The King's Knights

Chapter Thirty-Two: Destined Meeting

Fayn sped down the path while Saphra kept pace without expression.

She'd left about the time they'd started the burnings. At that point, she'd stuck around too long already. Saphra was with her, of course, she wasn't leaving without her prize.

Aklus had been busy.

The monster hit another caravan yesterday. You could see the bodies hewed and mutilated by the roadside. If the words of the locals were any indication, Hrunter had done nothing. As Fayn found out when speaking with a group of merchants who had been robbed.

"They say they're patrolling," said the man. "But we found the corpses lying by the road. Stripped completely bare. And later, when we got into town, we found that Hrunter was selling the goods those merchants had. I remember I saw some odds and ends I sold to them."

"And who, pray tell, robbed you?" asked Saphra.

"We had the luck to run into Sigurd," said the man. "If getting robbed can be called luck and offered us a chance to surrender. When we resisted, he beat us down and took our goods anyway.

"But he left us with supplies enough for the journey. We're likely ruined anyway, but at least we're not starving."

"Speak to Prince Aras," said Fayn. "If anyone can help you, it is him. I'll see what I can do about this when I get into town."

"Much obliged to you, milady," said the man.

And they moved on, Fayn considering how to handle things. It was obvious that something had to be done about Hrunter. If nothing was done, it would make Relma look weak at best. Complacent if things were worse. Or, worst of all, complicit.

They'd also have to do something to restore at least some of what had been lost to these merchants. Otherwise, it would look bad and make it seem like Relma didn't care. And it had to be done quickly before all these caravan seizures shut things down. Garrick was not here, but Hrunter was. Fayn would take care of Hrunter then and leave Garrick and Aklus for another day.

Someone was going to pay for this.

She could sense that Fayn was just as angry about the fact as she was. It was the first time they'd been on the same page.

"Are you sure you can trust these friends of yours?" asked Saphra.

"No," said Fayn. "But I don't have to. I just have to trust them long enough to finish what I need and cut them loose."

"That is a utilitarian approach to things," said Saphra. "You sound like a Sathri?"

"I'm not planning on becoming friends with them," said Fayn. "I'd much rather have someone who won't stab me in the back."

"Such things are a luxury," said Saphra.

But they spoke very little after that point.

Saphra seemed to admire the landscape around them, though she might be looking for enemies. Her gaze seemed to take in everything at once and yet nothing.

Fayn brought up the subject of alchemy to cut the boredom, and Saphra obliged. She spoke of mixtures and potions that could be used. As well as rituals that allowed one to track demons and general principles. Many were different from the meticulous methods Cervan had used. He'd always measured every bit of what he did to the smallest drop.

He'd had to.

A lot of his materials involved blood sacrifice and were not easy to replace.

Soon enough, however, they came in sight of Ham Hawkthorne. He was waiting by the crossroads with his sword before him. The point was in the earth, and he seemed to be praying. Fayn moved forward, surprised at his presence, and could see Seynaran some ways off.