Lances and Daggers

18. The Burden of Knowledge

Alex's spear remained pointed at Erica, who froze in place. The accusation that he had made raised many eyebrows, and everyone waited for her answer. With a simple defense, she could've been able to escape from this situation, but she didn't say a word and raised her daggers instead.

"Do you want to fight, Alex? Is this your poor attempt at leadership?"

"I'm only asking for the truth," Alex said. Then he turned his attention to me and asked, "Do you think I'm lying, Lance? Do you think this girl's trustworthy?"

Erica and Wilhelm wouldn't gain anything by keeping the way out of this place a secret. I watched a shiny bead of sweat travel down Erica's cheek. But she's tricked me before. How can I trust her after everything she's done?

"Go ahead, Lance," Erica suddenly said. "Tell him I'm a thief, a backstabber! Tell him that Wilhelm's lord is the one who sent us here! Yes, Wilhelm and I shouldn't be trusted. What will you do about it? Will you erase us from existence?"

Her words shocked everyone. The secret that I had hidden, Faust's crimes, leaked out like water in a sieve. The town guards stared at each other, and their faces turned pale as if their blood had been drained away.

"This can't be true." Alex looked at me in confusion. "Did you lie to us?"

I remained silent, and the faces around me turned paler and glummer. None of the town guards could handle the shock. Some fell to their knees as if they could no longer trust their feet to keep them up.

"I understand, Lance. You must've meant well," Alex said as the spear shook in his hand. "But you should've told us earlier. If it was Lord Faust all along, Wilhelm shouldn't be trusted."

"Don't jump to conclusions," I said.

But my words fell on deaf ears. The situation swirled out of control like a three-wheeled wagon, and I was trapped in a cacophony of whispers and shouts.

"Are they hiding the way out?"

"I knew they shouldn't be trusted."

"Was it Lord Faust?"

"Capture them! Interrogate them!"

"Banish them from the camp!"

"Punish them!"

Egged on by the angry shouts, Alex could no longer restrain himself. He charged at Erica. She avoided his spear with a backward jump. Then, when he attacked for a second time, she deflected the spearhead and punched him in the face. His nose started to bleed, but he stood fast and refused to yield. It was Erica who chose to retreat. She raised her daggers in front of her face and took up a defensive stance. Her pose reinforced the idea that she meant no harm, and she began to take short steps backward.

Alex, however, did not intend to let her go. He lunged forward again and thrust his spear with more control than before. His attack was vicious—he targeted Erica's chest with the spearhead and her legs with the blunt end of the shaft. After three wooden hits landed on her thighs, she began to lose her balance. And it was then that Alex swung his spear one last time and knocked her to the ground.

"You're looking shabby," he said with confidence.

Because I had seen Erica fight the demons, however, I could tell that she was holding back. She knew that winning this fight would cause more tension. If she injured Alex, there would be no room for reconciliation: the camp would turn against Wilhelm and her.

But this doesn't mean that you should get hurt.

"It's over, traitor!" Alex said.

He thrust his spear with excessive anger and rashness, but I stopped it with my sword and stood between the two.