Teela squealed with delight. I, having had the distinct displeasure of actually interacting with this individual before, grimaced.

  She practically leapt towards him and cried out, “She’s a runekeeper!” One slender pointed one finger at me triumphantly. “You know the law just as well as me, er, us. Hospitality and all that ash; if she needs anything you have to help her!”

  “Runekeeper.” He said the word darkly. “Yeah, I heard all the shouting last night. But you know what I think?” He uncrossed his arms and took a few lazy steps towards us. His face was cast half in shadow by the growing dusk. The effect was distinctly unnerving. “I think that’s a load of ash.” He looked me up and down. “No one blessed comes running out of the woods without a herd of holy warriors at her beck and call. And definitely not with your doe eyes and stammering lips, ladyship.”

  Teela’s made an indignant noise.

  “Listen, sir,” I ground out, “I don’t know what your problem is, but my friend and I would really appreciate a safe place to spend the night. I have money; I can pay you.”

  “I saw your gold.” He waved one gloved hand dismissively. “And I’ll take some, sure, but that’s not really what I’m interested in.”

  He grinned maliciously. My nerves failed me. I inched back, clutching the book to my chest, and wondered with vague horror what this scoundrel was interested in.

  “I’d like,” he drawled, keeping pace with me, “To turn you in.”

  “Turn me into what?”

  He snorted and Teela, who had gone very still upon his advance, let out a bray of harsh laughter. I glanced over to see that she had, at some point during this increasingly tense interaction, picked up a fist-sized rock. She was clutching it behind her back, out of the stranger’s sight. My heart soared.

  “What are you, some kind of bounty hunter?” she balked. “She’s not pacted!”

  The man’s eyes never strayed from me. “So she says.”

  I spent a moment digesting his words. Was this the reason for his inexplicable hostility; did he think I was one of these apparently vicious, dangerous people consorting with Fae? If he did… his apathy towards Teela was still unconscionable, but perhaps his hostility towards me could be forgiven.

  After all, I reasoned, I’d also probably be pretty rude to someone I thought capable of mass murder. Assuming I was bold enough to even speak to them.

  “You think I’m dangerous,” I parceled out, furrowing my brow. “Or a… a criminal. You want to bring me to a town Watch?”

  He scoffed. “No, that would be stupid; they’d probably string you up on my word alone, not figure out if you’re telling the truth. I want,” he said firmly, taking another step forwards, “To deliver you to the Thalessians.”

  Teela actually laughed aloud; probably at the irony of our entirely similar goals.

  I shook my head slowly, unable to reconcile the seemingly noble intention with what I’d seen of this man so far. “What, because you’re a… a good, concerned citizen? Last night you were going to just sit there and let those men hurt Teela; why should you care if I’m some… some salted magical criminal running about the countryside?” Which, I thought with a swell of panic, there was a very small chance that I was.

  But he didn’t need to know that.

  He considered my question, head cocked. “Let’s just say I need a favor from the Order.”

  Teela and I exchanged glances. She shrugged.

  The stranger looked me in the eye. “That’s the offer. I’ll share my camp tonight, and I’ll get you north in one piece. The roads are dangerous lately, and you don’t have a chance of making it to Pinnacle without help. Consider me help.” He smirked, looking quite pleased. “And in return, I get to march you right through the Thalessian gates.”

  “We are headed to the Order,” I watched closely, trying to gauge his reaction; would knowing my intended destination earn some measure of trust?

  But, no, he merely folded his arms again and frowned.

  I mirrored the expression. “Look, whoever you are, it’s getting dark.” I grimaced up at the horizon, which was now the shade of a ripe plum. “If you have a shelter for the night and you’re only willing to share it based on… I don’t know, extortion, or whatever this is, fine. We’ll travel to Pinnacle with you.”

  It wasn’t as though Teela or I were in a position to argue. And we’re going there anyway. Safety in numbers, and all that, even if he is unpleasant.

  He pushed himself off the tree. “Good.”

  “Do we get a name, at least?”

  “Renner.”

