Unfettered

Part 1: Chapter 4

He put a finger to his lips. 'Someone's at the door. I need you to cover me.'

'Why would someone be...?'

'What do you think?'

She seemed annoyed at him for some reason, but got out of bed nonetheless. They went to the door and she waited behind him. He held the dagger behind his back and touched the door handle.

"Sir?" said a voice on the other side. "Miss? Are you there?"

"What is it?" Arjen demanded. It sounded like the innkeeper.

"There's, uh... Well..."

He waited, tightly gripping the dagger's handle. Arien would use defensive magic if needed. She had been practicing such magic for several years now and had become adept at it.

The innkeeper sounded nervous. "W-We're being ordered to go outside. I'm sorry, but I don't have any choice in the matter."

The twins exchanged glances. "Who's ordering us outside?"

"I know this sounds crazy, but the imperial knights, they're..."

Arien slapped a hand over her mouth, her breath rushing loudly through her nose.

"What would they want with us?" Arjen said, trying to keep his voice steady. The knights had caught up already? Had the emperor's forces been working day and night to find them?

"They won't say," said the innkeeper. "They just said we all have to go outside."

Arjen looked back at his sister, and she shook her head, her misty eyes glinting in the weak light from the candle. She looked like she wanted to run and hide under the bed.

'If we don't go outside, the knights will probably come in here,' he told her. 'It'll be less suspicious if we just go outside like everyone else.'

She paused to consider this, jerked a nod, and put on the bravest face she could.

They put on their shoes and followed the innkeeper to the other guests lined up outside. Unease flashed everyone's eyes at the golden-armored men who paced up and down the line. The knights suspended orbs of light in their hands as they inspected the people and asked questions. People murmured amongst themselves, eyeing the swords belted at the knights' hips.

The innkeeper ushered the twins toward the line, but before they took their places, Arjen said, 'Stand over there, away from me.'

Arien threw him a confused look at first, but then quickly squeezed in between an elderly man and a middle-aged woman, while Arjen took the end of the line several people down.

The town was small with homes and businesses lining a single thoroughfare. The knights stalked about, herding people into the street from their homes, their orbs of light catching the pale faces of residents. One knight in particular, presumably the leader with numerous decorations on his uniform, stood speaking with a man in his night clothes. The man might've been one of the town leaders, and he was not happy to have his whole town awakened in the middle of the night.

'It's like they're looking for a wanted fugitive,' said Arien.

Arjen quickly glanced at her. She hugged herself like she was cold, even though the night was warm. 'They are. I hadn't been sure they'd actually come looking for us, but... Try to stay calm, and don't look at me. We don't want them to think we know each other.' Just as he said this, a knight stepped up to him and shoved a light toward his face. Arjen blinked and squinted.

"Name?" said the knight.

"Daniel."

"What's your business here?"