In the two hours they had traveled, they passed three contingents of traders who were all heavily surrounded by armored guards. "The traders pay a lot of money to the mercenaries and usually have their private armies to tread on this path," Ileus had informed earlier. No one was friendly and everyone gave them a cold stare as they passed. All the while they rode, Anastasia could make out the brine smell of the ocean as a cool breeze blew constantly.

By the time it was evening, she was too tired. She began to careen towards her right. Ileus immediately gathered her in his arms and pulled her closer. "Anastasia? Sweetheart?"

She opened her eyes and in a lazy voice asked, "When are we going to stop? Is there an inn where we can stop?"

"We will stop in a few hours, love," he said and held her close against his chest. He leaned over her to adjust her cloak. He smelled her and kissed her temple. With her now asleep, he could easily focus on the road ahead.

He was surprised when earlier in the day he saw how Quetz behaved in front of her. A soft chuckle escaped his lips when he stiffened in his saddle. There was a rustle in the forest. "Up your shields!" he shouted and pushed Anastasia to lie flat on Lovac.

Anastasia jerked her eyes open over Lovac's neck. It's mane's hair went in her mouth and she sputtered. Her husband's weight was crashing over her. Her heart leapt out of the ribcage. Was he attacked severely? The night had descended and it was too dark around her. The road was lit with the light of the waning moon. It took a moment for her to comprehend that Ileus was protecting her with his body and she was beneath his shield. A loud blow was heard and the metal of his shield clanged. Ileus braved the attack and even though he careened to the left, he ensured that he had covered her completely in order to take the blow of the attack.

Lovac started prancing. Anastasia had to grab the pummel in order to balance herself. But just as she grabbed, yet another arrow was shot from somewhere inside the forest and she lost balance. Gasping and shrieking, Anastasia slid to the side of the horse. Ileus caught her arm firmly so that when she fell on the ground, she didn't get hurt. Quickly the Mozias surrounded her. She could see their armors and the shields that they had put in front of them.

She squealed when a firm hand pushed her down. "Stay down," Darla hissed.

"I can fight!" Anastasia retorted.

"We don't want to risk showing your face yet," Darla said.

That was something Anastasia couldn't object. Suddenly a cacophony of twangs broke from the forest around them. Flurry of arrows hit the armors and the shields. Gritting her teeth, she had to crouch on the ground with her hand on her head. Anastasia glanced on her side and realized that the enemy had surrounded them, rather pinned them from all the sides.

But all that changed within the next fifteen minutes. She heard clopping of horses' hooves from deep in the forest as if riders were retreating. There were cries of pain. Swords met with swords and metal clang everywhere. The trade path where they were standing, exploded into gore. Mozias and vokudlaks were fighting with the bandits. She was craving to use her magic and the will with which she was forcing it back was annoying her. She wanted to scream as the magic thrummed in her chest. She wanted to protect all of them. With difficulty, she contained her magic because she didn't want her husband to get into any trouble.

The shield around her broke and she was pulled to her feet only to come face to face with Darla. "Follow me, my Queen," she said like an order after inserting her swords into the sheath on both sides of her belt. Anastasia was surprised and for a moment stared at her. Queen? She was pulled out of her stupor when Darla said, "This way." The two darted towards the wagon. Darla pushed her inside and said, "Don't come out. Just stay out of sight until everything is clear." As soon as she said that, someone lunged at her. Darla took out her swords and in a swift motion killed the bandit.

Anastasia gasped. From her vantage point, she saw that Darla remained close to the wagon and thwarted any attempts of the bandits who tried to come close. She gulped when a head rolled beside her. Gods, Darla was protecting her with her life.

Anastasia turned her head around to find Ileus in the chaos. She could feel that the bandits were slowly running away feeling that they were no match against the Dark Prince and his men. She found him fighting with a group of bandits along with Kaizan. While Kaizan fought with his swords, Ileus fought with a sword and a dagger. She had never seen him fight like this. He slashed and stabbed with his dagger while slicing that with the sword.

As she watched him, she couldn't help feeling... impressed. Suddenly a large number of bandits attacked the Ileus and Kaizan. Anastasia froze. Fear skittered down her spine.

"Don't come out!" Darla instructed and then let out a roar and along with every man in the group, attacked the bandits. Anastasia was craving to come out, so she crawled out a little. Who would know if she wielded a little magic? But she didn't know the spells, didn't know what magic to use. With her heart beating hard against her ribcage, she focused on one of the bandit's swords and waved her hand in the air. As soon as he clashed the sword with one of the Mozias, his sword broke. Shocked, he looked at his broken sword but the Mozia plunged his sword into him and he rolled on the ground with a shocked expression.

She let out a yelp when someone grabbed her ankle and yanked her out. She clutched the wheel of the wagon to resist the pull. She kicked the person but to no avail. When she turned, she almost screamed at the disgusting, filthy, tattered and bloody bandit who was trying to grab her thighs and tear her slacks. She kicked him with force and her boot landed on his face.

"You bitch!" he said and tried to pull her again. This time with a bellow he managed to pull her out. Anastasia immediately took her dagger out and was about to plunge it into him when yet another filthy bandit came towards them.

"Ah, you've caught a beauty!" he remarked as he licked his lips.

Anastasia's face was now discovered. If these bandits left this place alive, she was sure Aed Ruad's men would come after them. She knew that Ileus was killing every damn bandit in order to save her. Before the second bandit could come approach them, she plunged her dagger into the chest of the man who pulled her out. He watched her with a stunned look as he fell on his knees on the ground. Anastasia pulled the dagger out of him. The second bandit lunged at her with an eerie cry.