"It's highly reversible, and will only hurt a little," Rose said. Lynde still didn't want to do it. Rose, for the sake of their disguises, was trying to convince Lynde to allow her to change the Rider's face with magic in a grove not far from their camp. Rose had already done it to her own, making her facer softer than before, but no less threatening. She didn't like the idea of it though, even if it was necessary.

"No, Rose, I won't do it!" she said. Rose was being unreasonable. There were other ways to disguise her face.

"You have wanted posters from here to the Beor Mountains. If you don't let me do this, then someone will recognize you," Rose said.

Lynde was still adamant. "You can't make me."

"You're being childish and I could," Rose said simply. "And you don't know how to reverse it properly, so don't tempt me."

Lynde crossed her arms. "Fine, but you'd better make it quick."

Rose's frown deepened. "I will take however long I want." She took Lynde's head in her hands. "Now hold still. I need to see what I'm doing to you."

Rose began to speak the spell that Lynde had fought against. At first she recognized some of the words, but then she started to have little idea of what Rose was saying. She felt her bones and skin in her face shift slightly. She thought that it would hurt more, but there was no pain. When Rose was done, Lynde asked, "How do I look?"

Rose allowed her to see an image of her through the eyes of the Elf. Her face was now a bit narrower and her cheekbones higher. She looked almost like she could be an Elf, but was definitely Human. "I think I like it," she said. "I'd rather have my old face though." Rose looked like she saw a ghost. "What is it?"

"I didn't realize it, but your new face almost looks like…" she started. "It doesn't matter. Let's get to work on our clothes."

They used various dyes made of things around them—like grass seeds to make a green dye that was temporary, but the best they could do—to turn their clothes different colors. Rose's magic helped collect them, as it did in applying them. When they were done dyeing, it almost hurt to look at Rose, or even herself.

Rose left her cloak undyed, and wrapped it around herself like a shawl. It helped to cover some of the painful color combinations that she wore, and added to her disguise. "What do you think?" Rose said in a thick accent that seemed awkward.

"Good, but work on the voice," Lynde replied, putting on an accent she'd practiced before. She heard it from a trader and thought it sounded so nice she used to imitate it. Eventually Gelsey told her to stop, but by then the accent was almost second nature. "Nobody's going to believe that's your real accent."

Rose was surprised. "That's a good desert accent, Lynde, but try rolling your 'R's more."

"Alrrright," Lynde said, grinning.

When they got back to camp they saw Arlen and Herbst piling up most of the stuff Artsanna usually carried—the tents and other heavy things like that. They couldn't carry all of it, and they couldn't depend on Artsanna to carry it because of her part in the plan. Instead they had to get rid of it.

As much as it felt like a waste, Rose said that it had to be done. As Arlen lit it on fire with the remains of their campfire—which Rose had cast a spell on to last throughout the night, but not spread to the surrounding area—she felt like there had to be a way to save some of it, but there was nothing they could do. Of course, Artsanna's saddle wasn't among it as Rose said that they didn't need to get rid of it, but she was going to put a spell of invisibility over it.

Meanwhile Artsanna was prancing about with joy. When Lynde asked, Artsanna said, Because I do not need to carry it anymore!

But now we'll have to sleep in the rain.

I look forward to the company, but I think I can shield you from most of it.

Well, thank you.

Getting back to the matters at hand, Rose said, "Alright, we have our parts memorized?" Everyone did, so they moved out.

They traveled several days to the south. According to Rose, as long as they kept the Spine within sight to their right-hand, they would be alright. However, Lynde wasn't entirely sure if they were going the right way. Of course she wasn't going to correct Rose since she definitely didn't know which way to go.

As they were passing through a field with Artsanna in the next field over, a patrol of soldiers on horseback appeared and stopped in front of the travelers. They were well armed and armored, and even had a Magician among them. While she was confident that they could take them, she didn't want to—every time she killed it felt wrong.

This would be the first test of their disguises. "Who are you folks?" a soldier asked, who she assumed was the leader as he had golden markings on his helmet.

"We are artists for Madam Chelsa's traveling circus," Rose said in the accent which she had been using and improving nonstop since leaving Therinsford.

"Artists?" the soldier asked.

"Or performers if you prefer," Rose said. "You may call us what you like, as our art is merely for the enjoyment of others."

Arlen made a motion to suggest to the soldiers that she was crazy. The leader smiled and said, "What is it you all do, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I am one who juggles whatever I wish," Rose said. "Sometimes few things sometimes many. Sometimes dull things sometimes sharp. I have even juggled fire."

