"Back in line, bug!" Tuck shouted, pulling back his whip. He changed his focus from me to Beetle.

"Lord Strapos, my name is Amarilla May Marlow, daughter of Gully and Marsh Marlow, overlords of the Swamplands of Emory. I was kidnapped and ringed three years ago in a rogue business deal. These men have kept me, an overlord by capacity and merit, hostage by force."

I stared as Beetle stood there in full confidence, as if daring this overlord to recognize her. Lord Strapos? Of the Three? Surely not.

"Shut up, bug!" Tuck shouted and flicked his wrist, leveling the whip at Beetle.

I did the only thing I could. I turned and collapsed on top of Beetle, bringing her to the ground and covering her with my body. The whip fell and I yelped as it sliced through the flesh in my back. The pain radiated through my body, but I felt a slight release at not having to stand.

I had only been whipped a few times—two that I could remember. It was awful then. It is awful now.

"Cricket!" Beetle yelled, trying to push me off. I gripped as hard as I could, suddenly possessed by an inhumane strength. If I was dying at the hands and force of Tuck tonight, I might as well die protecting someone I cared about.

Another whip landed on my back, and I hissed in pain. Then another. I whimpered and Beetle was frantically trying to push me off.

"Cricket!" she screamed. "No! These...should be mine, you fugging...get off!"

A fourth lash landed on my back, and I felt the cold air against bone. The world was spinning frantically. Then, there was a scream. Not my own. Silence.

Beetle used the distraction to push me off her. Instead of letting me collapse, she grabbed me as my body gave out. I felt like I was under water, each breath a struggle to draw in—whatever I was breathing felt as vicious as water.

The overlord looked furious, and I saw Tuck firmly in his grip. With a single hand on Tuck's throat, he had lifted him off the ground and was suspending him. Tuck was pawing at his throat, trying to free himself from this man's grasp. It didn't look like a struggle on the overlord's part, almost as if lifting a grown man by the throat was a common occurrence.

The overlord's eyes were locked onto Beetle.

"Show me," he said. His voice was softer than I anticipated, a sharp contrast to his obvious strength.

Beetle held me with one hand on my shoulder and used her teeth to yank up her sleeve. Then she showed him the crescent birthmark on her wrist. He nodded slowly and I watched in horror as Tuck vanished into ash before my eyes. I was drowning. I looked at Beetle for the last time.

"Take care..." I managed before dissolving into the darkness.

++

The girl passed out and Amarilla grabbed her frantically, rolling her onto her side. "Fugg. Fugg. Please, Lord Strapos, heal her," she begged, eyes landing on one of the healers at his back.

Lord Strapos nodded and the healer on his left peeled off and together, he held the girl steadily. Amarilla jumped to her feet and looked at the girl nervously as she approached Lord Strapos.

Amarilla was clearly shaken. It was logical, Lord Strapos thought. She had been kidnapped three years ago and just now faced freedom. He looked at the dewloi who lined the road. They were all staring, mouths slightly agape. The closest were young boys and the full men were at the far end.

"You are all freed. These foremen have been harboring a kidnapped overlord. The penalty is death. See to them as you see fit. The dewloi looked at each other nervously. In a split second, one of the foremen sprinted away and one of the dewloi sprinted after him. They dissolved into fighting. He kept a close eye that no one got too close to their efforts. A few of his soldiers maneuvered their horses between them and the fight.

Suddenly, the little girl peeked out from underneath his cloak and stared up at him, tears streaking down her face.

He pulled his mask down and Roach's eyes almost bugged out of her head. She dissolved into tears and latched onto his leg, weeping in frantic fear. Suddenly, she stilled and leaned back with a grave terror etched across her face.

"Will Cricket be okay? I...I need her," she asked.

Lord Strapos knelt and pulled his little sister in a hug. It took everything in him not to grab her and run off with her safely in his arms. But he needed to deal with this as well. "Romina?" he asked. "Are you okay? Where are you hurt?" he asked. She shook her head and his other healer knelt under his careful eye and confirmed she was unharmed.

