We Bleed Fire

5 - A Town

Agni was not a fan of walking. She'd done a lot of it since she'd ran, but she would never be a fan of it.

"Don't you guys have horses or something?" Agni whined. "Maybe a carriage?"

"Horses are expensive," Barrow replied, a step ahead of her, leading the way to the 'nearest' town. "No one wants to spend their money on a horse, not at the House. They also draw too much attention. Anyone who rides a horse is more likely to get robbed."

"I'd fight them off," the fiery girl mumbled, grazing a hand over the healing wound on her abdomen. "I'm strong enough."

"We know," Emma laughed. "You burnt up those trees real good."

Agni scowled at the small girl at her side, but kept walking. "So, what exactly is the House, anyways? Like, why are there so many people there?"

"Are you interested in the House?" Adam asked, taking a few large steps to walk besides her. "Like, actually interested?"

Agni frowned at him, pushing him so he wasn't so close.

"Fine! I didn't ask! Don't answer!"

"We're all something like runaways," Barrow replied. "A lot of the members of the house are running from the war. Some are criminals running from the law, some are just a bit lost."

"Some of us are orphans," Emma replied, watching the road ahead of her. 

"And some of us," Adam cut in, "are just good people trying to help out."

"So you guys just let anyone in?" Agni questioned.

"Not necessarily," Barrow replied. "Often, people come looking for us. In that case, we do something like a background check before they're allowed to stay, help out, and earn money through us."

"Earn money?"

"There's a monetary value in staying in the house, too." Agni tensed when Barrow's hand drifted to the hilt of her sword. When Barrow didn't make a move to draw the blade, she forced herself to relax. "We do jobs. If the King's men won't accept a request, people may come to us. The one who finishes the job gets a part of the pay, and the House takes a small sum."

"How do they find you? I mean, aren't you guys supposed to be hiding?"

"We're not just that little mansion the the hill. The House is much more than that." Agni tried to ask more, but was cut off by Barrow who stopped in her tracks. "Look. We're here."

Sure enough. Just down the hill, Agni could make out towering walls that were clearly meant to protect something. 

She followed the others towards the main gates.

"If we're all criminals," Agni started, earning herself a glare from Adam, "how exactly are we going to walk around without being stopped?"

"The same way the House is able to stay so secret," Emma replied. "If the King were to send an army after us, he'd have to admit that it's the people in his own country that are causing problems as well. We wouldn't look like a unified front. It's not like stopping some thief or street drunk. We're a band of people who hate-"

"That's enough," Barrow cut in. "We're approaching the city."

Agni looked forward. On either side of the main gate stood an armed guard. These ones weren't dressed in the King's bright white, but rather armor crested with his insignia. Her fists clenched, her fire danced below her chest, ready to respond when needed.

Adam was the one who caught her gaze, offering her a gentle smile as they passed. 

Sure enough. Neither of the guards spared them more than a passing glance. They didn't even seem to know who she was.