The Fae huntress was left by the fire, drenched in sweat, as the group dispersed and returned to their respective places. The spot where she'd earlier been sitting was now riddled with arrows, and she plopped down amongst them, furtively yanking one from the ground and inspecting its tip. It proved to be an arrow of quality; the well-hammered steel of the tip had kept its shape. With great care, Minx snapped the shaft near the arrowhead and quickly stuffed the sharpened portion, a few inches in length, into her boot. Later, if she found some time alone, she'd be able to use the arrowhead to pick the lock and free herself, if Alla didn't come through for her.
With the hunter back in his tent and the other warriors carrying on amongst themselves, Minx was utterly ignored. She remained by the fire, arms draped over her knees, studying the sky. I wonder where Kaleb and Mau are. She hoped to see the dragon soaring overhead, wished to watch him swoop down from the black clouds and lay waste to this camp with one of his signature fireballs. No such shape appeared, however—there were only thin clouds crawling against the tapestry of dark sky.
More than an hour passed before Alla returned to the camp. She climbed the hill from another direction and passed briefly into the tent, ostensibly to report her progress. From there, she exited the tent and went rummaging around in a small sack she kept tied to her waist. “Here,” she said, kneeling beside Minx and offering a handful of food. “It isn't much, but... please, eat.”
Minx had been offered a large crust of stale bread and a water skin, and she grabbed them up without the least hesitation. Tucking into the bread like a mad woman, she fought past its staleness and scarfed it down within minutes. The water skin, too, was promptly emptied. Her stomach seized, shocked at the sudden infusion of food, and she handed the water vessel back to Alla with as contented a sigh as such a meager meal could inspire.
“I found the amulet,” said Alla, taking a seat near the fire and pretending to warm herself. She watched the nearby warriors closely, and only spoke when she was certain none of them were eavesdropping. “It's not good.”
Minx waited a moment before responding, and when she did, she made sure not to look directly at Alla, lest they appear to be engaging in unsanctioned conversation. “What's the problem? Is it not here?”
“Oh, it's here,” was the half-Fae's reply. “But the hunter... he keeps it around his neck at all times.” She paused, looking at the arrows sticking out of the ground. “It won't be easy to take it from him. In fact, it may be impossible...”
Minx snorted, giving her chains a little jangle. “Take these off of me, give me my bow and I'll show you what's possible.”
Alla looked deeply into the fire, her cloudy eyes seeming pained. “I'm sorry. For everything. You see... I'm being pressured into this.” She spared Minx a quick glance, but then looked suddenly away as a Wuff wandered by. A few moments later, she continued, “I'm being pressured into helping the hunter... into helping Torrent. I have no choice. The amulet won't allow me to disobey. I can't even run from here. I've been under its sway for so long I can't resist it. I know that's no excuse, but... I'm sorry.”
“I see...” The Fae huntress sat on these words for a long while. “So, what do you plan to do about it? Will you live like this for the rest of your life—a slave? Or will you fight?”
Alla had no response to this question. After an uncomfortable silence in which she ran her scaly fingers through her long hair, she said, “We'll be breaking camp at dawn. We've only been here since nightfall, and tomorrow we plan to reach our destination. There's another large contingent of Torrent's forces a little to the east. When we've met up with them—and possibly Torrent himself—we plan to make another run on Pandling Grounds with any other warriors we find along the way.”
“You don't say.” Minx stretched out in the grass, tonguing her molars. “I guess there isn't much time to lose, then. I need that amulet.”
The half-Fae nodded. “Please, Minx, get some rest for now. I'm not sure when the opportunity will arise for you to take the thing, so use this time to relax, if you can. We'll march come morning.” She stood and wandered briskly from the fire, disappearing into a small tent on the other side of the hill.
“Relax?” Minx muttered to herself, peering about the ground, still littered with arrows. “Fat chance...”
As she'd earlier suspected, Torrent's forces were more organized than the Fae had given them credit for. The Wuffs and their dark allies had suffered a stunning defeat during the great battle, and bands of roving stragglers had committed themselves to further attacks in the weeks since. In the background however, much was being done to rally a new force—to stage a new offensive against the Fae.
And unless Minx was successful in interrupting their tactics, the Fae would likely lose this battle.
Meditating on what Alla had told her—on the half-Fae's inability to resist the call of the amulet—left Minx ill at ease. She hadn't yet seen this promised amulet. Did it even exist? Had Alla bluffed about the existence of such a thing only to lure her into custody without a fight? Alla wouldn't do that, would she? She claims that she can't resist the pressure that's being heaped on her, but... what if someone put her up to this? She sifted through memory, trying to recall her most recent interaction with the hunter. Was he wearing it? She was uncertain. She hadn't been
