The older man didn’t lower his sword.

  Melior was the country that we were in and it was led by the Grand Council of Bokor. The color of his sword concerned me a little, but they were flying the flag of the Bokor and saying the right things. I just hoped they were actually on a mission from the Island and not pirates.

  If this ship was under the authority of one of the other Bokor strongholds, then the Island would have priority. My chest tightened as I realized that Fyga may have just killed eight of the Bokor aides. While many of the Bokor didn’t have a high opinion of the aides, they still treated the death of one like someone had killed an actual Bokor. While my paper would keep any of the aides from officially coming after us for revenge, as soon as they reported back to the Bokor supervisor, we’d have a team dispatched to bring her in for a trial.

  That was if there was even a trial. I’d heard that they happened, but most Bokor, like Master Bran, would just execute the Touched on the spot. My master had called it a mercy and I had no doubt that he knew how painful a death that awaited them back at the Island would be.

  “You aren’t the first man to say they were from the Island to avoid punishment!” He nodded to the other men, who began to fan out. “You’re not Bokor, or you would have revealed yourself.” There was a sneer in his voice that his beard was able to hide his lips from showing. “Touched only have papers if they’ve stolen them!”

  “BACKER!” Captain Jace yanked me to the ground as more projectiles zipped over us. “Ya got ta git ya girl out ah har!” He pulled his head over mine so that I was looking up at him. “He ain’t gunna listen unless yar a Backer!”

  I tried not to gag. His breath so close to my face reminded me of having to clean out the horse stalls. There weren’t many horses on the Island, not even enough for all of the Council to ride one, so it depended on who was out on official business as to how many were stabled. It was still one of my least favorite jobs.

  I had to get Val over here, but that meant a trek through the woods at night with a human and an unconscious Touched. I remembered Theo, which meant basically two unconscious Touched. And I needed to make sure that they didn’t empty the storehouse while we were gone

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  “Touched!” The man was scanning the woods. “You still alive?!”

  I grit my teeth. There was only one way that I knew that hold them off, but I wasn’t sure that it was going to last long enough for me to get back here with Val, but my other option was to try to keep them out of the woods until Fyga was able to shake off the poison. I wasn’t sure how long that would take, but I had a feeling as soon as the sun rose, they were going to be a lot bolder about coming into the woods.

  “Can you carry her?” I rolled out from under him, then pointed south. “Just keep going that way along the treeline and I’ll catch up to you.”

  I could see the resistance on his face even if it was in shades of purple. “Ya ain’t gunna fight them?”

  “We have to have those supplies.” I pointed back towards where the underground bunker was. “Master Val will make them submit, but only if they’re still here.” I grabbed his shoulder. “Please.”

  The one-eyed man looked like I’d slapped him. He looked over at Fyga and sighed. “Yar lucky yar girl is small. I ain’t good at carrin’ things on dirt and sand.”

  “Thanks!” I turned around to face the sailors. I was going to try one more time to reason with them.

  “What’s your name?” I moved north, away from Fyga and Captain Jace in case the sailors with crossbows decided to fire at my voice.

  “It’s customary for someone to give their name before asking it of another.” The bearded man looked in my direction. “But Touched are only talking Zombies, so I can’t expect you to use common courtesy.” He puffed out his chest. “Sir Kaeso Richard Mere, Knight of the Grand Council and Captain of the Varrifell!”

  That didn’t make any sense. If he was knighted by the Grand Council, then he should have a purple heartstone blade, not red. Also, last names were for prominent families as a way to link descendants to their more prominent ancestors. I hadn’t recognized any of the family names in the three cities I’d been in, but I couldn’t remember any off the top of my head. Master Bran hadn’t used them when he talked to people and usually I was cleaning something when there was a conversation.

  “I’m Byler Branarm of the Island! I think-”

  “Branarm!” The man started laughing. “You’re no apprentice of Master Bran! He’d kill you himself if he heard an apprentice of his was working with a Touched!” He twirled his sword. “Might as well come out now kid, I’m going to get a hefty bounty for your head.”

  I tried not to let his comment about my master’s opinion of me rattle me. I couldn’t afford to waste any more time. I needed to get Fyga back to camp and get Val back here to take control.

  I called fire into both of my hands. I was ready to show them what a Bokor could do.

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