The approaching Caravan Bear was nearly twice the size of the one that had just gotten eaten.

Sending such a prize was typical of Lena. For as shrewd as she was in business, she was far too generous to those she favored.

A few people walked alongside the bear, guiding it. Luckily none of them looked to be Lena. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with her. There was one who was tall enough, but his wide shoulders told me it wasn’t her.

The stone nearby was still wrapped, and not just because the clouds had gotten more dense. I hadn’t told Lena what I was delivering, and although she hadn’t come… I knew she would have sent one or two of her better employees. She had enough clever people working for her, that if I wasn’t careful they’d realize what it was. Then they’d tell her. And although Lena would stay silent… the people who work for her were another story.

Keeping the stone wrapped was all I could do for now. I wasn’t willing to hide it elsewhere, out of risk of someone stealing it while I was away. Wrapping it was all I could do. And it made me feel foolish. I was endangering Lena quite a bit here, even if I had no choice.

I liked Lena too much to have to get her killed, so I hoped none of the people walking towards me noticed the stone.

Once they were close enough, I approached them. I wasn’t willing to go too far from the rock, but a short distance wasn’t going to be a problem. Plus it was likely all of the people here were human. A good enough of a distance would render their eyes unable to make out the stone or any of the tiny cobwebs poking out from the pelts.

The Caravan Bear sniffed the air as I drew closer, and I waved over the nearest person. The tall man picked up their pace and ran up to me.

“RiftBorn, sir. Miss Lena sends her regards,” the man said as he got close.

“Hm. You guys can leave it here, I’ll do the rest,” I said.

“Ah. Are you sure sir? We came to help you load whatever you…” he stopped talking as I waved him off.

“It’s fine. Thank you. Let Lena know I’m thankful, and will see her soon,” I said.

The man hesitated, but nodded all the same. He turned around on a heel and hurried to talk to one of the other workers.

Running my eyes along the half dozen people, I was glad to see none of them seem concerned or upset that I had sent them away. It didn’t take long for all of them to turn around; the one who had been pulling the Caravan Bear’s reins dropped them without question.

Lena employed good workers, as usual. Or maybe they were just happy they didn’t have to do hard labor.

It didn’t take long for them to begin walking back towards RiftWarren. And I was thankful for it… until I noticed that one of them had remained. Standing still.

Farther away from the Caravan Bear than the others, it was obviously a woman and…

“Oh, Lena…” I groaned at the sight of the power.

She had a large sack bag in her hands, and her down-brimmed hat hid her horns… but it was clear as the moons in the Rift.

She was a power. And a young one at that.

Her slightly green hair and eyes were the obvious proof. In the midday sun her hair almost looked a very light blonde, but the green hue was obvious. Such a pale color of green wasn’t found in the human race. They had many shades we didn’t, and most we did, but green wasn’t one of them.

Scanning her clothes, I hesitated when she put her bag down and began walking towards me. She was dressed similarly to most workers, which was why I had not noticed her earlier. She looked just as poor as the rest had. The only thing separating her from the rest was that her shoes were new. The way the leather boots gleamed told me they were the most expensive things she wore.

Yet not a single piece of clothing had designs sewn or painted onto them.

She bore no family crest.

Very unusual for a power.

“Stop,” I raised my voice, which made her hesitate. She came to a halt, but not before wobbling. She was either nervous or a klutz. The Caravan Bear lazily looked at her thanks to her sudden, quirky movement, as she came to a stop.

Walking towards her, I did my best to place myself in-between her line of sight and the magical stone behind me.

Now that I knew she was a power, I needed to be mindful. She’d be able to see the cobwebs of magic. She’d recognize what those cobwebs meant instantly. I couldn’t afford a power to know about it. Not right now.

It didn’t take long for me to approach her, and as I did the Caravan Bear started to nuzzle the ground. As if in search for food.

“Mr. Krift?” she asked as I got close.

My foot paused in the air, as I soaked in her voice. The way my name rolled off her lips. The way her question was so clearly audible.

Quickly I ran through my memories. Not just for her particular voice, but who she could possibly be. Her voice had absolutely no hint of a power’s accent. If I had heard her voice, before seeing her, I would have heard a human. Not a power.

Plus the way she had said my name…

“Impossible,” I whispered, but quickly regained my composure. Surely something was amiss. Something wasn’t clicking in my head. I was making a mistake.

