Five

"For you," Wintry said, handing him a handsome leather satchel that was stuffed full. "Be well on your journey, and write to me as you're able, especially once you arrive. I am sorry the end of your time here was so wretched, and I hope you meet with only good fortune going forward."

"Thank you, Headmaster."

Wintry smiled. "Calto is fine. I am not your headmaster any longer. Get on with you, then. Lots of traveling and not enough daylight."

"Farewell, Calto. I'll see you when I pass by this way again." Ninos swung into the saddle of the impatiently waiting Strider and rode for the gate, giving Wintry a last wave before he was gone from sight.

Serenade was tethered to Strider, laden with the majority of his goods, though absolutely bare essentials were on Strider should something happen and he lost Serenade.78

The weather was beautiful, not too hot, not too cool. That would change as they climbed the mountains, where winter never entirely left, but for now at least he didn't have to worry about freezing to death.

As they left Teth behind, hopefully to not see it again for a long time, and even then only to visit Wintry, Sinn pushed off his shoulder and into the sky with a cheerful caw. "Don't get into any more fights!" Ninos bellowed after him, only get another, much more huffy, caw in return. As though it had been the hawk that started that fight. Please. His familiar was a twelve-year-old bully.

I am not. I simply enjoy mischief, which I believe ravens are known for entirely separate from me being your little magic servant.

You're not a servant.

Whatever your noun.

"Familiar?"

Sinn didn't bother to reply, too busy harassing some innocent sparrows.

Sighing, Ninos focused on his journey. Most of today would be on open road, and toward the end of the day they'd reach the woods that would encompass most of the rest of the journey, ending only as they reached the foothills. Up in the mountains there'd be more woods, vastly different from the trees here in the fields and valleys. So probably stop for the night at the edge of the woods, and venture into them tomorrow. It would take them three weeks, give or take, to reach Shadowfell.

He'd never put much thought into the dark mages. It was looked down on by the rest of the world, and while he'd never been one for sweeping judgments, he had been focused on his own magic and never looked into it further.

Which class, which mage, was missing a smarmy, mischievous raven that bullied innocent sparrows for his own amusement.

I don't think the crickets and other critters they eat would describe sparrows as innocent.

"You know what I mean!" Ninos bellowed up at the shadow high in the sky, probably looking like an absolute lunatic to anyone who might be watching.

So it went, him riding and Sinn flying, occasionally coming down to ride on Serenade for a little while. Somehow, those two had become best friends. The sweetest creature on earth, and the brattiest.

Now, now, don't be jealous. I was summoned up to attend you.

You were conjured by mistake in an attempt to kill me. Demons and spirits are summoned. Supposedly. Summoning was largely myth, though it was said arcane mages could do it. A lot was said about arcane mages, but little was actually known about that class, more esotericism and theory than anything else. Demons and spirits were campfire tales more than anything. Familiars are conjured. You know that.

Servants are also summoned.

"Why do I bother?" Ninos muttered. "I'm going to pluck every one of your feathers."

Laughing, Sinn dropped from the sky to land on his shoulder. There is a nice spot up ahead we could stop to eat and rest. Well, you can eat. I found a nice mouse earlier.

"That does not sound delicious."

Your loss.

"I will bravely carry on." They came to the spot Sinn had noticed a short time later, a little campsite clearly that must have been made and maintained by other travelers. There was even a store of firewood in a rough-hewn shelter to keep it clear of rain and snow. As they wouldn't be stopping long, he didn't bother to make a fire.

Instead, he pulled out the food he'd prepared with this sort of break in mind, just a simple mix of nuts, dried fruit, and jerky, with of course his water.

When he'd finished eating and the horses seemed rested and ready to go, Sinn launched into the sky once more and they were off.

The rest of the day and night were unremarkable. The horses were as wonderful as he'd been promised, and the horizon showed no sign of forthcoming inclement weather, and when they bedded down for the night, he was more comfortable than he'd dared hope for.

Also strangely comforted by the presence of Sinn, who was perched on a jutting bit of broken branch on a long-fallen log. Like the previous place they'd stopped, this area too showed signs of travelers. If the whole journey was like this, that was one worry off his mind, because he didn't have the experience to know a good campsite when he saw it.

I do, and by the end of this journey, so will you.

"That almost sounded like you saying something nice to me," Ninos replied around an eye-watering yawn.

Observation of the inevitable. You'd have to be an absolute rock-brained moron to not learn a few things about traveling while making a journey this long. I'm astonished anyone let you leave without someone to accompany you.

"I'm not a child, I can make my own decisions. Anyway I have you to guide me, and you're hardly subtle about it when you think I'm making a mistake."

Cawing, clearly pleased with himself, Sinn fluttered and flapped his wings. Sleep, little human. I will keep watch.

Ninos meant to reply, he did, but sleep took him under far faster than he'd expected. It was the easiest he'd slept since Brandor's murder.

When they headed out the next morning, he was cautiously hopeful that maybe the trip would go well after all.

