Sanae waited as her mother spoke to a hired healer.

The healer shook his head. “At very least he’s stable. Unnaturally stable, even. His metabolism is all but frozen. It reeks of magic, but not any variety I can treat. There’s nothing I can do for him. Maybe some of the scholars in Kzek would know more.”

Her mother’s expression tightened with worry, but she thanked the healer for his time and showed him out.

Sanae spoke up. “What now?”

Her mother took a deep breath. “We’ll need to save up some funds, but we can probably travel to Kzek in a few months, a year at latest.”

“How do we know he’ll last that long?”

“We don’t, really. But all we can do is hope.”

She sighed. “Mom…It’s been months. What if he’s not going to get better?”

“Sanae! This is your father we’re talking about!”

“I know! I want him back as much as you do, but maybe he wouldn’t want us to sell his life’s work and spend our life’s savings on doctors that can’t even help him!”

Her mother pursed her lips. “I’m sorry dear. I know how hard this is for you. But as long as there’s a chance to heal him I have to do everything within my power…I couldn’t live with myself knowing I could have done more.”

Sanae took a deep breath and wiped tears from her cheeks. “I know. I’m just frustrated.”

“I am too. I’m doing the best I can.”

They hugged silently for a few seconds.

- - -

The wagon lurched as the wheel slipped into a waterlogged rut, splashing her travel clothes with a generous helping of cold water and mud. She scowled and bit back a curse. Her mother noticed from the seat next to her.

“Sanae, if you want to complain, speak and get it over with. Your silent sulking is worse.”

She brushed the worst of the mud from her clothes and forced a more neutral expression. “No, I’m fine.”

They had secured a place in a merchant train courtesy of some of her mother’s family connections.

Her mother was experienced in commerce, having been raised in the business for most of her youth and early adulthood.

They reached their next stop just before sunset. It was a large town nestled at the feet of the local mountains.

They quickly set up shop in the marketplace, offering scarce commodities from overseas. Cured meats, spices, and high-quality tools were all highly sought after.

Quickly, the news spread that traders had arrived; the townspeople began to visit in groups of two or three. Soon a small crowd had gathered, milling about the various tables to browse and haggle.

The hired guards idled nearby, relaxed enough to avoid scaring customers yet keeping an obvious presence.

Sanae kept the inventory and transaction logs, jotting down each exchange as her mother managed the sales.

As the minutes dragged on, an unusual customer showed up. They were in a covered palanquin carried by four burly men. They relayed questions through a servant, asking about the origin and quality of various wares.

Sanae’s skin crawled, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. As soon as she could find an excuse, she retreated to her families’ tent behind the wagons.

She shivered, trying to relax.

“I’m imagining things. What’s so creepy about a palanquin? That’s what snooty princesses ride around in when they don’t want to ‘mingle with the dirty peasants’. ”

An hour or so later her mother joined her in the tent for their evening meal.

She asked, “Are you feeling well?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.

...although whoever was in that palanquin gave me the creeps.”

“Me too. Their servant asked an unusual amount of questions about you. They were very insistent that we should send you to join some dubious guild of theirs across the strait.”

“Why me?”

“I’m not sure, something about potential talents, they were being deliberately vague. I told them you’re not interested, but they didn’t seem to like that answer.”

“You know, we never have to deal with this sort of thing at home.”

Her mother’s brow creased.

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“Actually, there have been a few cases of suspicious characters lurking around our area the past couple years. They never actually did anything, but the city watch did say they seemed to be interested in our house in particular.

Your father suspected they were after his research, so I didn’t want to worry you by mentioning it.”

“Great, just what I needed. Stalkers.”

“I asked the guards to keep an eye out for us.

I also asked around town about them, they only arrived here a few hours before we did. Nobody is certain who they are or where they come from.”

One of the guards spoke from the tent door. Her mother stepped out and they talked, voices low and serious.

She re-entered, his face contorted with barely controlled anger.

“We’re leaving.” She said, beginning to pack up their things.

“What happened?” Sanae asked, confused.

“Shortly after we left, those strangers offered the guards an exorbitant sum to let them abduct you.

If their captain didn’t have a conscience he probably would have taken it. As it is, we shouldn't wait around. With that kind of money being offered, it’s only a matter of time before they find somebody more corruptible.”

