded of puppies when she saw them, not fully grown into their bodies with too big paws. Their eagerness to please only reinforced the similarities.

Liliana would, if only to herself, admit they were slightly endearing.

“Ms. Rosengarde!” Andrew called out eagerly when he spotted her.

Liliana had been forced to use their given names rather than their family names in the effort to keep track of them more easily. She pretended it was more of an inconvenience than it strictly was. She truly did find herself marginally fond of this set of second years. They were competent, and that did much to improve her feelings towards them.

“Did you need something from us? Can we get you anything? Do you want a drink?” Oliver asked, alerted to her presence by his brother. If Lilliana let her gaze unfocus, she thought she could almost see a fluffy tail wagging excitedly behind him.

The twins turned to her, cutting off their conversation with the barkeep with a rather rude abruptness. Liliana gave the man an apologetic look at the offense, but he seemed good natured enough and simply shrugged in response before focusing on a different patron. Liliana dropped a couple of silver coins on the counter just in case. It did no good to upset the locals.

“Diana discovered something pertinent to the investigation. We need to convene in a private location to discuss what was found.” Liliana explained to the two boys, softening her words with a smile that had the boys beaming at her. Liliana stepped up to the counter between the twins and flagged the barkeep down.

“Two rooms, the largest you have, please. And three with double beds,” Liliana said, summoning two gold coins from her storage and placing them on the counter. “One night, full meals. If possible, it would be preferable for the rooms to be next to each other. If the rooms around them can be empty, that would be appreciated.” She continued, summoning three more gold coins as she added her stipulations.

Money talked far better than she ever could, and it said such beautiful things.

The barkeep’s mouth hung open. The glass he’d been cleaning dangled dangerously in his hand as he stared at the money on the counter. Likely more than he’d make in over a year, if that. Towns like this were big enough to use currency but still worked predominantly on bartering.

“Is this enough?” Liliana asked, affecting a wide-eyed look of naivety that never failed to make others underestimate her, especially older men she’d found. The illusion of a privileged noble girl with too much money and not enough sense would serve her well for the moment.

“Ye-Yeah,” the barkeep cleared his throat and scrambled to catch the glass he had nearly dropped before he swept the coins off the counter. He rummaged under the counter and produced five keys that he handed off to Liliana.

“Will you want the meals delivered to the rooms?” The barkeep asked, as eager as the Rosier twins now.

“That would be wonderful, thank you,” Liliana enthused, giving the man a demure, grateful smile.

“Come along,” Liliana told the twins, motioning for them to follow with a quirk of her wrist. “Gather your team. Meet me and Diana and we’ll talk in the room.” Liliana instructed them as they left the bar, maneuvering between filling tables and bodies.

“Ms. Rosengarde,” Andrew began slowly, with a look at his brother.

“You may have perhaps overpaid a little?” Oliver finished his brother’s sentence, a tendency they seemed to have. Liliana thought it had originated because it inevitably confused and frustrated others and the twins found some amusement in that. At least, that would be why Liliana would do it in their position. Perhaps she could convince Alistair to try it with her at some point.

“Did I?” Liliana mused, shooting a small smirk at the twins that had their brown eyes widening before mirror grins slipped onto their faces. Smart things, they caught on quick. It made the effort of remembering their names worth it.

“We’ll grab our teammates.” Andrew said, and the two broke off from Liliana to grab the rest of the second years.

Liliana resisted the urge to follow them, afraid that even the short time it would take them to get their team together would result in tragedy. She pushed the feeling down as she slid past another table and emerged next to Diana, who was waiting where Liliana had left her.

“The twins are getting their team,” Liliana told her without preamble, jingling the keys from her finger.

“Good,” Diana said with a nod, her complexion clear of any flushes now. Liliana was glad to see whatever had come over her friend seemed to be over. She needed Diana to be focused right now.

“We’ll tell them what we figured out, and then no one leaves the rooms until morning. I bought five.” Liliana's voice dropped into a whisper and a wind erupted around them, noise interference that would make it difficult for anyone to hear them. A nifty trick she had picked up from Corbin’s Sylph bonds. As long as they kept their voices low, the wind would garble any words they said into unintelligible white noise.

“We’ll still only use the two, but hopefully if the traffickers become aware of our lodgings, they’ll assume the three doubles I reserved hold the second years, and if they try to attack us tonight, they’ll start there.” She clarified. Diana’s eyes brightened in understanding and she nodded, eyes glancing around furtively. Liliana didn’t blame her. She still half expected the traffickers to spring up from under the tables like twisted jack-in-the-boxes.

