“When I was little,” Ingred told herself, “I always used to beg mother to let me stay out past dark. We lived in a nice neighbourhood. The streets were safe even if they weren’t lit. Dark never scared me.” A bush next to her rustled as she drew near it, and she flailed at it with her makeshift torch in a rage that would be properly aimed at her own fear.

She caught her breath after a moment, leaning against a tree and looking up into the dark night sky. No stars penetrated through the canopy here. “I wasn’t afraid of the dark then, and I’ll be damned for a Nom’s Beard before I start acting the child now.” She pointedly ignored the bush she had attacked, but in the back of her mind she felt the leaves and branches glare at her reproachfully. Ingred took hold of herself and fought down the urge to say, “Sorry.”

She continued speaking aloud as she walked on, praying that she was heading in the right direction but refusing to waste the entire night sitting still. “This has got to stop. I’m a grown adult. I studied at Alpha House; I passed the physical training for the Ornithopter Pilot project. I’m rational, resourceful, and,” there was another shaking in the undergrowth, somewhere behind her, “as frightened as a snot nosed child!” she finished weakly.

Ingred bit her lower lip hard enough to notice the pain, and debated her options. Run, stand still, or carry on as if she’d heard nothing. So far she’d seen nothing worse than a rabbit or once a badger, but the memory of that toad creature was never long from returning as soon as she felt safe.

“You argue with yourself a lot, you know that?” The calm, self-assured voice was more frightening than she would ever admit possible.

“Who’s there? Who are you,” she demanded angrily. Then hope leapt into her voice, “Are you from the research team??”

The brush rustled behind her again and she turned to peer into the darkness. A darkshade was lifted from a cold-lantern, and Ingred shut her eyes against the sudden, painful light. “Alo Berni, forest patrol. You’re a long way from anywhere, miss.”

Still squinting her eyes tight against the cold-lantern’s glare, Ingred felt her body flood with relief. Forest patrol! Thank the gods! “Oh mercy, I can’t believe you found me! Listen, it’s vitally important I get back to my base camp as soon as possible. We’re in region GH-12, can you get me there tonight?” She felt the light move down slightly, and risked opening her eyes, but the glare still hid everything from view except for her boots, and the boots of her rescuer.

“GH-12? No can do… the Knights told us that area was off limits, and I’m afraid I can’t violate orders. Not with the way things are right now. Why don’t you come back to the lodge with me, and in the morning my Sergeant will send word to the Knight Commander’s office-”

“No, you don’t understand, I have to get back to the research team as soon as possible. There’s too much riding on this! They have to know I’ve crashed by now, they’re probably looking for me as we speak, just take me near GH-12, you won’t have to go in.”

“Crashed, did you? So that wreckage in the trees was your handiwork?” Ingred fleetingly wondered at the forester’s question, particularly his curious tone, but there were more important things to deal with right now.

“Yes, I’m lucky I survived, but that’s why I have to get back. Listen, whatever orders you have to stay away from our camp, I can assure you I have the authority and clearance to override them.”

“You know,” the forester spoke slowly, thoughtfully, “it’s an awfully good thing that I found you. People are almost tearing these woods apart right now, from all over, hoping to find you.”

“Then take me to them! What’s wrong with you? I have to report back to my camp!”

The cold-lantern swung up in the forester’s hand, causing Ingred to slam her eyelids closed again. After everything tonight, after nearly being killed or worse more times than she cared to consider, now she had to deal with a petty, trumped up police officer? “If I didn’t need this man, I’d tell him to get back to arresting elk for shitting too close to the river,” she seethed to herself. Then cold ice gripped her spine as he spoke up before she could.

“You’re really the best Alpha House could muster? A girl child who ought to be tied to her mother’s apron still? No wonder you crashed that failure of a flying machine.” Ingred couldn’t believe it. She told herself that the tension had gotten to her, that the night was playing tricks. “It’s a pity that there wasn’t much left of your craft, but I think we’ll find enough pieces in the morning to get a head start on repeating the work. Well, with your help, at any rate.” The man chuckled softly; to Ingred it was the worst sound she’d heard all evening, worse even than the sinew belt breaking in the Ornithopter. The glare against her eyelids lessened as she heard the darkshade slide back into place. “And after we’ve razed your camp in GH, twelve was it? After that Alpha House will be a long way from finishing their flight project.”

Ingred screamed as she lashed out with the makeshift torch, then barked a laugh of savage satisfaction as she felt it connect with her would-be abductor. Three more frantic swings and the cold-lantern fell from his hands and the darkshade separated as it rolled away. Backlit now, Ingred had a good look at the man. She’d caught him in the face, ruining his eye, but there was also a bruise on his throat already. He wheezed for breath, glaring up at her with hatred in his good eye and she met his gaze unflinchingly. His belt buckle, she noticed, bore the sigils of Bessel Shipping, one of the largest trading and transport companies in Alpha Polis, and a key rival to Alpha House in their efforts to develop heavier than air flight.

She kicked the man’s hand away as it struggled to reach his belt knife then picked up the cold-lantern and aimed it’s brilliance into his face. She drew her foot back for another kick, and spat the word “Spy!” at him as it connected with his face. Spy! Nothing but a human barker rat, biting and stealing the lifeblood of honest Technocrats!

He groaned loudly and retched. She looked into his eye as he managed to open it again, and cursed herself for a fool. She’d told him entirely too much; never matter that Bessel Shipping had probably already stolen the wreckage, this man knew where the camp was now, thanks to her. Thanks to her, her teammates, her mentor… her friends… they were all in danger if he lived to tell the other rats in his nest.

Not looking away, she stepped closer to him and raised her foot. “Bastard,” she said, though she didn’t know if she meant it for him or herself. She kicked down again and again until she felt his skull shatter, but she’d had the sense to aim the cold-lantern away by then.

She shook slightly as she scraped her boot heel in the earth. “Mage’s Luck. Mage’s bloody Luck.” She wanted to cry, to vomit, to relieve herself… but most of all she wanted to get a hold of herself and stop, as she put it, acting like such a child. “I have a light now,” she thought, “so stop cursing the dark, girl, and get back to camp!”

She began making much better time, but Ingred refused to let herself realize that she was running in panic and terror.