Chapter Nine

The stranger had a sword of his own. He was holding it to the throat of the criminal Amaris thought she had knocked out. The thief had one of her dropped knives clutched in his hand and was much closer to her than she had left him.

“Now,” the stranger said calmly. “How about you drop that knife and leave the lady alone? That way you can go back to your miserable life with all your limbs still attached to your body. Does that not sound nice?”

The thief was grinding his teeth but he dropped the knife wordlessly.

“Good choice.” The stranger hummed, lowering his sword and stepping back slightly. He swiped his arm elegantly towards a faded trail and the robber stomped away grumbling to himself and rubbing the back of his head.

Amaris was about to thank the hooded figure when he spoke casually. “Next time you decide to walk in the woods alone, you might want to bring a real weapon or be willing to part with your jewelry more easily.”