Hina wandered over to where the off duty guards were sitting around a little fire outside of the circle of wagons. They had a card game going at a little folding table lit by a lantern in the growing dark.

"Hey guys," she said, approaching, "seen Micah?"

"Micah? He's not here," said Kosta, one of the younger guards. He put his cards face down on the little table and turned to face Hina. "I haven't seen him all afternoon—he's probably off with Ellia again."

There was a murmur of agreement from the other card-players.

"Ellia?" Hina asked, "red hair? Tall?"

"Nah, that's Niovi," Kosta said, "Dark hair, and a bit of a scar on her cheek. But yeah, she's tall." He took a glance behind himself, then nodded. "Marc's on watch to the east—he might know where they went."

"Thanks," said Hina, "I'll go find him."

Marc was standing out past the circle of wagons, crossbow in hand, peering out into the darkness. "Hey, Marc," she said, "have you seen Micah?"

"Your brother?" Marc asked, not turning around, "no. I haven't seen him since we stopped for the day."

"What about Ellia?"

"I think she's on watch to the south-west. Or she was when I last saw her. It was a while ago—before my watch started."

"Thanks," said Hina, "I'll try over there."

"Everything okay?" Marc asked, glancing towards her then turning back to the dark.

"Just trying to find him," Hina said. "See anything out there?"

"Caught a glimpse of something a few minutes ago. Probably just a fox or something." He turned back to the dark. "Good luck finding your brother."

Hina walked back to the wagons and across the campsite, looking for Ellia. She exited the circled wagons facing roughly south-west, but she didn't see anyone.

Away from the road the grass was knee high and rustling.

"Ellia?" she called out, softly, "You out there?"

Hina caught her foot on something that yielded slightly, and she tripped, fell to the ground. She caught herself on her hands and knees, and scrambled back to her feet.

A body lay in the grass.

For half of a panicked moment, Hina thought it was Kai. But no. Whoever it was was taller, and armored—pale hands. Ellia. Relief warred with horror.

She needed to get someone, to get help. She nearly cried out, but then remembered where she was—in the wild after dark—and covered her mouth.

Hina stumbled back towards the campsite, found the nearest guard—the guardsman who had greeted them earlier, who was standing with Kosta outside the ring of the wagons.

"There—there's a body out there—in the grass," she started. "I tripped over it."

"What's that?" said Sterg, turning to face her. "A body?"

"To the south-west—I was looking for—for Micah."

"Better show me, girl," he said. He picked up a glowing lantern from the ground at his feet. "You got this?" he asked Kosta.

"Yeah," Kosta said. "Come back quick, hey?"

"Well, come on then," Sterg gestured towards Hina. "Time's a wasting."

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Hina led him towards the place where she'd found the body. She walked past the place the first time, and then stumbled across it when she retraced her steps. "There," she said, pointing.

"Oh fuck," Sterg said under his breath. He crouched beside the still figure, held his lantern up to its face and put a hand out. "Ellia. Dead. Throat's cut." He stood up, turned to face her. "And the boy's missing?" his voice was grim.

"Nobody has seen him all afternoon, Marc said he might be with Ellia," Hina said, voice small. "But he didn't—he isn't."

"Come on, we need to let the others know," Sterg said. "And we need to get this poor girl back to camp before something finds her."

One of the pack beasts lowed from behind them in the distance, loud in the night.

Sterg led Hina back to the card table where the off duty guards were sitting and led her to a chair that was off by the side. "You sit right here and wait," he said, voice firm.

"Okay—you'll find him?"

"We'll find him."

He went over to the guard table and had words with the guards sitting there. Two of them hurried off back the way they'd come—to find Ellia. Sterg walked swiftly into the center of the wagons, metal jangling as he walked past, leaving Hina with the third guard.

Marc carried a folding chair over to where she was sitting and joined her. He sighed. "Tough business, huh. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too. I didn't know her well. But. She was nice."

