them had yet betrayed the crown. On the other hand, there was no doubt that one of them would do so as soon as she left with her men. And what if she killed the wrong one? What if the son was the traitor, but she killed the father? Or vice versa? At least one family member would then join Bhaltair out of anger over the execution. Yet if she executed no one, it could be interpreted as weakness. But what if she killed both?

Meriliel sighed. Then she spun around decisively, performed a slash with the found sword, and subsequently a head rolled away. The family and the remaining villagers screamed in fright as the head of village elder Keallach fell to the ground. Then Meriliel walked over to the villagers.

"Who is the elder here?" she asked decisively in Blarm. No one volunteered, but most people looked at an older man in the second row.

"It is you, is it not?" Meriliel asked him.

The man swallowed and nodded.

"Yes, Mistress."

"What is your name?"

"Anlon, Mistress."

Meriliel grinned with amusement.

"I congratulate you, Anlon. If the village community recognizes you as such, you are apparently the village elder from now on."

The man barely moved, staring intently at the ground. Meriliel took a few steps back so she could oversee everyone.

"So you know. Village elder Keallach, as such, had the duty to inform the crown if there were rebels in the village. He had failed to do this and therefore received his punishment."

Meriliel now went to the family and stared at the boy and the father.

"You received a sword from Bhaltair. This is not a crime, for neither of you has yet defected to Bhaltair. But be warned. I will send men to check if everyone is still here. If one of you is not here, we will destroy the rest of the family. Should the family no longer be here, we will wipe out the entire village. Be aware of this. Now I want to know in which direction Bhaltair rode."

Terrified, the girl pointed in the southeastern direction. Meriliel nodded approvingly and stood up again.

"Have you already searched all the huts?" she asked one of the knights.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Tell everyone to come along. We ride to the village that is supposed to be there in the southeast," Meriliel declared.

"Yes, Mistress!"