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Description
Fast Travel

Xander examined the sword, holding the hilt in his right hand and allowing the blade to rest on his left. Even with his gauntlets on, he was careful: the blade not only looked wicked sharp, it shimmered slightly in a way that screamed "enchanted." He didn't want to take any chances. For all he knew, the sword might slice through metal gloves like they were butter, taking a few fingers with it.

He hefted the sword out of his hand and gave it a few practice swings. It whistled through the air, so sharp you could almost hear it. It was surprisingly light for its size and was perfectly balanced.

He turned to face the vendor. "And this is really only 200 Silver Marks?"

The vendor flashed him a brilliant smile. She was young, attractive, with a round, sweet face and big blue eyes. Probably hired for her looks, Xander thought. Over her simple dress, she was wearing a blue cape with an insignia on the lapel, a uniform that Xander was familiar with: that of a merchant's guild that operated in the area. "That's right! The scabbard is even included."

Xander reached into a pouch that hung from his belt and pulled out a small, round fruit. It squashed slightly between his fingers. He tossed it in the air, and then swung the sword. He didn't even feel the blade pass through the fruit, which fell to the ground in two pieces, sliced cleanly in two. Even the hard pit had been divided.

"Sharp," Xander said. "Too sharp."

"You don't like it?" The merchant asked.

"No, I like it too much. That's the thing: this is too good to be true, which means there's a catch. This sword is sharp, sturdy, and probably enchanted. Why are you selling it for only 200 Marks? Unless you can give me a good reason, I'm afraid I'll have to walk away."

The merchant's smile faltered a little bit. "Well... okay, I'll tell you the truth. You're right: the sword's enchanted. The problem is that we don't know what it's been enchanted to do. Even our expert blacksmiths were only able to tell us that some kind of magic was used in its forging."

Xander looked the sword over again. So, it would be a bit of a risk. This was a blade that might turn on him rather than help him win a fight. On the other hand, the enchantment could be something as simple as magic to ensure the blade wouldn't rust. This blade would need to be used, studied, and eventually tamed... even if its enchantment was negative, it could be something that Xander could turn to his advantage, provided it didn't kill him.

High risk, high reward.

"I'll take it."

Money changed hands, and Xander hooked the scabbard onto his belt before sliding the sword into it. "Pleasure doing business with you, sir," the young woman said.

"Same. Hopefully this will be enough to keep me safe on my journey."

He turned to walk away, but the merchant called out to him again. "Excuse me, sir, but you're traveling?"

Xander paused. Why did she care? "Yes, I'm going to Althere. Hear there's work there. Why?"

"Perhaps you'd like to take advantage of the Guild's new Fast Travel service." She leaned out a bit from her stall so she could point down the road. "Just outside the east end of town."

"Fast Travel?"

"We have experts that have trained Fire Lizards to take human riders to specific destinations. They can make a day's journey on foot in just an hour or two. Faster than a carriage and easier on your feet than walking. The only disadvantage is they can only take one passenger, which isn't an issue if you're traveling alone."

"I always travel alone. But... Fire Lizards?" Xander had actually heard something about this, but had thought it a rumor. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Not at all, sir! The lizards are highly trained, and they make several trips with employees first before they ever see a customer, just to make sure they're ready."

"Hm. Well, thanks. I'll think about it."

"Have a good day, sir!" The girl called out after him, as he walked down the path toward the east end of the village.

---

Xander leaned against the short wooden fence, examining the lizard as it examined him. Easily large enough for a human rider, but not large enough to be considered a full-fledged "dragon," the creature was looking at him curiously, tilting its head one way and then the other. It had a long, sinuous body that lay low to the ground, no wings (as some members of the giant reptile family were wont to have,) and was supported by four legs. Its long neck was raised, so it could get a good look at him. It yawned, and Xander saw rows of short-yet-sharp teeth.

The most striking thing about the beast, though, were its scales. They were reflective and partially translucent. Every time the creature moved, the sun shining off the scales made it look like waves of flames were flowing underneath.

Xander glanced over at the proprietor of the Fast Travel station. A tall, lanky man, wearing the same blue cloak as the merchant girl. He was currently helping a young lady onto another of the lizards. The woman seemed to be experienced with this: she situated herself on the saddle and leaned forward, gripping a set of leather handholds. The proprietor barked a command, and the lizard was off, shooting down the road faster than Xander would have thought.

