She had never felt this way before. The White Feather swallowed as she walked with Lawrence down the narrow streets—machiyas on both sides, their escort leading the way.

Can I defeat him?

The Sword of a Thousand Suns was unquestionably the better fighter. She knew it—had known it the first time their blades had crossed. The force of his attacks, the precision and the sheer speed of his movements.

With this man on the loose, he could easily assassinate Ujio if sent to find him. She would not allow that to happen. Though she sympathized for Lawrence, she had seen this danger all along, had worried over it incessantly and had even considered seeking him out.

But I never did. He will kill me…

They were behind the first row of shops and dwellings behind the waterfront, and the guard tower was now visible from within the street, the tiled roofs still partially obscuring their view, though Haku could see four figures standing at the railing atop the tower.

“We must stay together,” she said. “We must fight together—if we wish to defeat them.”

The mage looked at her, and she could see the doubt in his eyes. Only now he was clearly beginning to see what they would be up against. The woman—that was the witch she had heard about, and beside her, The Sword of a Thousand Suns.

They looked down upon them from the railing, their powerful presence of strength somehow palpable to Haku down here in this street.

“We can do this,” Lawrence said, smiling slightly. “I have faith in you, White Feather—and I’m not a bad fighter myself.”

She nodded.

A commotion several streets back made itself known. It was an attack.

Ujio…?

Something inside her—fear or apprehension, or perhaps both, wormed its way around her stomach. Lawrence glanced toward her. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” Haku said, looking up at the tower they were approaching. They had a mission to accomplish, and she would accomplish it. The Emperor’s generals would know to attack the enemy lines if they were being flanked from behind right now.

She would trust them.