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    To the north. A quarter of a finger. A wagon is coming toward you. It will hide the target in eight seconds. Wait. One hundred and ten.
    I watched her back as it withdrew. But I fully trusted Layen’s instincts. There was the wagon. A moment and it was gone.
    One hundred and fifteen.… Now!
    Years of training took hold. I acted without thinking. I raised the bow up, drew explosively (a shot from a powerful bow generally has to be made without a long pause while holding the string taut and aiming. Because of the great force of the tension the shot proceeds like a so-called explosion since both hands jerk away from each other) and shot.
    Twang!
    I immediately jumped back from the window to the wall, having noticed that the arrow darting toward its target was leaving behind a purple trail.
    Layen acted simultaneously with me. Of course, I didn’t feel anything but I knew that the protection of the unsuspecting Embers had been crushed.
    Thwack!
    For a moment the street was illuminated with the purple light. The arrow had found its target.
    Boom! Boom! Boom!
    The din from outside made it clear that the Embers had recovered and were striking out at random. Layen was quiet, fearing that now the sorceresses might be able to hear our silent communication. I hoped with all my heart that my sun had already fled.
    I dropped the bow and, slipping off my gloves as I ran, fled from the attic. I descended to the second floor by way of a rickety ladder. I opened a door and entered the room I had rented out earlier, where I changed quickly into an apprentice baker’s smock that was lying on top of a loaf of fresh bread. I did not neglect to rub my clothes and hands with flour.
    As I walked, I bit off a chunk of bread and, chewing, opened the window that led out onto the backyard. Having measured off the distance, I leaped onto the shed. From there I dropped down into a snowbank. I stood up and looked around.
    The yard was empty. I ran up to the low fence, easily hopped over it, and passed through a breezeway that emerged into a narrow alley. And then, without any undue haste, I strolled away. I could hear shouts, muffled by the distance, coming from Rukovits.
    From my spot all I could see was the looming bell tower. Or more precisely, what remained of it. The Embers had gone berserk and, without pausing to think, were focusing their magics along the upper floors of the nearest buildings, hoping to wound the assassin.
    Well then. It’s a good thing I made my nest in a less noticeable spot, otherwise I would have been flattened. By the time they understood the what and the how, Layen and I would be far away, and our alleged corpses would be found burnt to a crisp in the old hideout of Jola and Ktatak. I hope my friends will forgive us for burning up one of their storehouses.
    I left the scene with brisk strides.
    *   *   *
    “I’ll get ready,” Layen sighed, and stood up from the steps.
    I shook my head, banishing the recollections. Seven years have gone by, but I remember it as if it were yesterday.
    “Yes. You’re right. We’d best ditch the village by tomorrow evening. I won’t be able to pick up the money.”
    “I’ll fetch it. But I’ll do it tomorrow.”
    “Alone? Are you sure you’ll manage?”
    “Quite sure. Will we tell Whip?”
    Whip was not a bad man, but it would not do to stay too close to him.
    “No.”
    I frowned. I really didn’t like the idea of her going into the forest alone. But only she could get at the money. That was the truth.
    “And if he figures it out and decides to keep us company?”
    I considered the alternatives and declared, “It would be better for him if he didn’t find out.”
    Layen smiled tightly and went back inside the house.

 
    3
     
    Ga-Nor leaned toward his captain’s ear and softly whispered, “I don’t like this.”
    The shaggy-haired Da-Tur said nothing in reply. Ta-Ana answered for him, “The whole time we’ve been cooling our heels here, not a single one of