[Lyra Greenleaf]

Mara shrugged. "Perhaps they do" she said, for once not getting angry. It was a discussion she had had before. "If we do our job and kill all the adults in these villages then the children will have to leave- they can't live alone, can they? We only want our land back. And anyway, it's no fun killing the children, they can't fight back"

Suddenly she frowned around at the men.
"Are you bringing your pets?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "They share your profits, remember.
With a smile that didn't touch her eyes she began to walk off.
"Not coming?" she asked after a while, turning back.
Raken growled and followed, soon catching up.

He opened his mouth to speak and she turned to him, eyes flashing and dagger drawn.
"This time remember that I can kill you. I might die doing it, but I can certainly take you with me. Do not address me 'Missy' again"
Raken began to laugh, the same manical, hysterical laugh as before. It had no trace of humour in it.

Mara began to walk faster. Raken kept up easily but didn't try to speak again for a long time. He kept chuckling under his breath, which irritated Mara.
"What are you laughing at?" she finally asked, fingering the hilt of her dagger. "I heard something amusing, too. I heard that you follow a giant eye!"
She doubled over, laughing disbelievingly.
"What of it?" Raken asked, putting his knife to her throat.
Mara gasped, shocked that it was true.
He truly is mad... she thought.
She tried to disguise her fear with a sneer.
"Lunacy" she said. "Get off me, now"
Mara pulled her knife, placing it in front of Raken's chest.
"Well? Shall we kill each other, or get on? We are almost there, I belive. And you can tell me more about your precious eye..."