‘What am I doing?’ Valeralanta thought to herself as days passed by. Days of teaching Venic about foraging, and evenings of theorizing about the orb and healing her wounds.

Venic was an eager student, and soon he was helping collect herbs and mushrooms to add to their meals. He even helped with the shelters, and instructions on how to do so no longer was necessary.

It all seemed harmless enough, until Valerlanta realized the problem of it all. She was comfortable around him. No longer did sitting by him or sharing a shelter cause her to worry about protecting herself. In fact, it no longer crossed her mind at all, and that bothered her.

Not only was he a knight who dined with the king, but he was also a spy. He built his entire life around lies, and yet Valerlanta sat with him, chatted with him, and slept soundly.

‘What am I doing?’

Why was she getting comfortable?

Valerlanta told herself that she had to stop putting her guard down. She would stop teaching him, and certainly stop whatever weakness was growing in her....but she would do so tomorrow. That tomorrow simply failed to arrive. The sun would rise and fall, and always those tasks she gave herself would always be rescheduled.

Then, in what felt like the time of a blink, they arrived at Palenwood.

The walled city jutted out of the graceful hills of the valley; and left a bare slice in the forest like a scar. Several small creeks exited from knee-high grates in the city walls, and filled a moat which, in turn, fed into a large river. Palenwood resisted the dangers of the wild, and the cold stone walls were a constant reminder of that resilience.

As both thief and spy looked on at the city, Valerlanta pretended not to notice that Venic kept gripping and releasing his sword. Of course he was nervous; this was outside his expertise.

For Valerlanta, her heart was beating only with excitement. She had grown bored of the heists tasked to her by her guild, but this...this was tantalizingly different.

“How are we going to get in?” Venic asked, staring at the gate in the distance. In front of it, a long line of people and wagons waited to be granted entrance.

Valerlanta looked him over. Even though they were tattered and dirty, his clothes were clearly intended for a knight. No peasant could ever afford such grand fabrics and embroidery.

Her own clothes were equally a problem. Made for traveling through the woods, they would surely draw attention.

The mask could stay, though. Masks were common to cover scars, or even for fashion. Some royals even changed masks several times a day, depending on their mood. Or so she had heard.

“I will go trade some clothes for you,” Valerlanta said.

“Trade?” His brows shot up in surprise. “Not steal?”

“Steal?” Valerlanta mocked offense. “What do you take me for, sir knight?”

“A thief,” he said, and the corner of his mouth curled up into a smile.

“True, but only the worst kind of people steal from those just struggling to survive. There is one problem, though.”

“Oh?”

“We will have to stash our weapons somewhere out here. There is no way they will let us through with them, especially not the swords. They will bring up far too many questions.”

He looked irritated, glancing between her and the castle, then nodded. “We will hide them, then. I do... — I do think I have to ask. What if I went in alone?”

She stiffened and a cold chill crept up her spine. “What?”

“It is simply a thought, but what if I went in myself? You could wait out here and protect our things,” he smiled but it looked forced. “My sword is worth a pretty penny, you know. I wouldn't want anyone walking off with it. And that is just mine; what about the treasures?”

A horrible sinking feeling spiraled down in her stomach, and she had to fight to keep her expression neutral. “I will not hide them where someone can find them.”

“I also know more about cities.”

“And I know more about the forest, and yet here you are! What is your point?”

“But—”

“Bu what? Stop making excuses, and tell me the truth! What is it? Why don’t you want me to go with you?”

Venic opened his mouth to tell her, but no words came out. Instead, a dark look settled over his eyes and he shook his head. “No... — no, you are right, I am overreacting.”

Valerlanta felt a flash of pain in her chest at the obvious lies, but pushed no further. “Alright then, disarm.”

When both their weapons lay in small pile, she felt very naked even with all her clothes.

Had she ever been without that bow since her father had given it to her? She doubted it.

“I will be back shortly,” she told him. “I can hide everything once I am back.”

He raised a brow. “You are leaving me here? Just after we specified I can not leave you here?”

“Oh, don't be so dramatic. I won’t be entering the city. I will be right back.”

Palenwood stood as the largest walled city in all of Avelynd. Those high stone withstood countless generations of attacks, but that ended with King Khon. The castle had tried to hold out from his advance, but in the end the walls were breached by the kings magic.

The marks were still around. Some had been repaired — the patch work obvious next to old stone — while others were still waiting. Above the gate, there scrape marks marred the surface from where the old family crest had been removed.

Even the people still had a hollow sort of look, as if they were still healing from wounds that could not be seen. They lined up at the gates, waiting for entry to the morning market. Some with carts, others on foot with large baskets strapped to their backs. Valerlanta slipped among them, looking for the right target.

“Do you think there will be much to buy?” One old lady was saying to another. They both hoisted their empty baskets, ready to carry weight despite looking well into their elderly years.

The other looked alarmed. “Why wouldn't there be?”

“I hear the Wylfaren troops are salting all the farms they can. They are trying to starve out the king, as if that would stop him. He is a king! He just started exporting food from overseas. All they are doing is starving us out, not him. We only just recovered from one war...must they pick on us for another?”

Valerlanta felt her stomach sink, thinking of the visions she had seen when she held the ball.

"It is not salt,” she murmured to herself, but so quietly she knew they would not hear.

It was from the magic purge. She knew that now. While stripping magic from the land, there was something else that was being taken from the earth as well; something the plants thrive on.

Forest walkers like herself had been noticing a change for several years now, but it had worsened ever since the king expanded his borders. There were less flowers, less foraging, and more attacks from hungry animals.

Valerlanta walked away so she would not have to hear them any more.

In the middle, the thief found what she was looking for. It was a simple covered wagon that looked innocent enough. A young boy with his sister sat on the bench, and the whole contraption was pulled by a large bull. Both children looked too young to be alone, but that was a common story. There were orphans everywhere, and most ended up hired by someone for cheap labour. In this case, these kids were given the wagon full of goods and were expected to sell them in a certain amount of time to get paid in full.

By the looks of their clothes and skinny bodies, they did not sell much as of late.

“Hello, traveler. I am in need of two spare sets of men's clothes,” Valerlanta opened a bag and tilted it only enough for him to see. His eyes lit up when, instead of petals, he saw a small collection of jewelry. “Do you have anything you would part with by any chance?”

The boy flashed a smile that was missing teeth. “I think we can accommodate you just fine.” He nudged his sister. “Go on.”

The covered part of the wagon was barely hip high at best, but the little girl easily crawled on all fours inside; disappearing behind tattered canvas. Valerlanta stepped to the back, and the girl appeared at the opening of two ratty curtains.

“What sizes?”

“Mine,” She said, then put up her hand above her head, guessing. “Then a man, about this big? Muscular.”

The girl nodded and disappeared back inside. When she reappeared, the girl had just what Valerlanta needed. Well-worn peasants clothes.

Valerlanta took each garment, inspecting for flaws. When she was satisfied, she nodded and reached into her pouch.

“We haven’t even bartered yet,” said the girl in a short panic.

“It’s fine,” Valerlanta said, and held out her hand. “I have never liked bartering much. It is far too too tiring to be worth the bother. Full price is fine with me.”

Suspicious, the girl took it and opened her fingers out of sight and her eyes went wide. “T-this—”

“A gift between fellow guild members,” she said with a wink, and left them with a necklace that would easily feed them the entire winter.