ed, fell to t

t up and sta

her best to

ing hit by th

e thought sh

ow pierced h

was enoug

d ache, and

ly droppe

t she didn'

en she was literally dra

und just t

sue

never let

her aga

he was afra

r would se

rows, she he

sounds of

hing agains

rd grunts an

someone was

the so

uldn't care l

lly pulled

sh and threw

running aga

a lot of times, Sollel con

ess without

Her mind wa

she didn't r

ff...until

lready ready

er body woul

f feeling the

self sinking

ocat

l could figu

consciousnes

m her by l

rom atop the

a man was s

the flowing

g his war bl

iers' blood.

certain part

e man didn'

left the cli

the n

DRI was s

g the report

s fear for

day by day.

ress of Flam

back to her

a great ri

om his neck.

d him that

Mistress of

now that i

good news,

g to become

that were se

not yet re

, we found ou

been slain. N

ter further i

t that whoe

prison wa

iers. It was a brutal kill

ite chamber

lin, who wa

al, looked u

to ask, "Gen

next

ri wanted

out of frus

show the c

front of him

aken by the

he showed we

is soldiers

ith a dozen s

hunt h

amlin was

nting with u

was surprise

n for a gen

rs. Even at

selves behind

They were

the fro

oman must be

ie trying!"

Captain Ham

toward th

t to the c

really die i

Mistress of

that whoeve

Flame will r

rewa

i wanted to

hands. He w

s of Flame

good grace

o get his pos

ffort to kee

hind the em

or for a gen

upport Emp

the ve

at morning,

soldiers rod

ale, moonrit

ns r

she fell f

drowned,

s away. So w

a run-down

, she immed

when she fe

er shoulder

that moonr

e pain, Solle

ed around.

e was about

dried stra

lel immedia

e saw from t

end herself,

l young wo

e and tall, m

woman was we

ress that did

vered her ar

her around i

lack leggin

cover her l

ts, with a

d on he

s that caught Soll

t is she do

forest? Sol

tightly holdi

. Solel did n

ile she was unconscious;

care of her

had suffer

one can be

who extende

h

y," the elf

he house. "I'

t y

d her mouth

d not come o

t was raspy

t create a c

long since

did not sp

as a consequ

sed her mo

o write som

ou

e you? These were

wered forth

t outside th

e halfling r

put the ve

the woods

d, "Even tho

the humans

and decide

one place t

hem work i

for the Infe

pon

didn't cont

of the knife

her other quest

Ciradyl," th

ting the veg

Cira. If you

d forest, the answer is s

to their ru

ay in

ace, So I came here a

you floating

ou were dea

out of the w

ng, so I took

ed y

a controlled

e a long-live

other race,

s Yther's Mis

ed by deities

body. As lon

wed inside h

er body wit

s so weak now-not only

so because of

me to recover

ask you q

f you want, I w

fore handing

iquid inside

heal your th

uri

t accept the

k a small d

to show Soll

harm

a medicine,

at Cira for

epting the

dicine twent

nd you'll be

fore putting

, and then sh

ouse to start

cooking th

d at the sma

hen she use

ip of her fi

her blood in

. Her blood

etoxifying

es. Just

the vial and was mixed w

y time Soll

en she went

ade of dr

turned insid

ieved to se

bed again,

ntly while

the little m

turb th

g, Cira kept

house. She

ut the woman

looked pale

rgeous with

es. Though

ons were

it

, Cira corre

race that h

t they were

re still hal

because of th

. A pure-blo

ibrant hair

the halfli

s, just lik

herians wer

alties in hu

a handful o

e them rare

o slave

her house a

and meat. W

he woman got

and

"Take it easy

urt

ee that the

so she just

ve her

t poisoned,

ving the bowl to the wWom

onds of h

ira turned

e table, Sol

xify the food

e digg

so long sinc

t Sollel didn

down the f

nished every

e. Seeing th

ond serving

wit

's first hear

and it was sa

she couldn't

wl dishear

she had to k

be captur

ife that Sol

e wrote som

ou

have I

ed while ea

Three da

taking care

g

er head in d

you from lea

er your full

ak to heal y

le

aid made se

weak she

be if she a

since elves'

properties, she could re

With this, s

suer. She mig

yet, but Soll

least damag

while

ed at Cira,

ground again:

ng to

Cira shook h

an just hel

I'm healing

me water in

se." Cira had

ould be mor

her to just

e

y wrote on th

can't cook,

or clean

at Sollel.

yo

on the ground

ris

widened. "

een impr

Of my

ed Cira. Th

"Very well.

ca

d. Silence f

sked, "What'

d to lie, bu

the hearty m

real nam

ad that, she

ered somet

he Mistres