I jolted back into my spirit and the world came into view. Kneeling by Jaime’s bed was the boy named Hamil, the hostess standing just to his side.

Hamil’s eyes were emitting the same purple aura as before. He had his hand positioned above Jaime’s head, the plain, white ring pulsating gently in between. Suddenly, the ring began to pulsate more rapidly and emit a sharp humming noise as hundreds of tiny beads of multicolored light began to appear on her body. These balls of light separated from her body and gathered in the air where they began to shape themselves into the same necklace that my Jaime had given to her. The light then wrapped around her neck, forming the chain, and the necklace fell, resting on her chest.

“Did-did you do that?” The hostess asked, startled.

“No, I-I’m not sure… not sure what happened.” Hamil said, struggling to breathe.

Jaime’s eyes flicked open, and she jolted upright. Panicking for a moment, she looked down and saw the necklace hanging from her neck and felt a warmth fill her body that only grew as she held my cloak close. Her heart that was once filled loneliness was now filled with peace and hope.

“How do you feel?” The hostess asked.

Jaime paused for a moment as her stomach growled.

“Ah, I’ll bring some food.” The hostess spoke before exiting the room and leaving Hamil and Jaime by themselves.

Beads of sweat were dripping down Hamil’s pale face. Using magic like he just did, it must have been exhausting. He got up from the floor and sank into a creaky chair that sat against the wall.

Jaime wrapped the cloak around herself and stepped out of bed, cringing as her injured feet pressed against the floor. They weren’t bleeding anymore, and the bandages covered most of the bottoms of her feet, but they were still incredibly sore. 

“A-Are you okay?” Jaime asked, watching Hamil who was still breathing heavily.

“Yeah, I’m just a little tired.”

Hamil took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his brow.

“Are you sure that you’re okay?” He asked.

Jaime reached a hand up to her chest and felt the cool glass of the necklace on her fingers.

“Yeah. I don’t know what happened, but I’m okay.”

The hostess opened the door with a large wooden tray in her hand. I wouldn’t have expected her to be able to carry something like that, but she did so without a hint of strain.

“Food’s ready you two. Come and eat.” She said, gesturing out the door. “There’s a pair of shoes by your bed, Jaime. They should be the right size.”

Jaime looked down and found a pair of gray shoes up against the bed. She quickly put them on, wincing as the hard soles pressed on her feet. They were a little big, but fit snugly after she tightened them.

Leaving the room, we were surrounded by the loud chatter of the guests who were still enjoying themselves. Some were still eating, while others were socializing or playing games at their table. The hostess led us to a table in the corner where she set down the food. Fresh bread, a bowl of warm stew with chunks of meat and potato floating in it and a clump of pale cheese. Jaime’s eyes lit up as she gaped at the meal.

“Hurry and eat. You don’t want it getting cold.”

At the hostess’ word, Jaime began greedily eating, hardly taking a moment to taste anything.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

A young woman was standing beside the table wearing a simple apron covered in stains. Her auburn hair was tied behind her head in a ponytail. She looked to be just past her teens, but her pale, blue eyes still held a youthful aura.

“This is my daughter, Sadie. She helps me in the kitchen.” The hostess spoke, gesturing to Sadie who had a wide grin on her face.

“I can see that my old shoes fit you well.” She spoke, tilting her head so that she could see under the table.

Jaime stood up from her chair and thanked the young woman, immediately being pulled into a hug.

“Oh, I’ve always wanted a little sister!” She cried out, squeezing Jaime.

Jaime nearly passed out before Sadie released her.

“It’ll be a couple of days before anyone travels to Renae, so you’ll be staying with us for the time being.” The hostess explained. “You’ll be helping Sadie in the kitchen.”

“I’ll take good care of you.” Sadie spoke with an even wider grin.

I could feel the nervousness building inside Jaime. She didn’t know anything about working in a kitchen and was worried that she would end up disappointing them. Though, like before, she reached a hand up to the necklace feeling the cool glass against her fingers and the nervousness disappeared.

