He threw me over his shoulder so easily, as though I didn't weigh a pound. I couldn't help but cry out, regretting it the moment I saw a nearby guard's head raise in alarm.
Before he could connect my voice to my location, the ground flew out from under us at a sickening rate. Gods, but the man can fly! I barely contained my surprise as he set me down and continued sizing me up. I had certainly chosen an interesting new companion, though if he continued to handle me like a sack of potatoes, his uniqueness would not assist him.
Once assured that the guards would not be expecting us atop the roof of the local inn, we relaxed and he began to introduce himself.
"I'm Torin," he began, holding his hand out to me. It seemed a gesture given too late - having already laid hands on me, already entered my personal space. He would not enter it again by my choice! After a moment, his arm dropped as he smirked at me.
"What are you doing here?"
"It's nice to meet you too. Well, if you insist," he sighed, "I've been following someone ... maybe something, and it's brought me here. In every town, there have been terrible murders, bodies left scattered in pieces or scraps hanging from trees and roofs. There aren't any witnesses for any of the murders, and in fact the townspeople act like they've just woken from a dream."
"So you're investigating it?" I asked, eyebrow cocked.
"You could say that," he chuckled. "We can't have anybody edging in on our business, now can we?"
My temper flared. "I am not a murderer!" I hissed, stepping aggressively towards him. "Any man I've killed had bought his way to hell long before." The amused look on his face melted into a sad understanding. "My name is Diana. My ... companion ... and I were just passing through. I've got my own quest that's brought me this way," I finished, noticing Torin's attention had shifted to the ground below.
I followed his gaze to the entrance of the inn, where a wide swath of blood peppered by armor painted the cobblestones and stairs leading to the door.
"We need to move. I need to get my gear and we need to leave. I have this feeling that this isn't coincidental," he insisted, again holding his hand out to me. This time I had no choice but to allow his touch as he grabbed me and leaped to the dirt. The smell on the ground made my stomach twist as the blood heated with the rising sun. Torin seemed to end his survey and focus on the door. His eyes had transformed from the red shade they had after his murder to a cooler gray. After a moment, I spoke up:
"What's wrong?"
"We'll see once we get inside. But I have this suspicion that he knows I'm here. He's found his way out, and it looks to me that he might try to use me as a scapegoat. In short, he's trying to pin his little spree on me," he explained. I stared into the dark doorway, hoping the dawn might lend some clue to what might wait within.
"Do you think he's inside?"
He shook his head and handed me a knife with a grim look. "I don't want to do this, but the moment I walk inside without you, he'll end up out here tearing you apart like those soldiers. And I'd never hear you scream, because you wouldn't get the chance. So take this, stay close, and don't hesitate to use it." I balanced the knife in my hand - rather heavier than I would have preferred, had we more time. But not the worst weapon to have in-hand, should push come to shove. I nodded and begrudgingly placed my hand on his arm to serve as a lifeline in the dark building, assuring him I could handle myself.
He looked down at me with a naked sadness in his now-gray eyes. I bristled at his implied pity, at the idea that I might not come out of the inn alive.
I grit my teeth and advanced.
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