The first day of travel crawled by for Marie. After a terrible morning of betrayal by the entire town, she forced herself to drive her wagon for twelve hours, only stopping to rest, feed, and water the horses.

Marie stopped briefly at a roadside inn for directions and supplies. Grandeur was several days away, and she had no desire to be on the road longer than necessary.

She directed the horses down a dark pass, traveling into thick woods, and she could feel the forest envelop her.

The horses whinnied as they took the narrow path through the trees. The woods itself seemed to be waiting for something. Despite the size of the forest, only the cart made noise.

The darkness loomed. The crescent moon provided little light to guide her path, yet Marie pushed on without difficulty.

Marie extracted some dried meat, bread, cheese, and a large flask of water. From the back of the cart, she heard a loud gurgling noise. In the silence of the woods, it echoed eerily.

“You know, Jayde,” Marie said, “I have plenty of food, if you would like some.”

Jayde froze.

“I know that hot chocolate is good, but it really is not proper nutrition.”

Jayde poked out her head from under the canvas. Marie looked right at her.

“Hello, Jayde,” she said.

“Hiya,” said Jayde. “How long have you known?”

“Long enough,” Marie answered.

“And you didn’t kick me out because … ?”

“Cameron wouldn’t have wanted me to. Have some food,” Marie said. She broke off a large piece of cheese and bread.

Jayde eagerly wolfed it down.

“How long were you and Cameron together?” asked Jayde, her mouth full.

“I’ve traveled with him for nine years now. Before you get any ideas, I’m a human. He’s a vampire. That type of relationship doesn’t work,” said Marie.

“I didn’t say anything,” Jayde said.

“You had a look.”

“A look?” Jayde asked.

“Yes, a look. To understand me and Cameron, you have to understand what happened. I’m a sage, more specifically a war sage. I found out at an early age that I had more Talent than most,” said Marie.

“Talent?”

“Talent is one of hundreds of terms all meaning one thing. Magic,” said Marie.

Jayde jumped to the front seat next to Marie, eager to learn more. Marie continued to guide the horses forward while they talked.

“All people have some minute ability. A rare few have more natural ability than others. I’m blessed—or cursed, depending on your perspective—to have a Talent for essence bending. This means I can manipulate anything I touch for a very short time. In battle that means, as long I can put my hands on something, or someone, I usually win the fight.”

“So where does Cameron fit in?” Jayde asked.

“A long time ago I worked as a mercenary, taking a variety of random jobs. I was hired by the Tenland army to research Verrara, the country to the distant east. Rumors about thousands of vampires dying—more important, the vampire king’s death—had reached Tenland. The city of Haynis is far in the northernmost part of Tenland, but our country has been at war with Zantia for nearly two centuries. Vampires, and all of Verrara, the country to our east, flat-out refused to join in the war. But with the death of the vampire king, many people thought this could change.

“Unfortunately no emissaries from Tenland to Verrara had returned after a year. They hired me to find out what had happened. I had no desire to become one of the missing humans in the land of vampires, but I had been hired to obtain information, not as an emissary. I simply needed to stay in the shadows and observe.

“In less than a week after arriving in Verrara, despite my considerable fighting ability, a group of vampires captured me. They held humans captive, using us for our blood and bleeding us frequently. I became part of their ‘flock.’ We had a dismal existence, until Cameron rescued us. I found out that Cameron had been trying to help maintain order and peace in Verrara for nearly a year. After the death of the king, the country of Verrara had exploded into chaos.”

“I thought Cameron was just a doctor,” said Jayde.

“Cameron is more than just a doctor and more than a normal vampire as well. He never told me what had caused thousands of vampires to die in one day, but apparently a human had been responsible. It had something to do with the war between Zantia and the world, but I don’t know any more about that. This single event shattered the trust that had been forged for years between vampires and humans living together in Verrara. Groups of rogue vampires—like the ones who had captured me—had appeared all over Verrara.

