Dalric held Mariella's hand tightly as he tugged her along the uneven terrain. Anya sobbed quietly in his ear as she clung to his back. Her right ankle was hastily wrapped with a sleeve torn from Dalric's shirt. The boy had only risked stopping long enough to tend to the little girl's injury and get her onto his back. He knew they were close to home. Every tree was familiar to him, yet it still seemed as if they were running endlessly through the forest. His legs burned and his throat was dry from breathing so hard but he refused to stop.

Mariella slowed, unable to keep up any longer. Dalric tried to pull her along but she stumbled and sobbed as her knees tore open against the ground. He pulled her to her feet again and slid his arm around her waist to pull her too. He got about a dozen steps before his own legs turned weak and he toppled over. His heart thundered in his chest. He heard Mariella gasping beside him and Anya sobbing on his back.

"Just a little further," he gasped out. His voice was raw and barely above a whisper. He coughed and seemed unable to stop. He managed to push himself onto his hands and knees to crawl away from the girls and vomit on the side of the path.

"Can't we stop for a moment to rest?" Mariella asked. "I can't run anymore. My legs ache."

"He told us to run," Dalric said. He swiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "We have to keep going."

"No need for that, boy."

Dalric whipped his head around and gasped. Fear gripped his heart when he saw a man standing only a few feet away from the girls. His pale face was sweaty, framed by greasy black hair, and when he opened his mouth in a wide grin his teeth were crooked and yellow. He took a step toward Mariella. When the girl tried to scoot away from him, he lunged forward and grabbed her by her hair, wrapping the dirty red locks around his fist. Mariella screamed in pain and terror as the man brandished a stiletto, waving it near her face. Anya scrambled away, crawling toward Dalric without a sound, her voice lost in her fear.

"Leave her alone!" Dalric shouted before bursting into a fit of coughs. He hugged Anya close to his side.

"You've got some spirit, I'll give you that," the man growled. "But you ain't got no where left to run. Best come quietly back with Serg and meet the boss before I have to kill you."

"Let her go," Dalric pleaded, hopeless tears filling his blue eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

Serg yanked on Mariella's hair, smiling gleefully at her scream. Tears streamed down her face. Dalric felt helpless, a feeling he hated. So many times he had been unable to protect the two girls since their kidnapping, and so many times he had let his fear get the better of him. Hot tears of rage burned in his eyes, shame and anger pushing his fear aside. He would not be helpless again. He had promised to protect Anya and Mariella.

Dalric felt his blood boil at the sight of sweet, innocent Mariella in peril. He pushed Anya behind him and balled up his fists.

"You gonna fight me, boy?" Serg asked. "I'm so scared." The man's voice rose high in mock fear.

Dalric yelled, his voice cracking under the strain. He charged toward Serg, who laughed at his attempt. The laughter only made Dalric angrier. The boy punched Serg, or tried to. The man stepped to the side and Dalric's momentum carried him forward, stumbling. He landed on the ground, gashing open his arm on a sharp rock jutting from the ground.

Serg only laughed harder.

Dalric turned, cradling his injured arm to his chest. He glared at Serg as the man laughed. Then Serg's voice cut short. Dalric's eyes widened as the fletching of an arrow suddenly sprouted from the man's forehead. Serg dropped the stiletto and loosened his grip on Mariella's hair. He toppled back, lifeless on the ground.

"Looks like we caught up just in time," came the pleasantly familiar voice behind Dalric.

Vallyn appeared from the trees, bow in hand. Kraggs ran up the path a moment later to join them. Relief flooded Dalric and he nearly burst into tears. He looked at Anya and Mariella and held them back, though. He had to be brave for them, for now.

Vallyn sighed dramatically and wiped some imaginary sweat from his brow. "I think it's time to rest," the elf said, winking at Dalric he added, "All that running has me tired."

Dalric smiled in appreciation. The children were exhausted and rested while Vallyn bandaged the gash in Dalric's arm and checked the binding on Anya's leg.

"You did well," Vallyn murmured to Dalric as he tied linen around the boy's arm.

Dalric beamed at the compliment, which turned into a wince as Vallyn tightened the knot to keep the linen on. The elf patted his shoulder and stood, leaving the boy to rest.

Kraggs had moved the body of Serg off the path, but Vallyn still wanted to see if he could salvage his arrow. After finding hardly anything of value on Serg, Vallyn studied the arrow protruding from the man's forehead. Shaking his head with disappointment at the realization that the arrow was lost, Vallyn turned away, but something caught his eye as he turned. He glanced back, his eyes widening in horror.

Found you.

Vallyn cried out and staggered back, tripping in his haste and falling hard on his tailbone. He winced and rolled to his feet, looking back at the body with weapons drawn. Kraggs approached, frowning at the elf.

"What is it?" the orc asked.

Vallyn studied the corpse for a moment then, when he was sure he had imagined it, sheathed his swords and shook his head. He turned and waved off the question. He wasn't even sure himself. The elf jumped into a nearby tree and settled himself on a low branch with his back against the trunk. He ignored the curious glances from his friend and the children as he closed his eyes, trying to sort out what he had seen.

For the face he had glimpsed in that moment, the voice he had heard, was more than imagination, he knew. He had seen, just for an instant, the corpse had moved and spoken to him. But it hadn't been Serg's face or his voice. No, it had to be the leader of the Vengeful Watchers.

Found you.

Vallyn felt a spark of recognition, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. He shivered as a chill ran up his spine. Someone had been looking for him.

Found you.

Now, that someone had found him.