“Stop it, stay still!” Lexi scolded as Earon’s leg instinctively pulled away as she brought the cloth smeared in healing salves to it.

Not only was the giant wound in Earon’s leg agonizingly painful, but the formulas made in Saner seemed different than Ome, or at least he never remembered them stinging so damn much.

“Earon!”

“Sorry,” Earon said, gripping his leg with both hands in an attempt to tame it.

Lexi’s eyes narrowed on Earon. “You better stay still,” she said, retaining eye contact as she lowered the salve to Earon’s leg.

“Ow, ow, ow!”

“Don’t be a baby,” Lexi said as she pressed more weight against the cloth.

Earon screamed so loud he thought he might permanently lose his voice, then he passed out.

Blurry colors slowly formed shapes as Earon’s eyes fluttered open. The shelter. Then his memories came rushing back.

Lexi was crouched on her knees preparing a bowl of something not far from him, humming.

“Lexi?” Earon murmured, his voice soft and weak.

“Oh, you’re awake.” She replied, turning toward Earon. “Take it easy, your wound is still healing. It was pretty bad. Managed to collect the bounty without you though, so I've had plenty of coin for salves and potions. Your half is beneath the pillow.” Lexi raised a hand against her mouth and lowered her voice. “I trust the others around here most of the time, but not with coin, and especially not silvers.”

Earon gingerly reached under his pillow and took the coins and counted them. “This is half the bounty. What about the salves and potions?”

“Don’t worry about them, I got you.”

“No,” Earon shook his head. “If anyone is paying for them, it’s me.”

“Don't be silly, Earon. You did most of the work as it is. This is the least I can do. Besides, it's still a lot of money for me.”

“No, really.”

“Shh,” Lexi raised a finger to her lips. “I won’t hear another word of it. Now, be still. I’m trying to take care of you.”

“What’s that smell?”

“Rasselwood,” Lexi said, nodding toward the slowly burning stick perched atop a tray at the other side of the room. “It’s meant to help your healing. Do you like it?”

“Yeah, I do. It reminds me of something. It’s similar to the incense we burn back in the Rye. It’s almost sweet and kind of nutty.”

Lexi smiled, “glad you like it.”

Pushing himself up, Earon sat up, then tried to move his leg and was instantly greeted by jolting pain.

“What did I say about taking it easy?” Lexi said as she moved over to Earon and placed a hand on his shoulder and knee. “Ease yourself down. You’re in no condition to be moving about the place.”

“What about Najan? I need to ask him about the bounty hunter groups.”

“You need to heal,” Lexi said as she pulled down the blanket that covered Earon and approached his bandages. “This won’t take long.”

Earon closed his eyes as Lexi pulled back his bandages and gritted his teeth as she applied the salve to the wound. It stung, really bad.

“Okay, all done,” Lexi said as she began cutting away the bandage and preparing a new one.

Slowly, Earon loosened his jaw and opened his eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Your bandages need to be replaced. I don’t know who has looked after you in the past, but they don’t sound particularly good at it. Using dirty rags is a great way to give yourself an infection.”

“Well, I guess most of the time it wasn’t that bad. Or at least I didn’t have a wound as big as this one.”

“You don’t need a big wound to get an infection. You just got lucky. Potions or miracles for curing diseases and infections are far more expensive than these basic healing potions. You need to start taking better care of yourself.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Earon said, resting his head back down on the simple pillow Lexi had provided him with.

“Oh, I know I’m right.” Lexi turned and produced a loaf of bread and some cured meats. “Here, you going to need your strength.”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Thank you.”

Lexi turned away. “Earon.”

“...Yes?” Earon replied as he filled his mouth.

“You know, you’re leaving right?”

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

“Well...”

Earon coughed as he stuffed a little too much food down his throat.

“I was thinking...”

“Yeah?” Earon said, taking a mouthful of tea Lexi had left beside his bedroll.

“When you leave...”

Tearing the loaf in half, Earon stuffed as much meat as he could between it and took a massive bite. “Yeah?”

Lexi held her breath, closed her eyes, and then blurted out a sentence so fast that barely a word made it to Earon’s ears. “I was thinking I could go with you and be your apprentice.”

“What?” Earon snorted.

“I want to go with you,” Lexi nodded. “I want to be your apprentice.”

Coughing, Earon forced an errant chunk of food down his throat. “Apprentice?”

“Yes,” Lexi replied, nodding.

“I barely know what I’m doing as it is, how could I possibly take an apprentice?”

“You know far more than me! And look around, who do I have to teach me anything about casting?”

“What about your home and Saner? Ome is very different. It's colder, darker and people aren't as... lively.”

“What am I walking away from, Earon? You tell me. You really think I’m going to miss any of this?”

“What about our classes? They are nothing alike. What advice could I possibly provide you with?”

“Everything, idiot!” Lexi slammed her hands against her thighs. “I hate it here. I hate living on the streets. I hate stealing things to get by. And I hate that I have a caster class that I know nothing about.”

Lexi was panting and her chest swelled up and down as she took heavy breaths.