"Thank you for waiting," the merchant said as he walked up to Xander. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for passage to Althere. A merchant in town told me that you might be able to help me with that."

The merchant gave Xander an appraising look, then smiled and said, "Of course! We can have you to Althere before the day is out."

Xander raised his eyebrows. "These creatures are really that fast?"

"Faster than you can imagine, sir."

"And are they safe? I'm not going to get a face full of flames because my steed has indigestion, will I?"

"Of course not, sir," the merchant assured him. "They don't actually breathe fire, in fact. The name comes from the appearance of their scales in the sun."

"Hm." Xander looked back at the lizard, which had lain down on the floor of its stall. That other customer had seemed to trust the ride well enough. And the faster he got to Althere, the sooner he could start making money.

"How much?"

"To Althere? 50 Marks."

Again, Xander raised his eyebrows. "That little? Are you people giving out discounts today or something?"

"We're just trying to make our services as affordable as possible. It's not like you're buying the lizard, after all. Just renting it."

Xander tapped his fingers on the hilt of his new sword. Well, it would certainly be convenient if he could start using this service whenever he needed to travel, especially if it remained this inexpensive. "Alright, I'll do it."

"Excellent! Come right this way."

The merchant opened the gate to allow the lizard out, which made a straight line for Xander and immediately began sniffing up and down his body, like a dog getting to know a new owner. It was kind of endearing, actually.

"Whoa, easy there, girl!" The merchant patted the lizard on the neck, and it calmed down. "Seems like Sapphire here has taken a liking to you," he said. He patted the creature on the neck, and it lowered its body. The merchant adjusted the saddle and helped Xander load his belongings into saddlebags. Xander climbed onto the saddle.

It wasn't like riding a horse. The saddle was padded and long: Xander had to practically lay on his stomach to reach the handholds.

"The lizard's spine moves a lot more than a horse while she's running, so keep low and hang on tight. She's already trained to take you straight to our booth in Althere. You won't need to do any steering: just hang on and enjoy the ride. Ready?"

Xander situated himself on the saddle, lowering his head and gripping the handholds tightly. "Ready."

"Off you go then! Sapphire! Althere!"

As soon as the merchant barked the command, they were off.

It didn't feel at first like they were moving that fast, but once the lizard got up to speed, Xander realized that the trees on the side of the road were flying by. Wind whistled past him, ruffling his hair. Though he got jostled, he found that the saddle had been well designed, and he didn't have any problems hanging on. It wasn't long before he was enjoying the experience. By closing his eyes, it almost felt like he was flying. He imagined the sight he must make: riding low and fast on a miniature dragon, scales flashing brightly in the sun with each stride. He would have definitely have to travel this way more often.

"Good girl, Sapphire," Xander said, though he was certain the lizard couldn't hear him over the roar of the wind. He patted the scales under the handhold. He wondered just how much it would cost to buy one of these beasts for himself. He wouldn't mind having one of his own, to take him wherever he needed to go.

Sapphire suddenly made a sharp turn to the left, and Xander had to grip the handhold tightly again to keep from falling off. The lizard practically flew off the road and into the forest. Xander held on tight as Sapphire zigzagged between trees, splashed through a small stream, and scaled a hillside that was almost vertical.

What in the name of the Nine Gods was going on? Was this some kind of shortcut? Or had the lizard sensed danger ahead on the road and decided to take a detour?

Finally, Sapphire slowed to a stop near a small pond, in a secluded, grassy area amongst the trees. It was actually quite a beautiful little place, which Xander would have appreciated more if he had actually wanted to come here.

When it became apparent that the lizard wasn't going to move again, Xander climbed off of the saddle. Something must have gone wrong. Maybe something had frightened the creature.

"Hey there, girl," he said, patting her on the neck and trying to mimic the reassuring voice of the merchant. "What's wrong? Something scare you?"

Sapphire looked at him with an expression that, to Xander's eyes, bespoke curiosity more than it did fear. She leaned in close and sniffed him, as she had when she had first met him, moving from his head, down to his waist, and then back up to his head again. Then she yawned, her mouth opening wide.

Xander's first thought was that, perhaps, that was the explanation: the creature was tired, and had taken them to a place it could rest. That thought fled, however, as that open mouth suddenly came down over his head.

