Page 28 of Dark Elves of Ardani

“Maybe.”

“They killed someone close to me. A Varai woman.” He didn’t have any particular outward reaction, and she couldn’t tell whether he believed her or not.

Her stomach growled loudly, reminding them both that neither of them had eaten since lunch the previous day. They’d had nothing to drink either, and she was starting to feel it.

The half-elf jerked his head in the direction of the cave. “Come,” he said simply, like she was a dog to be commanded. Her jaw clenched harder, but she followed, hobbling behind him with her stick. Her ankle was improving, but still weak. The half-elf kicked dirt over the remaining coals of the fire as they passed.

She was surprised when he moved a log to reveal a narrow hole near the bottom of the back wall of the cave. He gestured for her to enter it.

“Does that lead somewhere, or are you entombing me?” she asked, only half joking.

He didn’t laugh. “Hurry up. You’re slow enough as it is without stopping to make quips.”

Frowning, she crawled into the hole. It opened into another exit from the cave. She could have escaped him if she’d known about it. It had been within a few short steps all night.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked after they’d been walking for a while.

She wasn’t surprised when he didn’t answer. She didn’t suppose hostages were entitled to information. But he walked with a confidence that said he was familiar with the area, which was more than she could say for herself.

She didn’t say anything else for the next several hours of their trek, partly because she guessed he wouldn’t bother to reply, and partly because she was exhausted.

She nearly dropped to her knees with relief when she heard the rushing of water somewhere nearby.

“Water!” she said, foolishly. The half-elf gave her a look that said something like,Yes, you idiot.

A river appeared through the fog. They were just downstream of a short, wide waterfall—the source of the noise. Zara actually did drop to her knees on the rocks beside the clear, icy water that eddied in a pool at the base of the waterfall, and she drank her fill.

When she’d finished, she looked upstream to where the half-elf had been drinking. He wasn’t there. She looked around, startled to find him gone.

“Stay quiet,” he murmured from behind her. She felt his hand on her arm, and then felt the familiar eerie tingling of magic spreading through her. Her body faded to a dark, transparent outline. She glanced over her shoulder at him, watching his own faded face. He nodded toward something on the other side of the river.

She followed his gaze to a trio of men among the boulders by the waterfall. Zara stopped breathing. It was the same group of bounty hunters they’d seen earlier. One of them was leading a tall, four-legged pack animal like the half-elf had. No—not just one like it, but the very same one. The packs were still on its back. There would be food in there. Zara’s stomach clenched at the thought of it.

“That is your horse,” she whispered. “They stole it.” He didn’t answer, so she turned to peer back at him. “We have to get it back.”

There were even more reasons to kill these men now. She didn’t think it likely that they’d just give the animal back if he asked. These men looked rough. They were not like the Paladins. She got the impression that they lived on the edges of society.

“I agree,” the half-elf said.

“Then we kill them.”

He paused for a long moment. With his face faded, she couldn’t be sure whether he was looking at her or at the hunters.

“Yes,” he said finally, and her heart raced with excitement.

“How?”

“Wait here. After I get to the other side of the river, show yourself. Distract them. They’ll think you’re alone.”

She nodded, but grabbed onto him as he started to pull away. “Give me your dagger.” She couldn’t be certain, but she thought she heard him make a small, exasperated sound.

“You have your stick,” he said.

“A stick is a stick. Give me a blade so I can cut someone.”

“Is cutting better than bludgeoning?”

“It is a warrior’s greatest joy to see the blood run free from their enemy’s veins.”

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