The dock seemed to perpetually churn out a steady stream of bodies, the way all places outside of the Canvas did. They flowed through every nook and cranny in the area, making it impossible to walk around without being seen by at least a dozen people at once. Every curious glance that came her way reminded Ethi of just how much she stood out from these round-eyed foreigners.

“We’re harder to spot in a crowd,” Cut told her, apparently seeing the concern in her face and trying to abate it. Perhaps it would have worked, were it not coming from the same person who considered abandoning her specifically because of how much she stood out. Ethi said nothing however, and shifted her focus to their target. It was a ship in the practical sense and that was about it. The thing looked like it could barely float, and the wood creaked and groaned at every gust of wind as if begging to be put out of its misery.

It was a labour vessel, Cut had told her; where able-bodied men and women were shipped to and from Udrebam for all sorts of work. ‘For whoring, fucking, serving, building and sometimes killing,’ Is how Cut had phrased it.

They would be able to get on if they could sneak past the guards, it wouldn’t be long after they’d begun travel before they were spotted.

Ships like that would be used to stowaways however; they were the easiest targets and they’d likely just have to work off their fee until they got to wherever they were going.

Gods, I don’t even know where they’re going.

There was a line of people entering the ship now and Cut looked at Ethi.

“You ready?” The woman asked. A nod was all she needed to begin moving.

Ethi followed, and cursed her short legs for their inability to keep up with Cut’s long strides. She slid into the line an eternity after Cut did. There were guards at either side of it; Ethi kept her head low, gaze down and eyes averted from either man as she approached them.

Her heart was a drum, her gut a furnace and her mind a race. She made it past the first man without a hitch, he barely even looked at her. Ethi nearly breathed a sigh of relief and held it as she approached the next.

Then his head turned ever so slightly, and Ethi thought herself caught, images of serrated edges cutting into skin came swimming up and still she willed herself not to run, not to do anything to make her stand out even more. His gaze met Ethi and then he looked away.

A sigh spilled out of her, at least there was one good thing about toda- “Hey knife eyes!” The man called and it took Ethi a moment to realise who he was referring to.

She jumped as he grabbed her arm and whirled her around. He was taller than her, as men often were, big and brawny too; a brawler and had the scars to show for it too. “I was calling you.”“My name isn’t fucking knife-eyes,” Ethi replied, glaring up at him. She was careful not to struggle, even as her heart raced.

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“What is it then?” She didn’t respond, he didn’t seem to care. “You know, we don’t get much of your kind around here, I bet your boss is gonna make a lot of money off you, them rich folk like their exotic types.”

Ethi’s lips curled as he grinned and then the grin was wiped off of his face. The man stumbled back with a groan, falling on his back and clutching his nose. Between her and him stood Cut, blood dripping from her knuckles; his blood, not hers.

“Fucking dog,” she hissed and turned to Ethi, concern creasing her the bridge of her nose. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Ethi looked at the writhing man on the floor and felt just a bit more certain. “I’m fine.”

Fuck, but you hit hard.

The man crawled to his feet like a drunk. The bottom half of his face was painted red with blood, and the upper half pink with rage.

He glared at Cut and Ethi noticed a blade in his hand. “I’m about to teach you a fucking lesson.”

The man took a step forward, there was a loud bang and his head came apart. He swayed to the side, over the docks, skull rent open and brains spilling out down what was left of his cheek. Ethi looked away in disgust, heard him splash into the water a moment later. Screams filled the air as people ran for their lives, and Ethi looked at Cut for an explanation. She found it by following her gaze.

Approaching them was a man with a musket slung over his shoulder, he had used it to shoot the guard she knew, but Ethi realised his real target was them. The killer had merely missed.

Cut was running, and Ethi didn’t need to be told to follow. She looked around and saw more men either looking for or running at her. She considered calling on her magic but decided against it yet again, it made her glow and that would be the worst thing to do if they had a Blessed on their side.

Cut had lengthened the distance between them with each stride and Ethi cursed. The woman could simply barrel through people while Ethi was jostled and rocked by their momentum. Soon, she was surrounded by a mass of racing bodies and Cut was nowhere to be seen.

Someone grabbed her and Ethi punched them in the face. Cut grunted, glared at her, but said nothing of it. “Found a place we can hide, come with!”

Ethi did.

----------------------------------------

“Any idea what’s going on outside?” Isla asked, she was sitting on a chair now, gazing up at the dilapidated ceiling of Lachlan’s shop.

Lachlan sounded confused. “Eh?”

“Am I the only one who heard the fucking gun shot?” Isla asked, finally looking at him.

“Oh,” He waved a dismissive hand. “Those are normal round here, probably just someone getting what they deserve,” He shrugged. “Don’t concern me,” he shrugged.

And then the door burst open.