The man cleared his throat. “Have you seen a woman in blue?”

Ike watched the man silently, pretending to think about it. He wore a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and stood near the invisible lady, prepared to block the man off if he approached her. He honestly didn’t care much about the fate of the lady. If the man had simply asked for her and offered an appropriate reward, he would have almost certainly handed her over. But instead, this roundabout way of approach, pretending to be a hunter… No, I don’t like any of this. There’s more to this situation than some mere chase.

He had no desire to be a pawn in someone else’s politics. If there was more to it, he’d rather know the whole situation and decide on his own. After all, if he was going to get involved in politics, he might as well milk the situation for all it was worth, rather than getting involved for the menial price of a throwaway pawn.

Not that I’ve decided I’m getting involved yet. But the way this man was acting, he couldn’t see himself coming out on top, if he mentioned he knew exactly where the lady was.

Ike shrugged. “Why do you ask?”

“We got separated during a hunt. I slew the beast, but I’m afraid she was badly injured during the fight. We were fighting a Cockatrice… you know what that is, right?”

Ike shook his head.

“Fearsome beast, fearsome. Its glare can turn a man to stone and its voice can shatter bone. Its venom can induce madness. I know it bit her. I’m worried she didn’t expel the venom in time, and she’s wandering around, confused.” He gave Ike a concerned look. “If you saw her, it’s vital you tell me immediately. I have the antidote. But if she continues to wander like this, she’ll quickly perish.”

Ike’s brows furrowed. He pinched his chin, as though lost in thought. Internally, he mocked the man. They fought a beast with venom that fearsome, yet only one of them packed the antidote? Why didn’t he immediately dose her? If they started together, with no more conflict between them but a hunt, how did she get away from him when she was badly injured and barely able to keep her feet?

Besides, he’d seen her injuries. They weren’t the wild strikes and scratches of a beast. They were deep, deliberate. Sword wounds, or some similar single-bladed weapon.

At last, he shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. I haven’t seen anything like that.”

“That is unfortunate. If you do encounter her, please light this.” He held out a small flare to Ike. “When that is lit, I will immediately come to your side.”

“Thank you. If I run into her, I’ll light it.” He tucked the flare into his pocket and smiled.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

The man smiled at him.

Ike smiled back.

A long moment passed.

The man clapped. “Well, if that’s all…”

“That’s all,” Ike agreed.

He took a few steps away, then paused. “You sure you saw nothing?”

“Just this deer.” Ike patted the carcass beside him.

The man raised his brows. He ambled away slowly, turning back a few more times. Ike stood there, ignoring him. Obviously he can sense Wisp and Shawn’s aether, not to mention he can probably sense the woman’s mana. But all he knows is that there’s other people here, not who or what they are. If he were skilled enough to completely accurately track the woman’s mana signature, he wouldn’t be talking to me. He’s suspicious, but he also knows he’s outnumbered. I wouldn’t attack either, if I were him.

But I would go get my buddies and come right back.

The second the man left his perception, Ike glanced up. “We need to move.”

“I got those vibes, too,” Wisp replied, landing behind him. This time, Shawn managed to land gracefully beside her.

“Who gets the kid, who gets the girl?” Ike paused. “Who gets the deer?”

Wisp gave him a look. “I get the girl. You get the kid, and the deer, but you’re better off leaving it behind. That thing stinks to high heavens. If they have any scent trackers on their side, you’re basically putting up a banner to your location.”

Ike sighed. He grabbed one last lump of meat off the deer, then grabbed the deer by the stick and lobbed it off into the distance. He picked up Shawn. Grabbing his wolf pelt off the woman, he slung it around his shoulders instead.

It took some effort for Wisp to position the woman such that she didn’t drag on the ground or get in the way of Wisp’s carry. She was much smaller than the woman, only about the size of a thirteen- or fourteen-year old girl. Wisp pulled out her wolfskin and wrapped it over both of them.

Ike nodded, and they set off.

“So, when are you going to grow?” Ike asked conversationally.

“Huh?”

He nodded. “You’re still young. You’re going to grow still, right?”

Wisp blinked at him. “I’m several hundred years old, give or take. I’m full grown.”

Ike stared back. “No way. You’re so small!”

“What? How old did you think I was?” she asked in return.

“I don’t know. Fourteen?” Ike guessed. He waved his hand a beat later. “In appearance, I mean.”

“My human guise is fully grown, in appearance and age,” Wisp clarified. She gave Ike a look. “You know that human girls are mostly fully grown by fourteen, right?”

“What?”

Wisp rolled her eyes. “Seriously…”

“Wait, then that woman was twice your height at fourteen?” Ike asked, flabbergasted.

Wisp nodded. “Yeah. She probably was. What’s the problem?”

“Crazy,” Ike muttered.

“In which a human discovers how human growth rates work,” Shawn narrated.

Ike gave him a look. “I don’t need any cheek from you, kid.”

“I’m older than all of you!” Shawn protested yet again.

As they walked, Ike amended, “It didn’t work that way in the slums. Lots of people never grew, or grew late, or slow. I thought it was normal for girls to hit their full height around sixteen or so.”

“Huh,” Wisp said.

They sped on. The makeshift camp quickly fell away behind them.

--

“No one’s here.”

“Use your eyes. The fire’s still burning. They just left.”

“Suspicious, isn’t it? Four sources of mana, but only one standing around. He denies seeing her, but asks more about it first.”

“Could just be he got spooked by you. Hunters spook easy. I told you we shouldn’t let him question people.”

“But the other three mana sources?”

“Can’t explain that.”

“We track them down. Kill them. Either they have her, or they’re troublesome types hiding their true numbers and intent. Best to kill them. For the New Republic.”

“For the New Republic.”

The figures leapt off, chasing into the woods.