“After a year of failure trying to reunite humans and vampires, Cameron had made many enemies. The newly elected king enjoyed having humans subservient, and Cameron’s continued involvement created trouble. Thus, Cameron had a bounty on his head. He had planned on leaving Verrara but luckily rescued me before he left.

“I traveled with him from then on. He saved me from a fate worse than death, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for him. Cameron is special, even for a vampire.

“After fleeing Verrara, Cameron needed to stay away from any place with vampires. He has been attacked several times, as he moved from place to place. Ultimately we ended up in Haynis, which seemed perfect, until a seer predicted he would save a young girl with potential, who we believe is you.”

“What is so special about me?” asked Jayde.

“We believe you may be one of the—wait, I heard something. Get out of the cart. Quick,” Marie said. They had just entered a large clearing in the pass through the forest. She led the horses to a huge tree and quickly secured them. She pulled Jayde into the woods away from the cart. Marie held a finger to her lips. Marie sat on a log and motioned for Jayde to do the same. They sat side by side, just under the cover of darkness.

Minutes passed.

“Stay here, stay quiet, and do not leave this area, okay?” Marie whispered to Jayde. Her voice indicated this was not a question.

Jayde nodded. Marie put her hand on Jayde’s shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Warmth flowed into the girl, after Marie had squeezed her shoulder. Jayde sat obediently on the log, hidden in the darkness. Marie disappeared into the black woods.

Jayde watched the cart. She strained her eyes but could not find Marie. After a few minutes, movement appeared on the clearing’s edge. A man appeared. He paused. Six more men materialized and walked forward. They all had clubs, except for the leader, who held a sword. They slowly surrounded the cart. The horses nervously stomped as the men approached, pulling against the line securing them to the tree.

One of them lifted the tarp with his cudgel and grinned.

“Big haul, boss,” he said, his voice gravelly in the darkness.

“Marl, be quiet. The cart didn’t get here by itself,” said another.

“Ain’t no one around. They heard you stomping around and left ages ago,” said a third.

“Quiet,” said the leader. He peered into the forest.

Jayde was sure he must have seen her, but his glance continued past her. He looked back at the cart. The others busied themselves untying the various knots holding down the tarp.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“All right, you louts, pack up everything you can carry and get out of here. Something ain’t sitting right with this,” he said.

Jayde saw Marie walk to the edge of the clearing and whisper something to herself. A faint glow of light surrounded her. She walked into the clearing, making no effort to conceal herself. She made it halfway to the horses before she was spotted.

“What have we here? Boys, looks like we might have a bit more fun than we thought, eh?” said the leader. “Lady, you should’ve just stayed in the woods.”

“She just wanted to meet some new friends, boss. And we’re real friendly,” said one brute, walking toward Marie. His grin broadened, showing yellow teeth at odd angles.

“I’ll say this slowly with small words, so all of you can understand it. Get. Off. My. Cart. And. Leave. Now!” Marie said.

“We’re not letting one little waif tell us what to do! Listen, you little wench, you should’ve stayed hidden in the forest. Coming out of your hole was your last mistake,” said the leader.

The other men seemed emboldened by their leader’s confidence. They formed a half circle around Marie, with the forest and Jayde to her back. Marie made no effort to prevent their move.

“Rough her up, but don’t kill her. I think we could all have some fun with her,” the leader said.

“Get back in der woods,” the largest man with the gravelly voice whispered to Marie.

Before she could respond, two of the men came at Marie with their clubs. What they lacked in skill they made up for with their massive bulk. One swung a spiked club toward her head. Marie casually leaned to the side and dodged the blow. The second swung right behind the first with his staff, and Marie did the splits. The staff barely cleared her head. The two looked at each other and laughed, clearly surprised by their prey's agility. The one with the club held out his arm in a gesture to allow the guy with the staff to go first. The other shook his head and indicated they should go together.

Jayde glimpsed a broad smile on Marie’s face.

The two came at Marie with renewed vigor. One swung his staff quickly in broad passes. She moved little, yet each blow missed. The thug became frustrated with his inability to connect, and swung harder and harder, but she continued to sidestep every attack. He then ran next to her and swung a crushing overhand blow. Marie dodged, stepped close to him, and pushed against his stomach; the brute flew twenty feet straight back and collided with a tree, falling unconscious—or dead.

