Scarlett Reeves spread her coins across the tavern table and counted enough to hire three sword-arms. She needed those blades to hunt the warlord who ate her family when she was small. For twelve years she had saved for this. Tonight, in the rowdy dark-wood tavern where she lived, she meant to build her war party at last. A shadow fell across her coins. A broad man in a stained leather vest leaned over her table. He wore a badge he had clearly given himself. Two others stood behind him with clubs. The tavern went quiet. The barkeep found something to polish. "New face buying muscle," the strongman said. "Nobody hires in my town without paying the toll." He dragged her coin purse toward the edge of the table with one thick finger. Scarlett's temper flared hot and fast. She grabbed his wrist. "Touch it again and lose the hand." He laughed and nodded to his men. One club came down and smashed her purse into the floorboards. Coins scattered under boots and barrels. The strongman scooped up fistfuls and dropped them into his own pocket. His men blocked the door while he worked. Scarlett swung at him and caught only air. A club cracked across her shoulder and dropped her to one knee. When they left, they took nearly everything. Scarlett crawled across the floor, chasing coins under tables. She found four. Four coins would not buy a single blade. A soft voice spoke behind her. "Scarlett. Stop. You're bleeding." Luna Hayes knelt beside her, light blue hair falling over her glasses. She was Scarlett's oldest friend, and the only person who followed her into rough rooms like this. Luna pressed a cloth to Scarlett's split lip. Her hands shook, but she did not leave. "I heard where he keeps his coin," Luna whispered. She glanced at the door, terrified he might return. "Everyone here knows. Nobody says it out loud." Scarlett spat blood and stared at the four coins in her palm. "Then we don't hire anyone. We take it back." "Scarlett, no. That's his whole crew." Luna's grip tightened. "That's dangerous." "He robbed me of twelve years." Scarlett stood, using the table. Her shoulder screamed. "I can't hunt the warlord with four coins. So I hunt this one first." Luna looked at the door the men had guarded, then at her friend's ruined lip. She swallowed hard. Then she gathered the last four coins off the floor and pressed them into Scarlett's hand. "Fine," Luna said, her voice small. "But I'm coming. I'm not letting you go alone." Scarlett closed her fist around the coins. Her plan had failed. She had come to buy an army and lost her savings instead. Now she had one shy friend, a bruised shoulder, and one new target between her and the warlord who took everything.