Estra watched the pouch arch through the air to nd in the back of the fming wagon. The vas walls had already burned away, leaving the bzing wooden framing exposed. A timber beam colpsed into the wagohere was no way that the wagon could be salvaged now.

  “No!” Maximilian shouted, furiously attempting to resist Axioraining him.

  “Murkuk, get rid of the rest. I want it out of my sight,” Dink anded.

  “Aye, Chieftain,” Murkuk obediently replied.

  He repced Dink where he had been standing in front of the chest, raising his staff. Upon seeing that, Maximilian became crazed. Bug at biting at Axion’s grip. There was no test, Axion stood a head taller than the mert and possessed the true strength of a Attuned. He remained pletely unmoved while solemnly watg Murkuk set the tents of the chest abze. Maximilian unleashed a loud mournful cry filled with sorrow, weakly slumping against Axion’s torso.

  “What was that you just burned and who is that? The mert? How did this turn from a rescue mission into you burning his cargo?” Estra could no longer resist asking, looking at Dink with a bewildered expression.

  “He’s an Insipid trader,” Dink replied over his shoulder.

  He tio solemnly watch the Insipid burn, lost in thought. At his words, Estra’s demeanor instantly ged, being taut. She frowned, climbing down from the cart to stand beside him. She turo silently regard his heavy expression.

  “Then it’s good to burn it, get rid of it all. I’ll o extinguish the fmes before they spread, though,” Estra quietly said.

  Seeing how tense he was, she gently pced a hand on his shoulder to fort him. She could feel his troubled emotions through their bond. His tight muscles unwound auro face her with a mischievous grin.

  “Let it burn. I’m sure you put a fire ward up to tain it,” Dink responded, his mood instantly ging as he buried his dark emotions.

  “Sigh, alright,” Estra said in resignation.

  Her face ged into an expression of tration. Lifting her hands, she began making sweeping motions, drawing in mana from the surrounding area. The sound of wind moved through the leaves overhead. The st rays of sunlight pierg through the opy above respoo her will. They were diverted away from their inal trajectory, bending to surround the burning wagon. A circle formed of are sigils hovered at waist height, gently l to ground in sync with her hand movements.

  The radiant cirlcle tracted with the wagon at its tre. The fmes that touched the sigils retreated as if they were the thing that were burhe are circle broke away from the beams of sunlight as they snapped bato pce like they had never moved. Estra rexed, letting out a loud breath while her hands dropped to her side. She teetered unsteadily with exhaustion.

  Dink steadied her, examining the illuminated sigils on the ground. Axion released the distraught mert, who limply colpsed to the ground in a heap with a dejected expression. Axion ran to the chest burning outside the are circle. His mana tattoos igo fill his muscles with strength. He reached down to scoop up the chest, heaving it into the wagon.

  The chest plummeted through the wagon bed, sending sparks scattering in every dire before disappearing from sight. The fmes remained ihe fire ward.

  He stood back, watg the bze for a moment before turning to walk over to Betsy. On the way, he retrieved his great axe. He gave Betsy a reassuring pat before stowing his axe bader the bench, giving Tahlea on the seat a pyful wink.

  Tahlea looked away with a blush, iently making eye tact with Dink. His attention was drawn to Tahlea's shapely legs dangling from the cart. She had hiked up her ruffled skirt, exposing tender white flesh. He swallowed back the saliva f in his mouth.

  Wow, Tahlea's legs look incredible. I'd love to get a better look at them. Ugh, I only imagine how soft they must feel.

  Dink snapped himself out from his daydreaming. He turned away from Tahlea to look at the whimpering Insipid mert on the ground. His expression turning to one of disgust.

  "Get up and quit your heartache. That Insipid would do the world more harm than good. Be thankful that I don't toss you into the fire after it. Your horse is tied at the edge of the trees, you take it and go. It will be sundown soon," Dink said, pointing in the dire of the horses.

  "You will all pay for this, my lord is Prince Chazrick of House Hydra. Gasp, Lady Estra. I, uh, didn't see you there. If I had, I would never have allowed you to see me in su undigate," Maximilian stammered, hastily climbing to his feet.

  The mert backed away with hands outstretched pgly. He furtively looked around him for a after notig everyone's stares turn hostile.

  "Prince Chazrick, eh? Please five my poor manners," Dink said with a murderous grin. He cpped his hands together in an exaggerated fashion. "Oh, man-servant, please escort our esteemed guest to the horses. Don't fet to take his soiled clothing to be burned. Maximilian, before you go, please deliver your lord a message 'Dink says hello'. He will uand what it means."

  Axion chuckled wryly, stomping over from Betsy. Upon seeing the wicked grin on his face, Maximilian chose to run. Axion's tattoos fred into life as he gave chase.

  "Are you really going to take away his clothes?" Tahlea ily asked. Dink just grinned in response before entering the camp.

  "I'm feeling a bit peckish. I might help myself to the camp's supply of salted pork. Anyone, feel free to join me," Dink said, waving away any more questions.

  ***

  Axion strolled bato camp with a self-satisfied grin on his face. Maximilian's soiled clothes strung over a long stick held at arm's length away from him. Dink could practically hear his purring from across the camp.

  Murkuk helped himself to another barrel, rolling it over in front of the burning wagoood it upright before enthusiastically smashing open the lid. The eime he didn't take his eyes off the burning wreckage, he was utterly mesmerised by the fmes.

  He buried his arm into the barrel up to his shoulder, feeling around inside. He pulled it out with a dejected look. In his hand was the st pieeat, it seemed the bandits had already opehat one. He regretfully held it cradled in front of his enged belly, hesitating before finally deg to tear into it. He devoured it within moments.

  Estra was meditating in the back of the cart in a deep trance, her expression peaceful. Unlike earlier on the road, she was now in a deep trance h above the wooden boards. Light simir to fireflies dang around her. She was increasing her mana capacity whereas before she was only rec her strength.

  Dink sat watch at the edge of the camp. The sun had set not long earlier but the burning remains of the wagon provided enough light. Anytime it buroo low, Murkuk would throw in more wood, usually in the form of empty barrels.

  "Excuse me, Dink. you e over here and join us please?" Riva tentatively called out, poking her head from the wife-pair's tent fp.

  Axion paused in surprise after hearing her call out, giving Dink a knowing nod before ging dire to join Murkuk in front of the fire instead. He casually tossed the stito fmes, causing Murkuk to ugh in delight at the scattering sparks.

  The wife-pair had erected a ma nearby. It was a simple magic tool that could pact itself for easy transport.

  What could they want? They should realise allowing me ihout a chaperone, I won't restrain myself. They've been teasing me since leaving Chiset. I'm impressed that they have a ma for privacy, they're retively inexpensive pared to ic tools. But they're still unaffordable for most oners. It must be a gift from Master Tavia.

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