Chapter 1

The smell of spiced food and tanned leather wafted up to Ramina's nose as she walked through the market. The many vendors shouting out prices and patrons slowly shuffling around surrounded her as she fought to keep up with her brother, Sebius.

They were sent to the market by their father to complete some business while he and their mother finished the day's chores. Sebius and Ramina were just on their way home when Ramina asked to return through the market. She had always enjoyed the smells and seeing all that was on offer, and though she was reduced to begging, she eventually got her way.

The two were accompanied by Gannicus, their unofficially adopted brother. Their parents had been friends before they were all born and when Gannicus' parents died, their mother and father took him in as their own. They all grew up together, Gannicus and Sebius born in the same season 3 years before Ramina, and were inseparable once they could walk.

At twelve, Ramina could still remember all of their escapades as children. The three would take long adventures away from their homes, pretending they were great warriors on missions to protect their city. Though she was always smaller, the two older boys never excluded her. She was the victim of relentless teasing though.

Many times after a rather dangerous adventure, she was sure that their parents would skin or abandon all three of them. But when it came to taking in Gannicus after his parents fell ill, Ramina's parents never flinched.

"Sebius," Ramina cried out while pushing the taller adults away from her. She had gotten sidetracked while looking at some of the jewelry on display and was separated from the older two. She could no longer see them just ahead of her and in her panic, she forgot the way home. She took a few turns that seemed familiar to her, but after each corner passed she became unsure. Not wanting to turn around and fall more behind, Ramina continued on.

The vendors and patrons began to thin the longer she walked, which she took as a good sign until she turned into a rather dark and unfamiliar alley. She just turned around to make her way back to the market when a voice called out to her.

"Are you lost little girl?" Ramina turned her head around to view the owner of the voice. A rather fat and rat faced man stood in front of her, though she was sure he wasn't standing there moments before.

"I want to get out of the city, can you tell me which way I need to head," Ramina asked. She figured she was lost anyways and maybe his appearance would contrast his intentions.

"Are you looking for someone, little girl," he asked instead of answering her.

Hoping maybe Sebius and Gannicus had ran into the man, she nodded her head, "yes, my brothers."

"Oh well, I know where they are, let me take you to them," he waved her back towards him.

Ramina hesitated, she was naïve and innocent, but she was sure that this man didn't have good intentions. It was then that she noticed he had been slowly approaching her throughout their conversation.

Ramina turned to run away but the man quickly reached out and snatched her sides. She was bent over on his shoulder as he quickly walked farther down the alley before she could even scream.

As soon as she could though, she was screaming out Sebius and Gannicus' name and attempting to kick and punch the man to drop her. She could see through his arm that they were headed towards a small, dark door at the end of the alley and knew she couldn't let him take her there. She threw her fists and feet into the man as hard as she could, without much effect.

She must have hit a sensitive area though, when in the next few seconds she had been dropped to the ground, landing hard on her back and hitting her head.

After a few moments of processing what just happened and trying to pull air back into her lungs, she sprang up to run as fast as she could. Ramina knew she couldn't let the man grab her a second time or she'd see what lay behind the dark ominous door.

Expecting to see the man standing and ready to grab her once more, she was met with another sight. Gannicus, standing in front of her with his fathers knife to the rat-faced mans neck with such fierceness that even she was terrified of him.

"Gannicus," she exclaimed, but before she could get another word out, Sebius ran up and pulled her to him.

"Are you okay," Sebius asked Ramina, looking her over for any immediate injury. Satisfied she was unharmed, he turned to the man with Gannicus drawing blood on his throat ever so slightly.

"If you ever touch or speak to my sister again, I will make sure you no longer have tongue or arms left," Sebius said, fire in his eyes. Ramina had never seen him look so angry.

"I too will personally take your eyes, so you may never look upon her again," Gannicus growled.

The man, not taking his eyes off of Gannicus, nodded his head. He gulped, which just caused the knife to pierce his skin more, resulting in more crimson fluid running down his throat.

Gannicus remained in his position, with the knife unmoving. He looked as though he was contemplating sliding the knife through the man's neck.

"Gannicus, " Sebius called out after a minute had gone by without Gannicus letting the man go. Sebius was always much more gentle and level-headed, where Gannicus was less forgiving and angry. Though, Sebius and Ramina never saw that anger towards themselves, they were unsure if he would back off the man.

"I won't touch her, I swear to the gods, " the man pleaded. Still, Gannicus remained unmoving.

"Gannicus, it's okay. He won't touch me again," Ramina said from Sebius' shoulder, causing Gannicus' eyes to flicker over to her. Barely moving an inch, Gannicus took the knife off the man's neck.

Not taking a moment, rat-man got up and ran the rest of the alley into the same door Ramina was sure brought death and pain.

"Are you sure you are fine, Ramina," Sebius asked, placing his hand on her cheek. Ramina, still shook up, just nodded her head.

They walked out of the alley, Sebius guiding Ramina with his arm around her shoulders and Gannicus closely tucked to her other side.

"Make sure you keep up this time, Ave" Gannicus said, placing his hand on the back of her head, guiding her through the streets. Ave was her nickname he had made for her when they were very young, meaning little bird. At first it was meant to annoy her, comparing her to an annoying, chirping bird, but now it was said with affection.

As they walked through the market back to their home, Ramina slowly relaxed knowing both of her saviors were right beside her the entire way.

"How were you not able to out run that fat of a man, Ave," Gannicus laughed out. She just shrugged her shoulders in response, causing louder laughter from the boy.