They rushed through the forest. Ty sat behind her on the horse. He seemed somehow diminished from the last time she had seen him, but it did not matter. She was so glad that he was alive.

She wondered what horrible things he had endured. Most importantly, they needed to get him to safety. Wherever that might be found.

Ty seemed to have been thinking along the same lines. For as much as he looked unhealthy and thin, his voice was still strong. "Where would you say we are located?" he asked.

"I'm sure we're in the south of Scelus. As long as we ride directly east, we'll find our way home."

"How are you doing, man?"

"I'll be fine," Ty said simply. "Let's just put as much distance between us and them as possible."

Ildri nodded, and they kept riding.

* * * * *

After a while they reached a stream and they stopped to let the horses have a drink. Ty sat down on the ground against a tree.

"Are you really going to be fine?" Ildri asked him, worried.

His voice was wry. "Do I have a choice but to be fine?"

"Not a good one." She smiled a bit.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

Ildri exhaled. "It's a long story."

"I don't doubt it." His head turned towards Ildri's escape partner, who was tying the horses loosely to a limb so that they could drink and graze. "So, to whom do I owe my thanks?"

The man's dark silhouette shrugged. "I'd say you owe them to that girl you've got there. I'd still be in my cell if it weren't for her. Well, you would still be in yours, though, if it wasn't for me since she did not want to rescue the other prisoners."

"I didn't know he was there!" Ildri protested.

"So you're from Edelland?" Ty asked him, changing the subject.

"Born and raised."

"What should we call you?" he asked.

"Oh, you can just call me Vern."

"And you can call me Ty."

"How nice. Another mysterious man who must hide his identity at all times," Ildri muttered under her breath.

"Ildri." Ty's voice sounded stern beneath his exhaustion. Apparently he had heard her.

Ildri ignored him. She looked over to the poor worn man who was sitting quietly away from them. "And you, sir. What shall we call you?"

"I'm Reginald, the Marquis of Lumbry's son," he said, and coughed loudly. He was so gaunt that the motion seemed like it would knock him over.

"I heard you were taken. They presumed you dead," Vern said.

Lord Reginald spoke shakily. "I'd presume the same thing, I think."

All the men laughed. It was hardly the time for inappropriate humour, to Ildri's mind. "You'll be fine," Ildri assured him, scowling at Ty even though he could not see her. "We're going to get you—and all of us home."

Everyone lapsed into a weary silence. It seemed that Lord Reginald had fallen into an uneasy sleep judging by his light snoring. "We'll let him have a few minutes before we move on," announced Vern, before he moved off towards where he had tied the horses.

Ty did not argue but Ildri could tell he did not enjoy following instructions. He continued leaning against the tree. "Would that I could fall asleep so easily," he said with a wryly.

"Can I do anything?" Ildri asked.

"You've already done enough. I'm not nearly as sickly as you seem to think I am."

"Locked in there with that inadequate food for so long would make anyone sickly."

"More than that, the confinement was the worst. And this damn collar. But were you really going to leave without me?"

Ildri sighed. "I did not know you were there. I just wanted to escape. I would never have left you if I had known. I thought you were dead, but Maxine was certain that you were alive."

Ty sounded inquisitive. "I can take care of myself. How did you manage to escape?"

Ildri was embarrassed by the mere thought. "I accidentally set my cell on fire so they took me out of it, then I sort of knocked out the guard who was going to lock me away with a heavy candlestick. I locked two other guards where they had locked me. Then I accidentally found Vern and he insisted we rescue everyone."

"I'm shocked that they left you something that could light a fire."

"They didn't. I used magic."

"You used magic?"

"Yeah. Turns out that I'm really good at accidentally starting fires." She explained what happened at Maxine's house and what she had apparently done as a child.

She could see that Ty nodded even in the darkness. "I see. But why were you at Maxine's again?"

"I didn't want to be helpless anymore, so I asked Maxine to teach me."

"And how did you end up in the dungeon then?"

"After I returned to Wildwood he made me the 'castle witch' or something and I was making potions. I needed starflowers and I went out to pick some with Allan. Then Saul showed up, hurt Sir Allan and then dragged me here when I refused to help him."

"What did he want you to do?" Ty asked.