The other men observed this, and their laughter ceased.

“No more one at a time?” Marie asked with a grin on her face. “Come on. Surely a rock troll and five grown men can take a little waif like me, right?”

The men formed a large semicircle around her.

Marie again made no effort to prevent herself from being surrounded. She crouched in front of the group with her legs apart and knees slightly bent. “Next.”

The remaining men glanced around, apprehensive. The same large man pleaded with her again. “You run now. Go in woods. No come out. You be safe. Me no like hurt you,” he murmured. The other men seemed not to notice.

“Just kill her, you idiots!” said the leader, still behind the fray and close to the cart.

Marie backed into an immense oak directly behind her. Jayde could not see her as the monstrous tree blocked her vision. Marie had to be in trouble. Jayde grabbed a tree branch and began sneaking up to the clearing.

Two of the men had entered the forest to prevent Marie from escaping into the woods. The other three blocked her escape from the front, but Marie did not try to run. She waited.

One lunged in and swung a sideways blow at her chest. Marie dove to the ground and kicked out one of his legs at the knee. A loud popping noise was quickly followed by a bellow from the man who went down in a shriek. The rest of the men attacked. Jayde saw a whir of clubs. Marie continued to dart and dodge. Her movements were erratic yet graceful. The men came from all sides, but Marie continued to spin and dodge every strike. The cudgels repeatedly came inches from braining her, yet Jayde heard a feminine laugh again and again. Marie was amazing, avoiding the four in a small area, with the leader hanging back. She seemed to dance while she fought—and she still had a grin plastered on her face.

The men rushed her. Jayde saw only a blur of punches and kicks. Bodies flew out of the clearing, and only the leader and another remained. The last man stood up straight. Jayde thought, if this guy had any brains, he would figure out that he was outmatched and run.

“Why you not leave? Why you make Marl have to smash you? Go now! Run now an’ leave, then me not have to kill you,” the last man said. He threw down his cloak. His visage changed right in front of Jayde. The skin on his face chipped off. Parts of his face fell to the ground like a broken mask. Under the mask, his features became jagged and angular. His hands similarly cracked and fell to pieces around him. They lost their flesh color and became ashen. His fingers lengthened until they were each about a foot in length. His arms hung down and touched the ground, though he was still erect. His fingers dragged across the dirt. All around him were pieces of what appeared to be skin-colored ceramic.

Jayde had lived her entire life in Haynis. She had heard of vampires, werewolves, and elves, but, until recently, she had thought they were mostly stories. Cameron had put a small crack in her understanding of reality. The thing in front of her shattered it.

The monster slowly walked toward Marie. “Why you no leave?” it said to itself. It let out a sigh that sounded like distant thunder. “You die soon. Tell me how you know me troll?” the thing asked, its voice impossibly low and grating.

Jayde winced just listening to it.

Marie seemed unruffled by his transformation. She lightly bounced on the balls of her feet.

“It’s obvious,” she said. “First, the gravel, your food, which came out of your cloak was marble, and there’s really no marble anywhere near here. Second, though your disguise is actually quite good, your teeth still look like a perfect row of rocks in your mouth. Granted, that is exactly what they are, but, in this group, you were the only one with more than three teeth, and all of yours were gleaming white and square. Finally you still walk with the hunched gait of a rock troll.”

“Ah,” said the troll. “T’anks a lot!” he said. To Jayde he actually sounded sincere. “It sad I have to kill you. I not want to kill you. You fight good. You best man-t’ing I fight.”

“Thank you,” she said, continuing to circle. Her eyes darted around. The leader of the group had disappeared into the woods. It was just her and the troll. Marie continued her slow circle, but now a group of trees flanked her back.

The troll exploded at Marie. His long arms enveloped her and the tree behind her. Marie jumped up six feet and shot over the troll. The stone appendages crushed the tree to splinters and spun. It launched at her in a flurry of whipping punches. The long appendages gave the troll an extended reach, as it swung in lightning rapidity. Marie danced backward, bouncing off her hands and feet with equal dexterity.