Her eyes widened. “If they’re that desperate—”

“—there’s no telling what they’ll resort to.” Her mother finished.

Her mother continued packing up their belongings while speaking in a low voice.

“No ordinary slavers or traffickers would spend that kind of money trying to capture one person. So we have no idea who they are, where they’re from, or why they’re after you specifically.”

With that, they hurriedly packed up the tent and snuck out of town.

They set up camp again after they had put several kilometers behind them. Another of the traders and two of the guards caught up to them a few hours later with their wagon and the bulk of their possessions. The guards had brought two horses.

The trader looked worried.

“We were careful, but I’m not at all confident we got out unnoticed. It’s hard to hide when there’s only one road for someone to watch.”

The next day, her mother announced a change of plans. She had mapped a new route, taking them on a detour through a small, remote mountain village as their next stop. No one questioned the change.

One of the guards stayed behind a few hundred meters to keep an eye out for pursuit.

Most of the day passed without incident as the caravan snaked its way up various mountain paths.

Near dusk, one of the soldiers rode into earshot at full gallop. He shouted “We’ve got company! A dozen riders, breakneck pace!”

Her mother cursed.

She motioned to the guards. “You two, take Sanae and get to the village. Don’t stop for anyone.”

One of the men helped her onto the back of the saddle and they rode off.

Horseback was a lot less comfortable than a wagon. This full-speed gallop made it worse.

After a few minutes, they had to slow down so the horses could catch their breath.

They entered a lightly forested canyon.

Without warning, a bolt shot through the trees and over Sanae’s shoulder, striking the guard in his upper back. He gasped and spasmed, limply sliding out of the saddle. She had to let go so he wouldn’t drag her down with him. In a daze, she brushed something wet off her face, and saw a smear of blood on her hand. She bit back a scream and tried to nudge the horse back into a run.

The other guard caught up to her and his horse cut in front of hers.

She sputtered in confusion “We need to run! Didn’t you see—” she trailed off, noticing the crossbow still in his hand.

With a burst of adrenaline, she jumped from the horse’s back and ran into the trees, down the steep hill. Her run turned into a tumble as some dirt loosened under her feet.

Her vision went dark.

—

Sanae gradually regained consciousness.

Her head throbbed incessantly.

Her eyes snapped open when she remembered what had happened.

It was after dark. Her hands and feet were bound, and she had a gag over her mouth. She was in front of a small fire, leaning uncomfortably against a boulder.

On the far side of the fire leaned the traitorous guard, roasting some rabbits.

She glared knives at him for several minutes, waiting for him to notice. Eventually, he smirked and calmly met her gaze. She realized he had been deliberately ignoring her, which only made her more angry.

“You look as though you have something to say to me.” He said, nonchalantly.

He stepped over and removed the gag.

Immediately, she yelled for help as loudly as she could.

“Do you think I would have removed that if it were not prudent to do so? Yell if you must, but I was hoping for conversation to pass the time.”

His calm demeanor in the face of her plight was infuriating.

“Why would I talk to a traitorous coward like you?!”

“You offend me. I have betrayed no-one.”

“Then what do you call—”

“You misunderstand. The man who kept back to watch for pursuers—"

His face changed, becoming in sequence that of a merchant, then one of the other soldiers, and back to his original.

"—is not the same one who returned to sound the alarm."

Sanae was stunned speechless for a moment.

“Why did you capture me?”

“Because I was ordered to.”

“But why me?!”

“I haven’t the faintest idea, and I know better than to ask too many questions; A piece of wisdom you would do well to emulate.”

“But—!”

“I still don’t know, missy. Regardless, I think your ride’s approaching… Believe me, it could be a lot worse. Take comfort that you seem to be a valuable prisoner. Disposable captives have fewer comforts and a higher mortality rate.”

Sanae felt a familiar chill. As she recognized the feeling, she heard the palanquin bearers approaching at a brisk jog, stopping nearby. She braced herself to meet the source of the noxious gaze resonating from behind the decorated curtains. The shapeshifter brushed back the curtains.

To her shock, there was no one inside.

He deftly picked her up like a rag doll, set her down on the cushions, and closed the curtains.

Soon, she felt the palanquin begin to move.

And she could no longer hold back tears.