Benedict made it to the camp by sunset. The wagons sat around a flickering fire while the horses stood nearby, all attached to a tree. Shiyo sat on top of a wagon, blade in hand as she watched every direction. When she spotted Benedict, she dropped to the ground and met him well away from the group.

  “Well?” she asked.

  “None survived,” Benedict replied.

  “How many saw you?”

  “None that survived.”

  “Ordra has dinner going. You need some.”

  A glorious smell wafted from the pan sitting over the fire pit. Vegetables and meat fizzled together in a dark brown sauce. Every few moments, Ordra stirred the mix and sniffed it. He didn’t start serving, so it apparently wasn’t finished. Everyone else sat in a vague circle around the fire, perched on boxes or logs, with some sitting on the ground. The rescued women were closest to the fire.

  “Welcome back, Benedict,” Amalyn said. “How went the hunt?”

  “The Ashen are gone for good,” Benedict replied, “including the leader of the group that attacked us in Rahma.”

  “Good riddance,” Kirion said as he lifted his canteen in a toast.

  “We heard some of the guards were buying us,” one of the girls said as she warmed her hands.

  “Will we be safe around them?” another asked.

  “You will be.” Ordra handed her a plate of food. “We’ll make sure of it before we leave.”

  Benedict sat on the hard ground and accepted a plate of saucy meat and vegetables. As he munched on what would have passed for beef and potatoes on Earth, he glanced around the group. All the girls’ eyes betrayed exhaustion and relief.

  “Is anyone here daughter to a man named Stab?” Benedict asked.

  One of the girls perked up at hearing the name. “I am! Is he all right?”

  “He will be when you get home. His efforts helped lead us to you.”

  “Thank goodness.”

  Another stared at the ground. “My father’s a guard. I wonder… was he involved in this?”

  “What rank was he?” Ordra asked.

  “The lowest. He rarely does anything beyond guarding the gate.”

  Amalyn gently caressed her shoulder. “It was only the high-ranking guards who did it. Your father is a good man.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  Once dinner was done and the sky had grown darker, everyone split up for sleep. The rescued women stayed together, huddled close to the fire. Amalyn leaned against a wagon near Ordra and Kirion while Shiyo sat on top of a wagon as watch. Celica, however, was alone, leaning against a wheel and working spells into her staff.

  Benedict sat next to her and drew his rifle. “This thing is fantastic. You did a great job.”

  Celica smiled at him. “I’m happy to see you’ve gotten some use out of it. How effective is it against monsters?”

  “It works wonderfully against the more human-shaped monsters.”

  “Before now, I would have thought it barbaric to kill so many men.” She looked at her staff, eyes glistening with wet. “The monsters like those we encountered in the swamp; those were supposed to be what we were fighting, right?”

  “We all have to face it someday.” Benedict laid a hand on her shoulder. “Humans can be rotten to the core. Many will perform any evil in the pursuit of more power. That doesn’t mean there aren’t those who will put those they love ahead of their own lives.”

  “The latter are rare. I’m fortunate to know several, I guess.” Her eyes met Benedict’s. “Before they took me to the underground, they took me in front of someone. I was blindfolded, so I didn’t see him, but I will never forget his voice. He said I was exactly what he was looking for. If I hear his voice again, I will take care of him for good.”

  Benedict took her chin in his hand and made sure she kept eye contact. “Do not do something you’ll regret. Point him out to me, and I will take care of him.”

  “I—”

  “You do not want this. Please believe me.”

  Celica stared at the ground, then met Benedict’s eyes. Silence prevailed for too long. “I will choose to believe you.”

  “Good girl. Now, get to sleep. You need and deserve it.”

  “Yes, little brother,” she said while sticking her tongue out, then she laid her head on Benedict’s shoulder. “Would you mind if I stay here until I fall asleep?”

  Benedict looked up to Shiyo, who watched him closely. Sweat beaded on his forehead as her previous warning rang loudly in his mind. Yet, she didn’t do anything except shake her head and give him a dismissive wave. Hoping that gesture was giving him permission, he wrapped a blanket around Celica, then leaned back against the wheel.

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  Every guard had their eyes on the group as they passed through Rahma’s gate. Benedict kept his eyes on them and a hand near his coffer. One of the higher-ups may have warned them, especially if the Ashen Choir gave prior notice. If so, more than a few might be angry that their toys had been taken away.

  “Fena!” A guard ran toward the wagons.

  “Dad!” One of the girls leapt off a wagon and ran to him.

  “We cannot thank you enough,” another guard said.

  “Why is that?” Ordra asked him.

  “Had you not been here, the mastermind would never have revealed himself.”

  Benedict climbed over the wagon so he could see the man. “Mastermind?”

  “Yes. The captain himself was the degenerate who organized the smuggling ring that took our daughters. He was caught speaking to a rogue in the night. The Magistrate ordered him tossed into prison and punished in accordance with the law.”

  Binner turned to address everyone. “It looks like we’re being led to the square. The guards told us to keep moving ahead.”

  In a few minutes, the wagons pulled into a circle. A crowd had gathered there already with a much smaller group set apart from them. The Magistrate stood with the smaller group and motioned the wagons over to a place to park. Not a minute after they stopped, the small group ran forward, shouting names. Benedict spotted Stab in the group. The girls all dropped from their wagons and ran for their families. Stab hugged his daughter tight and mouthed a “thank you” toward Benedict. The celebrations only stopped when a trumpet blew.

