Vekrem and I were shoved into a large audience chamber in the largest building in the center of town wearing iron shackles. Asema, hopefully, had been taken somewhere to rest, and Saise had been removed from us on the way, and walked off without a word passing between us.

  The audience chamber was beautifully intricate. Silver-tasseled cloth held open large red drapes that were also inlaid with silver patterns. The floor itself appeared marbled, of various shades of black, white and gray. And at the very end of the chamber sat a single wooden seat; not a throne, nor anything intricate. Just a well-carved wooden chair with a single occupant.

  This woman stood in a long red dress that looked to be made of clouds, so mesmerizing in its beauty and design. She strode towards us with the grace of a dancer, each step meticulous and deadly.

  Eventually, she came to rest before us. Standing a bit taller than I. She glared down at Vekrem and me, her wolfish eyes blazing golden fury. Her pure white coat almost glowed through the fabric underneath, and it was trimmed in a neat pattern that weaved into her hair at the top of her head.

  Vekrem broke the silence as he requested, “I wish to speak with the master of this place. Lucretia Redfang.”

  The woman growled a low murmur of dissatisfaction. “And what makes you think you are not already?”

  “Lucretia is said to be a great warrior. I do not picture her parading around in elegant dresses—”

  There was a clang in the air, and when I looked, a long curved blade rested at the edge of Vekrem’s neck. To his credit, he did not withdraw. Did not cry out or shift in the slightest. He kept composure and waited.

  The woman smiled a wolfish grin, and I saw the gleam of something red in her mouth.

  “That is your problem, rodrant; you think what you wish to believe. Your kind has a lot of such delusions; such as that you are the masters of your own world. That you stand side by side with us… pathetic. Your feeble mind can only picture a warrior clad in battle ornaments, lacking any and all feminine decorum. But you’re wrong. I could take your head here and now, and you would have never seen it coming. Then I could grace and dance amongst the best in these very halls. You lack conviction. Imagination. Strength…” She pulled back her weapon, sliding it back into a holder that was hidden on her leg behind the red dress. “But you are interesting, nonetheless. Not many can face my blade, feel its icy touch, and not scamper away, tail between their legs whilst pissing themselves.” She stepped past, striding back towards her chair. “Come now, you get my point. I’m scary. I’m dangerous. And now I wish to have words with you both.”

  Vekrem took a long deep breath, and when I looked at him, he winked. The man actually winked. He had planned it all along, the bastard.

  I couldn’t help but chuckle. Lucretia, who’d taken a seat, put her hand to her chin, glancing at us curiously.

  “Come forward.”

  We both did as we were told, not wanting to antagonize her further.

  We found ourselves staring down at her seated position, and yet, I still felt smaller than she. She had something about her… a presence. Something that demanded a certain respect. And a healthy amount of fear.

  Lucretia glanced between us, fingering a red-jeweled necklace with a silver band. “I see you two find this whole thing amusing. That is well, as you’ll be tested soon.” She unclasped the necklace, holding it in her hand as if poison. She pointed. “Let’s start with you. Kneel.”

  Vekrem stood still for a moment before a guard pushed him forward. Shrugging his shoulder, he knelt down, and she placed the necklace around his neck. Surprisingly, he jumped back, and then went to rip the necklace off his neck—but his shackles made it impossible.

  He screamed, “Get it off—not again! Not again!”

  The guards grabbed him, holding him down as he continued to wail.

  “What the fuck are you doing to him?” I asked.

  I tried to aid him, but another guard kicked at the back of my knees. I felt the attack coming and dodged, but a second grabbed at me. Then a third. Soon, I found myself wrestled to the ground next to Vekrem, who writhed in agony as if his skin was set on fire.

  Lucretia rose again, stalking towards Vekrem where she reached down and reclaimed the necklace, removing it from his neck.

  Vekrem let out an audible sigh of relief, and his writing came to an abrupt stop. Breathlessly, he asked, “Why… Do you have… a pure silver… necklace?”

  Lucretia placed it back around her own neck, wincing for just a moment as she did. Glaring down as if she’d just disciplined a disobedient dog, she replied, “To remind those who do not show proper respect who they are dealing with. Why tell you stories of my resilience when I could show you? And now you know the full breadth of who you’re dealing with.”

  Vekrem peered up at her wide-eyed, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed.

  Lucretia sat again, asking in a softer tone. “Now that the unpleasantness is over, tell me: What brings you to Mossguard?”

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  Somewhat recovering himself, Vekrem rubbed at his neck. “Ugh… we come as simple merchants.”

  “Merchants?” Lucretia replied, narrowing her eyes. “That’s the lie you’re going with? Where’s your cart and mule? Where’s your goods? Why does a chitik travel with you? It seems you don’t understand the situation you’re in. Hold him down, let’s put the necklace back on until his tongue is more free—”

  “Wait!” Vekrem replied, desperate. “I suppose I’ll need to tell you the whole reason.”

  Lucretia proffered a hand for him to continue.

