It’s been nearly two days since Zaundra found herself locked back up with the Grimwall organization’s lackeys. If only she ran, then maybe she’d be closer to home. But then what would’ve happened to the villagers? And what were the odds of her even getting away. These people were sent in the Exxen Rings for a reason.

Yelm played a card game with Harold while Ont sat back and peeked inside the barred window. He could see the faint silhouette of Zaundra sitting with her head down. Meanwhile, Liam was going through hell trying to keep the horses from running wild. They left the Exxen Rings sometime ago, but they’ve probably lived all their lives in the rings. The horses were a lost cause, so on their next stop, they’d have to get horses. As for the ones they're using, they’d have to be put down. A horse without a mind completely taken by its master is a useless steed.

One of the horses headbutted the one next to it, and Liam pressed the button he had to put them back on track. The horses obeyed the command sent by the electric signal and retained their forward momentum. It was annoying dealing with them, but for people wanting to travel in the Exxen Rings, they’d just have to deal with unsatisfactory horses. Either that or they’d have to walk and sleep in the open with creatures capable of tearing people to shreds waiting just out of sight for them to break down.

As they approached the peak of a hill, a small town peaked into view. Liam alerted the others, and they got into position. The Grimwall orginazation don’t really operate legally, considering the fact they’re an underground organization. Three of the five countries surrounding the Exxen Rings especially don’t like them because of certain business transactions the boss approved which hindered their rule. However, they were in one of the two countries who could care less about what they do, as long as it doesn’t hurt them.

The only downside being if they found out they had someone like Zaundra, then they wouldn’t appreciate it in the slightest. If her father figured out they had her in the country, then there’d be hell to pay.

“What’s our plan?” Harold asked.

“Stop the horses for now.” Yelm ordered.

Liam obeyed, cracking the reins, and thankfully the horses listened. Yelm jumped out of the carriage and approached the door to the cage. Twirling the keys around his finger, he whistled as he approached the door. Holding the keys up to the lock, he unlocked them one by one, and once the last lock came off, the door burst open and a rock came flying out. Yelm expected that and swerved his head out of the way before he needed to treat a broken nose.

“What are you planning?” Yelm said.

Zaundra stood, her hands cuffed but her stance was of someone who had yet to have their spirit broken. There was still a fire burning inside her.

“That depends on what you’re planning.” Zaundra retorted.

Yelm held up the key ring, and isolated from the rest were the keys to her cuffs. They dangled in front of her, and she stared at it with such intensity it was almost as if she expected the keys to float straight to her.

“Let’s make a deal.” Yelm said, covering the key with his hand. “I’ll grant you temporary freedom, but you’ll have to stay with us, and keep with our story. We’re a traveling caravan who just had most of our goods stolen by a group of rogue bandits after accidentally finding our way in the Exxen Rings. Our carriages were stolen and hopes bashed, we need to rest and get fresh horses because ours lost their minds from staying in the rings for too long. Do you understand?”

Zaundra sneered and glared at him with eyes that could see through his totally unabashing charisma.

“You’ll just put me back in here again once we leave. Don’t take me for an idiot like Oculus.”

“Was that the redhead's name?” Yelm said. “It would be a shame if we went back in there and brought him back to you with a few extra injuries.”

Zaundra sighed and walked out of the carriage. Yelm nodded, glad that she had agreed to stick to the story before they had to come up with a reason for why there’s an unconscious girl in their carriage.

He unlocked her cuffs, and they fell to the ground. She rubbed her wrists for a second as Yelm bent down to grab the cuffs off the floor. With his head facing away from her, Zaundra took her chance. Crafting a rock right above his head, she prepared to bring it down. No matter how Gifted one is, a good hit will knock anyone out.

“Are you sure you want to do that?”

Zaundra turned behind her, and suddenly all she could see was a fist flying at her.

***

A carriage rolled up to the town’s main entrance way, and the guards stationed there had moved into action. Two of them stood in the road, raising their hands. The one managing the horses stopped as soon as they got close, and the guards could get a good look at them.

The driver had bruises covering his face and a severe nosebleed. He looked as if he were about to die any second if they kept moving. The horses didn’t behave any better. They neighed and kicked at each other, and they only stopped when the driver pressed a button. All evidence pointed to them having come from the Exxen Rings.

“Is there anyone else in the carriage!” One of the guards yelled.

The driver lazily bobbed his head, and the guards approached them. When they looked inside the carriage, all they saw was more hurt men, with bruises and cuts covering them and one girl who had been knocked out. Her head lay in the lap of the only man not injured, and his eyes gave the look of someone who had given up everything.

Trash littered the carriage as well, showing signs of possible robbery. One of the guards headed to the box that was attached to the carriage and peeked inside the barred window. Nothing was inside it, but there were signs of damage from the inside. The box looked more like a cage then anything else, but it could just be him overthinking things.

“What happened here?” The guard asked the driver.

The driver smacked his lips, as if trying to find a voice that had been beaten out of him.

“We are, or were, a traveling caravan. I didn’t check the map and next thing I know we found ourselves in the Exxen Rings and surrounded by bandits.” The driver groaned and doubled over. A pain in his gut resurfaced and plagued him further. “They took everything. Our medicine, our rations. Everything. All we have left is this shitty carriage with a few broken horses.”

As soon as he said that, the horse kicked at the guard, hitting him square in the chest. He flew back and landed on his ass. The horse neighed as if it was laughing at him.

“We can offer you assistance if that’s what you need.” The second guard said. “There’s a motel and hospital in this town. They’re not the best, but it’s all we have.”

“Thanks.” The driver said. “Just point me in the direction.”

The guard told him where to go and the driver thanked him again. The horses began moving once more, but even though their story seemed to add up, the guard couldn’t help but feel as if there was more to that story.

***

Zaundra opened her eyes, and the first person she met upon waking up was Ont, who was standing above her. She wanted to back away, but all her limbs were in extreme pain, and her body refused to move an inch.

“Where are we?” Zaundra asked.

Ont didn’t say anything, instead he kept leaning against the wall as he stared at her with dead eyes. If it weren’t for the fact he could move, then she wouldn’t bat an eye if he popped out of the ground next to a tombstone.

“We’re in Jamvyore. Specifically, Lillie town.”

Zaundra perked up with that piece of information. Though her hope may be slowly waning, Brigand was right next to Jamvyore. If she could manage to cross the border, then she’d be back in home territory. But first she’d need to escape Ont and Yelm, which at that moment wasn’t even close to possible.

Yelm, she might stand a chance against. His Gift is powerful, but his body is as vulnerable as a normal person’s. Ont is where the trouble stepped in. His body’s completely invulnerable to her stones, and even with the strength of a giant and half giant, his body remained uninjured. It would be better to run from him.

However, with her body as it was, running away was nothing but a pleasant dream. If she wanted to escape she had to either wait and heal up, or hope that someone saves her.