Booming flames rose into the night sky bathing everything in bloody light. Hot, burning sparks danced around just like a swarm of deadly fireflies, threatening to ignite the nearby shacks at any moment. Several roofs were already starting to sprout little bundles of fire. Thick smoke spread over the camp, its pungent smell choking the inhabitants. People were screaming and running around, passing buckets with water in a desperate attempt to prevent the spread of the flames even further.

Saya stood motionless, her dead eyes staring blank at the blooming fire. How… why… did this happen? Everything went so wrong! It was her fault! She shouldn’t have let Lorelei go without additional guards. She should have woken up Rish sooner. She should have gone with them. But everything had been peaceful. The guards hadn’t reported anything suspicious. The Shadows too had been silent. She should have sent her to Ildemar. She should have followed William's initial plan. If something happened to Lorelei… Her heart ice-cold, Saya motioned towards the tear-shaped green pendant around her neck. Gerash was coming. He had sensed her distress. She could feel his presence, their connection growing stronger by the minute. Still, these precious minutes were already lost. What if Lorelei was…

Suddenly, two figures jumped out from the sea of fire – the one dragging the other with some effort. This brought Saya back from her thoughts as she rushed to meet them together with several of the people fighting the spreading flames. Covered in soot and with smoking clothes, Rish bent over and coughed violently. Beside her lay Jessup’s unmoving body –hair singed and face smeared with ash and dirt. His eyelids tightly closed and mouth half-open, some unknown black liquid staining the corner of his lips, there was no reaction coming from the boy even after Saya shook him.

“Jess! Jess! Please, wake up, dear! Jess!! Rish, oh God, what’s wrong with him? Is... is he… dead!? And what about Lorelei? Is she still in there? We have to...”

“He’s still breathing… barely…” Rish’s voice came out raspy and she coughed some more. “The lady and the girl are gone. The old man is dead.”

She motioned weakly at the sea of flames. There, in the hot burning inferno, the big, red mark shaped like an open palm was glowing on the charred walls, its brilliance getting stronger with the intensifying fire.

“It was the Red Hands.” Rish’s words drifted into silence.

The sight of the handprint made Saya shiver despite the heat. No…This was not the plan! They were supposed to target her! Cursed be those Pure Blood devils! William had underestimated them. She hadn’t been enough of a distraction for these fanatics. And now Lorelei was in their hands! At the very least, there was a chance that she was still alive. Otherwise, her body would have been left there. They could still save her!

Jumping to her feet, Saya left Rish to tend to the unconscious Jessup and went straight to captain Aiden, who stood close by, directing his men battling the flames. She rummaged in the pouch on her belt, pulling out a small plate.

“Captain Aiden!” Her tone was so commanding that the knight tensed up and subconsciously stood attention. “Gather your men. I want every road, footpath, animal trail and mountain pass in fifty kilometers radius searched. No, make it seventy. Send some people with the fastest boats to crisscross the fjord and intercept any vessel sailing from Yalda. Send birds to all bordering towns to stop and search all incoming caravans and any traveling party of more than one person. The life of the duchess is at stake!”

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“What?! This would be… Wait, do you mean the duchess is in danger?”

The man started protesting but then his eyes focused on the command token the woman held before his face. The little plaque, catching the glow from the flames, was pure gold. On top was the crest of duke Norden, below it – the winged sword of house De Vindur. Captain Aiden felt chills run down his spine. He knew he had to obey these orders. Only the direct successors of the five barons had golden command tokens! The knight hit the left side of his chest with a tightly clenched fist and saluted.

“I received your orders, your eminence! It will be executed with due haste.”

“That won’t be necessary, Aiden,” a familiar voice sounded nearby.

Both the knight and Saya turned around. In all the commotion they had missed the sound of hoofs on the soft ground. A group of riders had stopped some ten meters from them. Their white hair stood out over the simple black cloaks that hung over their shoulders. Every man and woman in the group possessed a pair of cold blue eyes that were giving out a dim silver glow in the midnight darkness. They all looked uncanny, almost scary, like materialized ghosts. All but their leader.

Sir William de Mar jumped down from his saddle and closed the distance with big, limping strides, his actions a sign for the rest of the riders to dismount. His face was as calm and expressionless as ever while he threw a glance at the raging fire and the confused people running around.

“William! I mean, Lord Steward!” Aiden saluted again. “What are your orders?”

“Quell the flames. Prevent their spreading. If needed, demolish some of the shacks. Bring anyone injured to the medical tent.”

His eyes lingered for no more than a second on his brother’s seemingly lifeless body. As he was about to continue, Saya interjected:

“But what about Lorelei? The Cult of Pure Blood has…”

William lifted his hand and silenced her.

“That is enough, lady Saya. Sir Gregor and his Shadows will take care of the rest. No further questions will be discussed in public.”

After giving his orders, William de Mar went straight to the tent that not too long ago had been Lorelei’s personal quarters. The newly-arrived binshi followed him, but two of them trailed behind.

“Are you alright? You are not hurt, right?”

Gregor hugged his wife and whispered, while Rasha ran to help her sister. Saya could clearly feel his anguish through their bond. It was burningly painful and mixing with her own fear and sorrow.

“They took her, Gerash!” Her brave façade broke as she buried her head in his shoulder and sobbed. “Will was wrong. They didn’t fall for his tricks. What is going to happen now? I was supposed to protect her!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll find her. It might have been sudden, but I still managed to bring some of the best from the clan. It is all thanks to you that we figured something is wrong.”

While saying that, Gregor pulled out his twin-drop. The small grass-green amulet was giving out a pale, reddish shine that was slowly beginning to wane. Ever since the duchess had decided to stay in the shanty-town the best members of the tribe had been on standby. Even so, if there hadn’t been for the sudden distress of the twin-drop, it would have taken them more than the thirty minutes they had needed this time. Still, they had arrived too late.

Despite his own bitter feelings and growing impatience, Gregor allowed his wife a few more seconds of comfort before gently separating them.

“Chin up! Let’s go find her highness.”

She nodded, dried her eyes, and followed him to the tent.