In the time it took them to reach the city, the only ‘plan’ Andrew had been able to think up was to ask Jarnvaror to watch them from the skies while they searched for the tavern the bandit had mentioned. Peter passed the message to the dragon, who seemed annoyed he wouldn’t be able to join them. Peter agreed with the sentiment, but there wasn’t much they could do about that.

“I’ll call you if we need help,” Peter said. “Don’t come before that.” The dragon huffed his reply, then leapt into the air, climbing until he almost vanished against the sky.

Once they were in the city, following Qenna’s instructions to bandit’s meeting place was pretty easy. It took them a while to get there on foot, but they made no wrong turns. The wounded bandit had cajoled one of his companions into drawing up the sign so that they would recognize it, even though none of them could read the script. Peter frowned. It looked like it would just be an ordinary pub as far as he could tell.

Peter kept walking when they reached it, but Andrew caught his arm to stop him. “We can’t just walk in,” he said.

“Sure we can. It’s not like they can fight either.”

“No. I mean we still need a plan. Just give me a minute to think of something!”

“Haven’t you been thinking the whole way here?” Peter asked.

“Enough,” Anna said. She looked at Andrew. “We might need to just improvise. If they aren’t there, we might be able to get some information from whoever tends the bar.”

“And if they are?” Andrew asked.

“Then we keep an eye on them as long as we can,” Anna replied.

“Or we take their Wisps and run,” Peter suggested.

“No,” Anna and Andrew said together. “We need to know more about the Wisp Steelers,” Anna continued.

Peter shrugged. “Right. Either way, we’ll figure something out.” He patted his brother on the back then started toward the pub again.

Three men walked out. He recognized the big man who’d stopped them before. His face was red with rage. The scrawny mage had a bruise on his face now, and he wore a sulky expression as he followed the other man. Both were trailing after a new figure. A blond man wearing a purple and black tunic and cloak. Hair hung over his face like curtains, and he was much paler than the other two. Peter found himself grinning. “Hey, they mentioned a blondie, right?”

Andrew and Anna froze just a pace behind him. A moment later, the young mage noticed the three of them and stopped his companions. The two groups of three stood staring at one another in the middle of the street.

“Hey!” Peter called. “We were just looking for you!”

“What a coincidence,” the big man said. He held his hands out as if he were greeting old friends. “We were just talking about you! You gave young Sakir here quite the scare when you fell out of the sky earlier. I was sure you really had gone off to find more dragons.”

Peter shrugged. “By brother didn’t think you guys would be interested in just talking,” he said.

“Oh, we’re happy to talk,” the big man said. “Why don’t you just come with us,” he took a few steps closer, holding out his hand.

“Don’t even think about it,” Andrew snapped. Several of the city guards snapped to attention around them, looking at the two groups.

“Inaros,” the blonde man said. “Let’s try not to make a scene shall we?”

“When have I ever made a scene?” the big man replied. Still, he stepped back, and the two groups continued to face one another.

“Who are you,” Anna asked.

“I’m Inaros, leader of the—” he stopped himself, a quick glance to the guards. Peter guessed that as much as the city didn’t help finding bandits, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to announce his profession out loud. “Well, what I do isn’t important.

But Anna shook her head. “Your man told us your name. I meant him,” Anna said, gesturing to the blond man. She looked at him. “He mentioned you earlier. You seem… familiar somehow.”

The blonde man nodded. “Perhaps I just have one of those faces,” he said. “Or perhaps not. Either way, I’m afraid I’m not in the habit of discussing business with obvious rivals.”

The big man crossed his arms. “Rivals? You’re telling me I might be able to get a better deal on Wisps with them, blondie?”

“Oh, I doubt that,” the blonde man said. “My partner is very convinced they don’t have the temperament for, ah, our sort of business.”

“So you do sell Wisps!” Anna said.

“Among other things. That wasn’t obvious?”

“You sell them to bandits, pirates, and rebels,” Andrew said. “Why?”

The blonde man smiled and held his hands out as he shrugged. Then he looked at his companions. “Tell you what? If you can beat my strapping companion here in a one on one duel, I’ll answer any questions you like.”

“We can’t-“ Andrew began.

“Deal!” Peter said.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Peter!” Andrew snapped.

“That’s settled!” the blond man said. He turned to the guards watching nearby. “You heard it, right?” they nodded.

“Who says I’m gonna fight for you?” Inaros said.

“If you win, I will not consider this job botched, and you may actually get paid,” the blonde man replied.

Inaros grinned. “I accept the duel.”

“We don’t!” Andrew cried.

“The terms have been accepted,” one of the guards called out. “It cannot be rescinded. We must clear the street for you. Then the duel may begin.” As he spoke, the guard examined the others. He must have seen Anna’s bracelet and Sakir’s gems, because he added, “And there is to be no magical interference in this duel.”

Peter nodded. “Right. Just the two of us, then?”

Inaros grinned. “No outsiders.”

Peter wondered if the Wisp in the hilt of his sword would count. He decided not to mention it.

One of the guards nodded. “I shall oversee the duel. Make your preparations. We shall ready a clear place in the road for you before your fight.” The guards moved out. Two kept an eye on Peter and Inaros while the others cleared the civilians out of the road.

Andrew grabbed Peter’s arm. “What are you thinking?” he demanded.

“I’m getting us answers,” Peter replied.

“More likely getting yourself killed, boy,” Inaros replied. With a flourish of his hands, two long daggers with curved blades appeared spinning in his hands. Some bystanders who’d stopped to watch the duel clapped. Regretting that he didn’t know any tricks to please the crowd as well, Peter drew his own mismatched blades.

“Do you really think that man is going to keep his promise?” Andrew hissed.

