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Running while she thought she might be the equivalent of six-and-a-half-months pregnant might not have been the brightest idea, but Lindi couldn’t resist. When she saw four figures emerge at the edge of the cliff not too far down, she needed to act fast – jiggling, rounded belly be damned.

She hoped her child was okay in there being bounced around.

With one of her hands supporting it, she sprinted as hard as her aching and heavy body could handle. Her winter gear caused her skin to flush with heat in the balmier spring air. She tolerated it and ignored the sweat clinging to the inside of her jacket and tickling down her temple.

There are occultists near the canyon. Although she’d promised Weldir she’d cease hunting them, it didn’t count if they came right to her! Right? It’s not like she went out of her way to do it. I can’t let them sacrifice the woman.

When she saw them approach an area of the cliff not far away, she’d just been about to enter the trees and leave this forsaken place. Honestly, it was a miracle she’d seen them at all, and it was only the call of a bird that brought her gaze that way in the first place.

Then she’d bolted into the forest to hide her presence and chase after them.

It was after a few long strides that her stomach had clamped up with a contraction, and she’d held it to soothe her muscles, knowing it wasn’t that time yet.

Just her muscles tightening in protest and her inner walls stiffening to protect her unborn child.

Lindi redirected her path slightly when she heard voices and brought herself closer to the border of the Veil she’d just left.

Drawing close enough that she could almost make out their clothing, she ceased running to slow and approach strategically. She wasn’t at her optimal strength, was pregnant, and needed to make sure her child was safe above all else – including the woman.

Usually, Lindi would have crouched when she wanted to be hidden, but she just didn’t think her aching back and tired knees could muster up the will to do so. Instead, she lightened her footsteps and was careful as she moved around low-hanging branches.

One of the three men was making some grand speech with his hands towards the air, so she had time. The other two were holding back a frightened brunette woman, trying her hardest to escape now that she looked at the yawning depths of death.

Bright sunlight showered over the Veil, helping to take away the last of mid-spring’s chill. It was bright against her pupils after being in the thick shade of the forest.

Squinting, as if that would focus her sight, she lifted her hands to ready Weldir’s magic. As always, she was thankful for it and that she still breathed.

The past two and a half weeks had been her wandering the forests surrounding the Veil in search of any left-behind souls.

She’d only found one in that time, which she brought back to Weldir today since she planned to leave in order to give birth.

It was a show of good will, and that she’d adhere to the promise she made when she was last in his realm.

Their argument had been enlightening, although their relationship remained almost the same except for a little more chatter between them.

The conception of their child had been as impersonal and strange as the last time, but her chest had been swarmed with the emotional high of their disagreement and she barely registered the awkwardness of it.

She’d agreed to do it immediately, since he so graciously adhered to her will regarding the sanctity of their marriage... matehood.

Lindi had chosen to forgive, putting it up to a clash of culture. He hadn’t stated his desire for other mates maliciously or because of a dislike of her. She was not a problem, or unsatisfactory, and that made her feel better about it. He’d also chosen her and her wants over his own.

That was the best outcome possible.

I wonder how close I would need to be to the Veil’s edge to be in Weldir’s mist. Unless he was directly watching her right then, he wouldn’t sense her nearness. She needed to be standing in his mist, from what she gathered.

He hasn’t said anything...

She took in a long, steeling breath, one that helped cool her from running, and readied herself for a potential battle. The men were standing in the sunlight and likely felt safe from terrible beasts.

Unfortunately for them, Lindi was the most menacing thing that could possibly be there, and she sought vengeance for womankind.

Just as Lindi was about to wield her magic, hoping she didn’t accidentally hurt the poor woman due to the inaccuracy of using it from a distance, a figure shot from the tree line.

Taller than any living being she’d ever seen, as Weldir and his changeable sizes didn’t count, a person shrouded in a thick, brown cloak struck.

A bloodied, dirt-stained white tunic covered their torso, while their legs were encased by brown pants that had a side flap, making them appear half like a skirt.