Xander found himself encased in darkness, and his entire body stiffened in surprise. His first instinct was to try to back away, but he found he couldn't: Sapphire's teeth had dug into his leather armor, and were holding him in place quite securely. He felt the lizard's tongue swipe across his face, causing him to splutter. Was this some sort kind of grooming? Was the lizard trying to clean him?

He put his hands on the sides of Sapphire's head and tried to pull himself out, and experienced momentary relief when he felt the sharp teeth loosen from his armor. That relief quickly faded when the creature just pushed her head down further, forcing his head into a much tighter place and his shoulders into her mouth, before clamping the teeth down again.

Sapphire wasn't trying to clean him. Holy Hell, she was trying to eat him.

Not just trying, he realized, as Sapphire forced her head down further. She was eating him, and it wouldn't take her long to finish if he didn't act soon.

Xander banged one hand against the side of her head, but resulted only in hurting his fingers against her tough scales; he had taken his metal gauntlets off and put them in the saddlebags. Sapphire pushed her head down again, which also forced his arms down, pinning them to his sides. He was now more than half-encased inside the lizard's long, pulsing throat. He could barely even struggle. What was he going to...?

The sword! He had forgotten about it! Thank goodness he hadn't put that in the saddlebags with the rest of his gear. He could cut his way out! Sapphire's throat was tight, but Xander managed to work his right arm around to where the scabbard attached to his belt. Gripping the slippery hilt, he tried to draw the blade.

In his tight confines, he felt, more than heard, the snap.

He tried to move his right arm. It moved too easily. Even though he couldn't see it, he knew what had happened. He hadn't drawn the sword. The hilt had snapped clean off the blade.

Xander's world turned upside down as Sapphire lifted him into the air, opting to allow gravity to assist her in her task. Now completely denied of leverage, Xander could do nothing as he slid down Sapphire's throat toward the fate that awaited him below.

---

Rin sat quietly at her desk, going through some paperwork. Profits were definitely improving, a welcome change from the Guild's recent slump. She was doing some calculations when she was interrupted.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

Rin looked up. The voice belonged to Lena, her new assistant. The girl was young, barely sixteen, and still suffering from a bit of the insecurity that was natural to one still finding her place in the world. Rin had found her living on the streets and had taken her in as an apprentice.

"Yes, Lena?" Rin asked, trying not to let annoyance seep into her voice. Lena knew that Rin hated interruptions, so she must be here for something important.

"One of our Lizards just came back... without a rider."

Ah, yes. Rin had told Lena to inform her if that happened, hadn't she? Lena had been briefed on what a riderless steed meant, of course, but she hadn't actually seen it happen yet.

"Very well. Just a moment." Rin finished her current calculation, wrote down some numbers, then laid her quill and papers on the desk. She stood up and took down her cloak from a peg on the wall, throwing it onto her shoulders. Unlike the others', her cloak had a gold trim around the blue fabric, indicating her higher status.

Rin walked out to the receiving area, an indoor stable with a large, open door set into one wall where lizards or wagons could enter to drop off goods. Indeed, waiting in the center of the room was one of their Fire Lizards, with saddle but no rider.

"Help me empty the saddlebags," Rin said, picking up a few empty baskets that were lying near the door before approaching the beast. The flicker of the candles lighting the room refracted off of the lizard's myriad scales, creating an intricate pattern.

"Wait, you're going to do this yourself?" Lena asked, surprised.

Rin smiled. "Just because I'm in an administrative position now doesn't mean I've forgotten how to work. We're the only ones working tonight, so there's no one else to do it. Now, are you going to help me, or not?"

Lena nodded sheepishly and started unloading the gear from the saddlebags into the basket. "So, the rider, he's...?" She trailed off but cast a meaningful look at the Fire Lizard's midsection.

Rin nodded. "That's right."

Lena shuddered. "So what are we going to do with all this?" She gestured to the baskets full of the contents of the saddlebags.

"Sell it," Rin answered. "What else? We'll make a good profit."

"But..." Lena hesitated. "Won't people get suspicious when everyone who uses our steeds starts to disappear?"

"Hardly," Rin said. "First, off, 'everyone' isn't going to disappear. These animals have been trained to only... follow their natural instincts when their rider has been marked by one of our merchants. And the merchants are careful to only mark people who are traveling alone, who are less likely to be missed."

