“You’re ridiculous,” Britt said.
“You know it better than anyone else,” Max replied.
After explaining their new mission to those among Red’s crew who would come with them, Britt and the others gathered out in front of the rest of the Rollo Islanders. While inspecting her new crew before departing on their expedition, Britt found Max saying a brotherly farewell to Sanka. She saw Sanka take the pouch of crystals from Max, leaving him with only one for the mission. When Max finished his farewell, Britt could see he wasn’t smiling. “Are you nervous?” she asked as he joined her and the crew.
Max shrugged, “I’m not used to it yet.”
“What, risking your life?” Britt asked.
“It's not the thought that I could die that scares me. I’ve risked my life a hundred different times in a dozen different ways.”
“What is it then?” she asked.
“There's something about putting on armor and strapping on a sword that makes my skin crawl.”
“Despite what everyone thinks and what Red said, you are getting better,” Britt said.
“Thanks, but it’s not that I’m a novice that makes me nervous. What scares me is the loss. Not that I might die, but that the people I love could be taken away from me. It's basically why I almost walked away from the battle before.”
“Remember when we were pinned down against those rocks in the Glacial Melt Bays?” Britt asked.
“I had my bow then,” Max said.
“You didn't seem nervous then,” Britt said.
“There wasn't time to be nervous,” Max said. “That time the fight was sprung on us and I was a little more willing to be brave because I thought I'd already lost Bo. Now, though, things are way different.”
Britt eyed him suspiciously, “How are things different?”
“I have more of a sense of self-preservation.”
“That didn't seem to slow you down when you were risking your life to taste potions for Kirsten,” Britt said.
“I would’ve done the same for Thomas. Seriously, she's just a friend.”
Britt nudged him with her hip and smiled, “Just making sure.” She knew there hadn’t ever been anything between Max and Kirsten. Whatever Kirsten had thought was there had been solely on her end. Britt, however, still had a hard time believing anyone would be so loyal in a relationship with her. “You know I do that as a joke right?” she asked.
Max nodded.
“And I like it when you defend yourself,” Britt added.
Max raised his eyebrows at her, “Well, as far as jokes go, maybe I can teach you how to tell one when this is over.”
Britt shook her head, “I guess I deserved that one.”
“I think that worked,” Max said, looking at her surprised.
“What?”
“Nerves are gone,” he said.
Britt nodded and turned to face the city. She stared at the smoke rising in the distance, then looked back at Max. His face had gone pale again.
He returned her look, “Never mind, it didn’t work.”
“I’ll be right here with you,” she whispered to him, then called her crew into formation. She led them north along the river and toward the outer limits of Aquina. Britt looked over her shoulder to see the clans among the Rollo Island warriors beginning to form ranks in response to Red’s shouted orders.
Britt led her crew into the fringe of the city; quietly sneaking into a township was a raiding tactic that all Rollo clans had practiced. Britt’s crew moved double-file following the path of the warriors in front of them. She remained close to Max just as she had promised. As ordered, they all had their weapons out and at the ready.
To Britt the group’s every move seemed to echo through the silent streets. Britt and Max checked each cross-street before advancing. The dry dirt streets produced a cloud of dust around their ankles as they rushed to the next corner. Although they had miles to go before reaching the other end of Aquina, Britt began to think reaching the farthest city limit wouldn’t take as long as she’d thought. So far, they hadn’t seen or heard anything moving in the city.
Britt noticed that the homes seemed to have been well lived in and recently abandoned. Clothes still hung on clotheslines and wagons sat stranded in the streets with their leather fasteners cut. Looking through some of the random open doors, Britt could see charred meat on a stove halfway through preparation. Whatever happened here caused them to leave in a hurry. The only thing they managed to take with them was their most important possession: their horses.
Britt stopped abruptly upon hearing a scuff on the ground to her right. Her head snapped to attention as she searched the adobe buildings along the street.
“What was that?” Max whispered.
Britt noticed the dim glow of the crystal clutched in his hand and shrugged. Waving, she motioned her crew to continue. “Come on,” she whispered and led Max toward the next cross street where it seemed they’d heard the sound originate. When they neared the house on the corner, she slowed. Something metal hit the ground around the corner and out of sight. She stopped. She and her crew froze with their blades in hand. The moment of hesitation reminded Britt of the time Max led her through Brookside not that long ago. He had known his way around the town and seemed much more confident when he knew the layout of a place. Britt expected to see the same cautious expression he wore upon entering the city, but now he appeared more curious and engaged. He stepped closer to the corner.
“Pssst,” Britt whispered, catching his attention. She motioned for him to wait. The crew was still trying to group up behind them. She walked to where he stood near the compacted and hardened clay building’s edge and pressed her body flush against the mudstone textured wall. Her heart pounded as she heard continued movement, a scuffling, from around the corner. Trying to slow her racing pulse, Britt listened intently for any clue as to what it might be. The only sounds she heard arose when something fell from inside one of the homes.
Britt motioned for the crew to hold their positions. Looking at Max, she mouthed, “I’m going to look.”
She approached the edge with caution, but the racing of her pulse slowed upon realizing that whatever was making the noise was isolated to one home and likely wasn’t something large like a dragon. Keeping a tight grip on her sword, Britt prepared to look down the street ahead. Just as she and Max had done in Brookside, she leaned forward and peered around the corner. Sticking out from an adobe house less than a hundred feet away, she saw a black tail. The entrance to the home was a standard size door, meaning nothing of significant size could enter without causing damage. Seeing nothing else but the black tail swaying back and forth, she racked her brain trying to think of what it could be.
Another crash sounded in the house the black-tailed creature appeared to be ransacking. Britt motioned for Max to join her. He did and hummed when he saw what she was staring at. “What do you think it is?” she asked.
Max shrugged, “Whatever it is, it’s bleeding.” He pointed, “See the trail on the ground near the door.”
