Leyla embraced Rylen and sobbed into his chest.

“I thought you were a Kamwa,” she cried.

Confused, Rylen hugged her back. When he had left her last, she had slapped him. What was this about Kamwa? Why was she here? To cry in secret?

He let her stay like that for a few moments before he cleared his throat. She pulled back and brushed her hair behind her ear. She sniffed.

“What’s going on?” Rylen asked.

Her face scrunched up, and new tears came to her eyes. “They k-killed Juman. Dad and Mom are g-gone. I-I-I don’t know if they’re okay!” She broke down into sobs and covered her face with her hands.

Rylen awkwardly put his arm around her shoulder in a kind of side-hug as he tried to process what she had just told him. If he remembered correctly, Juman was one of the priests at the temple. He had been killed? By whom?

Leyla wiped her eyes, trying to control herself. “I don’t suppose you’d know anything about it. Especially after you ran away!” she suddenly snapped angrily. She punched his back ineffectually.

Rylen shifted uneasily, but she didn’t pull away.

She took out a handkerchief and blew her nose. “I’m still mad at you.”

He raised his hand and let it fall in a sign of helplessness.

She finally collected herself and stepped away from him. “What are you doing here?”

He awkwardly fidgeted with his bag’s strap. He hadn’t expected to say goodbye so soon. “I…needed a place to hide.”

She sniffed and wiped her nose again. “Why would you want to do that?” She looked at the ground.

Rylen shrugged. “I almost got caught by some villagers down in the valley. I don’t know what they were going to do, but I’m pretty sure they didn’t want to give me a cake. So, now I’m back.”

Leyla looked around the little hidden shelter with a slit of sky showing the rocky floor and cramped quarters.

“You said someone was killed?” he prompted.

“Yes. You wouldn’t know anything about it, though.” Her eyes were red from crying.

“When I came in, you said you thought I was a Kamwa. You, uh, scared me too. I didn’t see you at first.” He looked over to where she had been hiding. Looking at it now, he wondered how he hadn’t seen her. The shadow wasn’t as deep as he remembered it being. Perhaps his eyes had just adjusted to the dimness.

Leyla wrung her hands. “It’s nothing. Mom and Dad are gone, and I’ve been having to take care of everything for them.” She looked at the ground behind her and sat down wearily. “I haven’t gotten much sleep either.”

Rylen eased his pack off and sat next to her. “Why did they leave? They usually never leave during the festival month.”

Leyla shook her head. “It’s just…family business. They had to leave.”

She wasn’t telling him something. He almost chastised her for not confiding in him, then remembered his place. He couldn’t ask that of her after losing her trust. They sat in silence for some time.

“I’m sorry to hear of your loss,” he said.

She sniffed and whimpered a little but kept it together.

A distant horn sounded.

Rylen glanced up toward the slit of sky; it was going to get darker soon.

Then a chorus of horns sounded, louder than the first.

Something about it made Rylen frown. He glanced at Leyla, but she was just staring ahead. He hadn’t been back in Edge long, so maybe the horns were something new going on. He rummaged around in his pack until he found a candle. He lit it and set it in front of them.

Leyla looked into its warm flame.

The horn sounded again. Then again. Over and over it repeated.

The sound broke Leyla from her reverie. “What’s that?”

Rylen shrugged. “I thought you knew.”

Something different swirled its way across what little they could see of the sky. It was something black and wispy, different from all the white smoke coming from chimneys.

The horn sounded again. This time closer.

Rylen picked up his pack and snuffed out the candle. Leyla rose as well, and they made their way out of the crevice. They could see more of the black smoke rising.

They got out and looked at the northwest side of the city. Flames were lapping up buildings not three blocks away. From the height they were at, they could see people running between the buildings. However, the hill blocked their view of the rest of the town. The horn sounded again with a chorus behind it.

“Bandits?” he said in disbelief.

Her eyes were wide, but she didn’t say anything. She pushed on him gently.

He took her hint and started sliding down the gravelly rivulet. He climbed between the boulders and jumped down into the small space between the rocks and the building. Leyla was close behind him.

Another horn blast.

He took off his pack and together they squeezed through the tight gap. Once out, he got his first good view of the whole town. The city was quickly being consumed by fire. Flames and smoke leaped above the rooftops from multiple locations around the town. Leyla gasped from behind him.

A chill wind blew to the east, fanning and spreading the flames. Horns continued to sound their alarm. Flames licked hungrily at the buildings directly near them.

If they didn’t move quickly themselves, they would be caught up in the fire. Rylen and Leyla scrambled down the rocks to the street below where people were dashing past.

***

Adilah watched as the lieutenant landed limply on the ground. Those behind her weren’t able to react fast enough, and the carriage ran over him.

“Enemy attack!” the captain shouted. “Keep going!”

Another royal huntsmen climbed to the top of the rear carriage with his bow in hand.

“There!” The sound of several loosed arrows whistled through the air and someone shrieked.

