Xanth walked towards the front of the cart they were guarding. Behind him, he could sense rather than see Elli walking at a similar pace. He could hear the steady pace of steps and hoofs greeting pathway. It was rhythmic, and almost hypnotizing. In the far distance behind him, he could hear feet moving at a slightly faster beat than the rest. Not long passed before a male voice bubbled up behind him from next to where he guessed Elli was.
"Aha!" Losvius announced by way of greeting. "It bothered me all night, it did, but I done figured it out, I did. You're that doctor lady from back home you is. I recognized you by that pretty necklace. Tha' t'ain't not bobble it i'n't. Let me buy it off ye, will ye? I've got me eye on that reward."
Xanth's head tilted to the side in interest, and he subtly made a gesture to give him the opportunity to turn and look at the exchange. He didn't recognize the halfling, but that was okay. He was more interested in the people they suspected to be dragon cult, but he was, now, much more interested in Elli's reaction to this man. He'd been told that she had some demons inside of her, but that had yet to be seen. A malicious smile curled upwards on his cowled face. He suddenly couldn't wait to hear more.
Elli looked down at the halfling. "Take a hike. I have no idea what you're talking about." She scoffed, turning her face to look forward, ignoring him as best she could.
"Aw, waddaya say? Five hundred gold? That's a small fortune. More than enough to get somebody on the run wherever they need ta go. T'won't even tell 'em where ye be or where ye goin'?" The halfling asked in that same upbeat tone despite her rebuffing.
Elli's teeth were gritted together. Her jaw firmly locked. Her lips in a tight line. "Go. Away." She growled.
The halfling grabbed onto Elli's wrist. He stopped, and looked up at her as the caravan started to pass.
Xanth's ears strained to continue to listen.
"Well, if ye won't give it, then, I suppose I can jus' giv'em a tip." He pulled himself up, and looked defiantly back into the woman's eyes. "I'mma sure they'll be more thanna little happy in order to find out that the lady who killed their Lord is withina stones throw, and relatively unguarded." A cheshire grin pulling at his lips.
Elli's foot pounded down into the dirt. A hand reeled forward, and, with a resounding smack, a red handprint sized welt began to rise up on Losvius's face. She turned around, and started to march forward with a swagger about her. That felt good.
Up ahead, a body turned to look at the commotion. They stumbled slightly as they watched, and the horse they were leading took a step off of the path. Seconds later, the wheel of their carriage followed off of the path, and the vehicle toppled over with a tumultuous commotion as the clatter and clink of gold and jewels started to pour out of the now damaged doors.
Xanth watched as several people from other carriages rushed forward to help right the cart that had been thrown. Some checked that the horse was okay, but many were hefting the wagon up, and more were shovelling the coin and such back inside while another cast mending on the broken bits. He did his best to walk by without looking too interested, but, boy, that was interesting. He wanted to know more, but, in the meantime, he memorized the faces of all he saw at the cart and assisting it. He was almost certain that they had just irrevocably found the cult of the dragon hiding among them.
His eyes looked forward, and, beyond the action, a group of people carried a sedan chair decorated with fine silks. Some of them moved about, and sleek jet black scales and horns jutted out. Piercing yellow eyes gazed on, unnoticing of the vigilant eyes of the hunters upon her.
Elli awoke in the morning. She was nestled inside of the wagon beside Nebula. She hugged onto her rucksack, and almost unconsciously reached up to finger the necklace on her neck. Suddenly, her eyes opened widely, and she was completely alert. She was out of her place, and dashing out of the cart in an instant. Her feet were loud as she jogged on the loose dirt where they rested, but it was quiet enough just before dawn. Those that were near waking only just wiggled as she passed by. That is until she found Longnose. That traitorous halfling. How dare he take what was hers?! She glared down at his prone form inside of his tent.
"Do no harm. Do no harm." She muttered to herself several times over before she grabbed a wad of gauze, and shoved it unceremoniously deeply into his throat. His eyes coming fully open now. A muffled scream escaped him, and he started to kick and fight back only to be pinned by surprising strength. She pulled his pillow out from under him, and pressed it firmly down into his nose and mouth until all movement and fight left him. Longnose was dead. Her fingers searched, finding in his pocket her missing necklace. A scowl graced her features as she laid him back down, arranging him to look like he'd fallen into a peaceful final slumber.