"A little malnourished is all."

Lord Strapos was doing all he could not to burn down the whole farm. He could feel the fire just underneath his skin, itching for release.

He blinked and saw that Romina's hands were on his face, pawing at his short beard repeatedly. "Please," she said, "make sure Cricket is okay," she begged, tears streaking down her face.

"I promise," he said before he could realize what he was saying. He pulled Romina into another hug and realized he would not be able to let go. Instead, he lifted her, and she swung her legs around him. He locked his arms around her and held her close. She had been gone for about a month, but it had been the worst month of his life. "Which one is Cricket?" he asked.

Romina looked at the one who had collapsed nervously, as if looking at her would hurt her even more. It was the one who had fallen on Amarilla and take the strokes for her—the one who had tried to stop him from taking Romina. He nodded.

Romina began weeping, finally realizing that she was safe. Her grip was desperately firm.

"Ember, are we going home?" she asked into his cloak.

"Yes, we're going home, Romina. You're safe, okay? You're safe now, Ro."

She nodded, still weeping into his cloak. He wrapped his cloak around her, and she snuggled closer, welcoming the warmth. She was sweaty, but her arms and legs were cold.

Oh, he was going to enjoy burning this farm to the ground.

He looked at the disheveled overlord, Amarilla. "Amarilla, we will be leaving soon. Stay close."

She nodded, staring at Cricket nervously. Amarilla looked at him. "Cricket is coming with us, yes?" she asked desperately.

What was with this Cricket?

Ember, Lord Strapos, nodded. "Yes. Once she is healed, she should be set to join us. This way."

Amarilla nodded but didn't budge. Ember looked down and noticed that the girl still wasn't stirring. The lashes on her back were still bleeding freely and her face was pale. Deathly pale.

"Jack," Ember said sharply. "What's wrong?" His heart began to pound. She had to be okay. He promised Romina and he never broke a promise.

"M'lord," Jack stuttered. "She's...she is very weak. She's not healing at all. There's only so much I can do on my own—healers just accelerate the body's own process. I...there's...something else wrong." His eyes were serious. Ember's heart pounded—Jack was one of the most skilled healers in Emory. When he was concerned, there was a real danger.

Amarilla's head shot up. "She hadn't eaten in a while," she said, eyes wide in panic. She looked at Ember.

"Why?" Ember asked. Frustration grew in his chest. He made a promise.

Roach began crying to his chest again. He gently rubbed her back, anxiety creeping up on him. A month ago, she had been a free and joyous girl—now she was a traumatized, sickly one. She needed this Cricket, and he would do everything in his power to make sure she got what she needed.

Amarilla shook her head. "The foremen weren't feeding Roa—Romina," she correctly slowly. "So, Cricket has been giving up her meals so Romina could eat." At that, Romina's cries grew even louder.

"How long?" he asked quickly.

"Uh, I'm not sure. But awhile," Amarilla returned.

Romina mumbled into his chest.

"What was that?" Ember asked.

"Twenty-one day," Romina said, tears coating her words.

Ember rubbed Romina's back again. "She'll be okay," he said again. Three weeks? Her tears were distracting him. He wanted everyone else to fade away so he could take care of her.

"Please," Romina whimpered against him.

"She'll be okay," Ember repeated with more determination. "Jack, please carry her to the carriage. We will help her more on the train. Amarilla, if you would please," he said. He glanced up and saw that several of his soldiers had dismounted their horses and were either guarding them or organizing the now-free dewloi.

Ember leaned back and looked down at Romina. Sure enough, she had a small ring in her nose. Anger flooded his veins. He looked at Amarilla, who was moving forward in a daze. Two guards fell in step behind her. Jack took up the rear, carrying Cricket with the assistance of one of the guards. They entered the carriage. Ember tapped the roof of the carriage.

Romina peeked her head out from Ember and stared at Cricket. She looked bad.

"Drive quickly," Ember called. Romina met his eyes, and he gently kissed her forehead. She snuggled back against his chest and quickly fell into an exhausted asleep.