Chapter14

Cassie heard this exact argument before, just with different monsters and different claims, so she kept her hands together in front of her and focused on the road.

"Cassie," the first man said, glancing back at her, "tell him I am right."

"Yeah, go on," the other added with a grin. "You saw the whole thing, so who carried that fight?"

Her shoulders stiffened a little when both of them looked at her at once, "uh..." she smiled nervously, eyes flicking between them. "I think both of you did well."

"That is not an answer," the first man said.

"It kind of is," she said softly, though even she sounded unsure about it.

Before either of them could start again, her eyes drifted past them toward the path ahead, and the weak smile on her face slowly dropped.

"Wait," she said, lifting a hand and pointing forward.

The two men stopped mid-argument and looked at her first, confused.

"What?" one of them asked.

"Over there," she said, her voice tighter now.

They turned and followed where she was pointing, and a second later they spotted him too. Someone was lying near the side of the path beside the remains of a camp fire, motionless.

"Is that an adventurer?" the second man asked, squinting a little.

The first man frowned and looked him over from where they stood, "maybe," he said, "but I don't know him."

"Have either of you seen him before?" Cassie asked, still not moving closer yet.

Both men shook their heads.

"No."

"Never."