He was, of course, wrong.

They'd been good for the first a couple of hours, Ninos and Sinn snarking back and forth, Strider happy to be moving and Serenade just happy to be there, when Ninos heard a strange noise and Sinn's cry of alarm all at once—

—and then there was just pain, in his shoulder and then all over as he fell from Strider's back.

Voices filled the air, mean and gloating, someone kicked him in the stomach and laughed jeeringly. "Stupid city boy. Thanks for the horses and the goods."

Ninos gasped in pain, and they kicked him again.

Then they were gone. "Sinn? Sinn ," he sobbed out, struggling to his hands and knees. His left arm burned, and he couldn't move it, and only after he was sitting mostly upright, all his weight on his right hand, did he realize he'd been shot.

How was he supposed to get the arrow out?

"Sinn!" he cried again.

Then Sinn was in front of him, eyes glowing brilliant red, deep and mesmerizing. "We need—"

Rest, Sinn commanded, his voice resonating somehow, deep and soothing.

"I can't rest," Ninos said. "Those—those—those worthless thieves took my horses. We have to get them back. All my stuff!"

You can't—

"I won't let them have what's mine!" Ninos bellowed. "Help me fix my arm enough to function and then go find them, tell me where to go."

Sinn huffed, but with an impatient flap of his wings, conceded. Yank the arrow out. It's going to hurt like nothing you've ever felt, because it will be further ripping muscles and veins and more. Then slap your hand over the wound with all the pressure you can manage and will it to heal. I'll take care of the rest, little human.

"All right," Ninos whispered, already hating it, but he wouldn't back down now. Not after unwittingly living with a backstabbing killer for so long, so oblivious and helpless the man he'd seen as a father had died an ugly, violent, terrifying death.

Grasping the arrow, nearly throwing up at the pain just that simple gesture caused, he braced himself and pulled. His screams sent birds and animals fleeing, causing a ruckus in the forest. Everything in him said stop, don't, wrong but Sinn had said yank it out and infuriating he might be, Ninos trusted him. Even if recent experience said not to trust anyone anymore.

So he yanked, and threw the arrow aside when it was done, vision going black, but he grit his teeth, shifted his weight, and pressed his right hand against the wound as hard as he could.

Warmth flooded him, racing through his veins like a warm fire, coalescing like the light of the conjuring spell had but this time going deeper, getting hotter, and with every breath the pain eased. Until it felt like he could breathe again.

When he no longer felt in danger of throwing up or passing out, he looked at Sinn through tear-blurred eyes. "What did you do? How did you do?"

I used your magic, that's all. I made it do what I wanted. Tricky, and dangerous, but better than our other options.

"You're not like any familiar I've ever heard of. Whoever you really belong to must be of amazing power and skill, to have someone like you."

Soft, wry amusement and an undercurrent of sadness wafted through Ninos's mind, but before he could grasp it fully, it was gone. Sinn flapped his wings briskly. So what do you want to do, little mage?

"Is that better or worse than 'little human'?"

Equal.

Ninos gave a small laugh and pushed himself to his feet. "Find them, lead me to them. While you do that, I'll figure out what I'm going to do to them. I want my horses back."

And the supplies, presumably.

"Those too, yes." Mostly he just wanted his horses back. Brigands like that weren't known for treating animals well, and Serenade and Strider didn't deserve such a miserable fate because of his careless mistakes.

And mine , Sinn said harshly. I let down my guard, grew complacent. My job was to watch in ways no one else can and I failed. I'll be back.

Ninos watched him go, then used his magic to find water, following the guidance of the trees to a small brook, where he washed off blood and cleaned his face, and gulped down several handfuls to soothe his thirst.

His shirt was absolutely ruined, but at least it was an old one that he'd planned on repurposing soon anyway. If only he could change it. Soon, though. Those stupid jerks weren't getting away with this.

A familiar caw made him jump, and he turned and looked up. "Back already?"

Another caw, this one derisive. They're encamped nearby, bragging about the easy pickings. Drinking, though where they got so much alcohol, I prefer not to know.

"Good. Show me but keep us back enough they won't see me."

Sinn flew down to land neatly on his shoulder, the press of his talons familiar and strangely comforting. This way.

On they went, a further walk than he'd been expecting given how quickly Sinn returned, but they had his horses and familiarity on their side, which made for quick travel.

Eventually, he could just hear their voices, body instinctively seizing at the sounds. Ignoring it, forcing himself to relax, he pressed on, until a silent command from Sinn drew him to a halt.

Through the trees, he could just seem them, clustered around a fire pawing through his belongings in a greedy, possessive way that made him nauseous. And angry. He couldn't see the horses, but they must be nearby.

Though it pained him to just crouch there watching them mistreat his things, he turned his attention to the flora.

After just a few minutes, he found exactly the sort of thing he'd been hoping for. Snakevine. Even better than he'd hoped. Is there somewhere we can rest and wait until they're drunk and/or asleep?

