Page 69 of A Tale of Mirth & Magic

“You know that’s not the issue. I don’t think it’s right, that you steal her life’s possessions.”

“It doesn’t really matter what you think. You are nobody. And I deserve some payment for my pain.”

“Your payment will be justice. That’s why we’re bringing her back to town, to serve her sentence.”

A laugh, low and cold. “Oh, of course. Of course. But would she really feel true justice if she did not lose something she loved? Or, perhaps, everything she loved?”

I scrambled in the rucksack. C’mon, c’mon… it must be here somewhere.

Yes. I gripped one thin utility knife in my teeth and flung it across to my corner of the carriage. Sliding back over to that side as silently as I could, I tried to maneuver it with the very tips of my fingers that weren’t tied tightly with rope.

“This isn’t right,” the woman’s voice said quietly. “She’s already going to pay for her crimes, and dearly.”

“Not enough.” Felsith’s oily voice turned harsh, hard. “Do you even know what she did to me? Do you? She made a fool of me. Crushed my wrist with her power without a second glance, then set her giant on me to finish the job. The healers were barely able to salvage both of my wrists! And they cost so much coin, I had to go to my brother for help.

“That nitwit,” he said almost under his breath. “My dimwitted Lord Brother! He had to bail me out. Our parents, my wife, our neighbors… everyone knows. They all think of me—me!—as an idiot. A laughingstock. And this elf—this bitch—just got to saunter off into the sunset, la-di-da. Well, I don’t think so. She is paying her dues—however I see fit.”

There was silence after Felsith’s speech. Even I was motionless for a moment, chilled by the visceral hatred in his voice. This was much, much worse than I’d thought.

I kept maneuvering, trying to get the knife into a good position to cut the ropes on my hands and wrists. For a moment, I thought I had it—and then a sharp pain sliced into my arm. I bit down on my lip, willing myself not to cry out in pain.

A sudden jostling of the door, and a weight stepped back into the carriage. I was suddenly being shaken. Felsith had me by the shoulders, jolting me hard back and forth. My shoulder slammed into the wall, and I yelped.

“Wake, wake! Time’s up, girl!”

He pulled me from the carriage before I could react. I stumbled, missing the step, and fell hard onto my knees in the dirt road. My head spun viciously, and I blinked at the sudden bright daylight.

“Careful! What are you doing?” a woman shouted. I swung around to see who else I was up against.

Maerryl. Goddess damn her. Of course that wiseass dickhead had joined up with him.

The half-dwarf strode closer. Her tanned skin was flushed deep red, strong eyebrows slanted in a glare. Well, that wasn’t anything new. She was always pissy—but at least this time it didn’t seem directed toward me. Maerryl’s narrowed eyes flashed at Felsith, fists clenched at her sides. She stopped halfway between Felsith and me. We were almost in a perfect triangle, and I had a sudden absurd desire to laugh. The three of us were facing off in the middle of nowhere. I had no way to defend myself. And the kicker was—I’d put myself in this idiotic, goddess-forsaken predicament. If I hadn’t run away like a coward from Barra, none of this would be happening.

Barra probably thought I’d ditched town this morning rather than face him after last night. I might never see him again. And he’d go about the rest of his life thinking I was a cold, cruel monster who’d strung him along for a week and then was too heartless to even say goodbye.

At that thought, I forced myself to my feet. My body screamed in protest, aches and fatigue weighing me down, but I ignored it. No matter what happened, I’d face it standing. Blood dripped slowly from the cut on my arm into the dirt behind me.

“She’s bleeding! Are you all right?” Maerryl’s eyes cut to me, assessing. I returned her look coolly. I didn’t like her, but I needed her on my side. Or at least not on Felsith’s side.

“I’ve been better,” I said, letting some of my pain show in my eyes.

She nodded, hard and decided. “Let’s get you back in the carriage.”

“I have a better idea,” said Felsith, who had been watching our exchange closely. “Why don’t we mete out justice right here?”

“What are you talking about?” Maerryl said, her voice flat.

He crept closer, and I took a step back. The carriage was behind me. I was boxed in by them.

“Well. I find that I don’t wish to wait to see her punished anymore. The whole rigamarole with the legal system, keeping her in our jail, the extra drama and gossip it will provoke in town, perhaps across the queendom—it’s all a bit much, isn’t it?”

Felsith stepped closer again, and my back was against the carriage’s side. I could see his every oily pore, the flash of madness in his eyes.

“We could take care of this right now. I’ll keep most—not all—of her belongings. Her precious jewelry,” he spat to Maerryl, keeping his stare trained on me. “But I’ll leave her tools, a few coins. You’ll get triple the coin I promised you. And then we’ll cut her loose here to go on her merry way.”

Maerryl looked dubious, conflicted. I could tell she wanted to be done with this business and cut ties. She seemed to regret aligning herself with him out of anger toward me. Or perhaps it had been simple desperation. I knew what it was like to be penniless and out of options. “I suppose… I suppose that’s an acceptable solution. If not entirely legal.”

“Of course…” Felsith continued, eyes locked with mine. I didn’t look away. He said softly, a hint of a wicked smile beginning to spread across his face, “Of course, we’ll have to break her wrists first.”