Peter paused, thinking about that for a moment. “Wouldn’t the guards make him?” he asked.

“I don’t know!” Andrew said. “We didn’t find that out ahead of time.”

“Get back, young man,” said the guard. “We will let them begin soon, and we don’t want any collateral damage.”

“Aye. Not that there will be time for that after I dispatch the spiky haired runt,” Inaros added. The gathering crowd oohed at the boast. Still looking very uncomfortable with the whole thing, Andrew backed out. He began whispering with Anna. Peter turned his attention to his opponent.

“So, when do we start?” he asked.

In reply, the bandit leader leapt forward, slashing down at Peter. Peter slid back. Both his swords were longer than the hooked daggers, but not by as much as he’d first thought as the razor edge of one cut through the air in front of his nose. The second strike was on its way.

Peter blocked, parried, and retaliated just as fast as his opponent. They hammered at one another like lightning. One moment, Peter would be pressing forward, then Inaros would turn his blade, and Peter would have to leap back.

Peter caught one blade with his own. Then he thrust with the other. Inaros knocked it to the side. The bandit was stronger than Peter, and just about as fast. At least, at first. Peter noticed the larger man slowing down after the first few seconds. He thought it might be a trap. He feinted. When Inaros didn’t respond, he thrust, aiming for the man’s leg. The bandit cursed, barely managing to dodge the hit in time.

Peter grinned. “Tired?” he asked.

“Quiet boy!” the bandit hissed.

Peter danced out of the way. He enjoyed the duel. He could sense he was playing to his own strengths to help the mission for once. Not just as a translator, either. He could beat this man. He’d just need to wear him down a bit more.

Fear flooded into him. It was a very familiar fear. Like a blanket over the rest of his emotions. And with it came that horrible buzzing sound. He saw it appear in Inaros’s eyes as well, and in the crowd around them. Not daring to take his eyes off his opponent, he leapt back, circling until… there!

Seven yellow orbs were hovering around Anna.

“It’s the girl!” Sakir shouted. He wasn’t that far away from her. He’d kept Inaros in sight, with Anna now over his left shoulder and Sakir over his right. “She’s summoning them! That’s what they’re here for, didn’t you hear them? They are cheating!”

Even as he spoke, the Wisps flared. The ground began to shake. Anna held up her hand. Halcyon emerged from her bracelet in a brilliant blue flash, along with almost a dozen more of her Wisps. Peter felt their influence mix with the others. It gave him more control.

It looked like it also convinced the guards that Sakir was telling the truth. Peter wondered how they missed the glowing yellow spot on his wrist.

Either way, he was fairly certain the duel was over, despite it having barely begun. He saw a crack forming in the wall behind the seven yellow Wisps, which ran into the ground under the feet of a terrified onlooker. Peter barreled forward, startling Inaros. The man jumped to the side to avoid his charge, and Peter dove for the old man standing on the crack. The two tumbled to the ground close to Sakir just as there was a huge crunching noise, and the wall shattered into the place they’d been. The man cried out in pain as he hit the ground.

“Attack!” Sakir yelled, followed by the guards taking up the cry.

Peter rolled to his feet, bringing his swords up, ready to defend against the young mage, Inaros, and the guards, now that they were beginning to advance.

“Jarn, now would be a really good time for you to get us out of here!” Peter shouted up to the sky.

“You’ve broken the rules!” the overseer said. “You will not-“

“I didn’t cheat!” Peter said. “Those are his Wisps, not ours.”

“She summoned them before our eyes!” the guards said.

“I meant the yellow ones, you dullards!” Peter shot back.

“Stop insulting them!” Andrew said. Peter realized that his brother and Anna were at his side now. Andrew had his sword drawn, and Anna her hand raised, with Wisps pulsating around her. “They are just doing their job. But we didn’t cheat!” he added. “My brother is telling the truth!”

“I’m trying to counteract the yellow Wisps,” Anna said. “He’s trying to cause a panic! To let his employer get away?”

“What?” Peter asked, along with the guards.

“He started to slink off the moment the duel started,” Anna said. “The boy summoned his Wisps when we tried to follow. You have to believe us!” Her words echoed in the mixed influence of the Wisps. Sakir’s were spinning wild around the street. Cracks formed in the earth around them. Anna’s stayed by her, a few following the yellow from a distance, as if they were trying to talk to the seven.

Peter saw the guards hesitate. They couldn’t seem to muster the will to fight, their minds smothered by the competing influence of terror and calm.

Jarnvaror landed in the road behind them. Sakir spun, flinging a spell of earth at the dragon. Jarn was ready, lowering his head so the rock ricochetted off his horns. Before the mage could weave another spell, Peter jumped forward and slammed his pommel into Sakir’s head. The young man crumpled to the ground.

The guards cowered. “It is an invasion!” one cried. “Call the mages! Grealand is attacking!”

“We need to leave! Now!” Andrew bellowed, running over to the dragon.

“Don’t even think about it!”

Peter turned just in time to stop Inaros. He’d thought the bandit might stop fighting now that his employer was gone, but it didn’t seem like it. What made him really angry, though, was that Inaros had gone for Anna, who was kneeling over Sakir.

“Leave my friend alone!” Peter roared, slashing with one blade and knocking both daggers out of the way with the other. Inaros stumbled back as blood sprayed from the wound.

Peter spun back to try and get Anna onto Jarnvaror, but she was already moving. “Let’s go!” she called to him. Peter dashed onto Jarn’s back just before the guards collected themselves. They were forced back by the wind of the dragon’s wings as he leapt into the sky. Wisps trailed after him in a blue and yellow swirl of color.

Peter frowned, then turned to Anna. In her hands, she had Sakir’s wristband. The artifact contained several gemstones, including one which glowed yellow.