"Or something that looks like fire," Arlen added in a hoarse voice.

"And you?" the soldier asked.

"I'm a sword swallower."

"Really? Is that why you carry a sword?" a different soldier asked. Arlen nodded. "Then can we see it?"

Arlen shook his head. "Sore throat."

The lead soldier looked back to his men, and then to Lynde's father. "And you?"

"I handle finances," her father said in his most crazed manner possible.

Then finally came Lynde. "And you?"

Lynde was nervous. This would require some doing. "I do magic," she said. Looking to the Magician she added, "I am registered, don't worry."

"What sort of magic do you do?" asked the Magician.

"Well I might summon a ball of fire or make an occasional illusion, such as a Dragon."

This caught the Magician's noticed. "Really? Can I see that?"

She nodded. Speaking in the Ancient Language the words Rose had told her to say, she spoke what would be a spell of illusion if she actually was using magic. Really she just told Artsanna to come out from a nearby hill and fly around. As much as Artsanna hated to be part of the deception, or revealing herself to others, it felt like she didn't want to let Lynde down.

As Artsanna flew up and over the heads of the soldiers, they were amazed by the sight. It felt good see some happiness that she'd brought into the world, even if it was part of fooling them. Artsanna then flew away and Lynde said a spell to make her invisible, which could also serve as a way to make an illusion disappear as well.

The Magician was visibly impressed. "You're quite the magician, young girl. Your illusions seem almost real."

"Thank you very much," Lynde said, bowing.

"Why silver?" the lead soldier asked.

"Well…" Lynde started but realized that they hadn't thought of that part.

Arlen came up with something on the spot though, saying, "The idea is to have the illusion fight someone. You know, rogue Dragon against a lone warrior."

The soldier nodded. "Alright, I think we've been satisfied. Let's go."

"Goodbye, men of the Empire," Rose said, bowing.

"Goodbye," the leader said back.

As the group rode away Rose said one thing: "They know!" Panic gripped Lynde. Rose drew her bow out from under her cloak, and readied three arrows. She fired the first arrow at the leader, but he had wards that blocked it. The next two's wards were weaker, so the arrows hit and the soldiers were felled. They were now were riding faster than ever away from the group.

"Artsanna!" Rose called out. "Get 'em."

Artsanna flew out to attack them. Lynde was in a daze of what was happening. It was just like Dras-Blöthr. She had to stop it. Stop it! she told Artsanna.

Why? Artsanna replied. Lynde sent every emotion she felt to Artsanna, and suddenly she understood. Alright, she said, the voice of her mind saddened. I won't do it then.

As Artsanna turned back, Rose was confused. "Where is she?" she asked impatiently.

"I called her off," Lynde said.

Rose looked to Lynde, betrayed. "You realize that if they get away, the Riders will know exactly where we are!"

"But are we so much more important than them?" Lynde asked.

"Sometimes it's them or us," Rose said. "A wolf doesn't think about his prey; he hunts, kills, and lives his life in service to nature's will."

"We're not wolves," Arlen said, "we're Humans and I think Lynde has a point." Lynde was a little surprised that Arlen was on her side about this. "If we keep killing these people, it's going to do more harm than good. Can't you just remove their memories of us?"

Rose sighed. "Alright, but I'm going to need Lynde's help."

Lynde was willing whatever was necessary to help. "What do I do?" she asked.

"You stop their horses by taking over their minds," Rose said. "While it's more than you usually do, they won't put up much of a fight."

Lynde nodded. "I won't let you down." She stretched out and found the minds of the horses. It took some doing to distinguish them from those of the dead riders, but she managed it. Once she took command, she had them halt. She felt their pain as the riders dug their spurs into the horses' sides, but she could do nothing to stop them. When the pain stopped, she assumed that Rose had begun her work.

Within a few minutes Rose said, "That's enough. Release them." Lynde obeyed and withdrew from the minds of the horses. She quickly felt her face just to make sure that she hadn't somehow been turned into a horse—she had to check after so many nightmares about that sort of thing—and she was pleased to find out she hadn't been.

"There, they won't tell anyone," Rose said. "Are you pleased with yourself?"

"I'm pleased that you didn't kill them," Lynde replied. "So thank you."

"You're welcome." Rose didn't show much emotion, but she did show some anger towards Lynde. She could only imagine what that was for.

Good, Artsanna said. Now can we go before they remember?

Rose answered her. "Alright, let's go."