The saddlebags were empty, but there was still one more bit of business. "Stand here," Rin ordered, and Lena walked around to stand in front of the lizard. "Hold this." Rin placed an empty basket into her hands.

Lena looked confused, but she did as she was asked. Rin looked at the examined the engraving on the lizard's harness. "Let's see... 'Sapphire,' is it? Okay, Sapphire, you can let it out." She tickled the lizard on a spot at the base of the neck.

Sapphire shifted, moving her body in a wave. Lena's eyes went wide as a lump began moving up the Fire Lizard's neck.

"Hold on tight to that," Rin said, "and lift it up to the animal's face."

Lena nodded, then gripped the basket so tightly her hands were shaking. After a moment, with a hacking sound, Sapphire opened her mouth and dropped a large ball of material into the basket Lena was holding.

Lena's eyes widened as she stared at the new contents of the basket: a wet, dripping ball of hair, pieces of bone, bits of leather armor, and various other odds and ends that Sapphire had been unable to digest. To the girl's credit, though she was shaking, she didn't scream or even drop the basket.

"You can set that down on the table over there."

Lena held her arms out stiffly as she carried the basket to the table Rin had indicated and set it down.

"There might still be some valuables in there," Rin said, answering the unasked question. "Jewelry, rings, that sort of thing."

Lena gulped. "You mean we actually have to sift through... that?"

Rin waved a hand dismissively. "No, that's goblin work. I'll have them go through it tomorrow."

"Thank goodness."

Rin had picked up one of the baskets full of gear from the saddlebags and was carrying it to the table when Sapphire started hacking again. The lizard lifted her head, opened her mouth, and something fell to the floor of the stable with a clatter.

Before Rin could stop her, Lena walked over to the scabbard and picked it up, holding it gingerly between two fingers. "Wow... look at this! It's barely damaged at all."

"Lena," Rin said, speaking slowly. "Don't. Move."

Hearing the urgency in Rin's tone, Lena froze. Then she looked up.

Sapphire had taken a step forward and was standing over her, looking at her with a curious expression.

"Lena," Rin continued, still talking slowly. "That's the mark. If someone has one of those blades... that's how we've trained the lizards to know which riders don't have to make it to their destinations."

Lena gulped. "Wh-what do I do?"

"Just set it down... slowly... and then back away... also slowly. Whatever you do, do not run."

Lena was shivering, but she slowly bent over and lowered the sword to the ground. Sapphire lowered her head as well, following the motion. Then Lena began to slowly back away. Rin held her breath: if Lena could just slowly back all the way out of the room...

She had made it three tense steps when Sapphire, who had been still as a statue, moved. She only took a step forward, but the sudden motion caused Lena's nerve to break, and the frightened girl turned to make a break for the door.

Her hunting instincts flaring at the sight of fleeing prey, Sapphire leaped. Lena barely had time for half a scream before it was muffled by the Fire Lizard's maw closing around her head.

Rin let out her breath in a long sigh. Ignoring the sound of struggling limbs and claws scratching against the floor, she walked over and picked up the blade -- it would be safe to for now. She didn't try to help Lena; experience had taught her that the trip that the poor girl had started was strictly one way. No amount of orders or struggling would take Sapphire's meal from her now. And even if Rin could stop the Fire Lizard, doing so would only confuse her training.

It was a shame, really. Teaching the Fire Lizards to occasionally "take care" of riders brought in a good deal of money, but that was just a side bonus. The real income came from the assassination contracts the Guild occasionally carried out by passing a marked blade to a specific target. The money for that kind of thing was incredible, and their system left virtually no traces. It was too lucrative a business to just stop, even if this was the third promising apprentice she had lost. Sacrifices sometimes had to be made for the sake of success, after all.

Rin set the blade on the table next to the baskets -- one of her goblins could get it later and reattach it to the hilt. The blades were cheap to make, but no reason to be wasteful if she didn't have to.

Lena was in the Fire Lizard's gullet up to her waist now. The animal stopped and looked up at Rin as she approached.

Rin leaned down and patted her on the head. "Good girl, Sapphire," she said quietly. Sapphire made a happy chirr noise, then went back to her meal as Rin walked out of the room.