  The magistrate cleared his throat and held his hands out in a welcome gesture. “Everyone, thank you for coming today. For too long a time, we have seen our daughters go missing in the night with no trace. Our guard worked diligently on this frightening problem, but with nary a solution. Sadly, our very own trusted captain of the guard was working against us behind our backs. Now we have these adventurers to thank for taking enough of an interest in our city that they rescued our daughters and took care of the wicked rogues with their own hands.”

  Celica tugged at Benedict’s sleeve. Her eyes were wide, and her breaths ragged. “That’s the one they took me to.”

  “Are you sure?” Benedict asked.

  “I’m positive.”

  The Magistrate continued. “I admit, when our intrepid adventurers came to us searching for one of theirs own, I expected them to impede our investigation. Never before have I been so happy to be proven wrong. Please, adventurers, accept my apologies for doubting you. You will always be welcome into our fair city.”

  The celebration lasted until nightfall. Bards improvised new songs about the party’s exploits, people danced and sang along, and the families personally thanked them multiple times. Benedict and Ordra both received multiple marriage offers. No one thought Kirion would make a good son-in-law.

  In gratitude, the party was invited to stay in the most luxurious inn Rahma had to offer. Despite having an available bath and a large room all to himself, Benedict couldn’t sleep. He kept thinking about the Magistrate. They were leaving in the morning. If he didn’t act that night, who’s to say the Magistrate wouldn’t find someone else to exploit in the same way?

  Guards patrolled more leisurely than before. That made it easier for Benedict to pass by them unseen all the way to the Magistrate’s mansion. After positioning himself behind a topiary, he Sensed the entire building. The Magistrate was on the top floor in a luxurious bedroom that came equipped with a balcony. Easy to reach with the grapple.

  Inside the room, the Magistrate slept far more soundly than he should have. Benedict let himself into the room and drew his sword. Someone likely stood just outside the door, ready to come in at the sound of any disturbance.

  Benedict let Morighana’s power flow through his veins. There were three exits out of the bedroom: the main door, the balcony, and the fireplace. The guards could also hear through the walls, obviously. He needed to seal the room off from the rest of the world. Everything flowed out of him. The air grew thick and heavy, and the sky outside darkened further, as did the walls, ceiling, and floor. Somehow, he already knew: Morighana’s power completely isolated the room from everywhere else in the world.

  “Magistrate!” he shouted.

  The Magistrate flailed as he woke, tossing blankets off himself before falling off the bed like a sack of produce. He bolted to his feet as quickly as he could manage, then looked around. His eyes went wide when he saw Benedict.

  “You’re one of them!” he screamed. “Guards! Guards!”

  “They can’t hear you,” Bendict said

  The magistrate ran to the door, meeting a solid invisible wall that he bounded off of, then back onto the floor. He tried again when he got back to his feet and again failed.

  Benedict walked toward him with his sword hand twitching. “I hear tell you were going to hurt a friend of mine.”

  “And how does the bitch know that?”

  A lightning quick flick of the blade created a deep red line in the magistrate’s cheek. “Don’t talk about her like that.”

  The Magistrate sneered at Benedict. “So that’s how you killed the monster terrorizing Tilm. I wonder how long it will be until the power truly takes over. How much of a friend will you be when you’re destroying her just because you can? Your kind always fall to darkness.”

  “I was tasked with destroying monsters. You seem to be a good example.” Again, Benedict flicked his blade.

  This time, the Magistrate’s lip split. It was only slight, but noticeable enough. A squeal escaped past the wound.

  “No! Wait! I can pay you! I was going to pay a thousand aur for exclusive use of her. I can give you three if you let me live.” When Benedict continued to glare at him, he ran to his writing desk. “I’ll write out a confession. Everything I’ve done.”

  “That sounds a good idea,” Benedict said.

  “Yes! Just a moment.”

  The Magistrate furiously wrote on a spare sheet of parchment. Benedict watched, reading every word. Celica was going to be his girl exclusively after the Ashen Choir had prepared her, and he was going to pay a thousand aur for the privilege. He knew of the other kidnappings, as well, and he kept it quiet because the Ashen Choir provided him some of their ill-gotten gains. When he finished, he looked at Benedict.

  “Did you hurt Celica?” Benedict asked.

  “I never had the chance,” the Magistrate said. “The women must be broken first.”

  “That’s good.”

  The Magistrate reached into his desk and pulled out a bag of coins. “Three thousand for you. I’ll never tell a soul you’re a Wraith, and I will never deal with the Ashen Choir again.”

  “I know you won’t.”

  Benedict shoved his blade into the magistrate’s chest. “Your mistake was thinking money would save you, monster.”

  Thus, the Magistrate of Rahma died choking on his own blood as he gurgled out one final sentence. Benedict left the same way he came in.

  The party departed from Rahma at dawn the next morning with a new wagon in addition to the Guild’s. Benedict sat atop the Guild wagon with Celica. She stared back at the city, eyes fixed on the mansion.

  “I took care of it, as I promised,” Benedict said.

  “You what?” Celica asked.

  “The Magistrate confessed to everything. Justice has been delivered, and soon enough the people of Rahma will have a new ruler.”

  She hugged him tightly. “Thank you. Everyone deserves a friend like you.”

  Benedict hugged her back. In his sword hand, he still felt his weapon sliding between the Magistrate’s ribs and hear his final words: “You’re just as much of a monster as I am.”