My first assumption of her had to be a mistake. A complete misunderstanding. It was impossible…

There was no way a power had grown to such an age, here in the lands of humans. The fact my first instinct was to assume such was sickening. I knew nothing about her, yet here I was assuming things in such a drastic way.

“Krift?” she asked again as I got closer. Studying her clothes, I grimaced at the lack of crests upon her. Not a hint of one. Not even on her hat.

“Yea… I’m Krift. Who are you?” I asked, annoyed. I didn’t have time for this.

“My name is Mint. Mintmorency… I uh… Lena sent me. Here,” she quickly went to pull something from a pocket, and I noticed the way her fingers trembled in the process. She was worried.

Was this some kind of scheme? Lena wouldn’t do it. Of all people, Lena was the least I had to worry about. But… Lena was surrounded by people who would. Outnumbered by people who wouldn’t even hesitate. Her human co-conspirators and allies would not hesitate to try something like this.

But… Would a power?

While the woman fumbled her way to pulling out some papers, I watched the way her feet shifted.

This woman was no warrior. She may have a weapon concealed somewhere, but most likely had no idea how to properly use one.

A power would happily try to kill me. But what point was there to sending someone like this to do the job?

“Here… From Lena,” the woman said, holding out a red envelope.

Stepping towards her, before I even took the letter I noticed the perfume that had been sprayed upon it. It was Lena’s, and although usually such a thing would bother me… it also comforted me.

It meant that Lena had indeed sent this, and hadn’t done so under duress. She only sprayed them with that nasty smelling perfume for our personal letters. Taking the letter, I made sure to check my surroundings just in case. Other than this odd power, nothing seemed amiss.

Ignoring the wide-eyes studying me as I turned the letter over to open it, I noticed a part of it was already ripped. The way it had been torn told me that she had done it in her haste to present it to me.

Opening the letter, I sighed at the two pages. She always wrote so much…

Quickly reading the two pages, I wished I hadn’t.

“I can’t,” I said to her.

Although she startled, I noted she did so because she was tense. Not because of the words I had spoken.

Gesturing to the stone behind me with the papers, I shrugged. “I have a job to do. It’s a serious one, too. I need to deliver that. I can’t afford distractions, or sidetracking,” I said.

“I… I know. She said you would finish your job first,” the woman said.

The worry in her voice was painful to hear. Almost as painful as the nervous way she stood. Especially since Lena had just as desperately tried to guilt me into accepting this burden.

A snort came from the Caravan Bear, causing the woman to glance to it. As she did, I noticed the way her hat moved with her head. She had it tied down somehow, maybe with pins. The brims were very thin, they should be swaying more with such movement.

Powers normally wanted their clothes to flow and be affected by such movements, and the nature around them. It was a culture thing. Yet here was one trying her best to appear as human as possible, going so far as to even do the little things humans did, like pinning a hat to hair.

Which… was honestly more surprising than it should be. It was likely just because she was trying to blend in and hide… but…

She might just be the first power I’d ever seen taking her disguise to such a level. I don’t think I’d ever seen one so flawlessly human, at least in appearance.

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She even smiled softly at the Caravan Bear. As if amused by its simple demeanor.

Very human-like indeed.

Looking back to the letters, I sighed at the few words Lena had added at the end.

The ones I had said to her so many years ago, as I wrapped her face in bandages.

“Damn half-breed,” I groaned.

“I’m not a half,” the woman said.

“Not you…” I said, and wondered what to say or do.

Delivering that stone took precedence. And not just because of how much money was on the line.

Every moment out here, with that stone, cost lives. If I let her accompany me, then I was willingly putting her not only in harm’s way…

But right next to the stone.

She looked harmless, but so had Dwab.

So had Dwab…

The woman’s trembling had died down a little. It seemed staring at the Caravan Bear as it dug lazily into the ground nearby calmed her.

“Won’t you just wait? I’ll probably be done in a few weeks,” I said to her.

Maybe by then she’ll see reason and discard this pointless endeavor. Whatever scheme was concocting could be dealt with then, when I didn’t have more pressing concerns to focus on.

“I can’t afford to wait. And something tells me if I did try, Lena would have me working for her before you got back,” she said.

“Can’t afford…” One of the things Lena mentioned came to mind, and I gestured to the woman with the letter. “Why would your uncle try to kidnap you?” I asked.

