"GOOD NIGHT, UNCLE Doom! Thanks for the stories!” the children called as they filed out of the guest room, closing the door behind them. Nestled against him under his arm, Tiwaz chuckled sleepily. “Uncle Doom. They love you.” He chuckled and felt her relax into sleep.

Careful of the tender remnants of her injuries, Doom shifted slightly, tightening his arm around her. “I know it is hard for you to open up to people. Alimar hurt everyone you ever cared about to hurt you. But they would love you, too, if you just let them in.” He kissed the top of her head lightly. “I hope someday you won’t isolate your heart so much.” His eyes closed, content to sleep where they sat on the floor.

The gromek jerked awake when he felt Tiwaz jolt. Her eyes were wide, and the hand that had been resting on his leg had clenched convulsively so hard it pinched. Before he could speak, Gareth ran into the room, nearly as upset as Tiwaz. The woman met the bard’s eyes, her voice flat. “He’s here.”

Doom felt as though his blood had suddenly congealed. “Alimar? He is in Crossroads?”

Gareth nodded unhappily. “Not in the city yet, but within the fracture borders, yes. Apparently, he comes to Crossroads regularly to collect…specialties that cannot be found anywhere else. Especially things from the Eastern Kingdoms that are found in the black market.” He ran his fingers through his hair irritably. “I don’t know how you know, Tiwaz, but there’s no time to figure it out.”

“We must leave.” Tiwaz tried to jump to her feet, succeeding only in staggering one step and landing on her bad knee. Apprehensive, Doom helped her to the side of the bed. “Your family is in danger if we stay. I won’t be the cause of more suffering.”

“Tiwaz, relax,” the bard ordered, daring to put his hands on her shoulders, locking his eyes on hers. “There is time to get you out of Crossroads. I was warned through my connections his ship is making port within the next few hours. He doesn’t even suspect you’re alive and he doesn’t do his ‘hunting’ treks through Crossroads, so he has no reason to use his spells to search.”

“But he might find out,” she argued, averting her eyes. “We were seen. Someone might tell him we are here.”

Gareth shook his head. “Odds are against it, since he typically doesn’t associate with the poor sections where you were attacked, but if he hears the rumors of a werepanther and a demon together, that might change. But even then.” He took her hand in one of his, putting his other hand over her wrist. “He believes you are still magically shackled.”

She calmed, but her expression remained anguished. “It is my fault we are still here,” she whispered. “If I had not left—”

“Stop it!” Doom scolded in muted, edged tones as he began getting their gear together. She flinched, keeping her eyes turned downwards.

Gareth pressed his lips together. “Forgive me. I’ve caused you both unnecessary anguish with my careless approach and lack of foresight. I should have realized the risk of you staying in the city. I never really paid much attention to who came and went from here. So many do.”

“It is not anyone’s fault. But we need to get moving.” Doom finished securing their gear, cinching both backpacks snug. “I figured we would be moving on sooner or later,” he explained to Gareth’s surprise at his swiftness. “I was hoping it would be later for your sake, Ti.” His eyes looked over her. “Are you able to—?”

“I can walk.” She looked at her backpack and sighed. “But not much more than that. Everything still hurts so much. Breathing hurts.” The males traded worried looks at her admission.

Doom reassured, “I can manage our gear. You just take it easy, Ti. You may need the extra energy if we don’t make it.” He hesitated, then asked, “But how did you know he was near?”

Tiwaz hugged herself, shivering with more than cold. “I have always been able to sense where Master was.” She looked up, pain and worry in the depths of her eyes. “Where can we go? He is so close to us here, and I am… There is no way we can get farther than his search spells.”

Gareth’s chuckle reflected his own nerves. “Have you forgotten the nature of the fractures already?” The pair looked at him, cautious hope in their eyes at his confidence. “Remember, the fractures between the lands are like walls to magical energies. Only divine magic can pierce the veils between, no matter how powerful the caster. On top of that, each fracture has a different…vibration. I don’t care how powerful Alimar thinks he is, so long as you’re not within the same fracture, no spell of his could find you. All we need to do is get you both across the border.”

“You’re certain?” Tiwaz asked.

“Very,” the bard said with such conviction, neither Tiwaz nor Doom doubted him.

Doom secured the last of their gear across his back before he held his arm out to his friend. “Ready?” She nodded, putting her arm through his. Gareth waited for the two to precede him before shutting the door.

As they were about to leave the house, Cara appeared from the shadows. Her expression was one of hurt. “You’re leaving? Why? Don’t you like us anymore?” Doom and Tiwaz exchanged looks both perplexed and anguished at the girl’s hurt question.

Gareth knelt by her, brushing strands of hair out of her face, trying to soothe her. “They have to leave, honey. It isn’t safe in Crossroads for them anymore.”

“But I don’t want them to go!” she cried, hugging Doom’s leg so tightly, Gareth couldn’t pry her off without hurting her. He looked up at the pair helplessly.

Tiwaz knelt unsteadily, then put her hand on the girl’s back. “Cara? You must be very brave. We aren’t leaving because we don’t like it here. We like your family very much. But there is an evil, powerful man who doesn’t like me or Doom who has come here to Crossroads. He would hurt us and everyone between us and him to get us if he found out we were here. He would hurt everyone who helped us. That’s why we have to leave. He can’t ever know we were here. We want you to be safe.”

Cara slowly let go of Doom’s leg, sniffling. “I-I will be brave, Tiwaz. I don’t want you or Uncle Doom to get hurt either.”

Doom reached down and picked the child up, hugging her tightly without crushing her. “I will miss you, Cara. Take care of yourself.”

The little girl pulled back, looking in his eyes. “You aren’t coming back?”

He shook his head. Tiwaz said as she struggled to her feet again, “When we can be certain this man can never hurt anyone again, we will try. But right now, we have to go.” He gently put her down.

Cara looked directly at Tiwaz with sightless eyes. “If you don’t, I’ll look for you.” She turned and ran back inside, sniffling. With aching hearts, they turned with resolution and headed out into the darkness.