"Move out," King Growlack ordered. He set off on a great black warhorse.

　　They followed a dark path in the woods, one the horses seemed familiar with. They rode for hours, taking short breaks only when the horses absolutely needed it. Bruno`s breathing became more labored as he bounced in his saddle, relying on Allison to hold him upright.

　　"He needs something soon," Delilah said, pulling her horse alongside Jeremiah`s. "I`m sure one of these people has a potion. You`re the VIP, could you ask around?"

　　"I can do that." Jeremiah eyed the other travelers, weighing who would be best to ask and how. He settled on a woman who looked like some sort of administrative magistrate. She wore a number of bottles strapped to her, and Jeremiah guessed one of them had to be a potion. But there was no way something so precious would be wasted on an unknown tagalong like Bruno.

　　He rode alongside Bruno and Allison. "Bruno, I need a favor."

　　Bruno slowly turned to look at Jeremiah. His face was sallow, his eyelids drooping. His leather armor was sodden with blood in front and back.

　　Jeremiah asked, "Can you injure me in a way that isn`t serious, but looks—"

　　Bruno moved in a flash. Jeremiah lurched in pain and bit down on his fist to keep from screaming as something punctured his side. He glanced down to see the backward facing barbs of an arrow protruding just slightly from his skin. Bruno removed the arrow with shaking hands, causing Jeremiah to bite down harder, then snapped the arrow shaft in two and inserted the back end into the wound. The arrow now appeared to be lodged deep in Jeremiah`s flank.

　　"Could`ve at least warned me," Jeremiah hissed through clenched teeth. Bruno patted Jeremiah`s cheek like an affectionate drunk.

　　While the pain was still fresh, Jeremiah rode up to the magistrate. He introduced himself and struck up a conversation about the battle before revealing his mortal wound with a grimace.

　　The woman was aghast. She thanked him for his service, commended his bravery in concealing his wound until they had escaped and, despite Jeremiah`s objection, forced the crimson potion into his hand.

　　Bruno downed it in a gulp. His back spasmed, then his breathing deepened and he stretched in the saddle. Delilah rode beside him and applied a medicinal paste to the barest wounds that remained. "Potion took care of the worst of the internal damage. You`ll be okay, but it`ll be sore for a while. Thanks, Jeremiah." She smiled at him.

　　They continued to ride past daybreak and finally took their rest at noon in a peaceful glade. The horses were spent, as were their riders. They pitched camp in silence. Each horse was equipped with a personal tent and several days` rations. As night fell most of the travelers gathered around the king`s fire, but Jeremiah and his party settled farther away.

　　"I hope the soldiers got out alright," said Allison. Jeremiah`s heart sank at the way she was looking at him. It was expectant, pleading. She knew.

　　"I don`t think they`re coming," he admitted. "Their job was to counterattack and try to retake the city."

　　Allison didn`t respond. Just gazed into the fire.

　　"There`s something else&" Jeremiah told them about negotiating with Vivica and showed them the raised scars on his hands. The pain was already a distant memory, he had forgotten the wounds during their escape. But looking at them now, he knew that anytime he cast a spell, he would be reminded of her.

　　"Girl after my own heart," said Bruno. "She knows how power works."

　　"Why does she care so much about you?" Delilah asked Jeremiah. "There`s the power aspect, sure. Imagine soldiers that regenerate and then keep fighting after death. But still&"

　　"I don`t know. She seems&curious? Like when you`ve got a particularly interesting bug in a jar?"The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

　　"Intrigued," Allison said to the fire.

　　"Yeah, intrigued. She seems intrigued by me."

　　"Think you could kill her?" Allison asked.

　　Jeremiah paused, taken aback. He hadn`t considered the possibility. "I don`t know. I was able to burn the healing magic out of Narooka, but Vivica is the source of it. I doubt I have the stamina to get through all that. She has got a gorget, though. Maybe she doesn`t want her head cut off."

　　They heard footsteps, and Colonel Valen appeared out of the darkness, smothering conversation.

　　"Gentlemen, ladies. We`ll be continuing to Dramir at first light. It`ll be at least a few days before those brutes gain full control of the city, and by then they`ll have found themselves in a highly precarious position."

　　"Precariously in control of a major city?" asked Bruno.

　　"Precisely. Flanked by Shabad and Barad Celegald, with Dramir just south. A three-kingdom assault on a city with frankly uninspiring defenses will see them broken."