  I’d half-expected him to not answer. I huffed and returned to picking my way through the rubble. If our less-than-charitable host already had a sanctuary set up for the night, then perhaps we could safely stay here a bit longer and look for anyone still alive. “Renner. Great. I’m Brin, and this is Teela, and maybe you can help us look for survivors.”

  “You’re wasting your time.”

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  I clenched my fists angrily, but didn’t have the energy- or the time, for that matter- to continue arguing with him. I kept scouring the blackened piles of wood for… salt, I wasn’t even sure what. Any signs of life, I supposed, though the rational part of me reasoned that anything buried under this charred heap was surely no longer alive. I shivered and continued on, jaw clenched. Nearby I heard creaking wood as Teela followed suit.

  After several minutes of this Renner sighed. “I said, there’s no point.”

  I ignored him.

  He approached, grimacing, and gestured with a hard slash of his hand towards… what was that? Part of a door, it looked like, with a melted brass knob and a trio of deep, jagged tears in the wood. And along the gouges, blistered by fire and nearly black, smears of what had assuredly once been a vivid spray of crimson.

  “No one got out of this mess alive.” Then, voice brewing with bitterness, he amended, “Or if they did, they probably wish they hadn’t.”

  “This was deliberate?” I breathed, my heart pounding. This had been Fae, out here in the middle of nowhere? Just a random, violent assault? The image of distant firelight haloing my beloved hometown came to mind unbidden. I fought back a wave of nausea.

  “People say they’re getting bolder,” Teela whispered from nearby, looking at the claw marks. She cut her reddish eyes towards me. “I mean, salt, they attacked Fellbrook of all places! They can’t get much bolder than that!”

  “These poor people…” I wrung my hands. Their lives gone in one violent, horrible moment because of-

  “We’re wasting time.” Renner’s growl cut my mournful thoughts short. “Whatever did this might come back and see what else it can find. We need to go. Now.”

  “I think we should listen to him, Brin.” Teela’s voice quavered. She eyed the darkening treeline warily.

  They were probably right. Fae acted at night, I reasoned, so this destruction was at least twelve hours old. Twelve hours was plenty of time for any survivors to have gotten to safety. At least, I hoped it was.

