The Raider

Chapter 3

Rambunctious laughter reached Ascella as she pushed open the tavern door. The familiar smell of beer and sweat assaulted her senses as she scanned the room.

"Ella!" A smile broke out on her face as she shoved her way towards the corner table.

"Barrow." Ascella returned the greeting as she slid into her seat.

"You're drinking already? Are the recruits really that awful?" She resisted the urge to look towards the stairs.

"Worse." Technically, it wasn't a lie. Her recruits had spent the day scaling the rocks and she was far from impressed.

"In that case, drinks are on me tonight." Ascella returned his smile with one of her own. Barrow had been a childhood friend. They rarely saw each other anymore, with him working in the inner circle, but the Sunny Inn welcomed everyone. Ascella thought the name was beyond stupid, but Ray had been besides himself when he announced it.

Ascella made sure that she was seen with a tankard in her hand the entire night. At one point, the rest of the regular group joined and it was almost too easy to keep the loopy smile on her face. It was easy for her to disappear among the privileged inner circle boys. Though they often prompted her for stories of her raiding conquests, they were easily persuaded to speak of their own conquests.

Her laughter rang through the alley as they were kicked out of the tavern and traveled towards the inner districts. As they reached the threshold, she waved goodbye. Before her father's betrayal she would have joined them, but now she was not allowed past even the first gates. If it hadn't been so damn inconvenient, she would be honored the Tribal Leaders considered her a threat. But, then again, she suspected the leaders kept her isolated as a warning to other noble families more than anything. She could almost hear Kalor's droll voice, "Punishment is the only language the wicked understand." Ascella snorted to herself, as if she wanted to be in the inner circles. No, she thought, I do not belong with pretentious pigs.

Her smile dropped as she flipped up her hood and scaled the nearest building. Her feet fell into a familiar rhythm as she raced across rooftops. The bright yellow door of Ray's Inn was an easy landmark and she quieted her footsteps as she approached. She circled to the back and smiled at the window left conveniently open. Ascella leaped from her perch and rolled into the room with ease. Metal armor glinted and her eyes traced the dark swirls adorning it as she stood.

"What is he doing here?" She lifted her head to address Ray. The innkeeper stared at her from his seat. Even sitting down, his uncommon height was apparent. Ascella often wondered if there was any Kinid in him.

"West deserves to be here as much as any of us." Ray's voice brooked no room for argument and Ascella resisted the urge to spit. West was a guard to the Tribal Leaders. He deserved nothing.

"Does he now?" Her voice came out tightly. The soldier's hand went to his sword and Ascella's blood thrummed with anticipation.

"That is enough." Blossom stood from her seat. "We are not here to discuss this. West called this meeting and we are to hear what he has to say."

Ascella bit her tongue, but deferred to the older woman. There would be time to confront West later. She grudgingly took her seat at the table, nodding at Gale, their final member.

"I think it's time that we make our move." West's voice could barely be heard over the drunken ruckus below them and Ascella was nearly certain she misheard.

"Are you insane?' Gale's declaration mirrored her own thoughts.

"We cannot wait any longer." West did not seem deterred in the slightest.