Page 97 of Huntress

“I wasn’t busy today, and I’ve been here once before, so I volunteered to come.”

“It’s pretty brave for a human to walk for hours on your own through a forest,” Riven piped up. She was staring at Anne like a kid who’d been given a puppy. “At least from what I hear. We don’t have humans where I’m from.”

“No braver than anyone else. If you don’t act like prey, you won’t get treated like it.” Anne smiled.

“Will you tell us about the demon? There wasn’t a lot of detail in the mission report,” Elsie said.

“Always straight to business with you folks. You never take time to breathe or enjoy the scenery.” Anne sighed. “He’s new in the area. An impulsive and angry fire demon. We’ve tried finding the source behind what’s made him angry to placate him, but it keeps getting worse.”

“What does?”

“Well, he’s a fire demon, isn’t he? He used to light his fires in the forest at night. Close enough for the light and smoke to reach us, but far enough out that it wasn’t a direct threat. These days he’s ventured into burning buildings down.”

“I see.” Elsie frowned. There weren’t any casualties listed in the mission report, but there hadn’t been anything substantial about their nuisance demon, either.

The hike was easy enough, though they traversed mountains; Anne knew the safest routes. She paused regularly to observe the valleys, or to let a herd of deer pass.

After a while, Elsie settled into an even cadence, and some of the tension eased from her shoulders. Not one demon had come to take a peek at them. Birds trilled happy little songs, and the trees swayed in a cooling breeze. Woods like these lulled a person into a false sense of peace.

They came around the curve of a mountain, and Elsie’s eyes widened. Spread out in front of them was the village of Frost Hollow. Terraces sprawled across the mountainside, with houses and farms in the fertile valley below.

The houses were spread out, each home with its own garden and green space for livestock. Vast fields with irrigation systems rolled with the hills, and even from a distance, Elsie saw children running and playing between yards.

“My gods, it’s beautiful,” Elsie breathed. Then she noticed what was missing. The village had no barrier. These people lived freely, without fear casting a shadow over their everyday lives.

“How do you manage without a barrier?” she asked.

“Our people have learned how to live in peace with the world around us. We have skilled tradesmen and women, we produce our own goods, and we trade those things with the magical creatures nearby. We’ve built relationships based on trust, understanding, and communication,” Anne replied kindly, but her mouth tightened when she turned to look at the weapons they’d brought with them.

“Unlike your kind, we do not feel that violence is the answer to any problem we may encounter.”

“That may be true, but you still asked us to come help you,” Elsie reminded her.

“Sometimes situations arise, and we must call on you folks. But we consider such drastic measures a personal failure. Concerted efforts are made to explore other options, and when those efforts are exhausted, it comes down to a unanimous vote.”

“How many have been killed by this fire demon?” Elsie asked, assuming that’s what Anne must mean.

“More than our people can stomach. He burned down a barn with animals inside. The horses and some of the chickens survived, but a cow and her calf were killed, along with a guardian dog and the birds that didn’t get out in time. That was the transgression that led us to call upon you.”

Elsie blinked, thinking she’d heard wrong. “To be clear, he hasn’t killed any humans?”

“No, but all life is precious. When you live like we do, animals are a blessing. Every one of those birds lost was a knife in the heart of their owners. They were laying hens, and well-loved, each with her own name. And the dog had put his life on the line many times for his flocks, he was a valued member of our society.”

“I understand. It’s nice to know they’re treated well here. Refreshing. The only reason humans where we’re from would care about the loss of animals’ lives was if it impacted their finances. Do you know what species the demon is?” Elsie asked.

“Oh, yes.” A sad frown tugged at her lips. “He’s a salamander.”

Elsie and Saint shared a look. Salamanders were not a low-level threat, which is what the report made it seem this mission would be.

“I guess this is why our squad takes the contract missions,” she muttered. A salamander wasn’t an easy demon to deal with.

“He visits two or three nights a week. He came last night, and we don’t expect his presence tonight,” Anne said. “You should have a night to relax and enjoy our hospitality. Normally we’d do a story light on a visitor’s first night, but with the circumstances, it might attract his attention.”

They walked through the town and passed a market street with stalls on either side, with people selling their wares, which ranged from baked goods and produce to clothes and toys. One man had a few pieces of beautifully carved furniture.

“You will find that no one will accept your money here,” Anne told them. “We barter and trade amongst ourselves, only taking silver from outsiders. Your services in helping with the salamander are worth more than any gold coin.”

Riven’s eyes lit up, and Elsie made a mental note of it. She wouldn’t have a mage she barely knew taking advantage of these people’s kindness and harming her squad’s reputation, especially since they may be called to return in the future.