Kolo fidgeted with her necklace. As she twisted the cord around her fingers, she wondered who had given her the talisman to begin with. It hadn’t always been hers, surely. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice Azvalath calling her name until he elbowed her.

She recoiled. “Hey!”

“What’s got you so distracted?” Azvalath cocked his head. “We’re almost there. Don’t space out now.”

“Um…the lift was terrifying.” She looked back at the mountain looming behind them. “I don’t ever want to do that again.”

The man shrugged. “Would you rather scale that hell of a slope on foot?”

“Not in the slightest.” Kolo’s eyes lit up as a flurry of snow blew over them. “Where are we headed, exactly? Isn’t the Wash a pretty big village?”

“More of a town. Largest human community that currently exists.” Azvalath tightened a strap on his backpack. “Because no one will be in the town hall this late at night, we’re headed for the only place that’s ever awake at this hour.”

Kolo raised an eyebrow. “Where would that be?”

“Naughty Nack’s.” Azvalath pulled his hood down farther over his face. “I’m sorry in advance. It’s a rather…odd establishment.” He looked down, then stopped and crouched. “Speaking of nacks, take a look here.”

Kolo crouched next to him. An animal’s footprints showed through the falling snow. “Looks like horse tracks.”

“Look closer.” Azvalath traced his finger along the track. “See how it’s a little more pointed here? Wait, hold on a second. What are those?” He looked to one side. “Those are wheel tracks.”

“Someone drives a nack?” Kolo couldn’t imagine how that would be a good idea. “Don’t nacks eat people?”

“They eat fish and carrion, mostly.” He looked back out at the horizon. “Town’s a long way. Think it’s worth seeing if we can hitch a ride?”

Kolo shrugged. “I mean, it’d be nice, but – hey, wait up!” She had to take of running after Azvalath.

The tracks went a long way, so long that Kolo wondered if it were even worth the detour. Eventually, she started to catch whiffs of smoke. They came to a rocky riverbank. The smoke turned out to have come from a nearly-dead campfire. There was a covered wagon parked a short ways from the water. A rope extended from a picket and disappeared under the water. As she and Azvalath approached, the red light from their eyes reflected from another pair of eyes just below the surface.

With barely a sound, the horselike predator emerged from the river. Its mane and halter dripped water. It made a click-clack sound in its jaw and then opened its mouth wide, too wide, revealing sharp teeth. It let out a long and high-pitched cry.

“Hey, what’s the fuss?” A woman’s voice called from the wagon. “You’ll wake half the world keening so loud.” She stepped out and beckoned the animal closer.

Azvalath darkened his eyes. “Put your snow goggles on, Kolo,” he whispered. Then he cleared his throat. “Sorry to be a bother, madam, but…”

Kolo put her goggles on before the woman saw the red glow. “How do you drive a nack?” She blurted the question before Azvalath could finish.

“Ashcrow is such a dear, I forget she’s a predator sometimes.” She patted the nack’s pale head. “What do you two need? Not like I’ve got much to spare with seven children.”

“Seven?” Azvalath’s eyebrows rose. “Never mind. Sorry to bother you. We’ll be on our way.”

He turned and was about to leave when the woman spoke up again. “That girl looks awfully familiar, sir.”

“Me?” Kolo shrugged. “Why would I look familiar?”

“That’s my sister. I don’t think any of us have ever met.” Azvalath grabbed Kolo’s arm and pulled her away. “Sorry. We really didn’t mean to bother you. Safe travels.”

Azvalath took off running again. Kolo nearly fell trying to keep up with him. They must have run a full mile before they stopped. She fell to her hands and knees, gasping to catch her breath. “What was that all about?”

“Forget that ever happened.” Azvalath panted and wiped sweat off his face. “And let’s hope we can avoid her from now on. I think she’s onto us.”

“For what?” Kolo put her hands on her hips. “And since when am I your sister?”

“Look, I said what I had to.” Azvalath put his head in his hands. “If she’s from where I think she’s from, that’s going to be a problem. Let’s keep going. We’re getting close.”

He kept walking. For a moment, Kolo stayed where she was. She looked around at the dark valley, then up at the sky. A full moon shone through the clouds. Snow fell on her face and settled on her goggles. In that moment, she considered not following Azvalath. Why should she follow him, anyway? There was a whole world out there.

The man turned around when he noticed she wasn’t coming. “Kolo, what’s the matter?”

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

She bit her lip. “Nothing.”

“Come on, then.” He waved his arm.

Kolo went with him. She wasn’t entirely sure why.

She especially wasn’t sure why she had chosen to follow him when they arrived at their destination. Though they had passed by many houses, this was the first one that wasn’t silent. Raucous laughter and shouting filled her ears even before the building came into view. She lifted her snow goggles up for a second and let her eyes cast their light across a sign hanging over the door. Naughty Nack’s. Below the nameplate was a painting of a nack drinking out of a mug.

Azvalath went up to the door. “I’m sorry in advance,” he told her, then gave the door three hard knocks.

The door swung open with a screech on its rusty hinges. The laughter and yelling inside poured out and nearly deafened her. A man with the stature of a tree branch greeted them. “Hey there. What the hell are you doing? You know you can just come right in.”

Azvalath crossed his arms. “Isn’t it polite to knock?”

A much larger man shoved the twiggy-looking one out of the way. “Why, if it’s not the First Sword of Styzia himself. Where’ve you been, Azvalath? Out on some grand adventure?”

Azvalath scoffed. “Just some field work. I’d rather not talk about it.”

“That’s what you always say, big man. Now get in here and stop freezing your pants off out there.” He laughed and yanked Azvalath inside.

Kolo watched her companion scramble, and the sound of her laughter the huge stranger to her presence. She froze up when he looked at her.