  “You’re right, we aren’t just any ole merchants. You can say we purvey rarer commodities.”

  “Such as?”

  “My customers really don’t like my spilling their business—”

  Lucretia threw up a hand to summon the guards.

  “Point taken,” Vekrem replied. “Fine… we are in Mossguard as we’ve been led to believe that the Grimstead Thicket grows a mushroom named Ishess, otherwise known as the Ashenheart Mushroom.”

  It was Lucretia’s turn to show surprise as her eyes went wide. “You’re insane,” she replied. “ All of this for a fairy tale? A mushroom that heals all ailments? Ha! A fool's errand. One that is going to get you killed. No… I won’t have it. None go to Grimstead and return. None!”

  “We aren’t your typical merchants, as I’ve said. My two human slaves are excellent warriors, despite appearances. The chitik is a mercenary I hired and is skilled as well. As for me… well, I’m but a simple alchemist; you need not concern yourself on my account.”

  “A simple alchemist,” Lucretia mused. “And yet, I remain unconvinced.” She pointed to one of the guards. “You there, fight this human. Let him prove himself.”

  “... Excuse me?”

  Vekrem turned and grinned at me knowingly. The man had likely known that the conversation would take this sort of turn. His forward thinking and haphazard treatment of my health was beginning to piss me off.

  My shackles were undone, and I rubbed the irritated skin around my wrists.

  “Fists and feet only,” Lucretia announced. “No need to get blood all over my nice floor.”

  Another guard took the first’s weapon belt, which held a sword and a dagger. The guard I was to fight wasn’t just any guard either; I recognized him. Brown fur and all, it was Derion, Captain of the Guard.”

  I held up my empty hands. “They already took my weapon earlier.”

  “Nice to see you again,” Derion said, flashing his claws at me menacingly.

  I pointed. “That’s not fucking fair.”

  Lucretia chuckled. “Such is life. Begin.”

  Derion launched forward, and I let my body take over. It surprised me how easy it was to just let go of control of my own body. Good thing too, as a claw narrowly missed ripping out my jugular.

  That wolfy fuck wasn’t playing around.

  Derion charged at me with a ferocity that I hadn’t seen since I was attacked by the wererats. It was like a singular focus. The world didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was the hunt.

  Dodge

  Dodge

  Dodge

  But with no weapon, what chance did I have?

  “Poke him in the eyes!” Vekrem called out. And then he gave me a thumbs up, smiling widely.

  Poke him in the eyes? That was his brilliant plan?

  Just then, I ducked under a wayward kick, which would have taken my head off, stepped forward, and with two fingers, poked the captain in both of his eyes.

  Derion fell back and wailed, clutching at his face.

  Lucretia fell from her little throne to the floor, laughing so hard that she looked like she was about to hurl; not the sight you would expect from such a powerful werewolf.

  Derion recovered, and in his now reddened eyes I saw a familiar sight…

  the lust for violence.

  “Shit…” I managed to mutter as he redoubled his efforts to rip my fucking guts out.

  More slashes—faster now—and even my own senses were beginning to become overwhelmed. A score of slashes met my flesh. On the arm, and a deep one on my leg. I stepped again, slipped, and found myself staring at the floor.

  I glanced up, and Derion loomed over me, licking my blood from one of his claws. That murderous gaze never wavered as he reared back to deal the killing blow.

  “Strike!” Dragon boomed. “Awaken!”

  As the claw descended, I realized I could see it. No, not just the claw itself—beyond it. There is no such thing as empty space. A vacuum is always filled if able. And these microscopic particles simply move out of the way of anything with more mass, creating a sort of… wave.

  Like a dam bursting in my mind, I knew; I didn’t have a spider-sense, I could feel the shifting of waves all around me. I knew which ones were safe. I knew which were dangerous. And reason says that if I could sense them, then I can control them.

  A mere hair from my head, Derion’s claw held in place. I couldn’t see what I was necessarily doing, but I could feel it. I stood, despite my bum leg, and the captain gave one sharp cry as I collapsed the wave, crushing his hand, and then struck forward, sending the wave from my own punch outward and into his gut.

  The blast blew into me as well, and I could feel my shoulder almost give out. Derion flew a handful of steps away, sliding against the now bloody floor as he vomited pure red. He wailed in agony, clutching the remnants of a hand that would never be the same.

  Lucretia wasn’t laughing anymore.

  “Seize them,” she called, and before I knew it, at least ten guards surrounded us with all manner of weapons pointed down.

  “But I proved myself,” I argued. “This is bullshit!”

  A hand touched me, and I spun away… only to find Vekrem silently shaking his head. I realized then that I had both fists clenched, was breathing heavily, and a scowl was plastered on my face. I was ready to die fighting. The anger fled me, and my bum leg gave out.

  Vekrem caught me midair.

  Guards encircled us.

  “Let me help him,” Vekrem asked. “We’ll go peacefully, but let me stay with him to treat his wounds.”

  Lucretia appeared distracted, but as if barely noted his words, she nodded. The guards led us downstairs and into the darkness of the dungeons below.