“Excuse me?”

The tone she had used made me second guess Lena’s information, but right before I could discern anything, the woman revealed the truth.

Her eyes widened, her trembling returned in force, and an odd sound escaped half parted lips.

A whine.

“You all right?” I asked her.

“No. My heart just shattered,” she said with a whisper.

“I can tell,” I said, and wondered when I had last seen such vivid emotion from another power. Decades ago, at least.

“How’d you know?” she asked while her now very watery eyes glared at the papers in my hand.

I didn’t explain, and instead just handed her the letters. She snatched them from me, and went to reading them.

A few seconds into reading, she grumbled and had to wipe her eyes. Her sleeve displayed the tear-stains well, since it was of such low quality.

She had to be trying to blend in. To not be seen, by others.

It was the only thing that made sense. After all, why else would a power of all things dress like a common human?

She looked more like a common laborer than anything else. A farmer or dockworker. In some corners of the Lands of Man, she’d be seen as a slave.

Still, no matter her circumstances, her emotion was real. No power would cry like that, without a real reason behind it.

Although I had been concerned, and even more disturbed after reading Lena’s letters, I felt much more relieved now. This woman’s emotions were clearly written upon her face. She could be some kind of scheme, or a tool within one, but she herself was no threat to me.

While she read, I went to work. Grabbing the reins of the Caravan Bear, I tugged them lightly to draw its attention away from whatever it smelled in the ground.

The bear grumbled lightly as I guided it towards the stone. Although far larger than any other I’ve seen, it was just as docile and trained as the rest.

Reaching the stone, I dropped the reins and studied the bears back. It had a leather harness, which had a wooden platform attached to it. Right in the center of its back. The platform had been attached with kindness, as well, unlike Momma had done. It was attached by thick leather straps and joints, wrapped around its whole body.

The platform was a little too big for the stone, but it would work fine. Lena had done just as I had requested.

“Roll over. Come on, roll over,” I said to the creature while spinning a finger in the air. The Caravan Bear ignored me for a second, and then noticed my command.

With a thump, it laid onto its belly. A moment later it slowly tilted and began to roll over. With a great huff, as if exhausted, it came to a stop on its side.

Thanks to the way the harness had been fastened, the wooden platform was now easily accessible. It hung over the ground, tilted at a very slight angle thanks to the bear not having rolled over completely. It was angled as if it was now a wall.

Thick rope had been tied around one of the fasteners on the harness, and I went to untying it.

As I did, I took a glance to the woman. She had the letters in her hand, but wasn’t reading them. Her head was hung low, and looked to be crying.

The sight slowed me for a second, but I said nothing. Powers weren’t without emotion, especially our women, but usually they refrained from showcasing them in front of anyone. It was seen as something intimate. Something not for others to see.

Maybe in her eyes I wasn’t worth worrying over.

Not too surprising anymore.

After untying enough of the rope, I went to fastening it at the right corners of the platform so I could secure the rock to it.

“How’d she know?”

Looking away from my rope tying, I studied the green eyes glaring at me. Not in anger, but something far more worrisome.

“Know what?” I asked her.

“That… that it had been…” she hesitated, and then swallowed her confidence. “My uncle.”

“I have no idea? I don’t even know what’s going on. Go ask her,” I said.

The woman’s eyes narrowed as she stepped towards me, but hadn’t been looking. She almost fell over as she stepped on her bag.

“Gosh,” she groaned a complaint as she steadied herself, and hurried up next to me. The Caravan Bear noticeably shifted at her approach, but didn’t move too much.

“What?” I asked her, keeping an eye on her hands. If she went for a weapon I was going to have harsh words for Lena after I did what I had to.

“Would she have known? Is Lena someone who can find out things like that?” she asked, her voice worried.

“Like what? If your uncle kidnapped you? I guess? I don’t have any idea what happened… why wouldn’t you know? Weren’t you the one who was kidnapped?” I asked, annoyed.

The woman was only a few feet away, and I could feel the uncertainty from her. The way she squeezed the papers in frustration, the way she shifted on her feet as if she wanted to run but didn’t know where to.

Such a strange sight. She had just looked heartbroken, now she looked terrified and confused.

So many emotions so clearly on her face made me almost doubt she was a power at all. Maybe Lena and I had both misunderstood? After all other than her eyes and hair… I’d not seen her horns yet.

