Two weeks had passed since the combination of Murgo's demise and Harm's takeover as chief. It hadn't gone anywhere as smoothly as Harm's first takeover. Two goblins had been murdered, one from each clan, and it was likely a third would die if they couldn't get a healing potion or tonic. Harm had separated more than one fight or broken up arguments before they escalated, but he couldn't be everywhere at once.

Harm held his head in his hands. “What's happened now?” He said to Dafu, who was standing in front of him, looking sheepish.

“It's the hunters. They are arguing over their areas. The ex-Murgo members think they are being given bad areas and that our members are getting the premium grounds.”

Harm looked at Dafu, sighing deeply. “They are all members of the same clan. We can't keep separating them like this.”

“I know, but they won't work together. I have had to separate them.”

Harm growled. “Fucking idiots. Which side started it this time?”

Dafu coughed and replied quietly. “Ullu.”

“What?”

“Yes, Ullu told the ex-... I mean others whose area was better.”

“ULLU,” Harm bellowed, his voice booming around the clearing.

The clan stopped what they were doing and turned, all looking towards where Ullu must have been. Harm heard a very nervous squeak before Ullu came hurtling around the side of the hunter's hut.

“Harm,” he called as he sprinted over.

Harm stood as Ullu approached. His face twisted in a fit of anger.

Ullu slowed on seeing the look on Harm's face. His eyes were wide with terror, and he stopped short.

“Come here,” Harm said.

Ullu didn't move; he appeared petrified.

“I SAID COME HERE,” Harm bellowed.

Ullu shook as he gingerly stepped toward Harm.

“Yes. Harm,” he gulped.

“Closer,” Harm said.

Ullu edged forward.

“Closer,” Harm snarled, his face still one of thunder.

Again, Ullu inched forward.

Harm towered over the goblin, looking down at him, and if Ullu could have shrunken into the ground, he would have.

“What have you been saying?” Harm asked through gritted teeth.

“About what?” Ullu said, trying to play all innocent.

“YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT,” Harm screamed.

Ullu squealed and fell over, tripping over his feet.

He stammered. “Nothing. I said nothing.”

Harm had had enough. His head thumped, blood pulsed in his temples, and his eye twitched. Anger filled every fibre of his body. In one swift movement, he stepped forward, reached down and grabbed Ullu by the front of his jerkin. The goblin pissed himself as Harm lifted him with one hand and drew him to his face. 

Harm stared at the goblin, whose urine was trickling down his leg, terror-stricken. He could smell the goblin's breath this close, never mind the urine, as he spoke in a scary low volume. The menacing tone was much worse than any shout could ever convey.

“I am going to ask you once more. What did you say?”

Ullu gulped, tears filling his eyes as he replied, stammering almost incoherently. “I didn't mean anything wrong. Was just saying our areas are better, that's all.”

“And you didn't think that would cause a problem?”

Ullu shrugged, not having an answer.

Harm screamed as he spun, throwing Ullu. Ullu's scream was short-lived as he sailed through the air, crashing into the side of Harm's hut. There was a sickening thud as his head bounced off the timber surface.

Ullu slid down the wall until he came to rest unconscious at its base—a blood-smeared trail left from the large gash he now had on his head. Harm didn't care, and he felt no remorse as he ignored the goblin and strode towards the centre.

“LET ME MAKE SOMETHING VERY CLEAR TO YOU. THE NEXT ONE OF YOU WHO TRIES TO STIR DISSENT OR BICKER WILL NOT JUST GET A SPLIT HEAD. I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU,” Harm shouted, calling Florence to his hand, turning and pointing her tip at the surrounding members, all of whom looked terrified. “DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”

Several replied with very toned-down responses.

“I SAID, DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”

“Yes, Harm.” A chorus of voices responded.

“Good,” Harm said, turning and stalking back to his hut. As he reached it, Dafu still stood frozen like everyone else. “And clean that up.” He said, ducking and entering.

Harm walked to his bed and lay down. His head thumped.

Well done! The voice said.

Harm ignored it.

You needed to show your true self!

Harm sighed.

That isn't me. He thought.

But it is, it is! Your power, you must show! Loyalty you must gain!

Not through fear.

Why? When fear is so powerful!

Harm had been having more frequent conversations with his inner demon. This was making him question his sanity almost every day.

Loyalty is earned through trust. Harm thought.

Yes, and no! It works for a few! Do emperors not use laws to rule their empires? With beheadings or hangings for so many. Do generals not order their soldiers through fear? Charging into battle against insurmountable odds, knowing they are likely to die. Do you think they do it solely through love and loyalty?

Harm had never really considered either representation. Some do, and I am neither an emperor nor a general.

But you are, you are! You are the goblin general!

Harm laughed aloud at the sheer stupidity of the conversation he was having with himself.

He lay back, his eyes closed, as he heard someone scrubbing the outside of the hut. They must be trying to clean Ullu's blood from it. He sighed deeply.

