So this is set almost two hundred years in the future from the current Korra time. A few things; there has been another Equalists uprising some twenty five years before this story, and as such, a lot of nonbenders were banished from Republic City, and it has built walls around itself and closed them, keeping anyone from going in or out. This is the Era called the Era of Fear and Isolation.

When the Equalists rebelled, they made super weapons by fusing the spirits they had enslaved (since apparently spirits are gonna be walking around next season) and putting them into these scientifically made humans who were not really humans at all, but were intelligent beings. It'll be explained in more detail in this chapter. But the point is, Republic City is closed, and mucho paranoia about everything.

I'm super excited and hope you enjoy.

349 AG, Age of Fear and Isolation, spring

"Where are you going, Xiang?"

Xiang paused. Then he moved his hand towards the quiver he had filled with arrows again, more confidently this time. His mother's tone had an edge to it, but the emotion that beat the air around her was resignation, powerless as snowflakes in the end. She would yield to his desire to go out beyond the city again; she just wanted to make sure that he knew what he was doing.

Most likely, he thought as he turned to face his mother. But just in case, I will not let her get between me and the door.

"Not far, Mother," he said. "Out for a little while. That is all. And then I will come back, just as I have always done."

"There are some who say that you have strange friends," said Tante, watching him closely. Her long hair, white prematurely because of stress, hung straight and motionless around a face that held no more motion or life. That was the way that she had been ever since his father had died. Xiang thought it most likely that no life would ever return to her again, and he softened his voice as he answered.

"I have some strange friends, Mother, yes. I would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the Republic City who did not have some friends I would describe as strange." He tried to smile in jest. "Don't you think that some of our friends from the War were strange?"

Her green eyes fell away from him. "No," she said softly. "Those were the days when one had only friends of other kindreds. But no one has them now."

Xiang felt his smile wilt. Now guilt had come to join the fear that she would block his leaving, and that he would have to disappoint Laimerta about going hunting with him.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Mother, you know that," he said quietly. "I promise you."

"Your father said the same words."

Xiang winced. "He wasn't lying, Mother, and neither am I," he said. "But he went among enemies, and I among friends. There is a difference. Please, will you let me go?"

Tante bowed her head and drifted towards the inner rooms. Xiang remained standing, troubled, for a moment, then shook his head and turned towards the door.

I am always careful. I won't be caught. And having friends outside the city is a good thing, surely. They tell me the news when something dangerous comes near Republic.

His spine straightened as he strode across the lawns and gardens of the Meng estates.

Surely everything will be all right.

"There you are."

Xiang smiled and jumped off the wall. "Here I am, Laimerta. Are you ready to hunt?"

The firebender's eyes lit and he grinned. "I am. Let us go. I saw a fox antelope trail in the forest where we might be able to pick up the passage of some game."

Xiang walked beside him, glancing thoughtfully at him as they went. Laimerta looked exactly like any other member of the Fire Nation he had ever seen: broad chested but graceful. His wild hair stood straight up, but not to form the appearance of a flame like was the current fashion for Fire Nation's males. Instead, his hair took on the appearance of one who recently had an explosion targeted at his face. There was a crazed glint to his eyes, which were so amber in color that they seemed to glow even in darkness, and likewise a crazed edge to his sharp grin. Dark bags adorned the underneath of his eyes; his eyebrows were sharp in shape, forming triangles over them.

"What are you looking at me for?"

Xiang smiled. He should have realized that his friend would notice. "No reason."

Laimerta eyed Xiang in a partially curious partially distrustful way and then drew air to say something, but was cut off by a nearby snap.

"They are near," whispered Laimerta. "I will go forward and drive them towards you. Use your weapons to stop them."

Xiang gave a nod in return and unslung his bow from his shoulder, stringing an arrow as Laimerta crept silently into the bushes.

Xiang remained still, listening. There was almost no sound, save for the delicate chirps of birds. But there was one strange scent that made him turn his head, slowly, not wanting to frighten whatever new animal it was away.

It wasn't a new animal, though. A squirrel sat not far from him, staring around with dull eyes. Xiang watched it in puzzlement. Why should it smell so different that his nose hadn't recognized it?

