Iola had never seen a stronghold before.

She had never been to a city before this either. The eastern stronghold was a building most imposing indeed, built with massive blackened blocks of stone and mortar.

The sight of the foreboding edifice made the young woman feel faint.

From the little window of the room they had rented at the next inn, Iola had a full view of the eastern stronghold and the broad street leading up to it.

Her heart was beating faster than she could ever remember.

Outside in the street, Dacia was walking up to two very brutish looking men and the very thought of what she intended to do sent chills down Iola’s back.

The men were larger than even the hulking Kadar and they turned as one to face Dacia as she called out to them in not much of a civilised manner.

The closest one to her lunged ferociously, but Dacia was quicker and deftly ducked under his lumbering swipe.

Iola blinked in disbelief as she witnessed Dacia step onto her attacker’s bent knee and rise up, bringing her left knee up to catch him hard under the chin.

His head snapped back and he went down like a felled tree.

The second man approached the muscular mercenary with more caution. But Dacia ran right at him.

He took a step back to brace himself as she leapt up into the air, her right foot aiming for his stocky midriff.

The man was quicker than his friend, his strong hands grabbed at Dacia’s ankle as she made contact.

“You there!” A loud voice boomed across the broad street. “Cease this commotion at once. You are under arrest.”