The knock on the door made me jump.

Although wide awake, and even though I had been expecting it, I still had to calm my heart and keep my breathing steady as I opened the door.

“Mistress Lena would like to talk to you,” the young girl said without a smile. She sounded bored.

Looked bored too. She turned before I could say or do anything, walking away.

I hurriedly followed her down the hall. I didn’t bother closing the door to my room, since it wasn’t my room. Lena had been kind enough to let me stay here in her building overnight, but all my own stuff was still at the Red Inn. Hopefully my stuff still was, at least.

“This way,” the girl guided me down a new hallway, one I’d not seen before. It meant Lena wasn’t in her office, where I had found her yesterday.

Following the girl, I remembered the chastising words of Lena. Blaming me for not taking my safety seriously. Although she had truly been angry with me, she had also been kind enough to let me stay here as to feel safe.

Safe…

Rounding another corner, voices started to grow louder. Lena’s voice was clear amongst them, carrying its self well.

“She’s there,” the young girl said with a point to one of the doors, then turned and hurried back down the hallway. She rushed off before I could thank her, so I simply entered the room.

The room wasn’t that large, but it had a massive window, taking up nearly the whole wall. It overlooked an unfamiliar street, probably the one behind the building, and was just high enough to see the giant wall of magic over the roof of the building next to us.

“Mint,” Lena gestured for me to join her, and while I did she pointed to the woman she had been speaking to. “This is Brivva. She’s being as obstinate as the Rift,” Lena said.

“Obstinate? Come on Lena. I need that bear. Why not wait just a single day for another? I’ll pay double,” the woman said, and I liked how she smirked. She was having fun, it seemed… or maybe she was simply enjoying her predicament.

“It’s my bear. I need it elsewhere for a sudden, unforeseen reason. I’ll compensate you appropriately. There’s nothing I can do about it,” Lena said calmly.

“Unforeseen? She looks pretty obvious to me,” Brivva said with a glance my way.

I stiffened at the sudden address, but kept myself calm as Lena chuckled. “Does she look like someone who needs a Caravan Bear?” Lena asked.

“Who’s to say? What are you peddling, girl? Silks? You silk merchants love dressing up as poor farmers,” Brivva said.

Wondering if I should take offense to that, I was able to relax with Lena’s smile. “She looks more like the daughter of one, to be honest,” Lena said.

“Impossible. Those girls always try to look important. She’d fit right in with your merchants, look at her eyes; they’re steady,” Brivva said.

So the two were just having fun with me.

Although a little embarrassing, it was comforting. If the two were willing to joke around like this, then whatever was happening must not be that big a deal.

“Well? Tell her why you need the bear,” Lena said, forcing me to join the conversation.

“I didn’t know I needed one,” I said frankly.

Brivva laughed, revealing that she was missing several teeth on her right side. As if something or someone had hit her there and knocked them out. “Honest to boot! Do you need a job girl? I actually have a new route that could use someone young like you,” Brivva said.

Lena’s smile told me she wasn’t upset with me, but she did try to wave Brivva’s laughter away. “Mint here needs the bear for her journey. And I owe her. Twice over, actually. So she gets precedence for this bear. You’ll have to wait for another, or go elsewhere. You have connections Brivva, use them for once why don’t you?” Lena asked.

“Because I like you best, Lena. You always win. Why would I work with people who sometimes lose? Fine. I’ll wait until tomorrow, but you’ll owe me. Two bears for one, I think will compensate well enough,” Brivva said.

“Thank you,” Lena said calmly, and I could tell she had known all along that Brivva would agree to her terms.

“And? Mint was it? Where are you headed?” Brivva asked me.

I glanced quickly to Lena, and saw her calm smile still remained. She didn’t seem to worry over anything I said. “The Rift, I thought,” I said.

Brivva’s smirk faded thanks to my words, and I saw the way she glanced to Lena.

“What?” Lena asked, noticing the look.

“You’re going to let this little thing go into the Rift?” she asked.

“She’s not a slave. She can do whatever she wants,” Lena said.

“Still… Taking a bear into the Rift? Are you serious? Why waste such a good bear?” Brivva asked.

I kept my mouth shut since I hadn’t known I was going to be taking a bear into the Rift. Let alone a Caravan Bear. Those things were worth thousands of coins.

“Who says she is? Now get going, I need to have a talk with her and I have to hurry,” Lena said, patting Brivva on the back.

The older woman sighed as she allowed herself to get pushed to the door. “Take care girl. If you live, let’s meet again,” she said as she walked past me.

“Farewell,” I said to her, since I wasn’t really sure what else to say to that.

Brivva left the room, and for a few moments Lena and I stood in silence as we listened to Brivva walking down the hall. Her footsteps sounded odd thanks to the thick carpet.

Lena studied me, and I suddenly found the room more interesting. Especially the weird looking boxes stacked everywhere.