Abruptly, the squirrel staggered a step forward and then collapsed. In seconds, it was gone, the brown fur dissolving into thick, brown-yellowish goo. Xiang took a step back in disgust.

"Hinya!"

Xiang turned quickly. Laimerta was driving the fox antelope towards him, and from the sounds, they were almost here. Xiang smiled and steadied his bow.

Then a great fox antelope burst from the bushes in front of him, trying to pull up as he saw Xiang, tossing his head and crying aloud. The stumps of antlers that clung to his head were still small and smooth, covered with velvet.

Xiang dropped to one knee and shot. The arrow passed into his chest, and he took one more step, then collapsed.

"Well done, Xiang!" Laimerta shouted, and then seized the legs of the dead animal and turned it on its side.

Xiang laughed and took out his skinning knife. He glanced at the squirrel that had collapsed, wanting to ask Laimerta about it, but then realized that the goo was gone. He was already half-convinced that he hadn't seen it at all. He had been up more than half the night talking spirit-breeding with his friend Rhol. He couldn't be sure that he had seen it.

"Skin the bastard, Xiang."

Xiang laughed, and in the excitement of fresh meat, the squirrel was forgotten.

It is spirit's blood. You know it is.

Xiang frowned thoughtfully at the silvery pool in front of him, ignoring the little nagging voice in his head. He didn't have to admit that he knew anything. He had tested flowers in the pool, and they hadn't lived; nor had the grass that he had tried the same experiments with. The pool didn't make anything immortal, the way that the Wellspring in the Si Wong Desert was rumored to. But this pool didn't appear to have the same effect.

He thought about poking his finger into it, and then told himself not to. He didn't know what the effect would be, and if this pool happened to make humans but not plants immortal, he didn't want to be subjected to the torture of unending life. But the temptation to poke something in was strong anyway.

A true scholar would not hesitate to subject himself to the rigors of the pool, no matter what happened.

Xiang laughed aloud at that, startling a starling above him into flight. It scolded him from the next tree, and Xiang chattered back. It fled as if that had frightened it, though still chattering all the way.

"I am not a true scholar yet," he reminded himself, and stood. "And Mother will be worried. I should get back."

He had spent most of the day next to the small silvery pool that he had discovered in the forest two years ago, patiently sticking in different pieces of grass and then watching how they lived afterwards—or did not, since all of them died in a few days. His mother would be glad to have his company at home again, and Xiang knew he should eat some of the meat from his kill of the other day. It would spoil soon. He had asked his mother to make jerky from it, but she had forgotten, and so had he.

Xiang winced. At least she has better reasons to be forgetful than I do. She sees Father in every shadow, these days.

He glanced back regretfully at the pool, then settled on the faint game path that ran beside it as the quickest way to the city. He had never seen any animal come to the pool and drink from it. Perhaps that was for the best, or he would be battling to spend his time out here, concealed by an illusion, watching to see just what animals came to drink and what happened to them afterwards.

"Useless pool of spirit's blood," he muttered as he trotted towards Republic City. "And why would any spirit put it here and not inform someone of it? They're all—"

He paused abruptly. He had heard a sound not far away, a sound that was not part of the natural background noise of the forest. And since Xiang knew he knew the forest probably better than any other person, it was strange that he didn't recognize this sound.

There it came again.

"Help!" it shouted, and then repeated what was probably the same thing in a language he didn't understand.

Xiang began to run, unslinging his bow as he moved.

He ran into the clearing from which the shouts came, and caught a blurred, confused glimpse of a door bursting open. He forced himself to stop and look before he rushed in and got himself killed.

There was a cart in the center of the clearing, a cage on wheels. Around it stood cowering people. The thing that had come out was eyeing them all with intense blood thirst.

Xiang stared. He had only read of the morworys before in novels. They were the scientific abominations that the Second Equalists Party unleashed upon Republic City. Their skin was ruddy, their hair red in color and their eyes a sky blue. They had fangs tipped with metal so as not to break when ripping through bone and not to dull when chewing muscle, for the morworys were meat eaters that enjoyed eating humans. Their main weapon of choice? Blood from their own body and the body of others—they were a twisted form of waterbenders and a more advanced form of bloodbenders.

