Ellis felt the blood drain from his face. Meanwhile, Jerg continued to watch him with a suspicion and intensity that made Ellis squirm. He liked Jerg, respected him even. Yet he was being looked at like an enemy; everything about Jerg’s body language told him so.

“Truth about what?”

Jerg shook his head.

“Stop it, Ellis.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking ab—”

“People talk,” Jerg said, cutting him off. “Viemen is only so big, and there are only so many people in this town. Even if you say nothing, that sword on your hip is more than enough to give you away.”

Ellis stared blankly into Jerg’s face, unable to defend himself.

“Ellis and Marybeth? I knew I’d heard those names before,” Jerg said crossing his arms. “Basilisk killers. Friends of Alfkin.”

“I— ”

“The same Ellis, they say, who is nephew to Sir Perry Mannigold.”

Ellis felt a heaviness in his chest; as if he was standing before his uncle, being scolded again for lying and training with Telhari in secret. He felt the same crushing weight of utter shame, embarrassment and guilt.

Even if it was his mission, he still didn’t want to lie to Jerg. And besides, Jerg had seen right through him. Ellis was caught and had nowhere to hide.

“It’s true,” he confessed. “I’m sorry.”

Jerg remained stone faced.

“I didn’t ask for an apology.”

“Well I’m gonna give one anyway! I’m sorry! I didn’t want to lie to anyone, but we had to!”

“Why?”

Ellis choked on his words.

“Because…”

“Because?”

He wanted nothing more than to be honest with Jerg. Ellis hated lying, and he was bad at it. But to tell Jerg the truth would mean that their whole plan would go to waste. All of their preparation would be for naught: Mary’s planning, Hector’s assistance, even Byles’ willingness to trust in them and give them a chance. He would betray them all if he couldn’t keep quiet. But, in the end, the shame was too much.

“Someone…someone has been stealing from Byles.”

Jerg seemed surprised.

“Stealing!? How do you know?”

“Byles came to us…well, he came to the Starspawn for help,” Ellis said. “Mary and I were given the job and we were supposed to find the thief.”

“Do you know who it is?”

“No,” Ellis answered, sheepishly. “But…”

“But?”

Suddenly, Ellis turned from Jerg and looked back towards the fence.

Torren was there still, kneeling in the grass, carving the length of the wooden pole. Ellis then looked to the fence pole.

Lester was gone.

“Ellis, wha—”

Before Jerg could finish, Ellis took off running towards Torren.

“Where is he!”

Torren looked up, annoyed that Ellis had disrupted his work.

“What do you want?”

“Lester!” Ellis yelled angrily, “Where is he!?”

Jerg came running up from behind.

“Ellis! What is wrong with you?”

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“Tell me where he went!”

Ellis’ heart was pumping quickly, the blood bounding through him. His whole body was on fire. Torren stood up in response, his own rage building.

“Look,” Torren spat as he shoved Ellis in the chest, “I dunno what the hell your problem is, but—”

Something snapped inside Ellis the instant Torren’s hands touched his body. Without warning, Ellis swung his balled up fist into Torren’s face.

Torren fell to the side, leaning against the fence and gripping his face in disbelief.

Ellis felt Jerg grab him from behind, fitting both his arms around Ellis’ torso and grabbing his forearm with his remaining hand.

“Calm— down!”

But Jerg’s efforts to restrain Ellis only made him struggle more. The feeling of being held down— of being unable to move— only made him angrier and more ferocious. Ellis began to struggle against Jerg, jerking from side to side. Then, seeing an opportunity, Torren brought back his own fist and took a swing at Ellis.

After all his time in training, Ellis could see the attack coming. He sank low to the ground and twisted his body to the side. Normally, a man of Jerg’s size and strength would have been able to keep Ellis down. However, because Jerg had only one hand, when Ellis jerked his body to the side, Jerg was unable to hold him any longer. Ellis slipped out of Jerg’s grip and managed to avoid the attack, but Jerg himself was not so lucky.

Ellis felt is stomach sink as he heard the impact of Torren’s fist against Jerg’s face; it was accompanied by a sickening crack.

“Agh!”

Jerg stumbled backward and grabbed at his face. Blood was dripping from beneath his hand and drops of it fell off his chin and ran down his clothing. His nose was broken— twisted in an unnatural way.

“Jerg! I didn’t—” Torren’s expression was a mix of guilt and anguish, but it was quickly replaced by fury. “YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

Torren picked up the saw he had been using and started to approach Ellis.

“Woah! What the fuck are you lot doing!?”

Ellis and Torren stopped in their tracks.

Lester was standing there looking at the scene with the first hint of genuine emotion that Ellis had ever seen on his face.

“I go take a piss for two fucking minutes and you all try to kill each other!? Jerg? What happened!?”

Ellis whipped his head around.

Jerg was standing there with his hand on his nose, pinching hard and trying to stop the blood from pouring down his face. He was leaning on the pole for support.

Ellis felt a pang of guilt hit him in the gut. He turned back to Lester, ideas and excuses clawing at the inside of his mind trying to find their way out.

“I—”

“ELLIS!”

Mary’s voice was clear as day to him as it echoed out into the air.

In a moment, and without thinking, Ellis burst from the scene and was sprinting toward the shop.

“COME BACK!” Torren’s voice roared out as he bolted after Ellis.

“Oi! You two! Get back here!”

Harold poked his head around the corner, frightened by all of the yelling.

“Jerg! Nose!?”

“Don’t worry, Harold,” Jerg told him as calmly as he could, “Just stay here with Gregor.”

“Jerg,” Lester asked him, “What the hell hap—Oi! JERG! GET BACK HERE!”