“Is this a storeroom?” I asked.

“No. Why would a storeroom have such a window?” Lena said, amused.

“I had assumed so… but, all these boxes then?” I asked, gesturing to them all. There had to be dozens.

“They’re going to be opened and inventoried. Once our conversation is done,” Lena said.

Strange. Why do it here? We were three levels above the ground floor. Plus some of these boxes looked… dirty.

Not that I was in much of a position to ask why, or tell her how to do her business.

“Sleep well, Mint?” Lena asked, drawing my attention from the boxes.

“Well enough,” I said honestly. I had awoken what felt like a dozen times last night, sweating. But I wasn’t going to outright admit that I was still so shaken from what had happened yesterday. If I did, she may try to stop me from venturing forth into the Rift.

After all, a terrified woman was not someone anyone wanted to take into the most dangerous place in the world.

“A door opened, you know,” Lena said.

The knowledge did surprise me, but it wasn’t that concerning. Everyone had made it very clear that the door could open at any time, without warning.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“I see,” was all I said. Not that it mattered to me right this moment. If it just opened, then I was not going to be able to through it… I’d not paid any deposits for this door.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t choose this door. Seems it opened during a storm,” Lena then said.

“A storm?”

She nodded with a sigh. “It happens. One of the people who went in was able to get back out before dying. She died not too long after, but was able to warn everyone.”

I wanted to ask questions, but wasn’t sure where to start. A storm could kill that quickly? That one could enter the Rift, then exit right away, and yet still die?

“They’re hoping the storm passes before the door closes, but who knows with the Rift…” Lena said, pointing to the window.

Following her gesture, I noticed that there was indeed a section of the Rift Wall a tad more colorful than normal. Noticeably so. A great glowing white line ran down the top of the Rift Wall, all the way to the bottom. Or at least, I assumed it did… since I couldn’t see the bottom thanks to the surrounding city.

“How long does a door stay open?” I asked.

“The longest I’ve ever seen was five days,” she said.

Five days… was it enough time?

“Plan on going?” Lena then asked.

“Was just wondering if I could find a proper avenue in five days,” I said softly.

“Even after last night?”

“Especially because of last night,” I said. Why would I want to stay here, where I’d almost been kidnapped not even a week into my stay?

“Did it make you more adamant, or have you always been this hardheaded?” she asked with a small laugh.

“I’m a power. We’re known to be decisive,” I said. I didn’t laugh but I did join her with a smile of my own.

“Decisive. Indeed… powers are also known to hunt down anyone who threatens them, without prejudice, you know?” Lena said.

“We do? Well… Your man already killed them, so…” I said, and was thankful for it. The thought of actually hunting down people who had tried to kidnap me was… daunting to say the least.

“Ah. He did. At least the ones who did the act, I suppose…” she said. I waited for her to continue, but she didn’t seem willing to clarify.

“Is he ok, by the way?” I asked. I’ve yet to thank him.

“Gerald died this morning,” Lena then said.

For a long moment the world went still. I didn’t even breathe.

“What?”

Lena held my gaze, firm and resolute. “He passed away this morning. His daughter is handling his burial.”

“Burial…” I whispered.

She nodded. “Rather, cremation. Here in RiftWarren, one burns their dead. We have to, thanks to the Rift being so close,” she said.

I shifted on my feet. I didn’t like the sound of that. “You can’t possibly mean…”

Lena raised her hand to stop me, and smiled. “It’s superstition. Nothing happens nor ever has. People die in the Rift all the time, and stay dead. We humans are just… an odd lot,” she explained.

“Still… I… I don’t know what to say,” I said softly.

“No need to say anything. He did what I asked him to. If anything it is my fault for sending him, and not someone younger. His death was more so thanks to his age, than his wounds. You have nothing to be concerned over,” she said.

For a small moment I wondered if she was being callous. Or if death was such a common thing here in RiftWarren, that this was just another figure on a ledger.

Hopefully I’d never come to see the world in such a way.

“Yet still. I feel responsible. Is there anything I can do?” I asked.

“You can heed my warnings. Take them seriously. As you should have in the beginning,” she said sternly.

At first I wanted to argue, not her point… but rather that I needed to do something. I should say something to his daughter. Or maybe pay for the funeral… or…

“Alright,” I finally decided to say, and let it be. Lena’s eyes were clearly telling me to do just that.

“You going to listen to me then?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Good. Because you’re leaving here shortly,” she said.

Her words lingered in my head for a moment, and I nearly hesitated. “I am?” I asked, suddenly hopeful.

“If you’re willing. The avenue I’ve been working on is here. Or well, he’s outside the city,” she said.

“The guide you mentioned,” I said.

She nodded, studying me. “His name is Krift. He’s the RiftBorn. You’ve heard of him, I’m sure,” she said.

