Forged Destiny [Book 7: Ch. 1]

Moving back to Faith and storing away the hammer, I strapped up the bags and made to mount, only to pause as a sound caught my ear. The rustling of the tall grass on the east side of the path. My hand rose to Crocea Mors sheathed on the side of Faith's saddle, but I let go and reached for the knife at my belt instead. Rather than draw it, I slid it around, so that the knife was hidden, one hand behind my back as I turned to the grass.

"Who's there?" I called. "Show yourself."

There was silence for a moment, but I waited it out. Eventually, after a few long seconds, the grass parted and a small figure stumbled forth. The girl – for it was a young girl – couldn't have been older than fourteen. Her face was gaunt and smeared with dried and crusted blood that looked to have come from a jagged cut above her eye. She wore a green linen dress smudged brown and torn in places. Her eyes told me she was desperate. Desperate enough, even, to approach an armed and unknown man on a lonely road.

—Forged Destiny [Book 7: Ch. 1]