Now she remembered. This was Rand, the man James had pointed out to her at The Drunken Dog. Had he been following her? Given the circumstances, she couldn’t bring herself to be angry.

Rand walked from one Red Shield to the other, checking their pulse. “They’ll live,” he said. He offered her a hand and she took it, wincing at her new bruises as he pulled her to her feet. The side of her leg felt moist, and she looked down. As the smell of herbs reached her nostrils, her heart sank. Lettie’s potion had spilled in the fight. She grabbed for the bag of herbs at her waist. It was ripped, and there were dry leaves scattered over the ground.

“The herbs,” she breathed.

Rand was unsympathetic. “Them’s the least of your worries right now. We’ve got to go.”

Kyra knew he was right, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the herbs. They had been so expensive.

Suddenly, she remembered that Lettie was still hiding. She ran in the direction the girl had gone, shouting her name, and sighed with relief when a shape detached itself from the shadows. As Kyra ran closer, she saw Lettie shrink away in fear. Kyra raised a hand to her face. Her cheek was sticky with blood, and she realized how frightening she looked.

“It’s all right, Lettie, I’m all right,” she said, stretching her arms out. Kyra took Lettie’s hands and turned to Rand. “I’ve got to take her to her sister.”

He glanced at the child and gave a curt nod.

They proceeded in silence toward Lettie’s neighborhood. When children’s voices sounded ahead, Kyra stopped. “Lettie, can you go the rest of the way by yourself?” She didn’t want Idalee to see her in this condition. “Tell Idalee to keep you warm. I’ll come by with more herbs for you.”

Lettie nodded.

“Good. Off with you.” She pushed Lettie toward the courtyard. When she was convinced that the girl had safely rejoined the other children, Kyra sighed and allowed herself to sag.

“If you’re fixing to go around baiting Red Shields, you should carry a dagger at least,” Rand said.

“I don’t usually do this.”

“That’s a pity.”

She didn’t bother to answer.

With just the two of them walking, the silence was more noticeable, but she was in no mood for conversation. Only when they were almost at the tavern did Rand speak again.

“It’s James’s job to convince you to join us,” he said. “So I won’t waste my breath talking at you. But you don’t have to let the wallhuggers trample you like this. We’d teach you to fight, to take care of yourself.” They stopped at the back door of the tavern. Rand didn’t follow her to the doorstep. “Just think about it,” he said before walking away.