Page 42 of A Tale of Mirth & Magic

“Drop your weapons,” Elikki hissed.

“Let me go!” The bounty hunter writhed, but she was held fast against the tree. I watched, gaping. I think they both had forgotten I was there—if they’d ever noticed to begin with. They seemed quite absorbed in their fight.

Elikki’s smile widened at the words. I did not like that smile. She looked like a cat who’d caught a mouse. And was going to eat it for dinner.

She lifted one hand and slowly made a fist. The metal circle around the half-dwarf’s neck tightened as she moved. Tighter, tighter—until it was pressing against her windpipe.

“Wait!” the other woman tried to say, panic setting in when she realized what was happening. Her weapons fell to the forest floor.

Elikki’s eyes gleamed.

“Wait? But why?” she asked softly, clenching her fist tighter. “This is what you were willing to do to me, just a moment ago. Remember? Wrapping your arm around my throat?”

The sharp metal cut into skin. The half-dwarf struggled to breathe.

I jumped forward and said, “Elikki, stop! That’s enough!”

Startled, Elikki flung her other hand up. One of the bounty hunter’s knives leaped from the ground and darted straight at me. I lunged out of the way, just barely avoiding it. It clattered against a tree and fell to the dirt.

I stared at Elikki.

She stared at me.

“Barra—I… I’m so sorry.” Her eyes were wide, shocked. She blinked rapidly, hate fading from her face as if she was coming back to herself from a trance.

The gurgled sound of the half-dwarf’s choked breaths drew our attention. Elikki immediately opened her fist, loosening the metal band’s hold.

Her attacker-turned-prisoner sucked in ragged breaths.

“You nearly killed me!” she croaked, trying to wriggle out of her bonds. The metal remained tight around her ankles and wrists, still pinning her to the tree trunk.

Elikki had the grace to look a bit uncomfortable. “Don’t be so dramatic. Besides, what do you call what you were doing to me before I got the upper hand?”

“I was doing my job and catching a dangerous criminal,” she said, trying again to jostle her handcuffs. “You’re wanted for maiming Lord Renalo’s brother.”

I groaned. A laugh bubbled out of Elikki.

“Of course he’s a noble. The brother of some powerful lord. Of fucking course. That pompous, slimy, idiotic asshole had to be connected to someone in power. It’s not enough that his cousin is a fucking copper,” she said, half to herself.

“And two counts of disorderly conduct. And you started a brawl. And you disobeyed the orders of a town constable. There are witnesses,” the bounty hunter said.

Looking hard at her, Elikki said, “Listen, I didn’t maim anyone… intentionally. Okay? He was trying to make off with one of my most expensive wares. And he got all touchy-feely with me. It was self-defense.”

“Just like this was?” She stretched her head back slightly, showing the bright red line where Elikki’s metal had nearly sliced into her skin.

“Well… yes,” Elikki said, slightly abashed.

“Look,” said the half-dwarf, “it’s not my job to judge who’s right and who’s wrong. They put a bounty on bringing you in. Kind of a cheap one, and I’m maybe regretting stooping this low…” She sighed. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Just come with me back to Povon. I get my money, and I’m sure you can sort out this misunderstanding with the bigwigs there.”

Elikki snorted. “Well, that’s obviously not happening. But good try.”

“She’s not going anywhere with you,” I said.

The half-dwarf looked up at me, skeptical. “Oh, really, big man? What are you going to do, flex your muscles at me? Frown harder?”

I scowled and crossed my arms across my chest.

“That’s it. Be more intimidatingly purple at me. I’m shaking in my boots.”