Disobeying orders...

Cassie shook her head in disbelief. It was him! Was it him? merciful God? Rick was going to complain when he learned that he had left the safety of the village.

There was a person among those flames. He knew his shot had been accurate. The bullet had hit the woman in the head, but even so, she could have sworn her body was thrashing and flailing in the fire.

- Kid! - Rick shouted noticing the boy's shocking way.

She tried not to breathe. Smoke was starting to burn in his lungs. Her eyes were irritated.

-With a thousand devils! - Kassuim raged, raising the sword stoked by the anger emerging from the torpor. - Of course, I know how to use a damn sword. Much better than you, bastard!

The sword seemed to show it, as the steel in his hands vibrated between precise strokes, cutting and tearing.

I can guarantee you the realization of your most secret dreams. everything you want

He could almost hear the words in that cavernous voice in his ears. It was with a desperation that he forced his muscles to wield the metal, heedless of weariness and hunger. He was miraculously saved from a well-aimed bullet by his brusque tug on his arm, cursed to his fate. He had run away from that man! They began to retreat, cornered by soldiers. The square was a mob of green uniforms. They were soldiers from Gazarra! This wasn't just going to be a battle between sorcerers and wolves. It would be a war between the Armada and Muir if the Successrium didn't decide to intervene. A man beside her fell with a large gash across his chest.

-The river! -Kassuim breathed in great gulps of air, disgusted with the bad smell that rose through the air. His stomach clenched with hunger. I was damn lucky I hadn't eaten anything or I'd be throwing up.

Oh god. He was going to find out any minute now. His minutes were numbered.

-The river!? - Rick was surprised. The city was bathed by a mighty river of deep, dark water. The boy was undoubtedly daring. If they weren't shot, they would at least be engulfed by the current.

A bridge crosses the river to the edge of the forest and the land of the gipsies. Shelter and freedom.

-Run! she yelled, barely containing her anger.

The bridge could not be reached at all; it was intercepted by soldiers to block the exit from the city.

With sword strokes, they pushed forward with their bodies advancing and. Richard mentally cursed the folly of putting himself at risk for this underfed boy. Narrow shoulders and small build... How old was he? One of the sorrows of war was turning children and teenagers into warriors. The boy possessed absolute dexterity with the sword. The metal sang in his hands, delivering blows as precise as he was, despite being considered perhaps one of the finest swordsmen in the Armada.

He also began to notice the stunned look on his face.

William's youngest son had been reported missing! It wasn't possible. The boy's dark skin… He struggled to keep his guard up; that protected the body and at the same time allowed a quick attack, manipulating from left to right. He had defended himself with complete ease from the cross thrust the moment the swords locked.

A strong blow with the hilt had caused his opponent to lose his balance and fall before being struck. Morgan, astonished, watched as the boy hitched the handle to the soldier and pulled him close, while the other hand pulled out a dagger, delivering a precise blow to his opponent's vulnerable point. He'd simply hooked the pound to his weapon, elbowing another soldier out of the way.

They reached the dried-up grass by the river, exhausted, when a loud and clear scream echoed in Richard's ears, even more astonished. He could have sworn it was a woman's high-pitched scream. The boy toppled over, muttering and gritting his teeth, totally pale. He imagined things. he could have sworn for an instant that that scream...

-Hell! - Kassuim closed his mouth containing a new cry.

-Hell! Stand up! The crowd will hold the escort for a long time. - He complained and lowered his eyes containing a curse.

It was a crushing trap. The boy had been unlucky enough to step on one of those camouflaged traps along the river to deter wild animals from invading the city. It was lucky the boy hadn't had his foot ripped apart by the sharp steel teeth of the spring-loaded rings.

-Is arrested! There!

-Hell! - Rick snorted, bending down to release the trap and another low scream reached his ears. Sharp and clear. It sounded like a woman's voice! Meso's voice was muffled by the scarf covering her face and the damn cap.

The boy had fallen to the ground and his foot at an abnormal angle made him spit out the worst curses. He let his fingers grope the boy's foot indifferent to the protests after dismantling the trap. Ah, he was most certainly broken!

-No... don't move! - Kassuim took a deep breath as he tried to get up and tears came to his eyes.

God! Pain radiated through the heel, preventing any attempt to walk. He tried to steady his weight, and his heel exploded in twinges, throbbing and stinging to the point where she gasped.

Dead! She was going to be dead when he found out!

-You won't be able to walk! - Richard observed even more frowning, securing the boy's arm over his shoulders.

-I won't need to walk once I get to the river. She spoke softly, her heart racing in her chest. - Damn hunters! I'll have a better chance at the river than with the soldiers!

Morgan looked at him doubtfully, his eyes fixed on the dark waters, and then his gaze fell on the boy's face, completely livid and pale with pain.

-There is no other way out. It's either that or the soldiers! Kassuim swallowed a groan. How long could it take for him to...?

There was no way she was going to get on her feet like that. He was broken. She could feel it the moment the steel penetrated the leather of her boot. She was lucky to drown and it couldn't be that bad. Not after the midwife's horrible death.

Richard shook his head in dismay.

-Don't let go of my hand. -He warned grimly.

In the next moment, the icy waters of the Mezac River welcomed them in a reckless attempt to escape. He withdrew his swords to his waist, muttering. He didn't have time to ask, but he could have sworn the boy had let out a clear, high-pitched female scream as he broke his foot in the trap.

-Curse! What's your problem with following orders? - Richard exploded in disgust.

The general confusion in the square was accompanied by an angry and frightened crowd that ran. Still holding his sword in his other hand, he was stumbling along with an angry figure. He ground his curses in mounting irritation as he yanked Faith against the wall, seeking cover in a deserted alley. He stopped for an indecisive moment at the door of a humble house and kicked it open, pushing a stunned girl inside.

-They burned the woman! - Faith said in horror. Did you see the confusion in the centre of the square? There was a boy...

Boy? Jackie's bushy brows drew together in displeasure.

-Does that justify putting yourself in danger? Oh hell! I gave orders that Old Sailor should not let her out of his sight. - He was shaking with rage.

Chabone was an island on a popular shipping route. There was an uncomfortable detail that the seas of Ravlen, close to the channel, could let anyone see ships from afar, in fact, several ships that displayed obnoxious flags. After so many years it was unbelievable that Gazarra would decide on such a battle.

-Jackie... It was Cassie! I know she was here! Faith was alarmed at his disbelief and crossed her arms stubbornly. - Where's Phil? We need to find Rick and...

Jackie ran his hands through his taut hair and gave up complaining. She worried about pulling a heavy piece of furniture to block the entrance to the house with the broken door. Morgan? And could he imagine there? She hoped her foster brother was alive. The last sight she had in her memory, Richard was surrounded by soldiers beating each other with swords. At least Michael would be safe if he was recovering from his wound.