“Ma’am, can I speak with you?” Hamil asked, quietly.

Hamil had hardly touched any of his food. His hands were trembling.

The hostess nodded her head and walked him back to the room where Jaime had slept while Sadie brought Jaime back into the kitchen.

I followed Hamil and the hostess into the room and hung around the door, watching the two of them.

“What did you need to tell me?”

“I’ve decided to leave.”

I was behind the hostess, so I couldn’t see her face, but I knew she was happy to hear what Hamil was saying.

“Can I assume that you’ve thought this all through?”

“Yes. I have all of my belongings packed and hidden nearby. I assume the girl is going to Renae. I’ll go with her. I’m sure whoever is taking her will appreciate my abilities.”

“What about after that?” The hostess asked. “I know your father won’t appreciate desertion.”

“I’ll join the military. I’ve heard that specialists of any kind are in demand right now.”

“No!” The hostess cried out. “I have seen too many young men and women throw their life away.” She pulled Hamil in and squeezed him.

“What else can I do?” He spoke into her chest.

The hostess paused for a moment, then let go of the boy. “I believe Pert is going with Jaime to Renae. I’m positive he’ll take you in as well.” The hostess shuddered, then spoke again. “Hamil, I’m sorry for keeping this from you, but I knew your mother.”

Hamil’s eyes went wide, and his mouth hung open.

“She managed to get away from your father and came to me. I watched over her much like I did with everyone that you have left in my care. I helped her escape back to her people, though she left me with something.”

The hostess moved to one part of the room and opened a secret compartment in the wall. From the compartment, she pulled a small bundle of cloth.

“She said you would be a special child. That you had inherited her abilities, as well as her compassion. She knew you would eventually try to leave, and that when you did, that you would come to me. She was a strange woman, but I still kept this safe for you.”

Hamil reached out a hand and grabbed the cloth, gripping it tightly. He unwrapped the cloth, revealing a small, circular medallion. It looked wooden, but had a polish to it that reflected his face. He touched the medallion and all the color drained from his face, as his breath grew more erratic and rough. The hostess grabbed onto his shoulders, gently shaking him.

The boy quickly regained his composure and straightened himself.

“Mom… I’ll right this wrong.” He spoke, staring at his reflection on the medallion.

Slowly, he hung the medallion around his neck and let it drop onto his shirt.

The hostess went to leave, Hamil close behind her, and for a brief moment, I could see a look of pure hatred on the boy’s face.

As we entered the main room of the inn, the front door burst open as two of Campo’s men entered the inn.

“A’rright people! Where’s the lady?” One of them shouted.

Both of these men were large and rugged, covered in scars that were visible because they had no shirts on. They looked near identical to each other, the main difference being that one of them was bald, while the other had a very poorly made wig, most likely fashioned from a skunk from the smell coming off the man.

The hostess approached the men, crinkling her nose at the stench coming off the bewigged ruffian.

“Can I help you… gentleman?” The hostess asked.

“Don’ play with us, lady. You know our boss.” The foul-smelling man stated.

“Yeah, we know you got the girl.” The other man added.

“The girl? I’m sorry gentlemen, but I don’t know whom you’re referring to.”

“Yeah you do. My brother saw her come here. Now you tell us, or things’re gonna get ugly.”

Suddenly, a rush of pain and fear overwhelmed me. I turned around to see a third man, identical to the other two, but with a peach-fuzz mustache this time, come out from the kitchen.

“Thought I’d get a lil’ snack and look what I find.”

In one hand, he had Jaime’s arm and in the other was Sadie’s.

“That’s her!” Shouted the skunky man.

The man dragged the two girls toward the center of the room. The entire inn had grown quiet by this point, save for the sound of wind rushing through the open door.

“Thanks for the help.” Said the bald man.

Campo’s men started for the door, but a voice caught their attention.

“Guys like you really get on my nerves.”

