Chapter 35

The girl began cutting away the ropes from Elaine. The other, who had jumped on the bear and subdued it, slid off and walked toward the others, pulling out her knife from her belt. She too began to hack and cut at the thick ropes. 

"Who are you?" asked Elaine. 

The girl looked at her. "I should ask you the same question. Who are you that you were being chased by the royal guards?" She cut the ropes free. 

"I'm Elaine," she said. She nodded to her two companions. "That's Alicia and that's Maria. Why did you help us?" 

The girl extended her hand to help Elaine out of the tangle of rope. "Anyone who is being chased by the royal guard is a friend and deserves help," she replied. 

The others joined them, bringing the horses with them. The bear stood off to one side. The girl with black hair made sort of a growl in the back of her throat, and the bear laid down on its belly. It soon closed its eyes and drifted to sleep.