If Xiang gave him time to pounce, he would probably rip someone's throat out. Morworys could only go a few days without feeding on blood and meat before they lost their minds. And this one looked close to losing his.

Xiang strung his bow, speaking as he did so. "Stand back. I will shoot him as quickly as I can, and you are less likely to fall victim to him if you stand back."

Most of them scrambled out of the way. But one person turned to him, pleading, "Shoot quickly!"

The morwory smiled, and pounced.

Xiang shot. There was a small chance the arrow would hit the bystander, but a much larger chance that a pouncing morwory would hit him.

The arrow struck true, though, piercing the abominable creature in the shoulder. He let out a pained cry that sounded like nothing so much as a cat's yowl, and dropped to the ground. The person swiftly ducked out of the way, panting what sounded like a thanks as he ran. He and the rest were already scattering into the forest.

Xiang strung another arrow and came nearer. Anger rose inside him and his face became hot. How dare the bastard do this, hungry or not? Those people were clearly not benders and therefore were near-defenseless.

"How could you do that?" he growled at the morwory, and aimed the arrow between his eyes.

The man—thing—man?—glanced up at him. His eyes were startlingly bright, both in contrast to his skin and with feverish hunger. He appeared to be choking on bile or blood as he spoke, but Xiang thought he was really fighting back his urge to lunge and bite. "You don't understand. They took me prisoner and brought me here to feed on your city."

Xiang snarled. "Why would they do something like that? You are far more likely to be the villain here."

"I swear by Vaatu that I am not."

Xiang paused and then growled and grumbled, because he knew that the morwory would rather take his life than swear something that was false on the name of the Darkness. "Then why were you attacking them?"

"They had starved me." The morwory abruptly clenched his fangs. "And unless you give me some food soon, then I will kill you. I have no choice."

Xiang took an uncertain step back. Well, even if he's lying, then there's not much harm in feeding him. It should make him more rational. He glanced around, wondering if there was a bird nearby that he could shoot, and then realized that the cart's dragon moose were still in their traces. They had not moved throughout the agitation. It was as if they believed that nothing would happen to them.

Not right this time, Xiang thought, as he laid the bow and arrow on the ground. He moved up beside the interesting beast nearest him and stroked its nose and whiskers. It tilted its head at him, but let him unhook the traces and lead it towards the morwory. He watched it come with fast breath and glittering eyes. His hands dug into the grass, at least until he jolted the arrow in his shoulder and had to stop with a cry of pain.

Xiang heard another cry from the forest, and looked up alertly. One of the people from before had come creeping back, and was frowning at him. "You can't do that. We need those beasts to continue transporting the cart."

"Would you rather be dead or slow?" asked Xiang, and then heard the morwory take a deep breath. He dropped the dragon moose's head and whirled aside.

The morwory still almost struck him in his pounce towards the dragon moose. He slammed into the thing's side, and then he turned his head and his fangs sliced open the wrinkled skin. The dragon moose collapsed slowly to its knees, not panicking or trying to run. Its companion stood in the traces as if nothing mattered. Xiang had never seen animals so calm, and he shook his head, old ideas rising up in his brain again. They should be livelier. There should be a way to breed creatures who are as useful as they are, but not temperamental like eel hounds. Creatures that could be used for pulling a cart and riding, both. What could they be?

"You will pay us."

Xiang turned abruptly. The person who had spoken to him earlier came out of the forest, his hand held out angrily. "You have taken our transportation from us. I hope that you intend to pay us."

Xiang narrowed his eyes. "I saved your lives, and a dragon moose is a small price to pay for not having a starved morwory attack you. Why were you caging him?"

"He is dangerous."

"He would have been much less dangerous if you had fed him." Xiang was not completely certain of that, but it was certain that the abomination wouldn't have gone mad and tried to attack when he broke out. "Why didn't you feed him?"

"He drinks blood. It's a disgusting way of living. We were trying to take him to a place where we could cure him."

Xiang narrowed his eyes still further. "I see," he said, as neutrally as he could. The lapping sounds behind him had stopped. He glanced over his shoulder, and saw the morwory wiping at the blood on his face. "I think that we might sort this out. What are your names, my friends?"

