Chapter 34: Reunion

After nearly two weeks of flight, Ren and Licia had encountered a familiar face.

Under ordinary circumstances, that should have brought relief. Instead, both became intensely wary.

Meeting Viscount Given’s knights on the very edge of Clausel territory could not be dismissed as coincidence. Ren prepared to draw a magic sword the instant Licia was threatened.

“Baron Clausel asked us to assist in the search for you,” the knight said.

“He asked you?” Licia replied.

“We should leave this area at once. We’ll escort you somewhere safe.”

The explanation was implausible, but the two were surrounded. More knights might be hidden throughout the forest beyond those they could see.

They did not intend to let Ren and Licia leave peacefully.

(Fight or flee?)

Escape was preferable. Yet this encounter might offer the proof they needed against Given, and Ren did not want to waste it.

“Ren,” Licia whispered.

When she turned slightly and met his eyes, he understood that she had reached the same conclusion.

“We’ve come this far. Shall we press them?”

“It may put you in danger too.”

“It’s far too late to worry about that. Whatever we say will cause trouble.”

She smiled faintly.

“Leave this to me.”

“As you wish.”

The surrounding knights frowned at their private exchange.

Licia addressed the envoy. “You there.”

“Me?”

“Your answer will determine whether I allow you to escort us.”

She reached into the luggage hanging from the horse and withdrew the broken necklace.

“Look carefully. You recognize this, don’t you?”

The man’s eyebrows moved before he controlled his expression.

“No. I do not.”

“You reacted.”

“I have no idea what that object is.”

His denial did not matter. Licia was gathering information one reaction at a time.

“This magic tool belonged to the bandit who abducted Ren and me.”

“I see.”

“You don’t appear particularly concerned.”

“Of course I am. It should be preserved as evidence.”

“It will be. I intend to have the Merchant Guild investigate it.”

The knights stiffened almost in unison.

Even Ren did not know where she was going, but he remained silent.

“I became acquainted with the head of the Merchant Guild when I visited the imperial capital,” Licia continued. “I’ll ask him to identify the merchant who sold this tool, its previous owner, and any other surviving record.”

“Impossible. Do you know how many magic tools circulate throughout Leomel?”

“No. But this is clearly expensive. It is not an ordinary mass-produced tool. Someone should know something about it.”

It was a bluff, delivered with enough confidence to sound plausible.

Unease spread through the mounted men.

“Then we’ll learn whether the bandit acquired it himself or received it from someone else,” Licia said. “If another person supplied it, that person will be summoned before the tribunal. Providing a tool used in our abduction would be difficult to explain.”

The knights exchanged glances.

“Can the guild truly trace it?” Ren whispered, playing along.

“I can’t be certain. Given is not a fool, and he would conceal his tracks. But with assistance from a great noble…”

“I understand.”

The envoy interrupted sharply. “If it is so important, entrust the magic tool to us.”

Licia’s gaze turned cold.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We have no obligation to surrender it. This is my family’s territory, and the attack on Ren’s village also falls under Clausel jurisdiction.”

“But-“

“Enough. I will not accept protection from knights who cannot understand reason. Ren, we’re leaving.”

Ren pulled the reins.

“You still require an escort,” the knight insisted.

“We are almost at the town, and I trust no escort but Ren.”

The men hesitated, then abandoned the pretense.

“I’m afraid you are coming with us.”

Their horses moved to close every gap.

“Ren,” Licia said, “I’ll accept responsibility. Ride. If they try to stop us by force, draw your sword.”

“Leave it to me.”

Ren kicked the horse into motion.

As they rushed past the knight ahead, the man drew his blade and swung horizontally. Ren summoned the Iron Magic Sword and intercepted it. The knight’s weapon snapped, and Ren’s returning stroke cut the back of his hand.

“You-!”

The man reached for them. Licia extended her own hand.

Sacred light flashed. A pure-white burn spread across the knight’s skin.

“Thank you, foolish knight,” Licia said as their horses passed. Her smile was dazzling. “You have given me another charge on which to bring Viscount Given before a tribunal.”

“After them! Don’t let them escape!”

The order itself exposed what the envoy had tried to hide. His fear tied the necklace, the Beast Tamer, and Given’s men together.

(They lost the moment they believed her bluff might be true.)

The magic tool had begun as little more than bait. The knights’ reaction transformed it into meaningful evidence.

“Do not kill them! Capture them at any cost!”

The pursuers drove their horses desperately. They feared both Given’s anger and the possibility that their conspiracy would be exposed.

Ren summoned the Wooden Magic Sword. Roots and vines erupted behind them, tangling the path and slowing the horses.

“Damn it! You men keep chasing them. I’ll ride to Clausel and report to the viscount!”

The envoy who knew Ren broke away toward the town.

“You planned this,” Ren said.

Licia’s expression showed quiet satisfaction.

“Now their reaction confirms a connection between Given’s people and the Beast Tamer. If we explain everything, it will at least expose another weakness in Given’s case.”

Unable to produce direct proof of the original attack, she had used the circumstances to create a new piece of evidence.

“What would you have done if we hadn’t met them?”

“I was confident we would. The Beast Tamer allowed us to escape for a time. Given’s men were bound to search the approaches to Clausel.”

“That does sound likely.”

The distance widened, but neither child relaxed.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Hours passed without a real chance to rest.

Ren kept toward Clausel, evading pursuers behind them and avoiding additional knights stationed ahead. When he finally looked up, the sky had darkened.

(Is it already night?)

His hands ached around the reins. His whole body felt heavy from exhaustion, and the horse’s stride had begun to falter. Stopping, however, would mean being surrounded.

They survived only by stealing the briefest pauses whenever the terrain hid them.

(Just a little longer. Please.)

Ren stroked the horse’s mane. It answered with a short neigh. The animal had once pulled the Beast Tamer’s carriage, but some bond seemed to have formed during their escape.

“If it becomes impossible,” Licia said quietly, “leave me behind.”

“Why would you say something so stupid?”

“Stupid?”

“Completely stupid. Stop thinking about it and find us a path forward.”

He had dropped every honorific, but neither cared. Fatigue and fear had stripped away his usual composure.

Licia accepted the rebuke.

“Straight ahead. Don’t stop.”

“Understood. There is nowhere else to go.”

They urged the horse onward. It had been breathing hard for hours, yet its legs remained astonishingly strong.

“Isn’t this horse abnormally capable?” Ren asked.

“It may have monster blood.”

“That would explain it.”

Another hour passed, then another.

At last they left the trees and saw a broad hill beneath a clear sky.

“Licia, is that the hill you meant?”

“Yes! Once we cross it, we’ll soon reach inhabited land.”

Joy returned to her voice for the first time in days. Ren felt some of the tension leave his face.

(Thank goodness.)

The horse was still moving well. No wonder Given’s knights had failed to catch them.

Then Ren’s relief vanished.

A figure sat on a great rock at the far end of the hillside, watching them with an insolent smile.

Ren and Licia stiffened.

There was no route around him. A battle was unavoidable.

“I knew you would come this way,” the Beast Tamer said.

His voice carried across the grass and flowers swaying under the night sky. He rose atop the rock and spread his arms like wings.

The sleeves of his robe fell back, revealing intricate markings across both arms.

Ren narrowed his eyes.

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