Though…

She sniffed as I wondered about her circumstance.

An uncle trying to harm her, or kidnap her at least. Nothing too shocking for a power. Family disputes were a power pastime, nearly. Odds are she had ran off here through the Rift without her families permission, or something. Nothing too weird.

But…

Pulling the rope tight and finishing up one of the sections, I turned to her. “Listen. Lena said you wanted to cross the Rift to find your family. Tell me, why is it find and not get to? You only find something once you lost it,” I said.

Her eyebrows knitted in annoyance as she shook her head. “Because I don’t know who they are. I just know they’re over there.”

Although such a thing should have been impossible… it still clearly made sense in my head. A power not knowing who their family was? A literal impossibility… until you took one glance at the woman in front of me.

No crest. Hiding her horns. Speaking without a hint of a power’s accent. Dressed in poor clothing…

“What’s your name?” I asked her.

She sniffed and nodded. “Mintmorency. You can call me Mint, if you’d like.”

I waited for the rest, but she didn’t give it.

In fact, she…

I was about to ask another question, as to tell her to say the rest. To have her inform me of her household… but the look on her face was clear.

She didn’t know.

Not only didn’t she know which house she belonged to… she didn’t even realize that a power should have a house.

“How old are you…?” I asked.

“A little under forty. My mother didn’t start counting my years until long after I was able to walk, so we don’t know,” she said, looking at the rope I had just tied.

“Your mother. A power?” I further questioned.

“Yes. Lorrieana.”

The name didn’t ring any bells, but it was at least a name of power.

Unlike hers.

“Father?” I asked while I unwrapped another rope.

“She never told me his name. I grew up with a human father, who she… who we lived with, once she settled down in my hometown,” she said.

By the Rift she’s a war orphan.

“Yea… well, nonetheless I can’t take you through the Rift right now. I have to get to the south,” I said as I did my best to ignore the reality in front of me.

“I… I know! Lena said I should get you to let me accompany you until then,” she said hurriedly.

“She did?” I asked. Really Lena?

“I’ll not be a burden… please,” she begged. She had to tilt her head to stare me in the eyes, since her hat blocked her view. Or rather, since she was shorter than a usual…

“Forty?” I asked her, unsure.

With a blink she seemed to ponder my question, but understood after a moment. “I think so. Yes. I know I look young… but…”

“Powers live longer than humans. But forty years ago was during the wars…” I stopped talking, and realized that was indeed her story.

Her mother had either gotten stuck over here, or had been a prisoner. Maybe even a trophy of some human soldier.

“Yes. During the wars,” she said, and I noticed her tone.

Staring into her eyes, I wondered what household had such shiny emerald colors in their eyes. I couldn’t think of any, which meant they were either a very poor and small house… or…

Or dead and gone. Lost to the wars, maybe?

“Go home. Better a life secured than one wasted,” I said, and went back to tying the ropes.

“My home is gone. I sold it,” she said hurriedly.

“Then go buy it back,” I said.

“I can’t…”

“Family? Here on this side, I mean,” I asked.

“Just my uncle,” she said with a dry tone.

The metal piece I had been tightening a rope on creaked in strain. I had to stop tugging, as I realized how messed up her situation was.

“Why would he try to kidnap you then? Get you back maybe?” I asked.

“To sell me, so Lena says. Didn’t you read the letter?” she asked, lifting the crumpled papers.

“I glanced through them…” I said honestly.

“Did you also glance through how she thinks I’ll end up running into the Rift alone if you don’t help me? How I’m hardheaded and stubborn, like all our kind?” she further asked, pushing the papers towards me.

With a nod, I stopped messing with the ropes and turned to face her. The young power had a strong gaze, even if it was brimmed with tears.

I walked into this one. Lena knew how weak I was to such tears. Especially when I was the one causing them.

This was why I hated coming here anymore. This always happened. Maybe I should just stay in the Rift for a few decades, and wait until Lena is either too old or dead to do this to me.

The young power sniffed, but kept her eyes on mine. As if daring me to try another excuse, or change her mind.

“You’re serious, then?” I asked.

“As the Rift.”

She really wasn’t a power. At least not a true one. Maybe in blood. But that was all.

After all…

“Don’t regret it,” I said to young power… that had no idea who she was getting involved with.

Hopefully she’d never find out.