Satchel never got used to Jarek’s method of waking him.

  “Get up boy, the daylight’s wasting,” the old man said as he tugged on the blanket.

  The boy grunted as he pushed himself up and yawned. He looked over at Addie, deep in a yawn of her own. Satchel nodded a good morning to her, to which she frowned and stood up to stretch. As Satchel watched her, a curious feeling settled in, and he noticed things about Addie. Her fiery red hair, though a little dirty, reflected the morning light like a burning blaze on her head. She had a nice figure despite the tough life of a thief. Her face was hard, but still somehow pretty, especially in her deep blue eyes.

  “What’re you staring at?” she snapped.

  Satchel’s face reddened, and he looked down.

  “Sorry,” he said.

  She scowled at him, turned and walked out into the woods.

  “Careful, boy,” said Jarek, smiling. “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.”

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Jarek grunted and said, “Of course you don’t.” The old thief stood and busied himself around the campsite, preparing to cook breakfast. “Go get some more wood for the fire. It’ll keep you occupied.”

  Satchel climbed the rest of the way out of his bedroll and went out amongst the trees.

  “Set them right over there,” said Jarek when the young thief returned shortly with an armful of wood.

  As he put the pile down Satchel asked, “Where’s Addie?”

  “Dunno. My guess is she’s relieving herself. We’ll give her a little while longer before we send out the search party.”

  Satchel rolled his eyes. Under his breath, he said, “Daft old geezer.”

  “I have an idea. While we wait for the lady to return, let’s see how your skills are doing. It’s been some time since we sparred, and it’ll help us work up an appetite.”

  Satchel cocked an eyebrow. The old man was in an especially good mood today. Jarek sorted through the woodpile and picked up two short sticks, each of them roughly the length of a dagger. He tossed one to Satchel and assumed a fighting stance. Satchel faced his tutor and did the same.

  For a second, neither did anything. Then, Jarek lunged forward and slashed downward toward Satchel’s left shoulder. The boy dodged the strike and pushed Jarek’s arm away with his left palm. He then readied for a slice at Jarek’s neck, but his mentor was too fast. His dagger arm whipped back for the parry and then turned for a low cut. Satchel’s feet shifted just as the stick swung by.

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  The flurry of striking and parrying and dodging continued, each of them coming within less than an inch with each attack, but neither giving way. Finally, Satchel’s concentration slipped and Jarek connected. Satchel yelped as it stung his neck.

  Breathing hard, Jarek said, “Not bad. You almost had me.”

  “That was a good show, boys,” Addie said as she stepped out of the tree line. “‘Course I’d clean the both of you in no time flat.”

  Satchel and Jarek looked at each other, grinned and looked back at Addie.

  “Wait! I didn’t mean right now,” she said. “You’re both exhausted it wouldn’t be fair.”

  “The boy will be enough of a match for you,” Jarek said as he threw a stick at Addie’s feet. He looked at Satchel and said, “All yours.”

  Though tired, Satchel matched her blow for blow. They sparred for a good while before they collapsed onto the ground, exhausted. Scratch marks littered Satchel’s sides, neck, and face, but Addie did not escape without plenty of her own.

  Jarek regarded Addie and said, “Don’t be so quick with your mouth next time, girl. I’ll get back to breakfast. We’ve fooled around enough this morning. Good show, boy.”

  Addie sneered and looked away. Jarek said to her, “I’m happy to see your skills haven’t diminished either, my dear. I think we’ll make this a regular morning routine. It will help us all stay sharp and fit.”

  After breakfast, they packed up and set out once again on the northbound road. Satchel marveled at the beauty of the nature around him. The white pear tree blossoms as they fell around their heads. The luscious green meadows filled with wildflowers beginning to bloom. Robins, jays, sparrows, and birds of all kinds flew overhead.

  Satchel took it all in. The world outside the Pipes was indeed amazing and full of wonder. He asked Jarek about various plants and animals, and the old man was more than happy to oblige. And so, the trip passed quickly for Satchel.

  At the onset of dusk, they came upon a small village.

  “Temna,” Jarek said as they approached the first little house.

  He decided they should stop there for the night. A woman carrying a small bushel of hay pointed them in the direction of a local inn called the Angry Boar. After stabling the horses for the night, they made their way to the inn.

  Suspicious eyes greeted them as they entered. It made Satchel a little uneasy.

  Jarek marched up to the bar and addressed the innkeeper. “A room for the night.”

  The innkeeper looked over Jarek’s shoulder at Addie, who gave him a nasty look, and at Satchel, who looked down at the floor.

  “They belong to you?” the innkeeper asked.

  “What if they do?”

  The innkeeper put up a hand, a conciliatory gesture. “All right, I meant no disrespect. We’re a little leery of newcomers of late. There’ve been a few strangers causing some trouble.”

  “Trouble?”

  “Harassment and bullying mostly.” The innkeeper glanced around the room and lowered his voice. “But, some say there’s been some smuggling going on. Not sure where they came from, but we all wished they’d leave. The constable’s too spineless to run them off.”

  “We’re only here for the night. No trouble from us I can assure you.”

  Jarek glanced pointedly back at Satchel and Addie as he said this.

  “Fair enough. Ten coppers.”

  He paid the man, and the innkeeper led them to a small room with one bed and a little floor space.

  “How is this going to work?” said Addie.

  “Simple,” said Jarek. “I’m on the bed. The two of you on the floor.”

  Addie made a face. “I’m not sleeping next to him.”

  “You can always sleep outside.”

  “Why don’t we spar for it?” said Satchel.

  Jarek scowled at him. “When I told the bartender we wouldn’t cause any trouble, I meant it. It’s the floor or it’s outside and that’s that.”

  Addie tried to argue further, but Jarek would have none of it.