My Guard detail, dressed as adventurers, using confiscated equipment, along with Jeanette’s Parents, arrived. “Oh, just a Moment, I need to use Light Magic really quick; Then we can leave.” The guards all gasped as the alteration to Alian and myself took hold. “This is only light magic, nothing’s actually changed. Just a way to let us get out without notice.”

  Guard Captain Freddrick smiled. “Excellent, Jane, I approve. It’s truly surprising, but very welcome.”

  We moved quickly out of the Noble district. Once out in the Market, we stopped to buy packs for Alian, and Gabby, and kitted up Alian with more realistic travel clothes, having her change in the shop, and stuffing her finery into her pack. We bought a larger tent, so the three of us could share, while Gabby got Jeanette’s old tent. It was less than two hours before we were out of the City, and traveling towards Jeanette’s family home. “That was quicker and less troublesome than any escort through the city I’ve ever participated in. Not looking like a Noble and her Guards truly helps huh?”

  “Yes, Captain, and not acting like Guards of Nobility also helps. Now if only you could act the part, it would be flawless.”

  “I shall endeavor to alter my attitude in the future.”

  The Guards were now chatting freely, much to Alian’s delight. I looked nervously over my shoulder to see if we were far enough out of sight for anyone else on the road; I could feel my Mana draining. “Magic seems easier to me than it should be, but this spell is draining me quickly, and it’s been running for hours now. Think we’re far enough to risk dropping it?”

  “Aye miss, even if they can see this far, nobody will be looking at anyone leaving, unless they’re bandits anyway. Those we just kill right quick, begging your pardon.”

  “Nothing to forgive, I don’t make a habit of protecting Bandits, the only reason I did with Adel’s guards was because of how suspicious it seemed, and I was right. Even if there’s any more out there, the head of the snake is already cut off. So I have no problem killing any we find now. I’m going to let the spell drop now, I want Magic on hand for an emergency.”

  So saying, the light spell faded, and mine and Alian’s features returned to their normal appearance. “If you don’t mind me saying, lass, that’s an impressive spell. How much could it do you think?”

  I chuckled, “Not sure, maybe I’ll play with it later, maybe I could change myself to look like a Man, would anyone like to see that?”

  Alian and Jeanette looked at me, grinning. “What about your species?”

  “Maybe.” I winked.

  “Oh, how about clothes?!”

  “That’s a thought too!”

  We went on with casual banter for quite a while. Then something caught my attention, and I froze. “What was that?” Everyone was instantly on alert, looking everywhere, and listening. “Is it possible to sense someone else’s magic at a distance? Cause whatever caught my attention just now wasn’t sight or sound. I don’t know what it was, so aside from smell, which should be obvious, the only thing left is Magic.”

  “I’ve heard tell, missy, that some with higher power can do that, and you seem a might more powerful than most.”

  The wind changed directions, and I barely heard the last lines of a magic incantation sounding like a Fireball spell. I instantly put up an ice barrier. The fireball slammed into my barrier, melting a small dent. Now I was MAD!!! My Claws extended, as my arms dropped to let my Pack fall. I charged, leaping over the ice wall I had made in an instant. “Keep them safe, I’ll deal with the Mage! There might be more attackers.”

  The Mage was chanting desperately to attack again. I noticed a few arrows flying at me. Swerving side to side as the arrows came down, I avoided them without slowing. My hands had taken up my Knuckles, and before the Mage could finish his second chant, the spike of my left Knuckle slammed into and through the side of his skull.

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  “You Bitch!!!” An archer turned his bow at me, attempting to shoot me, and I leapt up, as he fired, and his arrow meant for me slammed into his companion, who had attempted to do the same from the other side.

  “Die scum!” My claws ripped down his face and across his throat. An anguished scream came from behind me. I turned to face a Woman crumpled to her knees, with a Bandit cloak falling off her head. “Traitors, it seems, surely you knew what was going to happen. You only have yourselves to blame for all your deaths.”

  “Traitors? What? Huh?!”

  Her eyes bulged seeing my now visible Tiger Stripes. “This road isn’t traveled by anyone important, there’s no reason for Bandits to be here. The only explanation is that most, if not all of you, are involved in the failed rebellion headed by Jenson, who is now Dead.”