A man in his early twenties stood from a nearby table and stretched. He had long, muddy brown hair that hung to the middle of his back and piercing blue eyes that narrowed as he looked at Campo’s men. He wore a long, black cloak that faded near the bottom.

“You can’t even wait ‘till a guy finishes his meal. I didn’t have the time to properly enjoy that delicious meal.”

A blue light rushed through his body before reaching his eyes, releasing a blue, flame-like aura from them.

The man rushed for the one holding Jaime and Sadie, baby-stache, grabbing at his face and squeezing. Baby-stache started yelling out, releasing the girls and reaching for the man’s hand, trying to pry it from his head. The man used his free hand to punch baby-stache in the gut, then grab him by the arm, throwing him through the open door. Baldy and skunky rushed out the door, after their brother. The man followed after them, as did I. The two brothers helped up baby-stache and turned to face the man as he stepped out of the inn.

Baldy rushed towards the man, pulling a knife from his belt, but the man dodged the small blade and thrust his fist into baldy’s side, throwing him a good distance away. Skunky had, at this point, managed to pull a short sword from his belt. He had struggled with it for a brief moment, but finally got it out. He charged the man, swinging wildly. The man dodged to the side, avoiding the blade and spun to kick skunky across the side of his head, but by some miracle, skunky had ducked in time for it to miss his head, but not his wig. The lump of smelly fur flew from his head, smacking against the side of the inn. Skunky panicked, dropped his sword and ran to the pile of rancid fur, only to be stopped by a swift kick to the side, throwing him against the wall of the building across from the inn. An audible crunch could be heard as the man’s foot connected with skunky’s side, so he was most likely out of commission. Baby-stache stood ready to attack, but unlike his brothers, he didn’t immediately charge forward. He pulled a short sword from his belt and waited. Eventually, the two men charged each other. Baby-stache thrusted his sword forward, but the man ducked under the blade, sweeping his legs. As baby-stache fell forward, the man slammed his fist into his chest. Unlike with his other attacks, this one released a flash of blue light as the man got sent high into the air.

Skunky laid against the wall of a nearby building, unconscious and very hurt. Baby-stache got launched into the air and landed flat on the ground on his back, creating a louder cracking sound than when the man had kicked skunky. Baldy, however, was a good distance away, shaking in fear. The man seemed to not care about baldy as he stepped over to the body of the weeping baby-stache.

“I can’t forgive anyone who abuses a woman.” The man said and spat on the bandit’s face.

A woman came out of the inn and strolled up to the man. She had short, tan hair, tied into a ponytail and vibrant, orange eyes. She grabbed at his hair and started to yank down, causing him to cry out in pain.

“You’re forgetting something!” The woman shouted in his ear. “Stop acting cool and finish what you started!”

The man recomposed himself and looked at Baldy in the distance who immediately turned and ran.

“I swear.” The woman mumbled under her breath as a blue light rushed through her body, releasing a blue aura from her eyes.

She raised her hands as two plain, white rings appeared in front of them. The rings pulsated as markings started to carve themselves into their surfaces. Once the carvings had finished, the temperature of the air dropped as everything in front of her froze solid, reaching all the way to where Baldy was running. Once the wave of cold reached him, he froze in place, falling to the ground.

“Why don’t you go and get him now? He’s not going anywhere.”

The man sighed and trudged over to baldy, grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him back in front of the inn.

Seeing the victorious battle, the inn’s patrons started cheering. The man strolled over to Jaime and Sadie who stood just inside the inn. He tipped his head to the two girls.

“How can I repay you?” The hostess asked.

The man thought for a moment and spoke, “Seconds?”

“Right away.” Sadie replied, hurrying to the kitchen.

“Might I ask your names?” The hostess asked.

It was the woman who answered her question as she appeared next to the man, resting against the wall. “I’m Astrid and this guy’s Damian. We’re Freelancers. Oh, and I would also like seconds!”

“Got it!” Sadie shouted back from the kitchen.