Description
Fast Travel

Xander examined the sword, holding the hilt in his right hand and allowing the blade to rest on his left. Even with his gauntlets on, he was careful: the blade not only looked wicked sharp, it shimmered slightly in a way that screamed "enchanted." He didn't want to take any chances. For all he knew, the sword might slice through metal gloves like they were butter, taking a few fingers with it.

He hefted the sword out of his hand and gave it a few practice swings. It whistled through the air, so sharp you could almost hear it. It was surprisingly light for its size and was perfectly balanced.

He turned to face the vendor. "And this is really only 200 Silver Marks?"

The vendor flashed him a brilliant smile. She was young, attractive, with a round, sweet face and big blue eyes. Probably hired for her looks, Xander thought. Over her simple dress, she was wearing a blue cape with an insignia on the lapel, a uniform that Xander was familiar with: that of a merchant's guild that operated in the area. "That's right! The scabbard is even included."

Xander reached into a pouch that hung from his belt and pulled out a small, round fruit. It squashed slightly between his fingers. He tossed it in the air, and then swung the sword. He didn't even feel the blade pass through the fruit, which fell to the ground in two pieces, sliced cleanly in two. Even the hard pit had been divided.

"Sharp," Xander said. "Too sharp."

"You don't like it?" The merchant asked.

"No, I like it too much. That's the thing: this is too good to be true, which means there's a catch. This sword is sharp, sturdy, and probably enchanted. Why are you selling it for only 200 Marks? Unless you can give me a good reason, I'm afraid I'll have to walk away."

The merchant's smile faltered a little bit. "Well... okay, I'll tell you the truth. You're right: the sword's enchanted. The problem is that we don't know what it's been enchanted to do. Even our expert blacksmiths were only able to tell us that some kind of magic was used in its forging."

Xander looked the sword over again. So, it would be a bit of a risk. This was a blade that might turn on him rather than help him win a fight. On the other hand, the enchantment could be something as simple as magic to ensure the blade wouldn't rust. This blade would need to be used, studied, and eventually tamed... even if its enchantment was negative, it could be something that Xander could turn to his advantage, provided it didn't kill him.

High risk, high reward.

"I'll take it."

Money changed hands, and Xander hooked the scabbard onto his belt before sliding the sword into it. "Pleasure doing business with you, sir," the young woman said.

"Same. Hopefully this will be enough to keep me safe on my journey."

He turned to walk away, but the merchant called out to him again. "Excuse me, sir, but you're traveling?"

Xander paused. Why did she care? "Yes, I'm going to Althere. Hear there's work there. Why?"

"Perhaps you'd like to take advantage of the Guild's new Fast Travel service." She leaned out a bit from her stall so she could point down the road. "Just outside the east end of town."

"Fast Travel?"

"We have experts that have trained Fire Lizards to take human riders to specific destinations. They can make a day's journey on foot in just an hour or two. Faster than a carriage and easier on your feet than walking. The only disadvantage is they can only take one passenger, which isn't an issue if you're traveling alone."

"I always travel alone. But... Fire Lizards?" Xander had actually heard something about this, but had thought it a rumor. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Not at all, sir! The lizards are highly trained, and they make several trips with employees first before they ever see a customer, just to make sure they're ready."

"Hm. Well, thanks. I'll think about it."

"Have a good day, sir!" The girl called out after him, as he walked down the path toward the east end of the village.

---

Xander leaned against the short wooden fence, examining the lizard as it examined him. Easily large enough for a human rider, but not large enough to be considered a full-fledged "dragon," the creature was looking at him curiously, tilting its head one way and then the other. It had a long, sinuous body that lay low to the ground, no wings (as some members of the giant reptile family were wont to have,) and was supported by four legs. Its long neck was raised, so it could get a good look at him. It yawned, and Xander saw rows of short-yet-sharp teeth.

The most striking thing about the beast, though, were its scales. They were reflective and partially translucent. Every time the creature moved, the sun shining off the scales made it look like waves of flames were flowing underneath.

Xander glanced over at the proprietor of the Fast Travel station. A tall, lanky man, wearing the same blue cloak as the merchant girl. He was currently helping a young lady onto another of the lizards. The woman seemed to be experienced with this: she situated herself on the saddle and leaned forward, gripping a set of leather handholds. The proprietor barked a command, and the lizard was off, shooting down the road faster than Xander would have thought.

