The city still cries in despair as I clamber down the remnants of a cobbled street. I see a group of twenty vigils filling a crater with rubble, to even the thoroughfare as best they can. They look exhausted, on the verge of keeling over like everyone else.


    Another wick has been lit. And lit not by some tinder box, but the breath of a dragon.


    It will take the vigils forever to fill every cavity in the city, I say to myself. Maybe we should just keep everything as is. If the enemy ever decides to rush the city, to end the siege, it could be to our advantage to have mounds of debris to hide behind and lie in wait. It''s a good strategy I''ve seen before and which enemies have used against me.


    Everywhere seems like all is lost but I still need to do my duties as sheriff. Laws need to be upheld. And the attack on me last night will not deter me either. Nothing has ever deterred me. I never let anything stand in my way.


    I grab the hilt of my sword, making sure the blade is still there. I retrieved it from the ruins of my keep and I will never be parting with it again.


    I stop and glance over my shoulders. Nobody is following me. I continue on.


    Scrambling over a pile of bricks, the question of who attacked me fills my head like the gloom all around.


    Seamil was my first thought, considering what Leech said before he had his head smashed in and my suspicions about the theft of the granary being a part of a bigger plot. But Seamil would never want to kill me.


    Doubt, however, burrows itself in my mind and I think of all the times the two of us argued or jesting insults cut too deep.


    A short time later, I turn down another street and remember the woman who was attacked. She lives down here, her home escaping destruction.


    I walk over to her front door and give it a knock. And once again she answers without asking who it is first. It annoys me. It makes me angry.


    As the door opens, and as I see her nervous face, I quickly say, feigning tenderness, ''I just came to see how you''re doing.''


    ''So it''s nothing to do with my husband?'' she replies, putting her hands to her heart.


    ''No, it is not.''


    ''So he''s fine? I''ve had no word from him since the explosions. No letter. Nothing.''


    ''He probably has no time to send a message. Every soldier is probably on the highest of alerts. But I''ll go call about him, if you like.''


    ''Would you?'' The woman softens. ''But please don''t if it puts you out of your way. I know your time is precious.''


    Everyone''s time is precious. And more so in the last five years.


    ''It won''t interrupt my duties.'' I say. ''I''m headed to the wall right now. Right after here. And I''ll come back to tell you his situation. You have my word.''


    ''Thank you so much, Sheriff Harg.''


    ''I also want to tell you that there has been no progress in finding your attacker. I''m sorry. We don''t really have much to work with.''


    ''I''m sure you''ll eventually get him.''


    ''Let''s hope that''s the case. And speaking of which, have you seen anyone following you, seen anyone lingering in your street that you don''t know or have never seen before?''


    ''Do you think the attacker knows where I live?''


    I can hear her heart racing.


    ''That is a possibility,'' I reply.


    At this moment, my hunch is that whoever attacked me is the same person who attacked her. It could be wrong but that''s all my thoughts can muster.


    I continue. ''It would probably be a good idea if you found somewhere else to live. Do you have family you can stay with?''


    ''My husband and I aren''t originally from this city. We''re from Hartly Glen.''


    I slump my head in sadness. ''My condolences. So no family then?''


    I know the answer.


    ''All gone, sheriff,'' the young woman replies.


    I can tell she''s made peace with it.


    ''But I can stay with a friend,'' she adds. ''She lives on Regent Road.''


    ''I think it best that you do that. And quickly too.''


    ''Yes.''


    ''If you want, I can get a vigil to assist you, to help gather your things. I''m sure there''s one close by I can ask.'' This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ''Thank you but that won''t be necessary. We don''t have much.''


    I just nod before saying, ''Well, I must be on my way. Have a good day.''


    ''And you, sheriff.''


    I bow and leave for the confrontation I''ve been dreading. Thank the gods the streets aren''t passable for my carriage, for I need the time to settle my nerves, to clear my head. Although, all this walking isn''t doing wonders for my leg. It pangs and twinges not just with every step but with even the littlest movement. But I grit my teeth and plod along.


    When I finally reach the southern wall, the small square where soldiers once rested is now empty and no guard stands before the steps. Everyone has been called up.


    The catapult tower reeks of berry weed more so than any other time I''ve visited. And when I reach the door to Seamil''s office, I don''t knock but barge in.


    A look of surprise and shock would tell me all I need to know, but a withered, yet warm smile is what Seamil has for me.


    Could it be a fa?ade? And if so, how long has he been putting it on?


    Standing by his desk, Seamil says with heavy eyes, ''Good to see you, my dearest friend.''


    ''Good to see you, too,'' I reply.


    He moves towards me and I tense up, the doubt that it wasn''t him wielding the ax making me so. Yet I embrace him, grabbing his upper arms and squeezing. A gesture I''ve done a million times but this time with one motive only.


    He doesn''t flinch and I''m relieved. He''s not hiding a wound. He''s not the one who attacked me.


    Seamil copies the gesture before asking, ''Have you checked on Lorma?''


    ''I haven''t had time,'' I reply as we then sit down.


    ''She sent me a bird saying she was fine but you know how she is. Did you see the inner city was hit as much as the outer? That''s never happened before. The enemy''s weapons and their range are getting better. Next it will be the palace–''


    ''I''ll go check on Lorma again,'' I interrupt. ''I was going to anyway.''


    ''Thank you. I heard your keep was hit fairly badly.''


