Three days later, death came again.
Bandits attacked the village at night. Fire. Screams. Steel.
One of them kicked open my door.
I saw the blade coming.
Something inside me snapped.
"I borrow," I whispered.
The world slowed.
The bandit's movements became clumsy, predictable. I stepped aside and drove a knife into his throat with strength that wasn't mine.
The moment he fell, something vanished inside me.
I looked down at my shaking hands.
I felt no fear.
The fox spirit laughed softly in my head.
"One emotion," she said. "A small price."
I wasn't sure if I agreed.