A couple of feet away, Taegis talked quietly with Damien, who sat on the ground, holding his right leg gingerly. Only a small part of the shaft stuck out, but from the way he was moving, it seemed the arrowhead remained. The older man’s hair had come undone from the leather tie and hung around Taegis’s shoulders in an array of dark blond and grey. A cut ran across his cheek. Over to the right, eight men were tied up, with Karl and Sten standing watch over them.

Taegis straightened and turned around. “There is a village east of here, about a half day’s walk, called Clonah. We can leave these men in the custody of the local authorities until they can be brought to Nor Esen. Sten, Karl, you will be in charge of delivering them.”

“Why are we not taking Lord Maris to Clonah if it’s closer than Nor Esen?” Karl asked with a scowl. Selene wondered the same thing.

“I don’t know if there is a healer there. And even if there is, I don’t trust anyone but our own court healer,” Taegis said.

That made sense. If they arrived in the village and found no healer, Damien would be worse off.

“I know the way to Clonah,” Sten said. Karl nodded.

“I will escort Lord Damien and Lady Selene to Nor Esen. If any of these men give you trouble, slay them.” Taegis let his gaze fall over the small group sitting sullenly on the ground. “It is by the mercy of Grand Lord Maris that you are still alive. If you try to escape, then you forfeit his good favor.”

As Taegis turned around, Selene approached him. “Sir Taegis,” she said quietly.

“Yes, my lady?” he asked, seemingly surprised by her address.

“You may want to question these men. I heard one speak when the cloth fell from his face. He has a foreign accent. I’m not sure from where, but certainly not from our lands.”

“I see.” He looked over his shoulder, concern on his face. “I will question them when they are delivered to Nor Esen.”

“Up, you rascals,” Sten said as he pulled on the end of the rope with one hand, holding his sword in the other. Karl flashed the group a wicked smile, looking even more menacing with that one lock of dark hair hanging over his eye, almost daring any of them to get out of line.

The men grumbled and stood. One kept glancing at the forest, then spotted Karl and seemed to change his mind. Selene had no doubt Sten and Karl would do what they needed to deliver the bandits to Clonah, or whatever that village was called. They were fortunate that Damien was kind enough to let them live. If it had been her mother they had attacked, they would all be dead.

Taegis watched the two guards herd the highwaymen east, then turned. His shoulders sagged, and he wiped his forehead before pulling his hair back and securing it at the nape of his neck.