　　"Sir," said Allison, finally looking up, "with all due respect, that makes no sense."

　　"Explain, Captain." Valen crossed his arms.

　　"Simply put, sir, she must know all that. She might send out diplomats to negotiate from a position of strength or attack Shabad or Barad Celegald to capitalize on her momentum. She might do any number of things, but I can`t imagine she`s going to just sit on her laurels."

　　"You may be right, Captain, but we shan`t speculate on unknowns. Whatever her plan, it`ll be weeks before she`s able to organize another maneuver like that one. By then we`ll have our own plans in motion and have the initiative advantage."

　　Colonel Valen squatted down in a collegial manner, wearing a winning smile. "I know we got a black eye today, but don`t worry. A couple of months from now it`ll be like this never happened. We`ve lost cities before, and it`s always spelled disaster for the attackers." He rose to leave. "Oh, and Mr. Thorn. I forgive you for the indiscretion back in the fortress. I realize we were both on edge, but I still consider you a steadfast ally. Your loyalty to your friends is admirable."

　　"Thanks," Jeremiah said. Colonel Valen nodded to him, filling in Jeremiah`s own apology and accepting it in the same gesture, and returned to the royal campfire.

　　They traveled for four more days, their pace relaxing as they gained distance from Nosirin. They had received no word from the allies they left behind, but they had little hope of that anyway.

　　On the fifth day, before their final ride to Dramir, Jeremiah was torn from a familiar nightmare by footsteps outside his tent. The sun wasn`t up yet, but he got up anyway.

　　They had camped on top of a small, bald-topped hill. Jeremiah spotted Allison in the pre-dawn light, sitting on a large rock and looking toward the dark horizon. He joined her. They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the peace of each other`s company.

　　After some time, Jeremiah asked the question that had been on his mind. "What was it like?"

　　"What was what like?"

　　"Dying."

　　Allison considered. "I didn`t die. But I don`t think I`ve ever been that close to it, and I`ve come damn close."

　　"Was it scary?"

　　"Never is."

　　Jeremiah couldn`t fathom the sentiment.

　　"Allison?"

　　"Yeah, Jay?"

　　"I don`t want to be a necromancer anymore."

　　They sat in silence for a few moments longer before Allison spoke. "You studied for years to be a necromancer."

　　"I know."

　　"You`re important now, like you wanted. You`ve earned respect and responsibility and probably a royal pardon."

　　"I know all that."

　　"So why quit?"

　　Jeremiah drew shapes in the dirt with his foot. "I can`t handle it. I have the power to hurt or kill so easily. It`s too much. The other day I made a mistake and innocent people died. My allies." The knowledge of having attacked his own forces was catching up to him. He found himself revisiting the bloody closet night after restless night.

　　Allison frowned. "Accidents happen. It wasn`t your fault. It`s important that you realize that."

　　"I appreciate you saying that, but it was still my responsibility. I don`t want anyone else to die just so I can go on feeling important and special. It`s not worth it."

　　Allison regarded him in the wan light. "Stepping away from this kind of power isn`t always easy."

　　Jeremiah chuckled. "Honestly, I don`t think I`ll miss it. It sounds like a relief." He doodled a line of stick figures in the dirt. "Do you think they`ll still let me go when we get back, if I refuse to do more necromancy?"

　　"They damn well better," came Delilah`s voice behind them. She yawned and sat with them as the first glow of the sun broke over the horizon. "Bruno, you might as well join us, I know you`re awake."

　　Bruno emerged from his tent and sat beside Allison. "Whatever you decide to do, Jay, you`ve got my full support. I`ll see you free if it`s the last thing I do." He put a hand on Jeremiah`s shoulder.

　　"Same here." Allison put her hand on top of Bruno`s. Delilah placed hers on his other shoulder. Jeremiah`s guilt melted away, and for a precious moment he was glad to be himself.

　　"You`ll still want to help me? Even if I`m not useful anymore?" He was pretty sure he knew the answer, but he needed to hear it.

　　Bruno flicked his ear and Jeremiah yelped. "Obviously. Quit milking it."

　　"Well, I`ll go wake everyone up so we can start running," said Delilah. She gave Jeremiah one last clap on the shoulder before hopping off the rock and jogging toward the main camp. It took a moment to register what she had said. Jeremiah, Bruno, and Allison exchanged confused looks.

　　"Why are we running?" Jeremiah called after her.

　　"Because that," she pointed toward the glowing horizon, "is north."