"He was going on about love and marriage but then he said I should send him reports from Wildwood. So obviously all he nice promises he was making were ploys to get me to spy for him, so I said no."

Ty chuckled. "Probably would have been better to lie and get yourself to safety, though I like your nerve."

"I was not happy with him. But what I don't understand is why I ended up in the same place as you. Surely that is too big of a coincidence. I don't know why he would have brought me here to where you were."

"I doubt he knew where I was. I haven't seen him since the night I met you."

Ildri shrugged. "But still..."

Ildri heard Vern's voice. "Most likely he brought you here because it is close to the border. The prison is called Hearthrine and surprisingly no one knew where it was. There were reports of people being taken into it. It's generally used to house hostage type prisoners, like Lord Reginald here, from what I heard. I was likely there temporarily."

"They were hoping that I would break eventually, because I wouldn't tell them a damn thing," Ty interjected. "I wouldn't cooperate last time and I did not this time. I wasn't there as a hostage because they don't know who I am to use me as such."

Ildri looked towards the dark shape of Vern. "Lord Reginald was pretty chained up for a harmless hostage."

Vern's voice had a bit note of surprised respect in it. "You're right. Well, he's in no shape to be telling us anything right now. Perhaps there's more to him than meets the eye. Either way we had better continue before they catch us. We should reach the border by midmorning."

They mounted up and continued on. Ildri mused over her three companions. There was certainly more than met the eye with all of them. She wondered how she could tell Ty that she knew all the things he had tried to hide from her.

She was comforted that he seemed to be gaining strength, although she could still sense a deep weariness in him. She wondered if it was the collar that was plaguing him so. She wished there was some way for her to remove it but their only hope seemed to be returning to Wildwood. Lord Wildwood would know what to do. The most important thing was to get back to their own country.

Vern was leading them, and she supposed that it was a good thing. She did not know how she could have found her way home without Vern's leadership. But she would have found a way. No doubt it would have taken longer, and she would not have Ty with her, and for that she was grateful. She did not know how long she would have with him, but just knowing for certain that he was not dead was a balm for her soul. She would miss him when they finally parted, but at least she would know that he was alive somewhere and that it was not her fault he was killed.

But first they needed to get to safety.

Ildri spoke up loudly so that Vern could hear her. "How far is it to Wildwood from here?"

"Half a day's ride east," he said with a shrug. "Is that where you plan to go?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure it is safe?" he asked, reining his horse to walk beside her own.

"Yes, of course. Getting there might not be, but once in the castle..."

"You know Lord Wildwood, then? Whose side is he on?"

"He's loyal to the king, of course!" Ildri exclaimed with a sense of outrage. "Lord Wildwood is good and powerful and loyal. He would never betray his vows. Plus he's the queen's cousin."

She saw Vern's shoulders shrug. "He might not last that long, then. It seems that the country may not stand and I do not know where that will leave patriots."

"That can't happen!" Ildri gasped.

"It certainly can. The late king left the country in a terrible state, and while our king has done well, there was too much for one man to accomplish, especially without the trust of his people. He relied too heavily on the treaties with other countries, and I suppose that left him open for betrayal."

"How dishonourable," Ildri said.

Vern shrugged again. "That may be so, but it seems their military is superior to ours. That's what wins wars, not honour. They undermined us from the first."

Ty spoke, surprising Ildri as she had not been sure he was really awake. "I agree with Ildri," he said. "It was a dishonourable move, and their tactics have been reproachable. The Emperor is a greedy fool supported by very devious advisors. We should never surrender."

Vern laughed. "Relax. I wasn't suggesting surrender. I was just pointing out how dire the situation has become."

"I don't think she needs to know that," Ty said. "She'll just worry."

"I'm here, you know," Ildri said crossly. The last thing she needed was to be talked about like she was an object.

"Perhaps you want to protect her, but she seems to have done well enough on her own."

Ildri interjected, "I can speak for myself, and I want to know what is happening."

"Feisty." Vern laughed.

"You're right. Obviously you're already involved. I misspoke," Ty said. She could feel the tension in the muscles behind her.

Ildri shook her head. "No, I appreciate that you want me to be safe." She smiled to herself.

