Free One Realm Beyond by Donita K. Paul

he’d not had the exposure to realm walking that her mentor had insisted she have.
    She stopped above the clearing where the two citizens ofEffram bemoaned the fate of Arend and all the young men held prisoners by the King’s Guard. Easing down the trunk without stirring so much as a leaf, she got within jumping distance to the men. She looked back at Cantor, caught his eye, nodded once, and dropped silently to the ground.
    Lem and Ruese stood together, fully occupied with their scheming. Ruese stroked his chin, his eyes unfocused as he plotted. “First we’d have to break into Gristermeyer. You realize it’s a walled city.”
    “We could go in before the gate closes for the night.”
    “Fine, excellent, that’s a plan. If you leave out that we have no business in Gristermeyer, nor money to spend pretending we’re gathering supplies.” His voice scraped across Bixby’s nerves with cutting sarcasm. “No one will notice two country fellows loitering in this city, the one notorious for detaining outsiders and sentencing them to hard labor for no reason.”
    “We can sit in a tavern and nurse one drink until you think it’s the right time to get the boys.”
    “That’ll be hours into the night, Lem. We can’t approach the barracks until most everyone is asleep.”
    “We have the time to wait. I’m not doin’ a thing until I can tell Aria her boy is safe.”
    “So we’re going to walk right past the guards in the barracks?” Ruese sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “You think we can just open a locked door and lead a string of men through the city to the closed and locked, as well as guarded, gate?”
    Lem raised his arms above his head, then let them fall. “All you do is think of impossibilities. That’s what you’ve done all your life. My boy’s in trouble. Just keep your eyes on that.”
    The brothers glared at each other.
    Cantor landed lightly behind Bixby. She tossed him an encouraging smile and scooted back to stand beside him.
    Still wearing the grin, she said, “We’d like to help.”
    Both men jumped and spun to face them. Ruese, standing taller than his brother, jerked his hand to a leather-wrapped grip sticking out of a long sheath. Bixby gauged the tense muscles in the man’s neck and the hard glare in his eyes. He carried a serious dagger and a no-nonsense attitude. She’d not rush in and give the man reason to defend himself. Better to disarm him before his weapon left its case. Caution was an instrument of the wise.
    Cantor stepped forward and edged in front of Bixby. “We’re not here to do you harm.”
    Lem relaxed, wiped his hand over his tear-streaked face, and slumped into a round and unimpressive figure.
    Ruese cast a wary eye on Cantor and Bixby. “Where did you come from?”
    Bixby started to reply, but Cantor straightened his shoulders and said, “We’re travelers. But we heard your plight and know that the King’s Guard is acting in defiance of Primen’s precepts. We offer our assistance.”
    Ruese gestured toward Cantor. “I can see how you’d be helpful in a brawl.” He jabbed his chin forward, toward Bixby. “But what’s that wee little girl going to do?”
    Bixby passed Cantor so quickly his hair fanned in the breeze. With two cartwheels she closed in on the unsuspecting farmer. A flip at his side gave her the opportunity to grab his knife from its sheath and plant a heel against his chin, knocking him over. She landed and took several steps back so Ruese couldn’t grab her ankles and upset her.
    “I’m quick,” she said. “And I make up for my lack of size with tricks that surprise and confuse my opponents.”
    She glanced at Cantor. His eyes crinkled at the corners even as he held his lips in a straight line. Another point in his favor. He had a sense of humor.
    She couldn’t help but grant him her most impish smile. She’d have to ask forgiveness of Primen for her unsuitable pride.
    Cantor offered the downed man his hand. Ruese took it