  “Okay,” I rasped, my throat thick. I cleared it and was very aware of Renner’s eyes on me as I added, “Where is your shelter?”

  ~~~

  It smelled like death.

  Renner’s shelter was, in fact, a small cave tucked into the side of a tor. Or rather, it was almost a cave; a few scrappy pines and needling shrubs had grown in between the various slabs of ash-hued rock, most of which almost formed solid walls.

  It seemed Renner had spent some time rectifying these gaps with what he had on hand. Snapped pine boughs were wedged tightly into the larger holes, and he’d obviously spent some time carrying stones to help fortify the openings. What lay before us now was a small makeshift cave, with an uneven rock outcrop overhead.

  And all along the stone mouth was something truly foul. It was yellow and congealed, like rancid butter. It smelled like rotting meat and dead plants.

  I covered my nose with my sleeve. “That’s horrible!”

  “Yeah.” Renner pushed past me, gagging, then ducked under the outcrop and into the shadows beyond.

  “Rotbutter,” Teela gasped, throwing herself after our host. She stopped just past the entrance, fanning her face. “Whew! Way better once you’re past it!”

  I forced my feet to follow, fighting down the urge to retch. It smells like carrion! How can they breathe? They’re practically on top of it!

  Two more steps answered my question. I stumbled past the smeared stones. The air immediately became cleaner, if cold and damp.

  Teela dimpled as I sucked in fresh air. “Rotbutter,” she proclaimed again, almost proudly. “There’s a cleric in Respite who came up with it. I actually had a job running buckets from Glory back to the temple, y’know. They mix it with all kinds of stuff…” she trailed off, doubtlessly deterred by my baffled expression. The young woman sighed and, in the manner of an adult explaining something to a child, said, “The wind picks it up and it smells like death. Fae don’t wanna go near it.”

  Rotbutter. Huh. I peered curiously at the substance, quashing the urge to reach out and touch it. I definitely did not want my fingers to smell like rotting meat.

  “How did you get some?” Teela’s eyes narrowed, glinting like drops of blood in the dwindling light.

  Renner didn’t answer.

  “Did you steal it?” She asked slyly.

  He grunted. “No.”

  She crossed her arms. “Uh-huh, sure you didn’t.” She tilted her head towards me. “They don’t give this stuff to just anyone. I bet he stole it.”

  There was a heavy thump as he dropped a weatherbeaten bedroll onto the hard floor, then offered a cocky, “Or maybe I’m not just anyone.”

  That was certainly thought-provoking. Was he a guard for hire, perhaps? A mercenary? I found myself wondering. Maybe he belonged to a town Watch and hoped to improve his lot by delivering me? The Thalessians were the most formidable, respected warriors in the realm; perhaps he hoped to join the Order.

  I chewed this over. “Not just anyone, huh? Hey, if I really am one of these people who’ve gotten powers from Fae, what’s to stop me from just… er, incinerating you?”

  Amused copper eyes glinted at me as he prepared his bedroll. “You can certainly try.”

  I wondered at how well he could use the assortment of blades visible on his belt. The array implied that he was either collecting weapons, which I highly doubted, or was more than capable of defending himself.

  I huffed and wrapped my arms around my midsection. “Well, then, suppose we get to the Order and they realize I’m telling the truth; I’m a runekeeper. I don’t think they’ll be very happy about your rudeness-”

  “Ladyship,” he stepped deeper into the shadows, setting his pack on the ground, “If you are a runekeeper and I get you there in one piece, they’ll be grateful for the rest of their salted lives.” He actually laughed. Just as before, the sound held a rusty tinge. “Trust me, handing you over is a win for me either way.”

  I heaved a sigh, wondering what the next few days would look like. I’d been quite excited to continue northwards with Teela, but Renner’s company seemed much less enticing. Particularly if he was convinced that I was some kind of monstrous criminal.

  We have a deal.

  I wrapped my cloak around myself.

  No. I’m not one of these people everyone’s so scared of. I didn’t do anything wrong.

  That thought brought me some comfort as the sun finished its descent. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I hadn’t. Royce had been dying, and the horrible Fae had saved him, and even if there had been some kind of… of magical, nefarious transaction between us, Royce’s life was worth it.

  I watched the steely skyline. Listened to buzzing insects and the distant coo of an owl. What would he say if he was here? He’d probably be scared, just like me, but he’d grin and find some off-handed joke to make that wasn’t really that funny but still somehow made you laugh. I rubbed one thumb along my bracelet.

  “Probably shouldn’t light a fire, huh?” Teela’s glum question broke into my reverie.

  Renner eased into his bedroll. He shook his head.

  She sighed and prepared her own blankets, teeth chattering. I gathered my things, spreading out my own bedroll beside hers. She gave me an unhappy half-smile that brightened considerably when I produced the spare cloak from my pack. It was thick and lined with soft fur. I gave a wry smile and offered it to her, along with the spare pair of gloves.

  Thanks, mom.

  “Shouldn’t one of us stay up for a while? To… I don’t know, keep an eye out for anything dangerous?” I cast a dubious glance towards the cave entrance. If Renner was opposed to lighting a fire for warmth, it was probably because he didn’t want to draw any attention towards our shelter. Which implied, at least by my reasoning, that the rotbutter alone would not be enough to ensure our safety.

  He had settled in with one hand under his head and the other resting on his chest. He appeared to have only taken off his boots, belt, and weapons. They were all piled beside him.

  Further proof that he doesn’t fully think we’re safe. Unless he’s just worried about me and Teela attacking him in his sleep.

  His eyes remained closed. “Not ‘til later.”

  Well, that certainly wasn’t reassuring. “What happens later?” My voice turned shrill.

  “Hopefully nothing,” he yawned. “Now be quiet.”

  Teela wiggled into her own little bed, with the cloak spread out for an extra layer of warmth. She caught my gaze and gave an exaggerated eye roll. “It’s probably fine. Rotbutter’s supposed to work really well. I bet we’re practically invisible.”

  I wasn’t convinced, but they were- presumably- far more used to staying safe outside during the night. I didn’t argue further and crawled into bed beside Teela.