? The Path of Fire (Path of Light and Fire Book #1)(Completed) ?

Chapter 2.1: Bright Lights, Big City

The man backhanded her this time. "I know you have it."

Sabin sprinted to the two of them and caught the brute's hand before the third strike.

"Stop!" Sabin yelled at him.

The man turned to Sabin, his face twisted in annoyance. He pulled his arm away quite easily. "This is none of your business, boy. She owes me money." He turned back to the young woman, dismissing Sabin's protest.

Sabin calmly stepped in between them.

The brute's face went from the slight twist to a full snarl. His voice rose with his second statement. "This is not your problem, young man. Mind your own business."

This man was simply a bully, like Takuya. Sabin didn't budge. "I suggest you leave the lady alone."

The man let go of the woman and swung at Sabin. He ducked the slow punch and kneed the man in the gut, sending him to one knee.

The man pulled himself to his feet clutching his ribs. "You're crazy, boy." He backed away without taking his eyes off Sabin. After he gained sufficient space, he turned and stumbled away.

When the man cleared the alley, Sabin turned to the young woman. "Are you okay? Do you want me to take you to a doctor?"

She looked at Sabin with her eyebrows. "I'm fine. My name is Cara. Thank you so much for your help. I didn't know how I would get away from him."

He smiled at her. "I'm Sabin. I'm glad I could help. What happened between you two?"

"I don't know. I was in the market and all of a sudden the man grabbed me and demanded that I give him money. I would have given it to him, but I didn't have much." Her eyes started to water and she looked down. "I was afraid of what he would do to me."

Sabin placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad I could help, but I have other things to take care of." Before he could move, she gave him a big hug.

"Thank you for everything," she said.

Sabin awkwardly removed the woman from him. With her so close and the streaks adorning the front of his jerkin, she felt more girl than woman. "It was no problem at all. If you would excuse me." He started to walk away from her. "Actually," he began, turning around. "Do you know...?"

She was already gone from the alley.

'Thieves and swindlers.' Aegis's words rung in his head. 'Keep your head in ports because they are filled with thieves and swindlers.' Cara was no thief or swindler. He walked away from the scene, and smile on his face feeling better about Rosera.

As the sun began to set, Sabin realized the search should wait until the next day. I'll look for Darren in the morning. His eyes darted around the street, looking for the standard sign on an inn. He entered the first on his path.

A biwa player sat on the stage, tuning his instrument for the third-meal crowd, and humming notes in succession. Sabin shook his head and walked to the counter. He wasn't here for fun.

"How much?"

"Twenty zen for a night," the innkeeper replied, a balding fellow with a big smile. "If you have a horse, the stable's around back. There's some leftover stew and bread from second-meal if you're hungry. Third-meal should be served in an hour."

"I'm not hungry now," Sabin said, reaching into his pouch. "I just need some help finding someone." Sabin realized his pouch was empty. He was shocked. How could I lose 400 zen?

"Is there a problem?"

"No, sir, just..." Cara. The hug. I should have listened to father. How in the world will I pay for this room? Sabin panicked for a few moments, looking into his pack for something to barter.

Wait! My inner pouch! Father was right, again.

Sabin undid the side laces of the jerkin and reached inside, releasing a deep breath as his fingers found the pouch. Thank Schewa.

"Thank you, sir." The bald man quickly swept the coins inside his tunic, giving Sabin a key in exchange. "Upstairs, third door on the left. I have market business in an hour, so if you change your mind, find my daughter or wife. Only for food mind you."

"All I need is rest at the moment." Sabin smiled politely. Receiving an approving nod, he climbed the stairs to his room.

It has a roof at least. Sabin surveyed the room. Dust-covered floors and various droppings made for an interesting picture. The bed was an oasis in the mess; clean and made.

Saved a person's life and I'm repaid with an empty pouch. What was the pull? If she was a thief – not if, she definitely robbed me and that man – why was I drawn to help her?

No, he chastised himself. That man had gone too far. Though he resolved himself to make amends if he happened to run into the brute again.

He found the cleanest part of the floor to drop his bag, leaning his bow and staff on the wall. The sword he slid under the covers, in case someone thought to catch his unaware. It wasn't much, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances.

He yawned, despite the amount of sunlight seeping through the window. He was road weary and it was quite a bit until sundown, he tucked himself in and went to sleep, leaving the thoughts of what he had to do for the morning.

At dawn, he quietly left the inn after first-meal. The innkeeper's wife, a chubby woman with short black hair gave him instructions to Darren's manor. Her eyes had lit up at the mention Darren's name. As she described the route and what to look for, Sabin quickly realized that his father had undersold the man.

Darren's manor, if you could call it that, was more castle than house. A fence layered with jagged spikes surrounded the living space, only absent from the large gate at the front. A single Durain guard stood just outside the entrance, nodding to each passerby with a polite grin. He was short and frighteningly thin, wearing golden shorts and a white half shirt that revealed his abs. At his waist, he rested his left hand on the hilt of a pencil-width blade. A rapier if Sabin remembered correctly. While his appearance did not inspire fear, given his benefactor he must have been extremely dangerous.

The guard's eyes continued to scan the crowd as Sabin approached, but the words leaving his mouth were clearly meant for him. "What is the nature of your visit?"

Sabin slowly reached in his bag, showing the guard that he wasn't a threat. "I am the son of Aegis," he said, pulling out the letter.

That got the man's attention and he turned his mustached face in Sabin's direction. "Aegis you say?" The man took the letter. "How is he?"

How did he know his father? "Well," was all that Sabin could muster in response.

The guard's look of surprise as his eyes scanned the letter made it clear he wasn't listening.

The man gave a piercing whistle, which sent a young Acadian boy, no older than five by Sabin's estimation, scurrying from the manor proper.

The guard opened the gate and handed the letter to the boy. "Take him to see the master."