The fallen bandit wiggled on the ground as I stepped on his broken leg. He screamed out, likely hoping his friends would return and help him. But they had run like cowards. Perhaps they really were just bandits, because I knew of no soldiers that would flee in such a manner, leaving a yaksha behind.

  “Where did you get these weapons?” I held up the mace I took from his friend.

  He attempted to spit at me, but it fell short.

  I bent down, grabbed him by the back of his neck, and dragged him over to his headless buddy. Pressing his face against the bloody, crumpled helmet, I said, “Either you talk or I crush your head.”

  “You’re a monster,” the bandit said. “Wait until they tell...” He closed his mouth.

  “Tell who?” I flung him to the side, allowing him to fall onto his back. “Who are you answering to?”

  He screamed out again, lunging for his injured leg, but lacking the energy to reach it.

  I strode back to my hammer, heaving it off the ground. Despite struggling, I managed to get it onto my shoulder. Then I strutted to the fallen bandit, grabbing the handle of my weapon as if getting ready to swing it. “If we’re done chatting, then I’ll get to whacking.” I paused. “Let’s start with your working leg.” I scrunched my face, as if readying to attack.

  “Wait!” he moaned. “I’ll tell you everything. Please don’t hit me with that damn hammer.”

  To my right, I heard footsteps. Miles and Victoria emerged from the trees. They glanced around, making sure the area was clear of bandits, before joining me.

  “Where did you get the weapons?” I asked.

  “Issued during the war.”

  “Who sent you out here to rob merchants?”

  “If I tell you, he won’t just kill me, he’ll lock my family in the dungeon.” He closed his eyes. “Do what you must, but I would rather feel a life of pain than cause harm to my wife and kids.”

  Victoria grabbed my arm. “Wait.” She kneeled beside the man. “This is Stevyn the Ghost. Do you fear the man you work for more than him?”

  He chuckled, the tone stank of fear. “You mean Stevyn the Cursed, don’t you?”

  His comment told me more than he thought. For word of my new moniker to have reached him so quickly, he must work for a Knight or a Royal. He wouldn’t give me the name, for they would do as he suggested. “Did your friends return to their camp?” I paused. “Tell me where it is and we can stop this.”

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  He sucked in a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. “Between here and Chinpo. Stick to the road until it forks, then go right. You will see the smoke from their fire if you keep walking in that direction.”

  I stared down at him. “I hope you speak the truth.” Glancing at his twisted leg, I knew he wouldn’t last the night. Focusing on Miles, I said, “Check their satchels. Take anything of value.”

  Victoria peered at me. “What are we to do with him?”

  “His blood will freeze before he pulls himself to a camp,” I said.

  Miles finished going through the yaksha’s satchels and started searching the deceased bandit.

  Victoria pointed to our cart. “We could put him in there, bring him with us.” She shrugged. “Perhaps there’s a reward for turning in the bandit.”

  I shook my head. “He knows who I am and what questions I asked. I don’t know who he works for and can’t allow him to report back.”

  “No!” the bandit yelled.

  But he was too late. I had already begun swinging my hammer. Instead of aiming for his head, I brought it down on the center of his chest, breaking his armor and crushing his body. His death was swift.

  Victoria drew back, bringing her hand to her mouth. “You didn’t have to!”

  “Think about it.” I glared at her. “Why would someone with power order former soldiers to rob merchants on a road that brings goods to the capital?”

  She stared at her feet, remaining silent.

  Miles spoke up, “Sounds like someone is trying to undermine the Royals. Make them look weak.”

  I nodded. “But perhaps this isn’t a campaign against all the royals. I’m getting the impression the current king’s leadership isn’t considered satisfactory in the eyes of many. Perhaps someone wanting to seize the crown for themselves is working to make the king appear weak.”

  Victoria took a deep breath. “And if they think you might be wise to their plan, they will send someone to silence you.”

  I nodded. “Except, all they would need to do is ensure I don’t receive another antidote. They can kill me without lifting a sword.” Turing to Miles, I said, “Drag their bodies off the road, and hide them in the brush.” Yanking on the handle of my hammer, I dragged it back to our cart, not having the strength to heave it onto my shoulder. It took everything in me just to get it high enough to load it into the cart.

  “You used the only armor potion we had,” Miles said. “And appear unable to wield that hammer any more this night.”

  “What is your point?”

  “You asked him where his camp was.” He paused. “How do you plan on taking on four soldiers without potions or your hammer?”

  I scratched my chin as I formulated a plan. “We’ll set up camp. I’ll visit them after Petra sets. They will have a yaksha on watch, but he will need to stay close to the fire.”

  “What will you gain from taking them out?” Victoria asked.

  “Just the supplies they carry.” I pulled back the blanket that covered the fallen merchant. “And I’ll fulfill my promise to get vengeance for Habib.”

  “You’ve already taken two lives for his one. Is that not vengeance enough?” Victoria asked. “Why risk taking on four bandits when you can instead trade information about their location with an interested party in Chinpo.”

  Miles added, “Camping on this side of Chinpo will also cost us a night.”

  They were right, and if there was one thing I had learned from leading men into battle, it was that ignoring those that worked for you out of stubborn pride would lower their morale and lessen the chance of victory. While bending to their every desire would lead to additional problems, finding the proper opportunity to agree with their opinion was helpful. And in this case, would likely bring a better outcome than my plan. “You both give good counsel. We shall move on and report their location.”

  I grabbed the handles of the cart and walked, pushing my tired legs to keep moving. The weight on my shoulders made me think of the merchants who provided us the cart. They would travel in this direction, eventually. Would those in town dispatch the bandits before they made their trip?