Sanity was a fine line to Harm, which he was sure he had crossed. At times, he was calm and patient, but at other times, his temper soared. He had never been a violent man. Yes, he had been an adventurer and killed beings, but that was controlled violence, not the ferocity of the anger he had just shown. He lay conflicted in his emotions.

It was some time later that there was a knock on his hut door. Harm sat up, stretching; he must have fallen asleep at some point.

“Yeah. Come in,” he called.

The door opened, and a rather stricken-looking Luubu stood in the doorway. Harm very rarely spoke to Luubu, so for her to be at his hut was strange.

“What's wrong?” he asked, his senses tingling immediately.

“It's Dafu.”

“What about Dafu?” Harm frowned.

“He is missing.”

“What do you mean he's missing? Where has he gone?” Harm looked at his display. It was 5:00 a.m.; he must have slept all night.

“He went out last night on an errand. He didn't want to tell you and had asked me to stay quiet; he should have been back by now, but he hasn't returned.”

“What errand? I hadn't asked him to do anything?”

Luubu flushed, her cheeks reddened, which was still a strange sight whenever he saw it on a goblin. “He went to Sallew.”

“What?” Harm said, springing to his feet. “Why the fuck was he going to Sallew?”

“He was going to check on the Sister Carol you had spoken about.”

Harm's thoughts ran through his mind at the speed of a fleeing deer. He had been discussing Sister Carol and her healing abilities with Dafu, the local cleric. The injured goblin that had been stabbed was critical, and Harm had discovered that it was a relative of Dafu's. 

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” Harm cursed. “Did anyone go with him?”

“No, he went alone. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen.”

Harm marched from his hut. “Get me Nathic and Jillew,” he said.

Luubu had followed him outside and immediately sprinted off to where the male goblins now slept. Both sexes slept separately now under Harm's rules. It took several minutes, and Harm heard various curses from the hut before two rather sleep-deprived-looking goblins appeared.

“You two are coming with me,” Harm said.

“Where Harm?” Nathic asked, rubbing his eyes.

“Sallew.”

The colour drained from both their faces instantly, and they were no longer in the least bit tired. “Sallew?” Jillew said.

“Yes. We are going to Sallew.”

“We can't; it's too heavily patrolled and guarded. That's why we have never gone there before,” Nathic panicked.

“We have no choice. Dafu is missing, and he went there last night.”

The pair looked at each other with expressions of confusion. “Why did Dafu go there?” 

“I will explain on the way. Grab your bows and get short swords from the weapon hut.”

The two goblins turned and sprinted away.

“I'm coming too,” Luubu said.

“No, you're not. You are my third after Dafu, and I need you to stay here. If I don't return before the end of the day, then I grant you the rights to take over as clan chief,” Harm said.

Luubu swallowed hard. “I can't be chief.”

“Why?” Harm asked.

“I am female.

“And?” Harm frowned.

“Females are never chiefs.”

“Well, if I am not back, then you will be. So, get used to the idea. And I don't want anyone coming looking for us if we don't return. Do I make myself clear?”

Luubu looked at Harm for a few moments before replying. “Yes, Harm.”

“Good. Where are they?” Harm said, looking for Nathic and Jillew. He strode towards the centre where the weapons hut was, as he saw them both sprinting out again.

“Come on,” he said as he turned and headed into the woods.

The clan was about three hours from Sallew, and it wasn't an easy route down the valley side. It was understandable why the town guards had never come up into the hills, since there was no way a horse could even traverse the path. As they reached the valley floor, Harm led the goblins across towards Sallew. The chapel was on this side of Sallew, which was a bonus, so he wouldn't have to skirt around the whole of the town. Additionally, Sallew had no walls or defences apart from patrols, and there were few buildings on the side of the river where the chapel stood, resulting in less traffic.

This was the closest Harm had been to Sallew since that fateful day when he had returned from the warehouse. He still sought revenge against Satil, but he knew there was no rush. He had been so busy with the clan that it hadn't been ignored; it just wasn't his priority now. The initial rage and anger for revenge had been replaced with a commitment to grow something bigger that would help them all. 

“You two. I want you to stay here,” Harm said, as they neared the edge of a group of trees not two hundred feet from the chapel grounds.

“You're going alone?” Nathic asked.

“Yes. One of us moving into the open is bad enough. Three of us would be much easier to see.”

It was just after nine in the morning, and Harm could already hear the sounds of the town getting on with its daily lives: the vendors calling in the market square, the blacksmith's hammer ringing through the streets, horses and carts clattering along and the voices of the town's citizens.

He looked over towards the river, where the mill stood just down from the chapel. He watched as a wagon pulled up outside and heard the voices of the driver and the miller. If Dafu had gone to the chapel, Harm needed to find him. The diver and the miller entered the mill, and Harm crouched as he hurried across the broken ground, staying low and using any of the bushes or trees to hide his path as he approached the chapel fence line. The fence was like many; it was only made from struts and not solid. Anyone or anything could easily climb over or under it. Harm stopped and lay down as he reached it. 