"Eylred," said the morwory.

"Turwin," said the nonbender at the same time.

Xiang nodded. "Then come here, both of you, and tell me what really happened."

Turwin swallowed, but stepped towards him. Xiang glanced at Eylred, who didn't seem inclined to move.

"Well?"

"I wonder what right you have to judge us," said Eylred. "I might as well walk away now." He rose from the ground and took a few steps away, as if showing just how he would do it. "Unless you own these lands, then you have no say over what happens in them."

"This is the wild forest, and it is near Republic City, and I am the only one here from the City," said Xiang. "I have as much right as anyone else."

"Or as little."

"Are you going to wipe the blood off your face and get over there, or do I have to come and fetch you?"

Eylred smiled, being sure to display his fangs. The metal tips gleamed. He strode towards Xiang, without wiping the blood from his face. Xiang rolled his eyes and reached over to wipe it off, himself.

Eylred caught his hand in a moment, turning the wrist towards his mouth. Xiang glared at him. Morworys were the almost inhumanly strong, so he knew that he couldn't break free.

But he didn't think he needed to. A swift pass at the morwory's stomach with a dagger he had stashed in his sleeve, and Eylred jerked back with a curse.

"You will repay me for that," he said.

"No doubt," said Xiang, and fell back, drawing his sword. He heard running and figured it was probably Turwin scattering further into the forest, away from the battle. He felt a moment's brief regret that he would never find out what he and his companions were doing there, but he was much more concerned with surviving the morwory attack.

Eylred smiled. "I have no sword. Might you lend me a blade?"

Xiang shook his head. "I carry no others. Besides, I know what you are, morwory. You are trained to fight with fang and hand as well as bending and blade. You were created to be a super weapon."

Eylred narrowed his eyes, and his grin vanished completely, hiding even his fangs. "How did you know that?"

"It's not hard to tell with your looks," said Xiang, and began to circle to the left.

"Where did you find out about us at all?" Eylred asked, and rushed him. "I thought the City tried to erase the fact that we were still alive from the minds of everyone within Her walls."

"Yes. She tried." Xiang leaped back, wary of letting the powerful man close with him. Eylred whirled as he went past, and his fangs did manage a cut on Xiang's right arm.

In moving like that, though, he left himself completely open all down the right side. Xiang's sword flashed once, and then came back dripping with blood, just like Eylred's teeth were now.

Eylred licked his fangs. "You have a rare and sweet blood," he complimented Xiang, and then added, "You never answered my question."

"I read a lot. I know all about the War."

Eylred blinked. "The War of Isolation?"

"Yes. My father was in it."

"Interesting." Eylred came in from the left this time, and tried to turn his head and bite Xiang's shoulder. Xiang would have stabbed him too easily, though, and so he leaped away and fell back into the circle. He quirked a brow at Xiang. "You are not using bending. Why?"

"I don't have the gift." Xiang poised his sword defensively, ready for the morwory's next strike. "Why are you not using your bloodbending?"

"I would never use an advanced technique against someone who could not match it." Eylred tilted his head and considered him. "I am not sure that I want to fight you."

"Because I am not a bender?" Xiang took a step towards him, poised for attack still.

Eylred laughed and flashed his fangs. "I do not think that you could take me in a fair battle, young one. Count your blessings, that I wish to talk to you instead of fight."

Xiang felt himself flush, and lowered his sword slowly. "If you attack me, I will kill you."

"I doubt that very much," said Eylred, and then sat down on the grass, patting the ground beside him. "Come, join me."

Xiang stared at him for a moment. He shook his head.

"What is it?" asked Eylred. "I mean the invitation, I assure you."

"Do you do this with all strangers?"

"You would not be a stranger if you would tell me your name."

"…Xiang."

"And you can call me Red, if you'd like," the morwory said to him, rather randomly.

Xiang sat down cautiously on the grass, keeping space between him and Eylred. Of course, the morworys could move at speeds that might make that space seem nothing, but Xiang was just as glad to maintain it. He wanted something to comfort him right now. "Do morworys shorten their names often?"

"We do. We often shorten it to the last few letters, because the first part is the family name."