They continued riding with only short breaks as the day grew lighter, avoiding any towns and buildings that they came across. The small amount that Ildri did see convinced her that Scelus in control of her country would not be an improvement, signs of dejected poverty were everywhere.

Fortunately there had been no sign of pursuit behind them, yet rather than reassuring Ildri it only served to make her more nervous. What were they plotting? Surely they were not just going to allow four captives to simply walk out of the country?

The group reached the border without incident. Ildri felt a collective sigh of relief pass through the group, even though both Vern and Ty were insistent that leaving Scelus made them absolutely no safer. There was still something good about knowing that they were home, even if home was crawling with vermin.

"The horses need another break. Perhaps we can attempt to find more after. We would make better time if they carried a lesser burden," Ty said.

"We can stop here," agreed Vern. He dismounted and helped Lord Reginald to the ground. Ildri and Ty did the same.

Ildri glanced covertly at Ty. Whatever she had thought about him at the beginning, his true appearance pleased her. He was not so handsome as to seem unapproachable and he still had the nasty scar, but it did not bother her at all. She wondered how he got it. Not that it mattered.

"I would pay nearly anything for a safe bed and a hot meal," Lord Reginald said wistfully. He still looked dreadful, but some of the colour seemed to be returning to his face. Then he stumbled. Ildri rushed forward to help him.

"Thank you, miss," he said.

Ty and Vern led the horses over to graze in the long grass along the side of the road. Ildri glanced at Lord Reginald and wished that she had some food to give him. She could practically see his ribs through his clothing. And it was no wonder if he was getting the same nasty thin mess they were giving her.

Ildri wished that it was safe to stop for a while, long enough to gather some food and maybe find the ingredients for a potion or two. But the soldiers who were no doubt pursuing them would hardly wait for that.

"So, Ty, how are you feeling?" asked Vern.

"Better."

"Better enough to wield a sword?" Vern asked as he handed one of the ones he had taken off the downed guards.

Ty held the sword up just as they crashed through into the clearing. He looked towards the soldiers as if they were nothing to be concerned about. "I was hoping that we would avoid this.

"You and me both," agreed Vern.

"Ildri, take Reginald and flee. We'll follow," Ty ordered, as he met the first attacker's sword with his own.

Ildri helped Reginald off to the side, but she had no intention of leaving now. She had already left Ty to his fate before and she was not doing it again, no matter what the overbearing fool thought. Instead she looked around frantically to find something to help him and found nothing. Finally she grabbed a large rock, and held it in her hands. Surely it was better than nothing.

Then she turned to watch the men. Two of their pursuers were on the ground, probably dead and Ildri could not summon any thoughts of regret about it. There were still three fighting, two on Vern and one on Ty. Ildri's heart leapt into her throat as a blade narrowly missed Ty's neck. She could see that he was weak, and she worried.

Then a troubling development came as two more soldiers came forward. They shouted and ran forward. Ildri clutched her rock and stepped forward.

A blur of grey flashed past her face. It howled and leapt upon one of the nearest soldiers.

"Farrel!" Ildri gasped as the half wolf went for the throat of one of the men threatening Ty. Ildri was so relieved that the resulting carnage did not even make her flinch.

And Ildri could see that Farrel's unexpected presence had a good effect on Ty. He had likely missed his familiar greatly. They seemed to work together seamlessly, and Ildri felt better just seeing the difference.

And they had their attackers down to one man with scruffy hair and wild eyes. He laughed even after he had a piece of metal sticking out of his leg. "Run if you want," he laughed. "But there's more coming and they'll get you sure enough!"

Ty hit the man in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. The man toppled forward and hit the ground with an unpleasant thud. "We don't need to kill him."

Vern glanced at Ty. "Do you know your way from here?"

"Like the back of my hand."

"Then I think we'll part ways here. You take these two, and I'll head off on my own. I'll leave a trail, then lose them later."

Ty frowned. "You could easily be recaptured." He absently scratched Farrel behind the ears. The half wolf panted eagerly and brushed up against Ty's leg affectionately, clearly delighted to be reunited with his wizard.

"Yes. But I won't be. I'm in the best shape."

Ty nodded. "Very well."

"Ty?" Ildri said, wondering if it was really a wise idea to split up.

Ty nodded. "He knows what he is doing."