“Look, Lexi,” Earon said, reaching out to her. “I enjoy your company, and if you really think it’s a good idea, you can come with me. But I don’t know about being my apprentice. I should be an apprentice myself, and if I’m being honest, I wish I was. I have no idea how to teach you, or anyone for that matter.”

“Fine. It doesn’t matter.” Lexi shook her head. “Forget the apprentice part. All that matters is that I'm coming with you.”

“It’s going to be dangerous; you know that right? It’s not just the Clain either. If everything we’ve heard about the scars opening up across Ome turns out to be true, then who knows what we’ll find.”

“I don’t care.”

Earon had thought about leaving Lexi, and how he would likely miss her. But he hadn’t planned for this outcome and was feeling a little defeated.

A couple of days went by as Lexi cared for Earon. It would have been longer, but Earon’s insistence on chugged potions and applying more healing salves had sped things up quite a bit.

“You’re really going to try walking on it already?” Lexi said as she wrapped her arm around Earon's shoulders.

“Yes.”

“Fine,” Lexi pouted as Earon let go of her and stumbled across the room.

“Look, I’m fine?” Earon raised his hands and turned to face Lexi, stumbling a little to his left in the process. “They just need a little wearing in is all,” He continued, straightening himself.

“Sure,” Lexi rolled her eyes.

“Enough time has been wasted. Let go,” Earon waved on.

“We’re going to see Najan already?”

“Of course. I’m walking again, aren’t I? No need to drag this out any longer. You said you wanted to leave, didn't you?”

“I did. But you're barely walking. What if you need to fight and what about your spells? Do you really think you can fight something in that state?”

“Pfft,” Earon waved. “It’ll take over two days with most caravans just to reach the edge of the Empire. Then we’ll have to cross the Clain itself. And before then, the Arch of Man. Plenty of time to heal on the road.”

“And what if something happens before then? Even if there aren’t scars around here, it doesn’t mean the roads are entirely safe.”

“I’m aware. But if wagons are traveling across those roads with scruffy, underpaid sell-swords, then I doubt there’s too much for me to worry about.”

“You're so persistent,” Lexi groaned.

As they marched through the city and towards the bounty hunter's guild, they crossed the merchant guild, and the square filled with caravans.

Earon’s brow raised as he saw a familiar sight. It was the red and orange of Caedstad flapping in the wind, atop one of the wagons.

“Earon, are you listening to me?” Lexi asked after she got no response from him, after talking for several minutes.

“I ah.”

“Earon, really?”

“Sorry, it’s just that I...”

Lexi looked at Earon, then followed the direction of his gaze. “The merchant guild? We already tried them, remember?”

“It’s not that,” Earon pointed out the flag. “Those are the colors of Caedstad. Why would that wagon be flying those colors?”

“It’s probably from Caedstad,” Lexi replied lackadaisically.

Earon skipped and rushed forward.

“Hey, wait for me,” Lexi said, raising her hand as she quickened to keep up.

The disheveled group wore messy beards and tattered leathers and gathered around a couple of small wagons which they loaded with food goods and other essentials.

“Are they the colors of Caedstad you’re flying?” Earon asked as he neared the group.

A gritty, sour-faced man turned to Earon, looking as if he likely smelt worse than most people’s behinds. “What’s it to you?”

“I’m looking for passage across the Clain.”

“Shut it, you,” another man quipped as he passed his companion. He was a little better dressed than the others and kept his hair tied back and off his face. “Rayets,” he said, extending a hand, which Earon cautiously took. “I’m the leader of this caravan, and yes, we are headed to Caedstad. You’re not a fighter by any chance, are you?”

“Caster, actually. And I can hold my own in a fight if that’s what you’re getting at.”

Rayets nodded enthusiastically. “You're a quick one, you are. And it seems our goals align. The thing is, we lost a few on our way here, and it’s vitally important that we make the journey back. I'd be willing to hire you as a caravan guard if you were so inclined."

"That works for me," Earon said.

"Perfect." Rayet's studied Earon a moment. "You say you're a caster, but you don't appear to be from any schools or circles I've ever heard of. Not wearing garb like that. Considering that, how does five hundred coppers for the trip sound? And my master is likely to reward you with more if we make it back.”

It was a pitiful amount, considering the danger and time the task would take. The caravan master was likely lowballing Earon.

“It’s fine,” Earon nodded. “When do we leave?”

“As soon as I've collected all the supplies we need. Is she coming too?” Rayets said, glancing over Earon’s shoulder.

“Yes, she’s with me.”

“Can she fight?”

“She can hold her own. Besides,” Earon added, looking over the shoddy company Rayets kept. “I’m fairly certain I'll be carrying more than my weight.”

Rayets looked back, “I’m sure you will. Fine, you’re both hired. But only two-fifty for her, unless you can convince me she’s worth more.”

Earon turned back to Lexi and shrugged.

“It’s fine,” Lexi nodded.

“Deal,” Earon said as he embraced Rayet’s hand a second time.

Rayet’s grinned a mouth full of crooked and discolored teeth. “I have a feeling Master Fane is going to like you.”