Elina

Part of the roof collapsed. A large rock fell right next to me. Those rocks weren't for keeping the hut in place in case of a storm. They were meant to crush whoever was inside.

Salem grabbed my hand and held me close.

Oh-hoh!

I didn't think he'd be this bold. His arms around my shoulder, his hand pressing my head against his chest. Kind of like a lover. But far from it.

Is he panicking? I looked up. His eyes darted left and right. Looking for a way out.

I said, "The door's the only way."

Salem nodded.

He reached for door, turned the handle. Rattled it. Shook it. It refused to open.

"What?!" His heart pounded. Panic edged into his eyes. But he stayed calm.

Impressive.

It's easy to follow his thoughts. The door opened just now. When Anja knocked. But now it was locked.

How?

No, that wasn't important.

Why?

I said, "Someone must have put a lock on it. From the outside."

"…"

"And you wonder who it is?"

"Doesn't matter. We have to get out first."

He let go of me and told me to stand back.

I said, "If you ram the door, all you'll do is damage your shoulder."

"Never said I'd do that."

"Then what?"

He took half a step back. Raised his right leg and kicked the edge of the door. A rattling metal sound. Then again. And again.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"It's hard to break the door itself using brute force. But if you focus your strength on where the lock is, it''ll break apart."

He kicked a few more times until there was a crunching sound. The door fell open. He took my hand and pulled me out.

Outside, he fell to his knees and coughed uncontrollably. I suppose in the end, no matter how strong, a human is more fragile than a witch. His lungs struggled. The smoke didn't affect me.

I stood next to him, waiting for him to stand up. There was another problem to be dealt with.

----------------------

Salem: It wasn't my first time being caught in a fire. But it was my first time rescuing a witch. Which felt weird. Because usually I'd lure them into fires. Watch them burn. Listen to them scream.

But leaving Elina behind wasn't an option.

I kicked the door down, grabbed Elina's hand and stumbled out. My legs gave out and I fell to my knees.

I coughed and threw up the dinner we had. Almost blacked out. I gritted my teeth and managed to stand up again.

At first my vision was blurry. But it was easy to see that something was wrong.

I looked left. I looked right.

We were surrounded.

It finally dawned on me.

Everything made sense now. Every comment Elina made. Every expression. Every tingle of strangeness I felt, but chose to ignore.

Elina said, "Do you understand now?"

I nodded.

This village is what some people called a 'honeypot' or a 'honeytrap'. Every honeytrap village had its own methods, but they all involved luring unsuspecting travelers into the village with some sort of bait, killing them and taking their gold, horse and whatever else they have. The entire village would be in on it. An entire village of murderers.

The Eisen King had launched a campaign to eradicate these honeytraps. Thousands of men, women and even children were executed. But it seems like a few honeytraps still exist. Like this one.

"I'm surprised you made it out alive."

A voice I recognized. I rubbed the smoke out of my eyes. My vision cleared.

"Although this is the end for you."

Anja. She had changed out of her nightgown and into a simple black dress. In her hands she held a pair of long daggers. She didn't look sweet and innocent anymore. Her expression was stoic, her voice mechanical.

Heh… I guess she was the bait. She had me completely fooled. Approach lone male travelers. Become the fantasy every man sought after. Appeal to the loneliness in his heart. Take him home. And roast him alive.

"Do you feel disappointed?" Elina asked.

"I feel stupid."

"Mh-hmm. You should."

The circle of villagers closed in. Nowhere to run.

I saw a few kids. Boys and girls. A grin on their faces, a knife in their hands. I wonder if they were trained to act as bait too. Pretend to be a lost child. Appeal to the fatherly or motherly side of travelers.

I drew my sword. Even though I knew this fight was hopeless.

An excellent fighter could fight one against five.

A good fighter could face one against three.

But one against a hundred? Impossible. That was the stuff of legends.

Elina tugged my sleeve.

I looked at her.

She said, "Take off my handcuffs."

I said nothing.