Shaandra had come to the city to get ingredients for Biggy. She visited the city quite often in fact, which was a rather long trip to make from the little village. The route she took obviously didn’t pass by Kildur’s mountains or the forests where Laynah dwelled lately. There was a winding road leaving the city to the coast that actually passed the village rather close. The children had taken the longer route, going to Kildur first.
The only thing was: not many people dared to make that trip, because it was still pretty dangerous by road, even for a priest. Especially one carrying valuable medicine.

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Shaandra was surprised to find these children here, especially in Sentinella’s house. She assumed the children were with Kildur. Biggy hadn’t filled her in on Ileya’s plan to let the children go to Littlefather for help. A bit odd really, since Shaandra was not only Biggy’s eager student these days, but Littlefather actually was the elder of the priest order Shaandra belonged to. If anyone, she could have acted as a messenger. In the end it was Ileya’s decision, Biggy probably just respected her wish not to inform Shaandra. Ileya was bound on getting the mother Malika to Littlefather. And since that wasn’t possible, she settled for sending her children on that journey. It seemed Ileya especially wanted the girl to meet Littlefather, for whatever reason that might have been. In all this, she didn’t have the need to involve Shaandra, so she didn’t. Ileya was simple like that.

Shaandra listened to the story the children had to tell about the fights they were in with Muredin, and how they were brought here by that hunter Laynah. Shaandra frowned when she hear mention that name but she said nothing. Kyell took note of this: ‘She knows Laynah obviously but still she doesn’t respond, this means she has something to hide.’

There was another thing bothering him. Shaandra had left the village a week after the children themselves left with Keezul. The route she took, by road, was about three days travel. So, what had she done the remaining days? She didn’t mention any special stops, other than the inns along the way that she frequented every time. There were a few days missing in her story. Not that Kyell thought it was his business what a priest like Shaandra did, but the thing what made him suspicious was the fact she described in detail to Sentinella how the trip went. Leaving out a few days apparently…

The day was drawing to it’s end. At the gate Shaandra and Sentinella were discussing the meeting the children had with Kexon and his blue eyed missus. Shaandra let her hand glide along the ranks of the plants on the outer wall. She seemed impressed.

‘Let them try’ Sentinella laughed. As she noticed Leki coming close they stopped their conversation. Sentinella changed subject so blatantly obvious that Leki couldn’t help but giggle at the secrecy. Sentinella gave her that knowing smile again.

‘Are you ready children?’

‘Kyell is there with Petta. She really wants to get out again. As lovely as this garden is, she prefers going about and pulling things.’

‘I know dear, but for now she’ll have to settle for nibbling at my flowers and my plants. Rest assured, she’ll come out a stronger horse even still.’

‘Stronger? Think that’s hardly possible.’

‘Don’t underestimate my little garden my dear cousin, it’s far more nutritious than you can imagine.’

‘Cousin?’ Shaandra frowned.

‘Of course. But we it’s time to go children, before Shaandra gets tangled up in these here lovely ranks.’

‘We want to be back here before dark children,’ Shaandra said, ‘that’s one part of the city you don’t want to be caught after dark.’ The children didn’t like this, Leki wanted to turn to Sentinella but she already went back inside and the ranks were closing around the gate.

The two of them going to a dangerous place, and with Shaandra of all people. Kyell didn’t like it, he didn’t like it at all.

Shaandra was taking them to one of the priest temples in the lower city, near the area known as the sewers in fact. One of the priests there had a way of making contact with Ileya’s cove. Shaandra didn’t explain how this would be achieved, no matter how much Kyell uttered no such thing was technically possible. Still the prospect of contacting their mother in some way, made the children hopefull nonetheless. No matter how unlikely.

As they went on their way down the street, they were being observed from high above. Across the street of Sentinella’s house, way up on the roof, a young rascal was playing catch with his dagger, while a lady with the bluest eyes was doing handstands on the edge. As the three went on their way down the street, the two upon the rooftops moved too. Always a few houses behind, jumping on roof and walls, they followed Shaandra and the children.
Every once in a while Shaandra stopped to look behind. Kyell was mistrusting and couldn’t help but wonder: was she checking that they weren’t being followed, or checking that they were?

The attack started at the bridge to the lower city. The one hovering low over the cottages and barracks. A beggar suddenly lashed out and hit Shaandra with his stick. She took the blow but grabbed his arm and scratched open his skin with her fingernail. The man immediately collapsed catching his breath. The gamblers at the coin-in-a-cup stand suddenly rushed forward as one, all but waiting on the opening signal. Shaandra blew a purple cloud of dust to their face and the first ones to catch it coughed and gasped, almost scratching open their own faces. Shaandra moved slow but well coordinated. Whatever she did, she always made sure the children were behind her.

A fast small man actually could get behind Shaandra but as she merely looked at him with a stare that made Leki scream in terror herself, the man stumbled back. He fell and crawled back even more, as fast as he humanly could. Shaandra didn’t even waste time watching him fall over the edge.

The attackers didn’t give up but tried to get themselves together. Shaandra was not waiting anymore. One of the men stepping back she threw something at, it left a dirty brown stain on his shirt. He swayed from left to right, fell upon his companion. The next moment the other had a the brown stains too. As he looked at what appeared to be some strange paint actually spreading, both of them started throwing up. In a moment’s time they were reduced to nothing but two miserable crawling creatures in agony.

Shaandra missed that one had ran away from very early on. This one came back with a few more, holding in fact small crossbows. Shaandra backed of at this point, pushing the children to the side.

She jumped over the edge, tumbling and twirling. Her blue eyes glimmered with excitement and joy. She did round kicks and dance moves all in the same motion. Shaandra tried to defend but she couldn’t get even the smallest scratch in. however she tried, Missy avoided her every move and kept dancing in front of her eyes. Her every move was a surprise attack, every turn was a kick, every sway held punches too. Shaandra lost concentration but one small moment and immediately Missy seized the opportunity to swipe her of her feet.

As if it was rehearsed that way, Kexon came hopping over the sidewall of the bridge too. His dagger hit Shaandra in the shoulder, pinning her down to the ground in effect. Bolts were flying from the crossbows and a few of the men came close again as well. Kexon stepped up to Kyell, greeted him and grabbed him before he could react. The next moment Kexon jumped of the bridge, to the cottages below. He took Kyell with him. Missy did a few back flips, not stopping for the edge and she plummeted down as well.

Shaandra pulled Leki close to her with all her strength. She put her hand on her mouth, Leki felt how she shoved a few leaves between her lips. ‘Chew!’ Shaandra ordered. The leaves gave of an incredibly fresh taste, too light to bear. The very moment an enormous cloud blew up around them, Leki felt like she couldn’t breathe except for the forced freshness of the leaves. She chewed for her life. Shaandra had taken her up and was running back over the bridge. Leki lost track of what happened. Everything went blurry from that moment on, her longs set on white fire. The wailing of men behind her was the last thing she could make out.

That, and the bumping of being carried too fast…