“Ms. Rosengarde?” a voice called out and Liliana let the wind drop as the six second years struggled out of the growing crowd.

“Come with us,” Liliana said shortly, turning on her heel and walking off to the staircase in the back that led to the rooms without looking back. They’d follow, she knew they would.

Diana spoke to the second years, calming and encouraging words meant to ease any tempers Liliana’s abrupt words and departure would ignite. The eight of them trooped up the stairs with only sparse conversation floating about.

“Come back to me. We’re going to need both of you to guard us. I don’t want anyone out of range if this turns into a fight.” Liliana instructed her bonds mentally, feeling them moving towards the inn. They’d wait outside until Liliana let them in.

Satisfied that was taken care of, Liliana refocused her attention on the inn. Straining her senses here would do little good with so many patrons in residence. She’d simply sense them and it would leave her nerves dangerously frayed. Still, she kept her attention sharp, looking for anything suspicious.

Liliana moved down the hallway filled with rooms, unlocking and glancing into the rooms that matched the keys she had. Her eyes scanned for anything out of place, odd markings, too clean or too dirty rooms, broken locks or loose windows. Her initial scans didn’t show her anything that would set her on edge, thankfully, but it did little to calm the simmering fear sitting hard and cold in her gut.

When she located the two large rooms, she silently handed off a key for one to Diana and then waved the second years into the other one. Once the group was inside and the door was locked, Liliana turned to look at the assembled second years.

“Do any of you have any skills or spells that will make it difficult for anyone to listen in on a conversation?” Liliana asked bluntly.

The second years exchanged looks before Euphemia Ellingham, the Shadow Trapsmith, tentatively raised her hand like she was sitting in the middle of a class. Despite the danger they were in, Liliana fought down a smile at the gesture. It was cute, but it also sent a sharp spike of pain in her chest. These second years were so young. They were children, and it was her responsibility to see them back to the Academy, safe and relatively unharmed.

“I-Um, I can. Ms. Rosengarde, ma’am,” the girl hesitantly offered when Liliana nodded at her in permission to speak. Liliana waved a hand with an expectant eyebrow raised. Ellingham blinked at her before the silent order registered and she almost tripped over her feet to activate whatever spell or skill she had to protect the room.

“Um, it’s done. Ma’am.” Ellingham told her a few minutes later, nervously glancing at Liliana. Absently, some part of her mind noted that Ellingham was a commoner, maybe a merchant's daughter, a noble would’ve used her title. Another reason to be sure these children got to Heartbreach tomorrow, there would be no ransom coming for Ellingham if she was stolen.

“Very good,” Liliana said with a strained smile, trying to remember to be somewhat kind. She dropped down to sit on the bed, legs crossed. Diana sat next to her as there were no chairs in the room and slowly the second years found places to sit, confusion clear in their every movement.

Liliana looked at Diana, and the girl sighed, spine straightening. It was better for kind, sweet Diana to tell the students’ information like this. Liliana would send them into a panic, surely.

Diana spoke softly as she informed the second years of what they’d uncovered. Confusion turned to anger and revulsion before it finally settled on a mixture of fear and indignation. As with most of the younger years, these second years hadn’t truly failed, and so they didn’t entirely believe they could. They didn’t have enough experience yet to realize when a fight was something they could fight, or needed to run away from at full speed.

“We can take some trafficking scumbags!” Ephraim Ashpole, the Spiritwalker and second physical fighter of the group, insisted, jumping to his feet.

“I’d like to see them try to take us,” Vivian Tier, the Conjurer of the group, grumbled, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Diana glanced at Liliana, passing the baton in the face of the confrontation. Diana was there to be the soft and comforting one. Liliana was there to be the one that scared them into behaving, so the second years survived the night. Whether they liked it or not.

“Be that as it may,” Liliana spoke up, tone sharp and commanding, forcing the second years to descend into silence. “There is a high risk here that they’ll be outside your capability to handle.” She continued, shooting a glare at Rosalind Lenoir, the group’s Witch Doctor and healer, when she opened her mouth to argue. The girl’s mouth snapped closed with an audible snap. Too young yet to have fully gained the healer’s confidence that made Marianne such a force to be reckoned with on and off a battlefield.

“There’s a reason that second years aren’t allowed to tackle anything but beast subjugation and aid assignments. Humans don’t work like beasts, they don’t fight or think like them. They’re unpredictable and cruel in a way a beast will never be. You have not been trained for this, and you’ll be in danger. Our job is to keep you safe, and we’re going to do that.” Liliana told them, voice hard as she met each set of stubborn eyes and forced them to look away.