"Fascinating," Xiang said truthfully, not conscious of his leaning in eagerly. He leaned back when he became aware of it. "Where do you live? I know that your kind were not wiped out, not matter how much they try to get us to believe it. The Avatar would have never allowed for an entire race of intelligent beings to be slaughtered."

"I live on the road. Those men took me because I approached them in all innocence, thinking they might be able to tell me the easiest way to get to Cal-barak. They thought I wanted something evil, and they caged me and starved me. They meant to let me go near the City." He studied Xiang closely.

"I am not sure I believe that."

Eylred shrugged. "Believe as you well, but if you caught one of them and put the fear of my fangs into him, he would tell you the same thing. Those nonbenders hate the City ever since they were banished after the War, and they will try to destroy Her."

Xiang frowned. "I know many nonbenders who would never attack me and try to drink my blood," he said wryly.

"You had not yet proven that you were interesting enough for me to spare." Eylred stretched his arms over his head. "Besides, the nonbenders around here are probably different from the ones inside the City." He eyed Xiang for a moment. "I have no home, and I think that you owe me a debt for attacking me, when I was only trying to tell you the truth about the nonbenders. Why don't you invite me back to your house and offer me your hospitality until such time as I want to take the road again?"

Xiang spluttered for a moment, then said, "Have you been inside the City?"

"No."

"They would kill you." Xiang shook his head as Eylred opened his mouth. "They would. You are a morwory. They are not happy that I go outside the walls to hunt and visit the others I want to visit. You would not be welcome there, and they have the power to kill you, unlike those nonbenders."

"I know they have the power to kill me," said Eylred. "But I think they shall accept me if you vouch for me. After all, you said that they accept you going beyond the walls to visit your friends, which is far more dangerous, one would think, for the City."

Xiang could feel himself frowning harder. It seemed to be the expression he would wear most often around Eylred. "I would never knowingly endanger Republic."

"And you think that inviting me in would endanger them?"

"Yes. Of course."

Eylred shook his head. "If you really feel that you don't owe me this, then perhaps a bargain would be in order. Let me in, give me a home for a short time, and I shall be your sentry."

"Sentry against what?"

'There is trouble in the south," said Eylred quietly. "The men who captured me had a cage ready because they had been transporting something, some great animal. It died, though I don't know how. They kept muttering about trouble in the south, and something great and terrible coming."

For no reason, Xiang thought of the squirrel he had seen dissolving the other day. Later, he thought it must have been because it was the only strange and troubling thing he had seen in a little while, but then, it only seemed a good idea. "Could the trouble be some sort of evil magic?"

"Why do you say that?"

"I saw a squirrel that staggered and then collapsed into goo the other day. Then, when I looked again, the goo was gone. I had convinced myself it was an illusion, but I don't think so now. It was probably the result of whatever it was that the nonbenders were so upset about."

"How can you know that?"

Xiang shook his head. "I don't know for certain, but it's the best idea I have right now. The squirrel shouldn't have dissolved like that; I've never seen any predator that hunts that way, and I know no plant in the forest that would cause that effect. Magic might explain it. I had heard that there some sudden outbreaks of wild magic in the north. Perhaps there are some in the south."

"How do you know that?"

"My friends." Xiang glanced at the sun, then back at Eylred. "I should be home soon, so I will have to make my decision quickly. How can you be our sentry against whatever this trouble is?"

"Your people are not used to looking beyond their borders. They won't recognize something new when they see it. I have crossed this area again and again in the last few years. I'll know when the trouble comes hunting, and I'm probably going to be better than most at fighting it." Eylred leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Xiang's. "I'm offering to defend your city, boy. And it would make sense if you would offer me a place in it, since of course I would fight more fiercely to defend the city that sheltered me than I would a place I had no stake in."

Xiang gnawed his lip and stared back. It seemed wrong, even silly, for him to be taking this kind of risk, making this kind of decision. Yet Eylred was staring at him, waiting for his decision, and there was no one else to make it.

He decided.

"Come with me."

Eylred smiled and stood. "I thought you would never ask."

Xiang straightened his shoulders. This wasn't going to be easy, but it wouldn't get easier if he waited, either, or even if he took back his decision. Unhappy Guards or an unhappy morwory; the chances were not good with either one.

