Book 1 Chapter 4

Thanks for reading my book! Find Chapter 3 here "Book 1 Chapter 3" 

Also, This is the fourth chapter of a book I'm writing on Google Docs, which I've decided to publish here. I hope to upload the rest of the chapters, but It's reliant on me getting enough GP to temporarily afford a paid membership. (Because of the 10-item limit on free accounts) And of course, my own personal interest in the project. The book also needs a title, so in addition to feedback on my writing quality, I would also appreciate title ideas. For the sake of ever making progress, I will not be changing, updating, or in any way editing the content of any chapter I post until the book concludes, but any feedback will be incorporated into future chapters.

Elias set her cup down on the table. “So, what can you tell me about this Mistrider person?”

“What? I thought you were the expert. I don’t even know what a Watcher is!”

“Neither do I. When I was a kid, one of my friends told me he saw a person materialize out of the bushes. My mom overheard and told me it was a Watcher, and to stay away if we saw one.” He blew on his tea, trying to cool it off.

Even though Mistrider had disappeared, he knew where they were. If she tried to make a run for it, he would probably catch her. Elias had suggested she stay at least until dusk. It didn’t seem like the Watcher could get inside for now, and if she left just before the challenge, Mistrider might not have the time to catch her. So after making sure the deadbolt was done and barring the door with a wooden plank, they retreated to the dining room to try and make a plan.

“So what about you?” Elias continued after taking a sip of tea. “Why are they chasing you down?”

“Well,” she said, “I lived in a farm town named Creno. It wasn't anything special, but it was home. Mom and Dad were farmers, but I'd somehow lucked into an apprenticeship with the local potter. Mostly my job was to dig up clay and sift out the rocks, but sometimes I got to try my hand at some of the easier requests. Basic cups and bowls with no details that she couldn't be bothered to do herself.

As time went on, my skills improved, and gradually Jenna let me do more of the work. Soon I was more of a partner than an apprentice. Merchants started stopping in Creno overnight instead of risking bandits on the open road, so there was plenty of demand for quality ceramic. One day, some merchants commissioned a large ornate vase, with intricate flowers and a light-green glaze. Fifty days later, we finally got one to fire right. When the merchants returned, they refused to pay more than half their initial offer, so Jenna refused to sell them the vase.

The next morning, it was gone, along with three others that had only slight imperfections. As Jenna confronted the merchants, I ended up in pursuit of an out-of-towner who was cutting through farms as he walked toward the middle of nowhere. I lost him, but I found this." She said, holding up the necklace so he could see. "When I got back to the pottery shop, he was waiting inside the storeroom. He introduced himself as Mistrider and told me that it would be 'Better for everyone' if I gave him the necklace and forgot about it entirely. When he started warning me about the consequences of my actions, I decided it would be best to leave.

He intercepted me three times on my walk to where Jenna was still arguing with the merchants, and another five on the way back to the store. By the seventh time, he'd stopped asking for the necklace. When we got to the shop and found it completely trashed, I decided leaving town was probably the best option." She finished.

"But he followed you," Elias said.

Anna nodded.

"How'd you pay for transport on ship?"

"They stole the four best vases, but there were some others that were pretty good. After the robbery, we gave them to a friend for safekeeping. When I left, I picked them up and sold them at the next town."

"If" he began "This had been any other day, I wouldn't have believed you. But after what I've seen today, I'll believe anything."

Suddenly, they heard a rapping at the door.

Elias cursed. "There aren't any windows in this tower, so there's no way to know what time it is, or who's knocking. It might be the Watcher, but it could also be a townsperson come to check on me."

"Keeper! The time of the challenge has arrived. I do not withdraw. The challenge stands. Do you withdraw?" Came a voice from below

"Well, I guess that answers that."