“Ey, I don’t bite, dear.” He smiled with teeth that were mostly broken. “Naughty Nack’s wouldn’t still be open if I did. Welcome in.” He grabbed her by the arm and tugged her inside, slamming the door behind her.

Kolo yelped, smacked him off her, and made him holler with the force of her blow. “Hey, Azvalath, what the hell’s your little friend’s big deal?”

He stepped up and pulled the two of them apart. “My apologies. She’s a little rough around the edges. New to the pack and all. You know how it is.” He locked eyes with her. “Kolo, let’s just try to get a room. Well, two rooms if you’d like space, but it’s probably better if we don’t hang out down here.”

“No can do, Azvalath. Didn’t you see the sign? No vacancy!” The big man, whom Kolo assumed had to be the establishment’s owner, tapped his foot on the stained floor. “Or did I forget to change the sign?”

“It never said ‘no vacancy.’” Kolo’s voice cracked mid-vacancy.

“Well, then you can pardon me for thinking we’d have a place to rest.” Azvalath scowled at the owner. “Can’t someone leave?”

“First come, first serve, even if you’re Styzian, pal.” The owner clapped Azvalath’s shoulder and made fall forward a bit. “That being said, I imagine the polite gentleman who booked Room Four might be willing to have some company.”

Kolo watched Aza’s face turn bright red.

“I’m kidding. You want a drink?” He scratched his beard, then shouldered his way through the crowd and toward the cupboard.

“Just ignore Mr. Nack. He’s a pain.” Azvalath put his head in his hands. “It’s too loud in here.”

Kolo looked around to see where Mr. Nack had gone. He seemed like a safe person. She ended up stepping on a woman’s foot. “Hey! Watch where you’re going, kid.”

“I’m sorry!” Kolo yelped, but the woman was already occupied with someone else. Whatever she said led to an eruption of laughter. Kolo covered her ears. Aza was right about this place being too loud. She stumbled to the other side of the room and bumped into a table in the corner. Kolo took a step back and noticed a young man sitting there. His golden-blond hair fell over his face in a way that annoyed her in an instant. She wanted to fix his hair but remembered something vague about keeping her hands to herself. Did that mean all of her hands? What if she were to use an invisible one?

“Can I help you?” the man asked.

Kolo shook her head. “Nope.”

“You’re staring at me,” he pointed out.

Kolo averted her eyes.

“Staring at the table isn’t much better.” He brushed his hair out of his face. “Hey, I saw you came in with Azvalath. That’s him, right? I’ve heard so many stories.” The young man got a dreamy look in his eyes. “Styzia’s best and greatest…”

“Best and greatest mean the same thing.” She went back to staring at him. “And he’s not. The masters are.”

The man sighed. “What’s your problem?”

Kolo folded her arms. “I don’t have a problem.”

He glanced over at Azvalath, who looked like he was trying and failing to turn down Mr. Nack’s offer of a drink. “You picked some damn fine company.” He got that dreamy expression again. “Must be nice.”

“It’s not.” She said it matter-of-factly.

“Well, I still don’t know what your problem is, but I know I’d love it if Azvalath there so much as looked my way.” The young man smiled. “By the way, why are you wearing snow goggles inside?”

Without much thought, Kolo pulled them off.

“You’re a Ferash Therall too? Lucky.” He leaned back in his chair. “I can’t be one. I don’t have gods’ blood or whatever it is you need. I’d love it if I could work alongside Azvalath and all the rest of you every day.”

Kolo grimaced. This was getting strange fast. She was about to walk away when she noticed Azvalath approaching. Great, she thought. Fantastic. It was about to get even more awkward.

“You’ve got the right idea, escaping the crowd.” Azvalath rubbed his eyes. When he noticed the other man, he cocked his head. “Making friends, Kolo?”

The young man flushed. “Azvalath? First Sword of Styzia?” He looked awestruck. “I’m Staffen. I’m actually on the town council, so if there’s anything you need, anything at all, I can…”

“Aren’t you a bit young?” Azvalath straightened his dark brown hair. “And about that, Master Xigon asked me to deliver this to the town council.” He pulled a sealed envelope from his pocket.

“Youngest on the council.” Staffen smiled wide. “Doesn’t mean I’m not qualified. Should I read this now, or at the next meeting?”

Aza shrugged. “It’s just a quarterly report.”

Kolo found herself uninterested in hearing any more of the conversation, so she wandered off and tried to find someone who seemed to be having a more interesting conversation.

“Hey, I heard you got a new horse. What’s his name?”

No, not interesting.

“Can’t get my son to fix the leaking roof.”

Tedious.

“I’m telling you girls love men with scars and stories.”

Not in the slightest.

“I heard there’s a new arrival at Styzia. Been a while, hasn’t it?”

That caught Kolo’s attention. She stopped and listened. Two women – at least, she assumed they were both women – sat at a table with only one chair. One was in the chair, and the other perched on top of the table like a cat.

“Ami, for goodness’s sake, get off the table already.” The one in the chair prodded the one on the table. “See? That person’s staring at us.”

Kolo looked away. “Sorry, am I being rude?”

“No, Ami’s being rude.” The one in the chair stood up and pushed Ami off the table. Everyone who saw it laughed. Ami got up with an indignant grunt. Then the laughter went dead silent as a scream erupted from the corner where she’d left Azvalath. Staffen screamed at the top of his lungs. It was a bloodcurdling sound of pure terror, then she heard someone fall. Then the whole place lost its voice.

Kolo couldn’t see what was happening over everyone else in the room, but she heard the woman from the riverbank speak up. “I thought I knew you from somewhere, sabretooth devil.”

“Gods be damned,” Ami whispered. “That’s not something I thought I’d see tonight.”