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The commander grunted again and bellowed, “I want the mouse alive and unharmed! Any of you bring her back in pieces, and I will have your guts for garters! Am I clear?”

There was a sharp expression of agreement, and the milling charr broke into teams. Some gathered the deceased Blood Legion charr by the campfire for burning. Others laid out the dead Flame legionnaires for the crows and vultures. Meanwhile, a large contingent headed up the hill.

“You will accompany us,” said the commander. “We will talk later.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” said Ember, who saluted again as the commander turned and marched over to where other charr were emptying the contents of the Flame Legion tents.

Ember did not relax as much as fall in on herself. A picket of other Blood Legion formed up around them. Gullik took the chain from Kranxx, and Ember made a show of checking Dougal’s neck manacle.

“What happened?” said the charr, fussing with the still-locked cuff.

“We were ambushed, like Kranxx said,” whispered Dougal. “The rifleman would have fried him, but I freed Riona and she tackled him. The rifleman lit out and Riona chased after him.”

“Idiot,” said Ember, and Dougal was unsure if she was talking about Kranxx, Dougal, Riona, or herself. Then she added, “Keep your mouth shut and pray to your foolish gods.”

“What’s wrong?” Dougal managed.

“I may have taken you from the skillet into the flames,” said Ember. “A regular charr commander I could bluster my way past, but this—”

“What?”

“The commanding officer,” said Ember. “He is Tribune Rytlock Brimstone, hero of my people. If he chooses to take you off my hands, there is nothing I can do to stop him.”

The Blood Legion charr returned with Riona within the hour. She was battered and bruised, but the charr followed the tribune’s orders to the letter. She was whole and her eyes blazed with anger.

The charr brought her before Ember, and the two locked eyes for a moment, then Ember pulled back and lashed out with a wicked backhand slap. It caught Riona on her chin, and she collapsed to her knees from the force of the blow.

“Chain her up,” snarled Ember, pointing at Kranxx and Gullik, “and do it right this time, or I’ll stake you out for the ravens!”

The charr who had captured Riona nodded with approval and told Ember how they had found her, crouched in a shallow cave. She had no weapons and had surrendered.

Gullik and Kranxx reattached the chains.

“She had to do that, you know” said Gullik softly. “She cannot show weakness.”

Riona glowered. “That’s not what I’m mad about. I lost the charr I was chasing. He got away.”

“Wait for later to tell Ember that,” suggested Kranxx.

The company formed up, with Ember and her prisoners in the center. No one but Ember was allowed to take control of the prisoners, but there was no way they could escape. Burning their dead with the tents of the Flame Legion, the company moved north, Rytlock Brimstone at its head.

They moved at a double-march speed, such that Kranxx was scurrying to keep up. Behind them curled the smoke from the burning tents, and having advertised their presence, Rytlock had no intention of remaining in the area.

Dougal could feel the sweat of exertion and fear run down his back. They were surrounded by charr, and he felt like a mouse among cats. The urge to bolt, to flee, was strong, and he was afraid it would overmatch his better judgment.

He looked at Riona and saw that she was staring ahead, the welt from Ember’s strike still vivid on her face. She noticed Dougal looking at her and nodded. At the next rest break in the march, she leaned toward him.

“This commander is a slave driver,” she said.

“Ember said the commander is Rytlock Brimstone,” replied Dougal. “She’s afraid of him. I don’t blame her.”

“You know about this Rytlock?” said Riona.

“Big-time charr hero,” said Dougal, and one or two charr soldiers glanced toward them. He shut up until they looked away. “He was one of Destiny’s Edge. Legendary adventurers. Captain Logan Thackeray was one of that group, along with the asura Snaff, the sylvari Caithe, and the