"Walk beside me," he said to Eylred. "They'll want to see your hands, too, so that I can vouch for your having no weapons." He glanced at the bandaged shoulder and decided not to say anything. The Guards would have to ask about the wound if they really wanted to know about it. "Come on."

Eylred moved forward beside him, his gaze docile. Xiang felt more worried by that than otherwise. The morwory was planning something.

Or he just wants this badly, Xiang tried to tell himself, and kept walking.

The Guards were looking at them from the moment they emerged from the trees, but they kept their bows lowered. Xiang studied their faces, wondering hopefully if that meant they would let Eylred enter without challenge. But he found not acceptance, only astonishment so great it had turned them to crystal for a few moments. They couldn't believe that a morwory would dare to approach their city so openly and without fear.

Xiang used those moments to his advantage. "My lady," he said to the Captain, who stood on the gate. "I am glad to see you."

"Truly?" Her voice was subdued, but it always was. The Captain was formal to a fault. Her eyes were on the morwory, and not him.

"Yes," said Xiang. It was partially because the Guards would only have made them wait while they went to fetch her and this saved him some time, but she didn't need to know that. "I hoped that you might accept my word and let the morwory Eylred inside the walls. He needs shelter, and he has promised to keep watch for trouble in the south that may be moving north."

"How do we know that he is not lying, and is not the cause of this trouble himself?" Linare's voice was still subdued, still formal, but the grip of her hands on her bow was very tight.

"I rescued him from some men, my lady, who intended to turn him loose on us and let him feed." Xiang could practically feel Eylred's smugness from beside him, but ignored it. Let him feel that way. "I do not think that he is the cause of the trouble, or he would have been more subtle."

"Your pardon, my lord Xiang, but everyone knows about the unnatural friendships that you have outside the walls," said the Captain. "He could have fooled you. Is that not possible?"

"Possible, but unlikely," said Xiang. "I doubt that he would have himself caged for the sake of such a deception."

"There is no telling what one of those evil creatures might do," said the Captain. "They are not like us."

"She insults me," said Eylred, in a voice that hissed between his fangs.

"I know it," said Xiang. "And you may have the chance to repay her in fair combat later. But not now."

"What are you whispering with him about?"

Xiang turned back to the Captain and bowed. "Your pardons, my lady. Eylred wanted to demand satisfaction from you, and I told him to wait until later."

Linare blinked, then narrowed her eyes. Xiang let his breath out slowly. The gamble had worked. Linare would be outraged that a morwory dared to claim such a privilege. But it would make her deal with him as someone a part of the City and not someone lower and lesser than she was.

"I hardly think that you would dare say such a thing," she told Eylred.

Eylred glanced at Xiang. Xiang nodded. He was still wary of what the morwory might say in anger, but he couldn't hold him back forever.

"My lady," said Eylred. "I have come to this city in good faith. I have heard of trouble in the south, trouble of a wholly new kind—or so say the rumors. I came here by chance, but Republic City seems a safer place to make a stand than many another. I would help guard Her against this new danger, if you will have me. The lord Xiang has agreed to give me shelter and vouch for my honor. If you will let me pass the walls, then you may know where I am at all times."

He spoke so fairly that Xiang stared at him in astonishment. The same stunned shock overtook the Guards again. Linare leaned forward, planting her bow on the gate and studying Eylred, Xiang hoped, with new eyes.

"You have gracious words, and you know our language well," she said at last. "No morwory has come into the City since we overthrew the Equalists and purged them from Her, but I am minded to let you try." She glanced at Xiang, and her eyes were still bright and cold. "If he causes any trouble, on your head rest it."

"I know that, my lady," said Xiang, who was tempted to poke his chest to make sure there wasn't an arrow sticking out of it. This felt like a dream of luck.

Linare shouted, and the Guards went to work opening the gates. Xiang watched them open and the bridge come down, still in a daze. Only when Eylred poked him did he shake his head and walk through. The morwory matched him pace for pace, stepping onto the bridge when he did and slowing when he slowed. Xiang suspected he wanted to make sure he didn't undo his welcome.

"That was amazing," Xiang told him as they stepped off the wings and into the city. "How did you know those words would serve?"

