Such as a man with a broken sword and the tattoos of one of the bandit tribes. More dead than alive, the villagers leave him to the care of the last ward they took in.
Just a girl when she appeared among them, a woman now, she never speaks a word. But everyone hides their own secrets, especially those who live in hidden villages.
"Sword and Tattoo", a fantasy short story which originally appeared in the ages of Mythic Delirium.
Kate MacLeod has written stories which have appeared in┬аAnalog,┬аStrange Horizons┬аand┬аMythic Delirium, among other places. She is also the author of two young adult science fictions series:┬аThe Travels of Scout Shannon, and┬аThe Ritchie and Fitz Sci-Fi Murder Mysteries. She also contributes to a serialized science fiction podcast called┬аThe Tales of the Chai Makhani Trio. She currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can learn more about her work at KateMacLeodWrites.com.