They wouldn’t open up the gate.

“This is not a joke!” I yelled up at the guard. “I need you to throw down that rope ladder now!”

“I have orders not to let anyone in except the Wranglers!” He pointed a crossbow at me. He was lucky I couldn't throw my flames yet, or I would have burned that to charcoal. “You have one member of the Wranglers after the Bokor declared that all are dead! I’m not letting you bring a Zombie into the city!”

“She isn’t a Zombie, she's passed out from exhaustion and if you don’t drop that ladder so help me..!”

“What’s going on?” Val poked her head over the wall, “Master Byler! You’re alive!” She turned to the guard, “If you don’t throw that ladder over before I get there, you’re going over with it.”

Val was apparently much scarier than I was because it was over the edge of the wall before her head moved.

I sighed and did my best to climb up the ladder with one hand holding onto Eveth. It took me longer to get up, but once I got to the top, Val grabbed Eveth and the last few rungs were easy.

“We will have to inspect her for a wound…” The guard reached out to grab her.

“Master Val will do the inspection. She has worked closely with Wranglers for the last twenty years and is quite familiar with the process. And if there is a problem, the Bokor are the best equipped to deal with it.” I tried to emphasize Val’s time around Wranglers. She hadn’t Wrangled that long, but she had been around them that long.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Yes, but protocol.”

I grabbed him by the collar and held his shoulders off the wall. “I have had a really bad day and lost a lot of good people. You can stow your protocols and be happy about my orders…” I lit my fist on fire, “Or I can keep dropping you off this wall until I feel better.” I pulled him back up and so close to his face that our noses were touching. “Do you understand?”

He tried to nod and hit my forehead, I let him go. And he fell on his rear and scooted backwards.

“Now get back to your job and stay out of Bokor business.” I nodded for him to get to the other side of the game.

The guard nodded and took off, finally glad to not be bothering me.

“I’m impressed.” Val watched the guard run, “Though I would have enjoyed reminding him of the chain of command.”

“Yes, but I’ve had a bad day and you might have killed him.” I stretched my shoulders, “And it’s only going to get worse.”

“Something to do with this one?’ Val patted her cargo on the back.

“That’s just one piece of it.” I shook my head. “Where is Master James?”

“Still talking to witnesses.” Val guided me over the roofs towards the house we were staying in. “We got a little behind going out to look for you.”

“Sorry about that.” I shook my head, “But it doesn’t matter.” I nodded towards the meeting hall. “Can you get Master James and bring him back to the house? We’ve got a lot to discuss and a little time to do it.”

“Sure..?”

“I need a minute to just process everything before I relive it.” I shook my head. “It’s a lot.”

“I can do that.” Val reached the house and put Eveth down on the couch. “Do I need to check her for marks?”

“She doesn’t have any of those types of marks.” I shook my head and waved for her to go. “I’ll explain it all once Master James gets here so I don’t have to say it twice.”

“I’ll be right back.” Val ran out the door.

I sat down in a chair across from the couch. I did need that moment to process things.