"One of the nicest," Marc agreed. "And Kai—he's a good kid, too. Hopefully he turns up soon."

"I hope so," said Hina. "Sterg said she was stabbed?"

"He thinks something cut her throat—and he thinks it was from behind," Marc said. "But they're going to bring her back to camp now and see what they can find out. Any ideas about where Kai would go, if we went anywhere?"

"No," said Hina, shaking her head. "This is the wild. He wouldn't go anywhere by himself," she said, "not willingly—certainly not without me."

"We'll do our best to find him," said Marc. "But—" he shook his head. "We'll do what we can."

Yusuf approached where they were sitting, walking quickly and carrying a lantern. "Is she a suspect?" He was looking at Marc.

Marc shook his head.

"Good." Yusuf looked at Hina. "Go back to camp and get some rest."

"My brother's missing," Hina said.

"We'll find him if he's out there," said Yusuf, "but there's nothing you can do to help right now. Get some rest—someone will wake you if we find anything."

"You promise?"

"You have my word," said Yusuf.

Hina nodded, and stood up. She walked back to the center of the wagons and found her blanket, Olivia lying nearby.

"What was all that about?" Olivia asked, sitting up.

"M—Kai's missing," Hina said. "And one of the guards—Ellia—she's dead."

"Oh." It was a short sharp sound. "Oh."

Bean croaked, and flapped up and circled around to land on her shoulder, sharp claws digging in. Hina barely noticed.

"I found her body in the grass," Hina said. "Tripped over it looking for him."

"What happened to her?" Olivia asked.

"Throat cut, they think."

"And they're looking for Kai?"

"That's what they said," Hina said. "They said there was nothing I could do."

"You've checked everywhere?"

"The wild is a big place, Olivia."

"Inside the campsite, I mean. Is his stuff still here? In the wagon?"

"I haven't checked. The guards thought he was with Ellia. I asked what, five different people, and they all thought he was with her."

"Let's go and look in the wagon," said Olivia, sitting up. "Maybe he's asleep up there somewhere, or maybe he left something behind to tell us where he went."

Their wagon was right behind where they had been lying. Hina made her way towards the back of the wagon, getting a nod from one of the guards who was standing nearby.

When she moved towards the ladder, the guard called out to her. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

"We need to check up on the wagon," Hina said. "My brother, Micah, is missing, we were thinking he might be up there?"

"Oh, you're the girl who found Ellia?" the guard said, looking at her. "I'll have a look with you."

"It's really okay," Hina said. "I can do it myself."

"Yes, yes. You're a big girl. But if something goes missing, it'll be better if I can say I was supervising, and didn't see you take anything, hey?"

"Oh. Okay."

"You two go up first," the guard said, "I'll follow. Don't touch anything until I'm up."

Hina went up the ladder, the narrow climb easier with practice. She reached the top, checked on both sides of the pile of luggage, but no one was up there.

"Nothing," she said to Olivia, who was stepping off the ladder.

"Is his bag here?"

"Doesn't look like it." Hina walked up to the other end the wagon, checking luggage, but nothing looked familiar. "I don't see it."

"No luck?" asked the guard, in a rumbling voice.

"No, he's not here," said Hina. "And I don't see his bag. But thanks for letting us look."

Back on the ground the guard cleared his throat and said, "I hope you find him. Best of luck."

She and Olivia walked back to their bedrolls in the center of the wagons.

Olivia was frowning heavily. "I found this, under the bench," she said, "where we usually sit?" She held up a small, folded piece of paper.

Hina took it eagerly. "What is it?"

"A letter—you better read it."

"From Kai?" Hina said, worried now. She didn't think that Kai would leave willingly, but if he had, he would have certainly left a note. If that's what this was—

"Please, just read it."

Right. Hina unfolded the note and read.

> Mahina Gardiner,

>

> My patience is at an end. I have taken the boy into service for the Grove.

>

> Consider your account to be settled in full.

>

> - G