“Jiajia, wake up Jiajia.” A soft voice I can barely hear, echoes through my dreams. “Jiajia, you need to wake up my little one.”

  My eyes open wide as I control my breathing. The bed I lie on is softer than I’m used to and my sect robes have been repced with a thin shirt and loose pants.

  I sit up, the bed covers falling down.

  The room around me is dark, lit only by the moonlight filtering through the shudders above the bed I’ve been left in.

  Activating The Movements of The Silent Monster, I slip out of the bed. My sword and flute lie against the wall, and my cleaned robes sit on top of a dresser.

  With practiced movements, I dress in my robes and attach my sword to my side. “Shia?” I whisper.

  “Mm? You’re finally awake?” The snake sticks its head out of a hole in the wall.

  “Something’s not right.” I say, my voice tight. “We need to leave.”

  The snake slithers across the floor, climbing up my leg into my robes. “What makes you say that?”

  My breath halts as the creaking of the door fills the room. I step back into the corner of the room, hoping the shadows and my technique will hide me.

  A man steps into the room. He wears a cloak so I can’t see his features. The shadows twist around him, as he holds his unsheathed sword up and walks to the bed I’d been sleeping in moments ago.

  I put my hand on my own sword, scared the sound of unsheathing it would give me away.

  The man creeps to the bed and I position myself behind him.

  He pauses in front of the bed, confusion clear in his stance as he sees the empty sheets.

  I breathe in.

  With my exhale, I draw my sword and in one motion slice through the man.

  The man dissipates into shadow, reappearing a few feet away from me.

  “Who are you?” I ask, holding my sword up. My heart beats unsteadily at his easy avoidance of my sword.

  “I’ve been wondering what it would be like.” The man says, his voice deep.

  I frown at his response. “What are you referring to?” I ask as Shia slips out of my robes, slithering silently across the floor.

  “I didn’t get to py with the warriors from your nd.” He says, the shadows curling around him and creeping across the floor towards me. “And the ones we have aren’t very fun while in shackles.”

  My head snaps at his words. Could someone from the caravan still be alive?

  “Please, entertain me.” The man says, his form shifting.

  Out of instinct, I duck and roll away.

  I nd in a crouch, to see the man standing where I’d been just a moment ago.

  The shadows. He appeared at the tip of where the shadows were. My eyes track the strange shadows spreading around him.

  “Oh? You figured that little trick out fast. What will- AH!” The man crumbles as Shia bites his ankle. Faster than I can follow, she slithers back to my robes and back into her usual spot.

  “You little bitch!” He curses as purple lines travel up from his ankle.

  I keep my expression neutral as I walk towards him. “You’re going to die soon.” I say it as a fact, cause I know it to be true.

  “I’ll kill you!” The man says, trying to stand up before falling down again.

  “I’m sorry.” I say, looking down at him as he dies. I am sorry. I don’t enjoy watching the man in pain. “Is there anything I can do for you?” I ask as I sheathe my sword

  The man looks at me with confusion as he colpses to the floor. His body stiffens as his eyes lock with mine.

  I kneel down and put my hand on his, just holding it as he dies, his sword forgotten next to him. “I’m sorry.” I say again, gentler this time.

  His eyes widen with enlightenment as our eyes stay locked onto each other. He whispers something and I lean closer to hear him.

  “Doma keeps her in Tun’Lun”

  Then he dies.

  I let go of his hand, then use my fingers to close his eyes.

  Shia shifts, slithering up my chest. “You are a strange one.”

  “What do you mean by that?” I ask as I stand up. I pick up my flute from where it still leans against the wall and slip it into the pocket of my robes.

  “Your heart is too kind. He would’ve stabbed you through, if he’d had the ability to.”

  “Probably. But someone told me I should stop fearing death.” I say, looking at the body on the floor. “I would’ve felt horrible if I’d just let him die alone.”

  “Where are we going now?” Shia asks as I open the door to leave the room.

  “I’m going to find Matu. I’m going to see if he knows where Tun’Lun is.”