"Thank you for waiting," the merchant said as he walked up to Xander. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for passage to Althere. A merchant in town told me that you might be able to help me with that."

The merchant gave Xander an appraising look, then smiled and said, "Of course! We can have you to Althere before the day is out."

Xander raised his eyebrows. "These creatures are really that fast?"

"Faster than you can imagine, sir."

"And are they safe? I'm not going to get a face full of flames because my steed has indigestion, will I?"

"Of course not, sir," the merchant assured him. "They don't actually breathe fire, in fact. The name comes from the appearance of their scales in the sun."

"Hm." Xander looked back at the lizard, which had lain down on the floor of its stall. That other customer had seemed to trust the ride well enough. And the faster he got to Althere, the sooner he could start making money.

"How much?"

"To Althere? 50 Marks."

Again, Xander raised his eyebrows. "That little? Are you people giving out discounts today or something?"

"We're just trying to make our services as affordable as possible. It's not like you're buying the lizard, after all. Just renting it."

Xander tapped his fingers on the hilt of his new sword. Well, it would certainly be convenient if he could start using this service whenever he needed to travel, especially if it remained this inexpensive. "Alright, I'll do it."

"Excellent! Come right this way."

The merchant opened the gate to allow the lizard out, which made a straight line for Xander and immediately began sniffing up and down his body, like a dog getting to know a new owner. It was kind of endearing, actually.

"Whoa, easy there, girl!" The merchant patted the lizard on the neck, and it calmed down. "Seems like Sapphire here has taken a liking to you," he said. He patted the creature on the neck, and it lowered its body. The merchant adjusted the saddle and helped Xander load his belongings into saddlebags. Xander climbed onto the saddle.

It wasn't like riding a horse. The saddle was padded and long: Xander had to practically lay on his stomach to reach the handholds.

"The lizard's spine moves a lot more than a horse while she's running, so keep low and hang on tight. She's already trained to take you straight to our booth in Althere. You won't need to do any steering: just hang on and enjoy the ride. Ready?"

Xander situated himself on the saddle, lowering his head and gripping the handholds tightly. "Ready."

"Off you go then! Sapphire! Althere!"

As soon as the merchant barked the command, they were off.

It didn't feel at first like they were moving that fast, but once the lizard got up to speed, Xander realized that the trees on the side of the road were flying by. Wind whistled past him, ruffling his hair. Though he got jostled, he found that the saddle had been well designed, and he didn't have any problems hanging on. It wasn't long before he was enjoying the experience. By closing his eyes, it almost felt like he was flying. He imagined the sight he must make: riding low and fast on a miniature dragon, scales flashing brightly in the sun with each stride. He would have definitely have to travel this way more often.

"Good girl, Sapphire," Xander said, though he was certain the lizard couldn't hear him over the roar of the wind. He patted the scales under the handhold. He wondered just how much it would cost to buy one of these beasts for himself. He wouldn't mind having one of his own, to take him wherever he needed to go.

Sapphire suddenly made a sharp turn to the left, and Xander had to grip the handhold tightly again to keep from falling off. The lizard practically flew off the road and into the forest. Xander held on tight as Sapphire zigzagged between trees, splashed through a small stream, and scaled a hillside that was almost vertical.

What in the name of the Nine Gods was going on? Was this some kind of shortcut? Or had the lizard sensed danger ahead on the road and decided to take a detour?

Finally, Sapphire slowed to a stop near a small pond, in a secluded, grassy area amongst the trees. It was actually quite a beautiful little place, which Xander would have appreciated more if he had actually wanted to come here.

When it became apparent that the lizard wasn't going to move again, Xander climbed off of the saddle. Something must have gone wrong. Maybe something had frightened the creature.

"Hey there, girl," he said, patting her on the neck and trying to mimic the reassuring voice of the merchant. "What's wrong? Something scare you?"

Sapphire looked at him with an expression that, to Xander's eyes, bespoke curiosity more than it did fear. She leaned in close and sniffed him, as she had when she had first met him, moving from his head, down to his waist, and then back up to his head again. Then she yawned, her mouth opening wide.

Xander's first thought was that, perhaps, that was the explanation: the creature was tired, and had taken them to a place it could rest. That thought fled, however, as that open mouth suddenly came down over his head.