"I have dealt with Guards of other cities before, and I knew her kind at once," said Eylred. "Besides, everything I said was true."

"I know that," said Xiang. "I didn't mean that you lied. But not many morworys would have known how to speak such fair words, or even tried."

"I am not ordinary."

Xiang shrugged his agreement and led Eylred forward. They were on the broad street that led halfway around the city, and the cobblestones sang under their feet. To the right lay the Guards' compound, a wide stretch of grass and barracks full of sparring Guards who paused to watch them pass. On the left stood the Prison, dark and ominous.

"Where is your home?" Eylred asked, glancing around at the buildings as if he saw them every day.

"Not far." They rounded a turn of the road. Xiang nodded. "There."

"I am impressed. Are you nobility?"

"Yes. One of the only nonbending nobles of the city." Xiang smiled and led Eylred to the gate in the fence surrounding the gardens. Eylred started to step forward, but Xiang shook his head. "The wards would kill you if you tried to cross them without permission."

Eylred stared at the fence as if he had trouble believing this, but stood back and let Xiang speak the words that calmed the wards and opened a hole in them for the morwory to pass through.

Eylred followed him quietly through the gate, through the gardens, and into the house. Xiang entered the kitchen next, with the morwory still on his heels, and saw his mother sitting and contemplating his father's sword sadly. She started up at once.

"Xiang, who is this?" Her blue eyes were wide and staring.

Xiang winced."Mother, his name is Eylred. I promised him shelter in return for his helping defend the city from a threat he said was coming."

"Why would you allow someone else into our house?" Tante spoke the words in a tight, trembling voice, backing away so that she stood with her shoulders pressed against the wall. "No one but us has lived here since your father died."

Xiang stepped forward quickly. "Mother, truly, he means us no harm." He glanced back at Eylred, who smiled, showing his fangs. Honesty compelled him to add, "I think. And the Captain of the Guards let him through."

"But you said he would shelter in our house. And you opened the wards so that he could pass through."

"Yes—"

"I cannot accept that," said Tante. "This is a house of grief, a private retreat. You have never brought one of your strange friends home, Xiang, and you promised me that you never would."

Xiang blinked. He had indeed made that promise a few years ago, though lightly, since none of his friends wanted inside Republic's isolated, suspicious walls anyway. "Mother, I promised—"

"Break your promise. You dishonor the memory of your father in bringing this man here." Tante turned away with her arms crossed.

Xiang turned helplessly back to Eylred. The morwory had crossed his own arms. "You promised me shelter here, and only on that word did the Guards allow me inside the walls," he said.

Xiang closed his eyes and tried to remember the conversation at the Gate. It sprang into his head at once, the words trotting past his ears as if he were there once more. There was the fair speech that Eylred had made to convince the Captain.

He smiled and opened his eyes. "You told them that I had promised you shelter. Nothing else."

"Yes. What has that to do with it?"

"I shall put you up in an inn, and accompany you there, and share your room," said Xiang. "That will satisfy everyone's requirements."

Eylred blinked. "That will mean satisfying the inn's owner, as well."

Xiang shrugged. "I have currency."

"Xiang, don't do this!"

Xiang glanced over his shoulder at Tante. "Mother, please. I am not Father. I will not die as he did."

"But I need you here with me," said Tante, her desperation stinging her tone. "You know how hard this time of year is for me. I see your father's spirit everywhere. Will you truly leave me?"

"I will be nearby," said Xiang. "The Romping Raccoon. If you really do need me, Mother, call and I will come."

Tante bowed her head, but didn't attempt to prevent him when he went to his room to retrieve his small cache of money and then exited with Eylred. The morwory again remained silent until they were through the gate, but as Xiang led him towards the squatted inn, he made a small, disbelieving noise in his throat. Xiang glanced back at him. "What?"

"I can hardly believe that she has lived so long, if she mourns your father so much."

Xiang didn't think all the disbelief came from that, but he only shrugged and said, "She would die, I think, but she has thought she should live for my sake."

"Is that true?"

"She thinks it. How true it may be, I do not know."

"Do you really need her, then?"

Xiang set his jaw and did not answer. There were some things that Eylred didn't need to kno