The farmers lived on the outskirts of the village. Their houses were far and isolated, needing space for the cattle pens and henhouses. Also, a farm had to be built near the cultivated fields to keep an eye on the crops at all times.
A single wildfire could burn everything during summer, while thefts were a common occurrence during fall, right before harvest.
"By the gods, it would take a squad of ten soldiers or a single Awakened to wipe out the entire village." Morok had seen better and worse than Cerea during his tours as a Ranger, but his mind refused to associate such a place with Quylla.
"Ten soldiers?" She scoffed. "Maybe if the villagers fought back. As I remember it, five thugs were more than enough."
"Five thugs?" Orion wanted to say something in defense of the villagers, but Quylla's flinty stare stopped him.
The people of Cerea sounded the alarm and scurried like terrified rats at the sight of the magical car.