How could these children think they could fight the very worst of humanity when they couldn’t even hold her stare? How could they fancy themselves capable of facing the kind of twisted monsters capable of stealing and selling children when they shrunk away from sharp words and a glare?

“What about the children?” Andrew asked, voice plaintive and eyes wide and so filled with sympathetic pain that Liliana’s shoulders almost slumped with it. Gods above, these second years were so innocent it hurt. Had she been innocent like this once? She couldn’t remember.

“Once we get you six to Heartbreach and safety, me and Diana will take the trafficking organization down.” She assured them, tempering her tone into something in the same realm as kind. It made sense they were concerned about the children already taken. Only a monster wouldn’t be. Even the most naïve knew what happened to those taken by human traffickers, and no one would wish that on anyone, least of all a child.

“We can help,” Ashpole argued, but his voice came out sounding less confident and more unsure. Liliana’s attention switched to him, and under the severity of her gaze, he wilted.

“You will be liabilities. Is your pride more important than the lives of the children that would be lost if we let you accompany us and they were killed because we were focused on keeping you six safe rather than rescuing them?” Liliana asked, light tone belying the vicious words she was speaking. Ashpole’s eyes widened and his skin took on an ashen tone as the truth was presented to him. His head fell, nonverbally admitting his defeat.

“Then you understand,” Liliana said decisively, turning her attention back to the other second years, assessing them and waiting for other arguments. When no more came, she nodded sharply.

“Good. Rosiers and Tier, you’ll stay with me. Lenoir, Ellingham and Ashpole, you’ll be with Diana. Lelantos will stay with the Diana’s group as well,” Liliana easily handed out the room assignments, splitting the second years up based both on their temperaments and classes.

She didn’t want them to fight, but if it came to it, she had to be mindful of where they’d be best served. Diana wouldn’t need a second tank, and Liliana couldn’t split the twins. Liliana had Serenity as a healer, but Diana didn’t have that, so Lenoir would go with her.

Tier was a mage which meant even if this turned to a fight, and Liliana wanted the second years out of the way, she could provide cover. Maybe cause some lucky damage. A trapper adding extra protections to Diana’s rooms would only further shield her friend and the second years, so Ellingham went with her.

Ashpole was a fighter, which would pair nicely with the rest of Diana’s assortment. Liliana certainly didn’t need another fighter with her and Polaris in the room, and Ashpole’s quick temper would only chafe in close quarters with Liliana’s acerbic tongue.

“If this comes to a fight tonight, you’re to let me, Diana, and my bonds handle it. Stay back, provide covering fire if you have to. Stay near us, do not run or give chase. Only attack if you have no options.” Liliana instructed the second years, channeling her brother in the way she gave orders. Liliana was no commander, but the second years respected her enough that combined with her mimicking his behavior, it was enough to cover her failings in that area.

This wasn’t what she wanted to be doing, handing out orders and deciding weighing who would be best served where in case these children had to fight for their lives. But it was what was needed, and she’d do everything she could to see them out of this alive.

“Any questions?” Liliana asked, looking out over the second years. When none were offered after a long, silent minute, Liliana stood and turned to Diana. The other girl was staring at her with wide, sparkling cornflower blue eyes.

“I’m going to retrieve Polaris and Lelantos. Get them settled, food will be delivered to our rooms. Check it for poisons before you let anyone eat. Have Ellingham set up traps in both the rooms we’re staying in and the three decoys.” She told her friend, who blinked a few times as if dazed, a light dusting of pink appearing on her cheeks.

“Of course, right. Yeah. I’ll do… that. Yeah.” Diana said, stumbling over her own tongue.

Liliana stared at her for a moment, tempted to call Serenity out to check if Diana had already been poisoned before she decided against that course of action. Diana was displaying none of the other symptoms of being poisoned. She was likely just overwhelmed. And uncomfortable from the raised voices and arguing. Satisfied by the conclusion, Liliana nodded at her friend, giving her a smile before she left the room.

Liliana leaned her back against the rough wood of the door, head bowing in the relative privacy of the empty hallway. She could feel the weight of six lives settling heavily on her shoulders. Pressing down on her, suffocating. Liliana was a fighter, not a protector. The responsibility felt foreign and uncomfortable to her. But it wasn’t one she could shed, not yet.

After this, she wasn’t taking another bodyguard assignment until the absolute last possible second. The stress of them was going to send her to an early grave.