Adilah glanced behind as a brightly robed figure fell from a rooftop.

The crier blew his horn again.

The focus point of the dark presence was close, very close. If Kassim hadn’t made the connection by now, she would smack him later. She spurred her horse into a faster gallop to run abreast of the crier.

The road angled down, then back up a hill. The flames engulfed the homes on either side.

Someone screamed, but the sound was quickly cut off.

Adilah looked back again. Another knight fell from his horse. Blood spilled down the front of his gorget and breastplate. The eyes of the knight behind him went wide.

It’s Harbiya, Adilah realized. These were all royal knights trained in the arts of the Kamwa. They could see Harbiya’s men, but not Harbiya himself. The fact that Gwyan’s greatest men couldn’t see him made her heart quiver.

The heat from the burning buildings made her feel like she was being seared. Flaming timbers fell close by. There was a loud clank behind them. Another mounted knight had fallen.

“There!” Adilah shouted to the captain. Her heart jumped for joy as she saw Leyla running down the street with Rylen.

The crier blew his horn again, and Leyla and Rylen turned to the sound but were frightened by the sight of the galloping horses. The convoy was quickly upon them and pulled to a stop.

“At front! Move! Move! Move!” the captain shouted over the roar of flames.

Some of the men on foot had been left behind when the horses had started galloping, but the soldiers waiting in the carriages until now poured out. They drew their weapons and rushed to where Rylen and Leyla were. One of them fell to an arrow piercing his mail. The arrows of the royal huntsmen sang and brought down another Kamwa from the rooftop.

The soldiers surrounded Rylen and Leyla. Jak and another craftsman took hold of them and ushered them toward the carriage.

“Jak?” Leyla exclaimed. Her question died on her lips as she looked behind him past the soldiers.

A shadow leaped across the ground and slammed a spear into one of the soldiers. The soldier fell to the side, groaning. Fighting broke out at the back of the carriages as well.

The captain spurred his horse and charged the shadow. The butt of the spear was suddenly set against the edge of a road stone and pierced through the horse’s armor, impaling it. The captain reacted with blazing speed, leaping from the saddle as his horse crumpled beneath him and impaling the shadow with his sword. They tumbled to the ground together.

“What’s going on?” Rylen shouted.

Jak was bodily dragging him to the carriage even as he struggled. Soldiers guarded them on every side. They were almost there.

Mounted knights fell from their horses.

The soldiers guarding Jak’s front fell without a sound, and he stumbled over them. One of the other soldiers yelled in alarm, then he too crumpled to the ground. Within seconds, the entire group who had been protecting Rylen and Leyla were dead. The captain picked himself up and ran toward them, then collapsed to the ground himself. Leyla screamed.

Pools of blood spread from their fallen bodies. A house in flame suddenly crashed in on itself, and the fire roared higher than before. Fighting continued on the other side of the carriages. The soldiers who had been on foot were catching up to the convoy from behind. A royal huntsman fell off the carriage with an arrow in his back.

Jak pushed Leyla and Rylen closer to the carriage, then turned back around to face his invisible adversary. Something thunked into wood, and one of the coachmen toppled off the carriage. He looked up to see Harbiya panting, with a bloodied knife in his hand. It was double-edged and came to a fine piercing point. It looked like he had been about to jump down onto Jak from above. A metal dart with white ribbons was protruding from the carriage not a handspan from Harbiya’s head.

Jak jabbed at the man with his sword, but Harbiya nimbly jumped back and off the carriage to the other side. He ignored Jak; instead, his eyes were peering through the haze of smoke further down the road.

A figure approached, the fires reflecting in deep, whiskey-brown eyes and making the man’s gray hairs look like embers. The flames cast harsh shadows on his stern, weather-beaten face and gleamed on a slim blade he carried. It was Hyrestl.

Jak turned to Leyla and Rylen. “Run! To the forest! We’ll cover you as best we can!” He pointed in the direction of Hyrestl.

Rylen hesitated. His eyes were full of fear and uncertainty. Leyla was crying.

Jak shoved both of them. “Go! Now!”

They ran.

Harbiya disappeared. A knife flew and struck Jak in the chest. He winced and pulled it out, then spun around as one of the Kamwa attacked him.

Hyrestl flicked his wrist twice, and darts clattered against stone directly next to Leyla and Rylen. One found its mark: Harbiya cursed as he sprawled on the ground just behind Rylen. He pulled the dart from his leg.

Hyrestl raised his sword to chest level; it shook in his hand. His heart beat in his ears, and his body trembled. Rylen and Leyla ran past him.

It had been days upon days since his body had truly rested. His curse had kept searching endlessly for Rylen.

“Heheheheh.”

Hyrestl’s face twisted, as if in pain.

Harbiya rose and stepped closer to him, warily.

“Heheheh. What’s wrong, Bram-Ulorah?” Hyrestl said through gritted teeth.

Harbiya’s face reddened. “Don’t.”

