“Wow, this bow is so nice,” one of the children said, reag out to touch the bow.

  “Gently,” Julia said, watg over the boy.

  “It’s made of deadwood,” Brittany said.

  The boy gasped, pulling his hand away from it, before staring at his hand, his eyes wide. “Oh no!”

  “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you.” Brittany’s lips formed a wide smile.

  “The mister said we weren’t going to get hurt no more,” another child said.

  “Is that true?” another child added.

  “Am always gettin’ ‘urt, but’s always me own fault, tha’s what Julia always says.”

  “We will try to make sure you don’t get hurt,” Brittany replied. “Sometimes we get hurt and it’s a part of life.”

  “Yeah but you get hurt because you’re a hero, I’m not a hero.”

  “I’m not a hero, I’m a farmer.”

  “What?” The child bliowards the young woman.

  “I was born in a small vilge near Red Oak. We always fought with the uhat rise up, but it was always with stones and sticks.”

  “You don’t use sticks and stones, you’ve got a bow!”

  “I’ve always bee with a bow, but now I’m much better,” Brittany said. “I’m an Expert now, but I’ve only been an Expert for a little bit.”

  “I’m going to be strong when I grow up,” a child said. “I’m going to be an Expert.”

  “I’m going to be a Master!”

  “You ’t be a Master, that’s f people!”

  “I’m small now, but I’m going to be big tomorrow!”

  “Nu uh!”

  “Yes I am.”

  “You don’t get big tomorrow, you get big iure.”

  “Tomorrow’s iure, it is, that’s what Gilbert’s always saying.” The boy looked tilbert, one of the elder siblings, with a look for support.

  “Copper’s right, tomorrow is iure.”

  “Then what about yesterday? That’s not iure.”

  “You’re right. Yesterday is in the past.”

  “Is soup in the past too?”

  “What?”

  “You always say to pass the soup.”

  “No, that’s another word.”

  “Why’ve they got two words that mean the same thing?”

  “That’s how the academics did it.”

  “I fort they was meant to be smart?”

  “Sometimes academics are smart, sometimes they aren’t.”

  “I’m not gunna to be an academic, I’m gunna to be a sweeper,” Copper said, letting out a huff of annoyance. “I’m gunhe best sweeper ever. I’m gunna use two brooms.”

  “I’m going to be a smart academic,” a boy said.

  “I’m going to be a dumb academic so I don’t o study but I’ll still make lots of money.”

  The boy looked towards the girl, realising she was a genius, and too smart to be a dumb academibsp;

  Brittany remained silent, listening to the children’s versations. Nobby was also listening to the children, who were speaking about this and that.

  The children iher wagon were quite talkative too, each asking about how Charley’s hair was se, even though it looked bear the roots. Eventually they started to talk about mud and trolls and hydras aables.

  ‘If yoing to make a mess, do it now,’ Adam thought, doing his best not to gnce behind himself. He left the task to Nirot, who rode Sky, and Faool, who rode Kit’a. ‘I’ve got a crit in my back pocket so I take out whichever prick decides to lead your party.’

  Unfortunately, they forest around them blocked much of their sight, and though the road was mostly straight, it weaved around the terrain, ing to the forest’s will.

  The caravan stopped at a child’s insistence, who o use the bathroom.

  “It’s about time we set up for lunyhow,” Adam said, recalling the nearby area which had the tiny outposts one could use to make camp. There was anreater camp, further ahead, about another half journey beyond.

  “We’re going to set up for camp?” Cobra asked, surprised.

  “The children will want to stretch their legs, and I’m sure Max will appreciate not heaving,” Adam said, having already ed out the little cask three times. ‘Might not be a good idea to feed him before we travel again…’

  Mara escorted the child at Lucy’s insistehough Cobra followed too. Lucy then rode up beside Vonda.

  As they approached the small outpost, the howling ughter filled the air, while the hair on Adam’s neck stood on end. He marched forward, donning his shield, rounding around the er to g the outpost ahead.

  “Gods take you,” Adam shouted. “You scared the absolute-,” Adam quickly stopped himself, letting out a soft sigh. ‘Right, we’re esc VIPs.’ “Many blessings upon you.”

  “Why are you speaking so stiffly?” the drakken with scales of shimmer brass called out. “Have you seen a ghost?”

  “Aren’t you scarier than a ghost?” Adam asked, approag the group, extending out a hand. “What brings you out here?”

  Rook chuckled, refraining from his hyena ugh which had caused Adam’s spio tingle. “Ah, we were just passing through.”

  Vasera shook Jurot’s forearm , smirking slightly at the Iyrman. “Aye, just passing through. I see you’re in the middle of business?” She eyed up the wagons.