They didn’t seem to wear shoes, even though material was wrapped over their feet.

The hood of their cloak never fell from their head, even when they lunged or spun.

There was no glint of a weapon as they slashed across the throat of one occultist from behind, instantly killing him before anyone could register their appearance.

The short choke and blood splatter, and the resulting thump of the man’s corpse as it was carelessly dropped, made the two still-living men turn.

The disgusting, unholy chant stopped.

It gave the sacrificial woman an opening for freedom, and she willingly took it. She shoved at the man still holding her, who was then attacked, but Lindi wasn’t quite sure how. It looked as though the taller figure bit into his throat like a grotesque vampire.

The occultist fell to the ground, holding his throat when it squirted blood, just as the taller figure pulled back with a snarl.

It was in that moment Lindi got a peek of a young, masculine face in the shade of his cloak’s hood.

The woman screamed in reaction to the gnarly death and blood and tripped back to fall onto her arse.

Leaning on her bound hands, she scrambled to get away, struggling to find her footing when she kept stepping on the skirt of her dress.

At least her feet are unbound. Unlike Lindi, when she’d been brought here to die.

The final occultist, who had originally been chanting, placed his hand on the scabbard of his sword and spun to the attacker.

Before he could even draw his blade, he was booted in the chest so hard he was sent flying metres through the air like he weighed nothing to the shrouded man.

He hit the rock once before a single roll sent him over the cliff’s edge with a yell.

In less than a minute, all three were dead.

The strange man turned to the woman on the ground.

Lindi could hear her sobbing even from a distance, and she was shaking her head in what had to be utter fear. Standing over her, he looked like a daunting tower, and even his thin frame didn’t make him any less imposing.

Staring down at the woman, he cocked his head to the forest, and the message was clear: run .

She wasted no time. She yanked her snagging skirt to the side, got to her feet, and sprinted into the forest with her bound hands leading the way. She ran straight towards two other people waiting in the shade of a tree, screaming as she dodged around them before heading into the forest.

The strangest part was that all three people stood at least a foot and a half taller than the woman who’d just fled. Lindi had seen a rare giant of a person, but to see three congregate together was out of place. And here, at the border of death?

No, something was wrong. Especially with the strength and speed the shrouded man possessed.

“Weldir,” Lindi muttered quietly, so as not to be heard.

“Yes, Lindiwe?” Then before she could unravel her thoughts to actually ask a question, Weldir gave a low hum. “I see. I didn’t realise you had noticed them and returned. It’s unsafe for you to be there.”

So, he did watch me enter his mist. But that wasn’t what made her eyes narrow in suspicion. “You know who they are.”

Placing her hand over her belly when a welcoming and comforting kick came from within, she winced and braced her weight against a tree trunk to steady her breathing from running.

What a waste of energy. At least the woman is safe, not that she needed my help. She wiped away the sweat on her brow and fanned her face with the neckline of her coat, pleased that the cool air was refreshing.

“Yes. I know who they are. They come to the edge of the Veil often.”

When the man who attacked the occultists stood before the two remaining corpses and lifted a set of gloved hands, she braved sneaking closer. She couldn’t help herself, just too curious – and the fact that Weldir didn’t instantly give her more information told her something intriguing was afoot.

She couldn’t believe that the man had killed three occultists so swiftly – and she thought she was fast!

She could tell it’d required little strength on his part – both mentally and physically.

Even his final kick still had her in awe.

She had to use Weldir’s magic to cart and fling heavy things around effortlessly.

“Lindiwe,” he warned, when she closed the gap between them – enough to see their faces and mark out their expressions.

“Oh shush,” she muttered. “I can protect myself, and if I am in danger, you can just call me back to you.”

Now that she could properly make out the figure standing in the sun, she noted the quality of the thick brown cloak covering his body.

Odd points jabbed upwards from the back of the hood like he wore some kind of hat underneath it.

He turned to the side and neared the Veil’s cliff edge, his gloved fists in front of him as if he held something precious.