Skylar stared at the shopkeeper. How could he know what she was? She was a part of a secret organization only a few people knew about. Skylar knew coming out into the open would blow her cover.
However, she didn’t have a cover. She was easily recognizable as a Protector because of her yellow eyes, pale skin, dark brown hair, and the 12 tattoos on her back.
Again, nobody would see the tattoos, but it was tradition. Every year, a Protector would get a tattoo starting from the back of the neck close to the hairline, and go down the back. Since Skylar was 12, she now had 12 tattoos.
Even if her friends knew what she was, she sensed they might accept her like they accepted Alice being Thuron, and Peter and Helen living on the streets.
But how did the shopkeeper know? He seemed extremely intelligent by the way he spoke and knew a lot about herbs and other medicinal substances. But, he was also strong. You could see through his shirt he had some muscles, but why would a shopkeeper who bought and sold herbs need to be strong?
Skylar didn’t trust this man.
She took the payment, which was 25 more of the coins Luke was given by the butcher, Karl.
Before they turned to go, however, the herbal shopkeeper stopped her by grabbing her arm.
Skylar looked at the man in shock. She felt like if he gripped her any harder he’d break her arm.
“Just one moment, if I may,” his voice at first sounded tense, but then calmed back down to his usual, intelligent, self. “I have some medicinal herbs in the back if you would like to see them.”
Skylar tried to break free from his grip, and said calmly, “No, we’re just fine, good day sir.”
“Oh but I insist,” his grip grew stronger on Skylar.
“Daveed,” Luke warned, “what are you doing?”
“Luke Doogan, son of Nathaniel Doogan, if you know what is best for your group I suggest you come with me,” Daveed looked at the rest of them and added, “all of you.”
Skylar looked around at Luke’s narrowed eyes, Helen and Peter’s scared faces, and Richard’s angry one. Alice looked like she was about to faint.
Skylar was furious. If there was one thing her father taught her, it was how to fight.
She suddenly remembered a trick her father taught her once. Skylar could hear her father’s voice in her head saying, “If anyone ever grabs your arm, twist it until it gets to their thumb, the weakest part of the grip. Then you can release their grip.”
So Skylar did what her father had taught her so long ago.
She twisted her arm to Daveed’s thumb and wrenched her arm free. Then, she swiftly grabbed her bo staff which was on her back, and smacked Daveed across the face. As Daveed fell to the ground, she pointed her bo staff in his face. Daveed cupped his face, which looked like his nose was broken.
“Why did you do that?” Skylar demanded.
Instead of answering, Daveed reached behind his back and pulled out a horn. He blew it before Skylar could even react.
Once she realized he was signaling somebody, she knocked him out.
“What’s happening?” Skylar heard Helen ask.
Skylar looked at her new friends and said, “I don’t know.”
Skylar looked around and saw the butcher, Karl, looking at them in shock.
Luke walked over to him, explaining what happened. Karl seemed surprised Daveed would take such a turn in personality so quickly.
Before they could do anything, an arrow whizzed through the air and landed in a wall of Karl’s shop. Right next to Karl’s head.
Karl looked at them with wide eyes, obviously scared of the arrow that nearly killed him.
“We’re in trouble,” Luke breathed, and they all looked around to see if anyone was there.
Skylar looked around and saw just in time a Dueglesteiner crouched on a rooftop right as he jumped down, trying to land on Skylar.
Skylar instinctively held up her bo staff for protection right as the Dueglesteiner’s sword hit her bo staff.
Luckily, the bo staff didn’t break. Skylar kicked the Dueglesteiner in the groin, making him drop his sword and cover his groin with his hands, a pained look on his face.
She heard footsteps running behind her, and knew it was too heavy to be from any of her friends. She jumped backward right over another Dueglesteiner’s head, flipping as she did so. When she landed she knocked him over the top of his head with her bo staff.
She continued to fight, and looked around and saw that Luke was trying his best, too.
Right as she had sent her bo staff crashing down on another Dueglesteiner’s head, she saw a familiar face walking toward her, smiling.
Boromir.
He’d stabbed her last time they’d met, and Skylar was planning to do the same to him.
“Hello, little Protector,” he said, as he walked. He unsheathed a terrifying sword, its edge like a beast's teeth; sharp and dangerous. Skylar cringed as she imagined how much damage that could make.
She stood strong, gripping her bo staff with both hands in a defensive position.
“Boromir, you slimy evil-eyed minimus.” Skylar spat the insult.
“Such big words for such a small child,” Boromir said, a grin spreading across his face.
That was where Skylar drew the line. No one made fun of her height. She wasn’t exactly tall for her age, but that was also an advantage when it came to bigger opponents.
“At least I don’t send little ants to do my dirty work. I do things myself.” Skylar spat the last few words.
“Then why not fight me yourself, girl.”
“With pleasure,” Skylar whispered and sprinted at Boromir. He held his sword at the ready and ran at her too. He expected her to charge full force at him, but she did something he didn’t expect.
She stopped right before getting close to him, crouching down. He tried to slow down, but she raised her bo staff so it hit him, and he flew over her head and landed on the ground in a heap. Boromir didn’t stir.
Seeing no more enemies arriving yet, Skylar ran over to the others, who looked at her in awe and shock.
“C’mon, let’s go before more of them arrive!” she shouted, which seemed to break them from their trance. They all ran to the path in the woods.
Skylar looked over her shoulder and saw two things that made her stop. Karl looked at them and nodded, his expression saying he wouldn’t tell anyone about what happened. The second thing she saw made her stop in her tracks. In a poor-looking shack near the shops, she saw a boy looking at her with jet black hair. He looked like he recognized one of them.
Skylar then turned to the rest of her friends who were running into the woods except for one. Luke looked at the little house longingly, a homesick look on his face. Skylar quickly put the pieces together and couldn’t bear to look at the house any longer.
Skylar walked up to Luke, her heart heavy as she put a hand on his shoulder. "You can go, if you need to. We can handle the rest of the quest alone."
Luke stared at the house one last time, then broke away his gaze from it.
"No," Luke shook his head, "I'm seeing this through to the end. I won't leave you guys. We're staying together."
Skylar smiled, grateful that he hadn't left, yet also guilty as well. But either way, Skylar knew. She knew whom the house belonged to, and pitied the pained look on his face as he turned away from his home...
ns 15.158.61.8da2
