In the Absence of Light

Chapter 4: City of Thieves

AN: This is the same chapter that I posted for in the absence of humanity. I'm just posting it here for anyone who starts reading this stoy and doesn't realize there is a sequel.

Chapter 4: City of Thieves

The gate was a simple wooden gate made out of thick tree trucks. It was strong, but could easily be overcome by fire unlike the big city gates made of metal and stone. There were no guards at the gate; the town's reputation was obviously enough protection for the citizens of this lawless town. A cloaked man stood next to the gat as we entered. He leaned on a cane and had a hand out, "Would you spare some food my lady for a poor starving man? Would you feed this poor man who has lost everything?"

A stared at him and felt disgusted. This man had no need for a cane. He walked just fine. In fact the only thing wrong with him was his alcoholism and the fact that he begged or stole for money to quench his thirst for the drink. I ignored him. If we gave money to him he would come later to steal from us in our sleep. It might have been safer to just sleep on the road, but I would protect the group. I was strong enough to fight off everyone by myself.

A small and ragged brown haired kid ran up to our group, "M' Lady, let me show you the way to an inn. I can show you the best in of Sendisian's End. All I ask is one sendisian and you won't be disappointed."

That was a steep price for help, but we were likely to end up on the wrong side of town otherwise, and at least this kid was offering a service even if his prices were exorbitant. Of course, if we did end up on the wrong side of town we would be able to fend off trouble, but Lyana would be helpless, and Parsa, Kyra, and Chrisin definitely weren't fighters either. Darin could see me hesitating, and he quickly responded, "We would love for you to show us the best inn in town."

He pulled a sendisian coin out of the pouch hanging off the side of his saddle and showed it to the kid. The kid leapt at the coin spooking his horse who bumped into Zentas. Zentas of course tried to kill Darin's poor horse, and it took all of my focus to calm him down and not let him kick the nark out of Darin's horse. Dimly in the background of my focus I could hear Darin "No, not till you show us the inn. I am a man of my word."

"Easy there sweetheart. No one to kill right now, not yet at least." I whispered to Zentas as I gently patted him on the neck holding tightly on the reins with the other hand. I quickly put my hand back on the rein and held the reins with both hands. His neck was arched with his nose tucked against his chest and his ears flat on his neck to show his displeasure at being held in. His eyes were rolling and he desperately was trying to find a way to avoid my legs that held him from spinning to kick. He pranced him place and repeatedly tried to yank the reins from my hands. An idiot ran behind him and he nailed them sending them flying. There was only so much I could do to keep him from harming anyone. If they were stupid enough to run behind a crazy horse that was their own problem.

Kicking that person seemed to help him calm down. He only bounce a little in place now instead of fully lifting his feet and his ears weren't flat against his neck, but it looked as if they were searching for a new target. I needed to get him out of this crowded marketplace.

"Come on, let's move before Zentas tries to kill anyone else." Why were we still standing there anyway?

"Look around Zedi. Kyra has to save anyone and everyone. That person your dearest monster just kicked was pretty badly injured."

I turned and looked behind me, and I could see Kyra leaning over a body on the ground with a crowd starting to grow around her. "Can we get the person in the wagon, and move? Zentas is riled up and this crowd isn't making him any happier. The sooner we get moving the happier he will be. A person was shoved near him, and he almost managed to get out of my hand to bite them, but I held him back. If I had to I would force his will, but that was last resort. I liked his temper, and I hated having to force a will to my own, even for a short time.