A determined woman in a dark cloak stands on a cobbled street near a gallows at sunset, a tense crowd gathered around.

As Annike approaches the Helmsberg gallows, one of the villagers in the crowd tries to bar her way. She punches him in the gut and he drops into a ball on the ground. Several people gasp then and the rest of the crowd backs away fearfully as she continues her advance. When she reaches the platform, the two attendants at its base also attempt to stop Annike’s approach. She pauses and confuses them when she calmly requests, “I saw you both eavesdropping on the Vordur’s audience with the magistrate this morning. Tell us what you heard.” When the men look at one another nervously, she gives them a moment, but neither man answers. She steps closer and hisses loudly, “What price was agreed upon for removal of the hylda before sundown?” Both men share a nervous look again, and one pales visibly, but they remain silent. Annike’s patience has run out, “Your faces have given me the answer. And you could have spared yourselves some pain if you just told the truth.” The crowd makes a collective noise of surprise as the attendant on the healer’s left takes a swift kick to the groin for his silence. He doubles over, retching violently. The one on her right gets an elbow to the jaw and is unconscious before he hits the ground. Annike squats down and grabs the coin purse from the second man’s belt, keeping her eyes on the group on the platform. She secures the Vordur’s reward to her own belt. When she stands, Annike plants her right foot on the unconscious attendant’s back and uses him as a See more