Chapter Four of Taerith is Up!

Borden sank back into the shadows and sought out the bloodied warrior's face. His eyes were dark with anger, and they were fixed on Mirian. One by one, the eyes of the gang turned to the same place: Mirian, who still stood at the fore of the crowd, her hair blazing under the torchlight, her stance tall and proud as ever. They were angry. They knew better than to tangle with the unicorn now: it had a boy to protect, and would be three times as fierce as it had been before. Besides, the crowd had taken the unicorn's side.

But Mirian stood alone, and they would hold her responsible. After all, had she not wrenched the spear away and chided the leader of the gang as though he were a child, the unicorn would not have had a chance to bond.

Borden's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword as the young men slowly gathered around Mirian, but he did not draw it. He wanted to see what she would do. He told himself that he would not let her be abused too harshly--he wanted to see her blaze to life in her own defense, and best them all.

* * *

Read the whole thing here.