Turn around and go back to that large blue oak, slide under the roots to the hollow beneath. I'll keep watch and let you know when they're helpless.

Thank you.

Following the instructions, he settled in the hollow beneath the great tree. It smelled like earth and damp, a bit like animals had resided there in the past, which made sense. Though he'd thought he'd be far too tense to sleep, he dropped off quickly, only to be startled awake by Sinn some unknown length of time later.

The light had faded but wasn't gone entirely. Early evening, then.

They are all asleep, or near enough. What did you have in mind, little mage? Normally your thoughts are quite clear, but I have not been able to glean them on this matter.

"Vines," Ninos replied.

Oh, I like it. Clever and a little mean. Mischievous.

"You are obsessed with mischief."

A little bit of trouble is good for the world and those in it. Too much is cruelty, of course, and despite what you say I am no bully.

"I know," Ninos replied quietly. "Come on, let's get our stuff back." He climbed out of the hollow and crept toward the camp. He didn't even need guidance; all he had to do was follow the snoring and grunting.

His shoulder throbbed, the pain pulsing in time with his heartbeat. He probably wouldn't be able to use the arm much for the next few days at least, though thanks to Sinn he would be able to use it again.

There were five of them in total, four definitely asleep and one still sluggishly drinking by the fire muttering to himself.

Ninos circled the camp until he reached the cluster of snakevine he'd seen earlier.

We need to work on your creeping. You make too much noise.

Shut up Mister Never Touches the Ground!

That amused Sinn, but he didn't caw or flap his wings this time, for obvious reasons.

His shoulder hurt, his stomach hurt where he'd been kicked twice , and the rest of his body wasn't happy from the tumble he'd taken, but Ninos ignored all of that as he twined one hand around the vines, dug the other into the soil, and closed his eyes.

He'd never done anything like this, but it was the same in theory as what he'd be doing to help crops grow, help them fight disease and poor water and early cold snaps.

"Grow," he whispered. "Grow and grow, find them, bind them, bleed them. Keep them where they won't cause us further harm."

Sinn's presence in his mind grew brighter, stronger, as he fed his own power to Ninos, helped to grow and guide the vines. Snakevines were mostly harmless, growing in the nooks and crannies of the world, clinging by way of tiny, easily missed thorns. If allowed to grow in the wrong place, though, they could ruin crops and walls and more. Once rooted, they didn't come out easily.

Beneath his hands, guided by his magic, the snakevines grew and grew, stretching out across the camp, twisting and twining, wrapping over and around the sleeping thieves. Up around the boots of the one who was still awake, though only barely.

By the time he noticed and gave a shout of alarm, it was too late for all of them.

Moving of their own volition now, no longer needing his help, the vines fully ensnared the brigands, until they were crying and begging for help. Could they see him as he moved around the camp? He didn't know, and he didn't care.

Given what they'd done to him, how many other people had they hurt? Had they killed anyone?

He found his horses, spooked but unharmed. His supplies took longer to gather, as the jerks had pawed carelessly through everything and left it in a scattered mess across the campsite, but with Sinn's help and a couple of mage lights to ward off the growing dark, they got everything back and put in its place.

At the edge of the camp once more, he knelt and took gentle hold of the vines, offering a soft encouragement that they should let the men go. Whether or not the vines listened, he didn't linger to determine.

Once they sobered up, they'd be able to tear free anyway.

Maybe next time they'd think a little longer about harassing a lone traveler.

It was only after they were back on the road, as he tried to climb into the saddle, that he instead sank to his knees, abruptly overcome by trembling and a strange urge to laugh hysterically. "Holy—what did I just do? I don't—that's not—"

Breathe. You did everything right. I am proud of you.

"I've never done anything like that. How could I do it so easily?"

You were wronged. Hurt. Those under your care were taken from you, likely to meet a grim fate. Of course you reacted. Anyone with a heart would, and yours is bigger than most. Now come on, up up. We have quite a bit of traveling to do yet before we are safe to stop for the night. I will be on alert at all times from now on. I am sorry that I failed in my duty. I should have been watching.

"We should have been safe. It's not our fault for not guarding against being assaulted by brigands. It's their fault for assaulting people." Taking a deep breath, Ninos pushed to his feet and this time managed to climb into the saddle. Strider made a soft noise like finally and behind him Serenade seemed equally happy to be back where she belonged.

Sinn landed on his shoulder with a caw and seemed to rub his beak against Ninos's cheek before launching into the sky again. Let's go, so you can rest properly. I promise there will be no more run-ins with bandits.

"Thank you," Ninos whispered, because without Sinn he'd probably be dead already, from the bandits or his wounds or having to wander the forest with absolutely nothing.

They were making this journey to get Sinn where he belonged, and for the first time Ninos was envious of whoever Sinn was actually made for. But his familiar was waiting for him, too, right? And they were crafted for him. So all would be well, and all parties would be happy.

The words weren't as convincing as they should be.