I couldn't help but grin. Things were certainly looking up. I'd given those arrogant elves the slip and was now traveling with a beautiful woman who promised to line my pockets with gold. What could be better?
Of course, no journey is without its perils. Magical beasts, it seemed, were a common problem in these lands. Fortunately, my skills were more than enough to handle the creatures we encountered. Horned wolves, animated plants, even a deceptively harmless-looking rabbit that turned out to be ferocious – none proved a match for me.
"I'm so glad you're escorting me," Anya said one evening as we sat by a crackling campfire. "I'd be in real trouble if I were alone."
Her words sparked a question that had been nagging at me. "What about your own escort?" I asked. "Surely you didn't travel all this way by yourself?"
Anya hesitated, a flicker of sadness crossing her face. "I flew here, actually," she admitted. "But my father... he has other obligations."