  “Esc some VIPs, yes. Very important people, or persons if you prefer.” All the stress from the days had almost melted away. Adam gowards the warhorses to the side, which stood all lined up.

  “Do you need ara, capable, pricey hands?”

  “Last I recalled, you still owed me a little, didn’t you?”

  “Are you calling in your favour?” Vasera asked, raising her brow.

  “No, no, this is too important for that. If you could escort us to Life River at least, we’ll pay you properly.”

  “It’s only a few days away, just three days or so?”

  “How does…” Adam gnced around to the rest of them, ting six total, each at least an Expert, while Vasera was nearly a Master from his recolle. “Let’s call it one hundred gold ft until Life River, and then we discuss a better payment structure until then?”

  “Sounds good to me,” Vasera said, holding out her hand. “You expeg trouble?”

  “Lots.”

  Her lips formed a wide grin. “That’s what I like to hear.”

  The group began to settle themselves within the area, with Korin beginning to cook. As Julia stepped up to assist him, the children began to pin.

  “I don’t want gruel!” one cried.

  “Julia, you should let the mister cook himself, he don’t need no help!”

  Julia stared down at the kids. She smiled, a smile which became vicious. “Whoever pins eat all the carrots I brought along!”

  “I don’t want you to cook,” Penny said, hoping to earn herself a few carrots.

  “No carrots for you, Pen.”

  “You said I have them all!”

  “Not you, anyone else pins, all the carrots for them, but not for you!”

  Penny huffed, her lip trembling.

  “Max, do you want to ride one of the wolves?” Adam offered to the boy as he ate his ft bread, while Kripped the meat aables.

  “No!” the boy replied, his eyes wide.

  “Oh? They won’t bite, and maybe you won’t be sick.”

  “I’m okay mister, I won’t be siore,” the boy promised.

  “Haha, well alright,” Adam replied. “If you want, you ride with Executive Jurot, he’s the ohat was first p the tour. You evehe axe on your back if you want.”

  “I wear the axe?” Max asked.

  “That’s right.”

  The boy remained silent for a long while, thinking about if it was worth braving the wolf to wear the axe. None of his siblings got to wear the axe, so he could be the first!

  “Your horse is so big,” Poppy said.

  “It is,” Jonn replied.

  “How e it’s ing?”

  “It does not o eat, it is a magical steed.”

  “It’s magic?” the girl replied, her eyes curious and suspicious.

  “It is.”

  “What kind of magic is it?”

  “It’s divine magic, that blessed by my oath.”

  “Are you from an order?”

  “I was.”

  “How e you’re not no more?”

  “I…” Jonn paused for a moment awkwardly. “I left it.”

  “Why?”

  “They did not want me.”

  “Why not?”

  “I am a half elf.”

  “Is that why you’re so pretty?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh,” the girl replied, slowly nodding her head, as though it all made sense. “What a magic horse do?”

  “I speak to it with my mind.”

  “What’s it saying.”

  “It is saying nothing right now.”

  “Mister horse, are you okay?” the girl stared at the horse. “What’s it say?”

  “It did not reply.”

  “Oh…” She frowned.

  ‘How are you?’

  ‘Fine.’

  “It said it’s fine.”

  “Is it a birl horse?”

  “It’s a magical horse.”

  “So it’s not a birl, it’s magic?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh…” The girl nodded slowly, as though that made seo her. “What’s its name?”

  “It does not have a name.”

  “Why not?”

  “It is a magical steed, it does not need a name.”

  The girl squiowards Jonn. “Eveables have names, mister.”

  “…” Jonn was stunned by the logic of the child, who was right. “Would you like to he horse?”

  The girl’s eyes widened with shock, her tiny mouth f a circle. “ I?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hmm.” The girl stared at the horse. “Mister Snake.”

  “Okay.”

  “No, it ’t be a mister, it’s not a boy,” the girl said, thinking deeply again. “Captain Snake.”

  “Okay.”

  “Captain Snake, do you want some food?” the girl asked.

  ‘Would you like some food?’

  ‘Okay.’

  “Captain Snake said it would.”

  The girl tore off some bread for the horse before stepping closer towards it, holding out her hand fearlessly. The hently bit into the ft bread before taking it out of her hand.

  “You eat so good, Captain Snake, good boy, good-, um, good magic.” She brushed the horse’s side.

  ‘We’re moving too slow,’ Adam thought. ‘It’s not like the horses are struggling with the wagons, but we should move a little quicker. Should I have the wolves assist? They probably will have some difficulty too. Damn it, I wish I had…’ Adam’s eyes fell to Vasera’s groups horses, no doubt each magical steeds. ‘I should pay her more.’

  Wow. Vasera is there too? What a bsp;