  “Please, my Husband said we were helping the Kingdom! I I I Didn’t know I swear!”

  “Helping the Kingdom dressed as Bandits, setting up an ambush by a road that very few people knew WE would be traveling on. No Way is that going to fly. You were stupid enough to accept an obvious lie from a Traitor Husband. He killed you, you understand that?”

  Her now tear-filled-eyes, had a look of Rage aimed at her Dead Husband. “Then, could I ask one thing? I have a young son in the Ginal farming community, which you are heading to now, will you see to him?”

  My expression only slightly softened. “You can live until we return to the Palace. So you can officially hand him over to us at that time. My adopted daughter will be happy to have a Brother. Also, both of my Wives are expecting, so that’s at least two more siblings coming in around nine months. Your Son will be loved, and I promise he won’t be a pampered, spoiled brat. You have my word, but you will be executed after that. If your son is old enough, you’ll have to explain it to him.” She nodded, her Raccoon features were very pretty. A Fox and a Coon playing together is going to be very amusing to me. I bound her wrists behind her back after disarming her.

  When I returned to the group, past my Ice Wall, which was slowly melting, I found several dead Rebels. None of them were long-ranged combatants, and none of my people were harmed, not so much as a Scratch. “Why are you keeping that one alive?”

  I smiled. “A last request. She has a young son, her Husband convinced her she was helping the Kingdom, and so I agreed to take her Son as my own. To that end, she will remain with us, under guard, until after our return to the Capitol, where she will officially hand her Son into my care. Once that is done, she will after interrogation to ensure that anyone she knows to be involved has also been dealt with, and she will be executed. Captain, may I entrust her supervision to you? Keep her fed enough to survive until her execution. We won’t spoil her, but we won’t torture her either.”

  “Oh, a Raccoon Clan Son, he’ll look so good with Gabby as a Big Sister!”

  Gabby stood straight, like she was trying to put her chest forward. It was cute, “I’ll be the best big sister ever, I promise!”

  I hugged my girl tight in appreciation, and because I was grinning so big at the utter cuteness. Alian and Jeanette were trying desperately to school their faces before Gabby could see them not laughing. “I know you will, sweetie, you’re my precious first daughter after all!”

  Our journey continued, and despite the occasional monster attack, it was rather uneventful. “Isn’t this odd? Shouldn’t there have been more Monsters by now?”

  Captain Freddrick thought about it for a Moment, then responded. “I think you’re correct, Jane, that is most likely due to your presence. You were Gold Tier before you may very well have tipped over into the next tier of mythril, or if not, you’re very near it, I believe. Your power is constantly being sent out as I understand things, and the Monsters are somewhat sensitive to that. Smarter types will flee while less intelligent types will challenge you.”

  I nodded; the explanation sounded reasonable. Just then, one of my female guards came up. “The Prisoner needs a moment, Jane.”

  “Thank you, Vivian, we’ll halt while the Prisoner’s needs are dealt with.”

  I had taken the time to learn my guard’s names. I had four guards beside Captain Freddrick. Two women and two men, which was fortunate, since if we had only men in our detail, then I’d be tending to our prisoner myself, which would have irritated the guards.

  Marla, the other female Guard, was helping to keep the prisoner secure while her needs were tended to. Bobby and Dillan kept close to the girls, being very alert. Any reason to stop was a bad sign to them. “Missy, it shouldn’t be much further, I don’t think, might just be able to see the palisade within the hour. At least according to the Map I know.”

  Bobby was clearly from a rural area, while Dillan obviously grew up around a seaport. Both their manners were very crude, but their skills had gotten them where they are. “You know, Lassy, we’d already be there on a boat, I imagine.” Dillan clearly didn’t like walking so much.

  “Perhaps Dillan, but then we’ve already got two women with Morning Sickness, I doubt we want to have them sea sick on top of that. Rather not risk it, and besides, the only ship we could have taken would have been the Royal Yacht, and that would have defeated the purpose of our secret departure.”

  “Now why you got to go making sense, Lassy?” Everyone chuckled, including Dillan.