The chapel grounds were open; the only places to hide were behind gravestones, and Harm couldn't bring himself to use those, whatever happened. Being this close to where his family lay, started to boil inside him. He looked over in the direction of where his family's graves were. Sadness filled his heart.

He had still never discovered how they had found out that he was the one who had killed Dasir and Satil's son. He knew it must have been through Wes, but what if Sister Carol had also been involved? Was she still even here in the chapel? He had no idea.

Harm saw a face he recognised as he peered through the long grass towards the chapel. Jeffer was just coming from the storage shed. Harm watched him as he turned, lifting the handles of the wheelbarrow and pushing it towards the front of the chapel grounds.

“Jeffer,” Harm called, not shouting, but loud enough.

The big man stopped and turned, looking in Harm's direction. Harm wouldn't chance standing up and instead waved his hand. Harm watched as Jeffer frowned, squinted, then he placed the wheelbarrow down and started walking over.

As the big man approached, Harm's heart thumped in his chest. As Jeffer neared, his eyes widened, and he hurried toward him. 

“Harm. Is that you?” Jeffer said.

Harm hadn't even considered his appearance, leaving in such a hurry. The clothing he wore was fraying and stained. Not just from sweat and the number of times they had been washed, but also from the blood of his victims.

“Yeah, it's me,” Harm said quietly.

Jeffer bent down by a nearby bush, looking as though he were inspecting it.

“You can't be here. You need to leave now,” Jeffer said.

“I had to come and check on Sister Carol. Is she still here?” Harm asked.

Jeffer turned to look at Harm. His eyes glistened as Harm saw a tear form.

“No. No, it can't be,” Harm said, shaking his head.

“She was found dead in the chapel,” Jeffer said, his head dropping as a tear fell. “She never hurt a soul.”

Harm could hear the anger in Jeffer’s words.

“I’m sorry, Jeffer.” Harm said, and he genuinely was. He felt as though another chunk of his heart had been ripped away, along with another sliver of what sanity he had remaining. He hadn’t started the problem; it had all been Satil’s boy, but anyone Harm had associated with was now dead—his family, Larky, Wes and now Sister Carol. All these people had died because of him.

Jeffer looked at him again, wiping away a tear. “Since Dasir and Satil's boy were discovered, the town has changed for the worse. I’m guessing that was you?”

Harm didn’t respond and just looked at the big man with pain and sympathy.

Jeffer nodded with understanding. “No one has freedom anymore. Everyone is under suspicion. Sister Carol was accused of helping you, and apparently left a note confirming her guilt, stating that she couldn't continue living knowing the truth about what you did to Dasir and Satil’s boy. Wes has also been missing for weeks now, and Tanya has been going frantic with worry. She thinks you kidnapped him, or that is the rumour that has spread,” Jeffer said.

Harm's mind raced, his pulse quickened, and his anger rose in his chest. He fought it down. “I saw Wes get murdered by Satil's men. I was staying at his shack on the plains, and they came after me, using Wes.”

“Where have you been?” Jeffer asked.

“In the hills,” Harm said. He trusted Jeffer; he had stood up for him and cared for him alongside Wes and Sister Carol.

“Who runs the chapel now?” Harm asked.

Jeffer looked at Harm before replying. “Vera. Satil's wife.”

“What?” Harm spat much louder than he meant to, and he quickly glanced around to make sure no one was looking in their direction. Thankfully, the chapel grounds were still empty.

“She was a cleric before she met Satil, apparently,” Jeffer shrugged.

“Shit,” Harm cursed. “You saw nothing last night, did you?”

“Such as?” Jeffer frowned.

“Anyone visit the chapel?”

“I don't know. I left before the last service. Vera usually stays late before locking up and going home. No one stays in the chapel overnight now.”

Harm didn't know exactly what time Dafu had left to head to Sallew, but knowing it was a three-hour journey to reach the town and then return, that would take six hours. If he had been planning to be back before five, then he must have left early in the evening to get here. That meant he was probably planning to speak to someone he believed was Sister Carol. Had the chapel been closed when he arrived? Had he talked to anyone? Had he been captured or, even worse, killed? Harm didn’t know.

Harm spotted a woman appearing at the chapel entrance, and the woman looked around.

“Jeffer,” she called.

“I'll be right there,” Jeffer called.

“That's Vera. I'd better go,” Jeffer whispered. He turned and looked at Harm. “There is a bounty on your head, ten gold pieces dead or alive. If I were you, I would get as far away from this town and territory as fast as you can and never look back. Sorry, Harm,” he said, standing and moving towards Vera.

Harm lay there in shock. The bastard hadn't just murdered Sister Carol, but Tanya now also believed that Harm had kidnapped and probably murdered Wes, and he still hadn’t found Dafu.

Anger flooded him, his pulse racing; this time, he didn’t fight it, and the voice sang.

Seek revenge, show no mercy! Death to all who stand in your way! The voice was sinister and calm as Harm stood, leapt over the fence and charged at Vera.