Xander found himself encased in darkness, and his entire body stiffened in surprise. His first instinct was to try to back away, but he found he couldn't: Sapphire's teeth had dug into his leather armor, and were holding him in place quite securely. He felt the lizard's tongue swipe across his face, causing him to splutter. Was this some sort kind of grooming? Was the lizard trying to clean him?

He put his hands on the sides of Sapphire's head and tried to pull himself out, and experienced momentary relief when he felt the sharp teeth loosen from his armor. That relief quickly faded when the creature just pushed her head down further, forcing his head into a much tighter place and his shoulders into her mouth, before clamping the teeth down again.

Sapphire wasn't trying to clean him. Holy Hell, she was trying to eat him.

Not just trying, he realized, as Sapphire forced her head down further. She was eating him, and it wouldn't take her long to finish if he didn't act soon.

Xander banged one hand against the side of her head, but resulted only in hurting his fingers against her tough scales; he had taken his metal gauntlets off and put them in the saddlebags. Sapphire pushed her head down again, which also forced his arms down, pinning them to his sides. He was now more than half-encased inside the lizard's long, pulsing throat. He could barely even struggle. What was he going to...?

The sword! He had forgotten about it! Thank goodness he hadn't put that in the saddlebags with the rest of his gear. He could cut his way out! Sapphire's throat was tight, but Xander managed to work his right arm around to where the scabbard attached to his belt. Gripping the slippery hilt, he tried to draw the blade.

In his tight confines, he felt, more than heard, the snap.

He tried to move his right arm. It moved too easily. Even though he couldn't see it, he knew what had happened. He hadn't drawn the sword. The hilt had snapped clean off the blade.

Xander's world turned upside down as Sapphire lifted him into the air, opting to allow gravity to assist her in her task. Now completely denied of leverage, Xander could do nothing as he slid down Sapphire's throat toward the fate that awaited him below.

---

Rin sat quietly at her desk, going through some paperwork. Profits were definitely improving, a welcome change from the Guild's recent slump. She was doing some calculations when she was interrupted.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

Rin looked up. The voice belonged to Lena, her new assistant. The girl was young, barely sixteen, and still suffering from a bit of the insecurity that was natural to one still finding her place in the world. Rin had found her living on the streets and had taken her in as an apprentice.

"Yes, Lena?" Rin asked, trying not to let annoyance seep into her voice. Lena knew that Rin hated interruptions, so she must be here for something important.

"One of our Lizards just came back... without a rider."

Ah, yes. Rin had told Lena to inform her if that happened, hadn't she? Lena had been briefed on what a riderless steed meant, of course, but she hadn't actually seen it happen yet.

"Very well. Just a moment." Rin finished her current calculation, wrote down some numbers, then laid her quill and papers on the desk. She stood up and took down her cloak from a peg on the wall, throwing it onto her shoulders. Unlike the others', her cloak had a gold trim around the blue fabric, indicating her higher status.

Rin walked out to the receiving area, an indoor stable with a large, open door set into one wall where lizards or wagons could enter to drop off goods. Indeed, waiting in the center of the room was one of their Fire Lizards, with saddle but no rider.

"Help me empty the saddlebags," Rin said, picking up a few empty baskets that were lying near the door before approaching the beast. The flicker of the candles lighting the room refracted off of the lizard's myriad scales, creating an intricate pattern.

"Wait, you're going to do this yourself?" Lena asked, surprised.

Rin smiled. "Just because I'm in an administrative position now doesn't mean I've forgotten how to work. We're the only ones working tonight, so there's no one else to do it. Now, are you going to help me, or not?"

Lena nodded sheepishly and started unloading the gear from the saddlebags into the basket. "So, the rider, he's...?" She trailed off but cast a meaningful look at the Fire Lizard's midsection.

Rin nodded. "That's right."

Lena shuddered. "So what are we going to do with all this?" She gestured to the baskets full of the contents of the saddlebags.

"Sell it," Rin answered. "What else? We'll make a good profit."

"But..." Lena hesitated. "Won't people get suspicious when everyone who uses our steeds starts to disappear?"

"Hardly," Rin said. "First, off, 'everyone' isn't going to disappear. These animals have been trained to only... follow their natural instincts when their rider has been marked by one of our merchants. And the merchants are careful to only mark people who are traveling alone, who are less likely to be missed."