My heart was already beating quickly at the sudden excitement, so I wasn’t fazed by the knowledge. “I’ve heard of him,” was all I said.

“He needs a Caravan Bear. I’m providing one. If you wish to accept my help, I’ll make it seem as if I’ll only provide it to him under the condition he helps you too. A give and take, basically,” Lena said.

“I… me? If I don’t accept your help, what then?” I asked.

“Then I give him the bear anyway,” she said with a smile. The way she smiled told me a tiny secret about her, but I tucked it away. Secrets of the heart were personal, after all.

“He’s going through the Rift then? I thought people didn’t take bears into the Rift,” I said, remembering Brivva’s reaction a few moments ago.

“They don’t. And he’s not. But he’ll take you once he’s finished whatever he’s doing. At least, that’s my hope,” she said.

“I see…” I said, and tried to process the sudden development. It wasn’t a bad one, it seemed, if Lena believed in this Guide than he was probably worthwhile to consider. He may even be the best option I had.

“How much?” I asked.

“Excuse me?”

Shifting on my feet, I hoped I didn’t look as stupid as I felt. “How much will he charge? Or you? I… I don’t have much left, thanks to…” I stopped talking, since it was going to break my heart.

“You don’t need to worry about that. Just give him whatever you have, and we’ll call it even. He owes me, just as I owe him,” Lena said calmly.

“You both owe each other?”

“You can owe someone, and they can still owe you too. If you both owe different things,” Lena said, as if she found it funny that I found it odd.

A bird flew past the window, and I looked to the great wall of magic in the distance. The line of color was still there.

“You trust him?” I asked her.

“With my life. And that’s very literal,” Lena said, taping her scars.

For a long moment I respected those words, and the emotions behind them. I had no one left to say such things to. My mother had been the only one, and near the end she…

“Think hard about this Mint,” Lena then said.

“I am,” I said.

“Are you? You have no idea what the Rift is like. You’ve been here what… six days? Almost a week? That’s it. You’ve not seen the crowds of people returning from a failed venture. The blood. The missing limbs. You haven’t seen the faces of the children and women sitting at the edge of town, praying for someone to return who never will,” Lena said.

I opened my mouth to speak, but knew better. She was right. The entire time I’ve been here, I’ve been sheltered by Lena’s building and her territory. This was one of the wealthiest parts of RiftWarren. The cleanest. The safest.

Yet still I had almost been kidnapped.

And it had cost me another’s life.

Still… Like she said I hadn’t ventured to the slums. The place where supposedly everyone lived who had barely survived the Rift’s dangers. A place diseased with pity.

“My family may be on the other side,” I said softly.

“I’m sure they are. Unlike here, families over there last forever. Enduring for thousands of years. There may even be a life of wealth and happiness over there… but I have to wonder if it’s worth it? The risk?” Lena asked her questions softly, as she stepped towards me.

I had to look up a little to meet her eyes, and I watched as they hardened. “I don’t have any other choice,” I said softly.

“Yes you do. You can stay here. I’ll employ you. You may not ever go far, or become wealthy, but you’ll never want for anything. A safe home. A safe job. A safe life,” Lena said.

Staring into her eyes, I realized her words weren’t just offers. She was…

“If I did that… I’ll always wonder what would have been. I’ll forever regret it,” I said to her.

I owed it to my mother to at least try.

Lena’s eyes softened at my words, but she smiled all the same. “Well said. Very human of you, too,” she said.

Her words hurt a little, since they reminded me of my uncle’s, but I smiled all the same. “So I’ve been told,” I said.

“From being kidnapped, to going through the Rift. I feel like I saved you just to throw you into an even worse danger,” Lena said gently.

“You probably could throw me, but I’d like to try walking if it’s all the same,” I said.

The tall woman nodded. “Well, if that’s the case then let’s go. I’ll send someone with you to the Red Inn to get your stuff. Then I’ll have you accompany the Caravan Bear to Krift. From there you’ll be on your own. I can only take you so far, and give you so much. You’ll have to be the one who ensures he takes you,” Lena said.

“Ensure it?” I asked, worried.

“He may resist a little. He’s odd like that. For as much as he hates powers, he’s damn near the perfect representation of one,” she said, smiling at her internal image of him.

“I see…” I said softly.

“Here,” she then said, pulling out a small red envelope from her pocket.

Taking it, I noticed the familiar papers. They were just like the letters she had written upon our first meeting. “Give those to him when you meet. Should be enough to get him to hear you out and consider it. After that be forceful. He’s weak to women being adamant,” she teased.

I nodded, putting the letter away carefully.

“Thank you Lena,” I said.

She too nodded, and reached out and gave my shoulder a pat. Holding out her other hand, she smirked. “We may not ever see one another again… but such is life. If you do happen to survive the Rift, and it turns out that your family is insanely wealthy, then send some business my way would you?”

Laughing, I shook her hand.