“Oi! You quick! You hard to catch. You run now? I not be able to kill you, if I not catch you. Boss won’t get mad if you just go now. Go now please?” asked the troll. The creature truly seemed to not want to kill her, though its actions suggested otherwise.

Marie ran to her cart, disappeared under the tarp, and reappeared in a blink, holding a small vial in her hand.

“You get arms?” the troll asked. “Dat good. You need all help you get.” It laughed. “Me get arms too.” It swung at a tree and felled the large sapling in one strike. It picked up the tree and hurled it at Marie.

Marie dove away and bounced back to her feet. She approached the troll and shattered the vial on the ground at his feet.

“What dis?” it asked.

As if in response, vines shot out from the ground and surrounded the troll. The clinging vines grabbed at its arms and legs. The troll pulled and twisted, snapping the vines repeatedly, yet more instantly replaced the ones he snapped. In seconds the troll was wrapped in the clinging vines and unable to move, struggling in vain. Only the creature’s head remained uncovered by the vines.

“Oi, dat be good trick!” it said, sounding happy, and in fact the troll had a broad grin on its face. “Me not have to kill you now.”

Jayde ran toward the clearing with a cheer. “You did it!” she yelled, running for Marie. She looked over at Jayde from across the clearing. Marie’s smile disappeared and a look of horror covered her face.

“Jayde, look out!” she yelled.

Jayde had run from her concealment and then tripped on a root.

While Marie was distracted, one of the vines from the rock troll extended and wrapped around her ankle and held her fast.

Jayde stopped and looked from her place on the ground. The leader had been hiding in the shadows where Jayde had emerged. He was on her in an instant, sword poised to kill. Jayde saw him swing the killing blow.

The sword halted its descent halfway down. A black blade had stopped the swordsman’s killing blow. A figure materialized behind the swordsman, who seemed as surprised as Jayde.

“Even for pathetic scum like you, that’s pretty low,” said the newcomer.

The figure in black wrenched the swordsman’s arm behind his back, and Jayde heard the crunch of bones. The leader screamed in pain and tried to pull away, but the person held him fast. The figure in black grabbed a hunk of the leader’s black hair and wrenched the thief’s head to the side. He then bit deep into the neck of the man. Jayde was immobile, transfixed by the horror in front of her. Jayde could see the color slowly drain away in the face of the leader, till he turned a shade of sickly white and then groaned as he collapsed to the ground.

Jayde turned from the corpse in front of her and ran toward Marie. She had unraveled herself from the vine and quietly watched.

“Well now, wasn’t that exciting?” Marie said calmly.

“Marie,” Jayde said, “what should we do? Do you have any more magic potions? Can you stop that thing?”

“Oh, I doubt I could stop that thing,” Marie said, stepping away from another vine.

Jayde turned to look, but the figure in black had disappeared. “Where did it go?”

Marie still seemed unconcerned as she rummaged through her cart, pulling out a small cloth. She poured water from a pouch over the cloth, all while occasionally looking at Jayde.

“She’ll figure it out sooner or later, you know,” Marie said to the back of the cart.

“I know.”

“Oh, just come out. We can’t leave her behind either way,” Marie said.

“Toss me the towel first,” he said.

Marie threw the towel to the darkness, where it disappeared behind the cart. The voice sounded familiar. Jayde ran around to the back of the cart. There stood Cameron, his face and shirt completely soaked in blood.

Jayde watched him clean off the blood and peel off his bloody shirt. Marie threw him a fresh one, and he quickly dressed. He scrubbed at his face till most of the blood was gone and looked at Jayde. He appeared nervous.

“Cameron?” she asked.

“Yes, Jayde, it’s me,” he answered.

“Cameron!” she said and launched herself at him, hugging him tightly.

Cameron’s face beamed, as he returned the hug.

“I told you that she was a special kid,” said Marie.

“Okay. Okay, you were right, Marie. She’s a thief and a schemer. But she’s a keeper.”