“Not going to turn invisible again?” He took his other hand and gripped his sword with it as well. It didn’t stop the shaking. Hyrestl eyed the bracer on Harbiya’s arm.

“Still haven’t been able to destroy it, I see. The Sae make some truly amazing magics. And yes, I can still tell where you are by it, though I must say its effect has lessened considerably.”

Harbiya ground his teeth. “You dare utter Ulorah’s name?”

Hyrestl took a shaky step forward. He felt his frustration bubbling to the surface. He couldn’t keep it bottled any longer. Every inch of him was yearning for a fight. That was one thing he could control. Of all the things in his life, he could control this.

“Oooh,” Hyrestl mocked in singsong, “was a Gwyanian spy really that attached to a scaly rat with wings?” He cocked his head to one side, and a wicked grin spread across his face. “It’s okay. Ulorah died in her sleep.”

“Curse you!” Harbiya screamed. He vanished as three knives whisked through the air.

Hyrestl caught the knives between his fingers.

“Hahahaha! You want to play knife games with a Telamian?” He glanced at the blades, then with a flick of his wrist, he sent them at a swirl of smoke. The spinning blades disappeared into the blazing inferno of a house.

There was a hiss of air being sucked through teeth. A cork was popped from a bottle.

“Poison, tsk, tsk, tsk.” Hyrestl said. “You better get that checked.” He lunged at where he felt Harbiya to be and swung his sword.

His blow was parried, and sparks flew. Hyrestl’s legs were kicked out from under him. He landed hard and rolled. Stone was chipped from the road where he had been, and a blade rang harshly.

He leaped back to his feet and slashed. He pulled blades from his belt and threw them. One stopped midair, then clattered to the stones. Smoke swirled. Hyrestl followed Harbiya’s movement back toward the carriage with his eyes, then sprinted after.

There was the sound of metal slapping flesh, and the horses reared. When their front hooves touched pavement again, they surged forward directly toward Hyrestl. The innkeeper dived out of the way, barely avoiding being crushed. Harbiya was upon him in an instant.

Hyrestl rolled, slashed, and sprang up. He jabbed at the air in front of him. His sword struck something and stopped, bending. It nearly sprang from his hand, and he stepped back.

“Y’know,” said Harbiya’s voice, “I’ve tried to cut my arm off to remove this cursed bracer. You know what I found? Even a battle-ax doesn’t make a scratch.” He came back into view. “So just try and harm me.”

Hyrestl grunted, and his blade flashed out in quick swipes. They were blocked each time by Harbiya’s forearm. He thrust, and his sword tip was blocked by the man’s right palm.

He tried to whisk his sword away, but Harbiya was faster. He clenched Hyrestl’s blade in an iron grip and wrenched it from him, flinging it to the side. Harbiya struck out with his own blade, aiming to slash Hyrestl’s wrists. Hyrestl rolled backward and pulled two knives from his boots. He held one normally and the other in a backhanded grip. Harbiya held his right hand out in front of him. His left hand held his knife.

The barman grinned. “Heheh, remember what I said about Telamians and knives?”

Harbiya jabbed. Hyrestl deflected the blow and in the same movement struck his opponent’s knife hand with the top of his wrist. Harbiya’s knife spun out of his hand. Hyrestl jabbed, and Harbiya struck back with his right hand, punching the knife out of the other’s grasp. Hyrestl struck out with the knife in his backhanded grip, making a shallow cut across Harbiya’s chest.

They exchanged parries and blows, Hyrestl with his knife, Harbiya with his right arm.

Hyrestl flipped the knife in his grip and jabbed forward with it. Harbiya blocked or slapped away some of the jabs, then suddenly struck with his elbow.

Hyrestl’s knife flew from his grasp. He didn’t pause but made a counterstrike by slapping Harbiya in the face, disorienting him. His next attacks were lightning fast as Harbiya raised his arms in protection. He only blocked some of them.

Fist strike to gut, side, temple, left arm, left arm, left arm, ribs.

Harbiya sprang backward and faded from sight.

Hyrestl felt him running away. He took the first few leaps to follow after, then something like a great weight settled on his limbs.

Another home crumpled in a burning heap. Hyrestl noticed for the first time he was slicked in sweat. He fell to one knee, and his vision blurred. He looked over to where Jak was. A man in a bright colored cloak lay at his feet. Jak pulled a blade from his chest. Hyrestl looked around. He spotted an empty vial, and next to it, one with liquid and stoppered with a cork.

He feebly pointed at Jak and himself. “We’re poisoned.”

Jak held his chest and looked at Hyrestl, who pointed at the vial.

“Get the antidote.” He bent over and put one hand on the ground to support himself. Jak staggered toward the vial.

Hyrestl’s breathing grew louder in his ears. The air was hot, so very hot. He coughed on the smoke for the first time. Wracking coughs shook his frame, and his spit was gray.

Hyrestl felt the presence of the Sae’s warning shackle diminish to nothing. The tension in his body loosened, and he slumped to the ground.

To Be Continued in Weak and Mighty