The saddlebags were empty, but there was still one more bit of business. "Stand here," Rin ordered, and Lena walked around to stand in front of the lizard. "Hold this." Rin placed an empty basket into her hands.

Lena looked confused, but she did as she was asked. Rin looked at the examined the engraving on the lizard's harness. "Let's see... 'Sapphire,' is it? Okay, Sapphire, you can let it out." She tickled the lizard on a spot at the base of the neck.

Sapphire shifted, moving her body in a wave. Lena's eyes went wide as a lump began moving up the Fire Lizard's neck.

"Hold on tight to that," Rin said, "and lift it up to the animal's face."

Lena nodded, then gripped the basket so tightly her hands were shaking. After a moment, with a hacking sound, Sapphire opened her mouth and dropped a large ball of material into the basket Lena was holding.

Lena's eyes widened as she stared at the new contents of the basket: a wet, dripping ball of hair, pieces of bone, bits of leather armor, and various other odds and ends that Sapphire had been unable to digest. To the girl's credit, though she was shaking, she didn't scream or even drop the basket.

"You can set that down on the table over there."

Lena held her arms out stiffly as she carried the basket to the table Rin had indicated and set it down.

"There might still be some valuables in there," Rin said, answering the unasked question. "Jewelry, rings, that sort of thing."

Lena gulped. "You mean we actually have to sift through... that?"

Rin waved a hand dismissively. "No, that's goblin work. I'll have them go through it tomorrow."

"Thank goodness."

Rin had picked up one of the baskets full of gear from the saddlebags and was carrying it to the table when Sapphire started hacking again. The lizard lifted her head, opened her mouth, and something fell to the floor of the stable with a clatter.

Before Rin could stop her, Lena walked over to the scabbard and picked it up, holding it gingerly between two fingers. "Wow... look at this! It's barely damaged at all."

"Lena," Rin said, speaking slowly. "Don't. Move."

Hearing the urgency in Rin's tone, Lena froze. Then she looked up.

Sapphire had taken a step forward and was standing over her, looking at her with a curious expression.

"Lena," Rin continued, still talking slowly. "That's the mark. If someone has one of those blades... that's how we've trained the lizards to know which riders don't have to make it to their destinations."

Lena gulped. "Wh-what do I do?"

"Just set it down... slowly... and then back away... also slowly. Whatever you do, do not run."

Lena was shivering, but she slowly bent over and lowered the sword to the ground. Sapphire lowered her head as well, following the motion. Then Lena began to slowly back away. Rin held her breath: if Lena could just slowly back all the way out of the room...

She had made it three tense steps when Sapphire, who had been still as a statue, moved. She only took a step forward, but the sudden motion caused Lena's nerve to break, and the frightened girl turned to make a break for the door.

Her hunting instincts flaring at the sight of fleeing prey, Sapphire leaped. Lena barely had time for half a scream before it was muffled by the Fire Lizard's maw closing around her head.

Rin let out her breath in a long sigh. Ignoring the sound of struggling limbs and claws scratching against the floor, she walked over and picked up the blade -- it would be safe to for now. She didn't try to help Lena; experience had taught her that the trip that the poor girl had started was strictly one way. No amount of orders or struggling would take Sapphire's meal from her now. And even if Rin could stop the Fire Lizard, doing so would only confuse her training.

It was a shame, really. Teaching the Fire Lizards to occasionally "take care" of riders brought in a good deal of money, but that was just a side bonus. The real income came from the assassination contracts the Guild occasionally carried out by passing a marked blade to a specific target. The money for that kind of thing was incredible, and their system left virtually no traces. It was too lucrative a business to just stop, even if this was the third promising apprentice she had lost. Sacrifices sometimes had to be made for the sake of success, after all.

Rin set the blade on the table next to the baskets -- one of her goblins could get it later and reattach it to the hilt. The blades were cheap to make, but no reason to be wasteful if she didn't have to.

Lena was in the Fire Lizard's gullet up to her waist now. The animal stopped and looked up at Rin as she approached.

Rin leaned down and patted her on the head. "Good girl, Sapphire," she said quietly. Sapphire made a happy chirr noise, then went back to her meal as Rin walked out of the room.