Garrick let out a short, bitter laugh that held no humor. "Reputation? That ship has sailed, old friend. Those nobles made certain of it. By now, every mercenary from here to the city knows exactly why the our Group marched into this forest. They know we came for elves."
"This..." The old mage hesitated, seeing the unyielding set of his captain's jaw.
"We've come this far. We finish what we started," Garrick declared, his voice hard as stone. "We collect the bounty from those grasping nobles, then we wash our hands of the city and return to the Imperial Capital with money."
Seeing his captain was immovable, the old mage could only manage a strained, resigned smile. The heavy sense of foreboding hadn't lessened; it clung to him like a shroud. He wouldn't have dared suggest retreat if the feeling hadn't been so profoundly unsettling.