    ''More than that. It''s completely destroyed. It''s a ruin.''


    ''Shit. Were you inside at the time?''


    ''I was.''


    ''Are you injured?''


    ''Just a few bruises, a few scratches,'' I reply. ''That''s it. The same goes for the rest of my men but a lot of others weren''t so lucky. Any injuries, damage here? I couldn''t see anything.''


    ''Nothing,'' Seamil replies, slowly shaking his head. ''They weren''t aiming for the wall. Just over. Just into the city.''


    Our enemy is toying with us as if we are caged animals.


    ''What were they?'' I ask. ''These weapons?''


    ''We guess they were some kind of incendiary powder contained within a projectile. We also think the incendiary powder was not only used to cause damage but to propel the projectile too.''


    ''To propel it, too? I''ve never heard such a thing. What kind of witchcraft is that?''


    ''We''re essentially a target range for them, Pannor. They''re just keeping us around to test out their new advancements for their future wars.''


    ''Were you able to take any down? The new weapons?'' I ask, briefly forgetting why I came.


    ''We tried but the projectiles were too fast for us to hit. This changes everything.'' Seamil breathes a deep sigh. ''You''re a good friend to come and see how I was doing, Pannor.''


    It''s time to confront him.


    ''That''s not the only reason I came, Seamil,'' I say, looking him dead in the eyes.


    Seamil leans back in his chair. ''What''s the other?''


    ''My duty as sheriff,'' I reply.


    His eyes suddenly focus deeply on mine and he stays quiet.


    Just by this I know Leech was telling the truth and that Seamil got him to steal the food. I''ve known him for too long. I know what every little change in his demeanour means.


    ''Before the attack,'' I continue, ''right before the keep was hit, I was questioning a suspect – he died. But not before divulging something to me. Something I found very shocking.''


    ''It must be important.'' Seamil''s tone is rigid.


    Another tell.


    ''It is. It''s about the theft at the granary.''


    Seamil now shows his cards, giving me a ''you''ve caught me'' smile. He knows that I know.


    ''Pannor, old friend,'' says Seamil, ''you clearly live up to your name. I knew I was being foolish when I thought that you wouldn''t find out.''


    I knew he''d come right out and confess. A true friend, he is.


    ''So have you come to arrest me?'' he asks.


    Arresting him never crossed my mind. Not even for a single moment. And I don''t want to.


    I don''t answer but just ask, ''Why?''


    Now, I want to know if there''s anything more to this.


    ''Why? It''s fairly obvious,'' he responds.


    ''Is it?''


    ''Yes. The food. My soldiers need food. We get the same rations as everyone else and that''s not nearly enough. It barely keeps us on our feet. We have become the walking dead up here on the wall. That''s what drove me to extremes. Drove to steal food from the granary. I had to do it. There was no choice.''


    ''Why didn''t you ask the king?''


    ''Pannor, please. Surely you know I would have done that.''


    ''And?''


    ''No. Both Sir Blouf and the king laughed in my face at the idea.'' Seamil slams his fist into his desk. ''While the king and his royal court feast every night, this city''s soldiers, the defenders of this fucking city go hungry. It''s a disgrace.''


    We both think alike. We''ve always had.


    ''So how did the theft come about?''


    ''I asked around for someone dodgy – I didn''t say what for – and they put me on to someone. I met the person and he agreed to do it.''


    ''His name was Leech.''


    ''The suspect that died?''


    ''Yes.''


    ''How?''


    ''He took a huge chunk of the keep''s wall right to the head.''


    ''Shit.'' Seamil glances away in dismay.


    ''So Leech stole the food and brought it here, to the wall, to you?'' I ask.


    ''He didn''t know who I was and I wasn''t going to let him find out. I told him to leave it somewhere. Then, I got someone else I don''t know to take it somewhere else. I did that over and over again until the food made its way to my house.''


    ''Your house?'' I spit, taken aback. ''So Lorma knew about this?''


    I joked about her stealing the food from the granary and she told me she was a good girl. Hah. The bacon, the apples. She wasn''t saving them up for Seamil, they were from the granary.


    ''She did but she had no choice, Pannor,'' says Seamil.


    A quake in his tone tells me he''s not telling me the whole truth there. He wants to keep her safe.


    Seamil adds, ''Nothing happens to her, Pannor. Yes? I roped her into this. She''s not a willing participant.''


    Again, I don''t answer.


    ''So is it Lorma who brings the food to you to give to the soldiers?''


    ''She gets some of our old servants, who are now vigils, to bring food now and again.''


    ''Quite the enterprise. And that''s it? There''s nothing more behind it.''


    ''More? Like what?'' Seamil crosses his brows.


    ''Like being a part of a conspiracy involving the enemy to cause chaos within the city.''


    Seamil''s eyes go as wide as I''ve ever seen them go. ''Is there such a conspiracy?''


    Trusting my friend, I say, ''I believe there is.''


    ''I would never conspire with the enemy, Pannor. You must believe me.''


    ''I believe you. And I believe Sir Blouf may be a part of it.''


    ''That crumby piece of shit. And he''s marrying the princess.''


    ''Indeed.'' The two of us then sit in silence, me contemplating what to do, until I ask, ''Why didn''t you tell me, Seamil?''


    ''Tell you what?''


    ''Tell me you wanted to steal food.''


    ''Tell the sheriff?'' He gives out a chuckle.


    I frown deeply. ''No, tell an old friend. I would have helped.''