“Whatever happened to them, we’re going to be in deep if Merglan or any dragons arrive,” Natalia said. She saw Britt and Max exchange a worried look and said, “Come on. If I know my sister and Anders as well as I think I do, they wouldn’t just abandon us.” And I hope they show up soon, Natalia thought.
***
“Are you really going to challenge Red for the position of Chief?” Max asked as they trailed behind the elves.
“I don't really have a choice now, do I?” Britt replied.
“You could see it in the way they hesitated to listen to Red. I think the warriors would choose you if it were put to a vote.”
Britt stopped, “I'm not sure you know what it's like for me. I have always been a leader and my people mean the world to me. You were there when the other clan chiefs chose him over me. It’s been my dream to take care of our people for as long as I can remember, and yet they chose the man who is the least invested in our future. Look at what he's done to us, to my crew. I would never treat someone like that.”
Max understood what it must feel like for her. Tony was the Red in his life. “I get it,” Max said as they started walking again. “You two will not see eye-to-eye and no matter what the people around you say, Red will always try to undermine you.”
Britt nodded, “Exactly.”
“It's just like Tony and me. As long as we are in the same place, there's never enough room for both of us. He will always try to undermine me and probably will try to kill me, too.”
“Which is why you must confront him, as I confront Red,” Britt said.
Max shook his head, “That's not my way, Britt. I wasn't raised in a warrior culture. Though Tony and I will never see eye-to-eye, I do not wish to see Tony’s children without a father. No matter how much he hates me, he does love his birth children. And I love them, too, which means I won’t fight him.”
“Then you are a bigger man than most,” Britt said.
“A big man, you say?” Max asked, raising his eyebrows.
Britt punched him in the shoulder, “Gosh, how are you always like that? You know what I meant.”
Max laughed, “It’s how I cope. I’ll be needing some darn good jokes after all this serious war stuff is over.”
“Maybe you can teach me how to be funny, once I’m Chief,” Britt said.
“Maybe,” Max replied.
Chapter 93
Norfolk Riders
“Are there others like you, who know how to use the powers of the crystals?” the dragonrider asked Kirsten.
“Yes, but there’re only a few in this camp. Natalia is with Anders and the other two who trained with us are on the ships,” Kirsten said.
“We will need their skills,” the female rider said.
The dragonrider looked out at the army encampment. Kirsten saw her masked face in the dim light. Her helmet had shadowed her female features, but the glow from the nearby torches revealed the foreign rider’s familiar gray eyes. Kirsten knew only one other person who had eyes like that. “Where did you say you were from?”
“North,” she replied simply, then asked, “Will you help us?”
Kirsten looked back at the crowd of people. They were waiting to see what happened to her. “I’ll agree to come with you, but there’s a condition.”
“Name it,” the rider said.
“You will take us directly to Anders. Any funny business and I’ll use this,” she showed the crystal.
“Anders is with our riders now. I will take you to him,” the rider said with a confidence in her tone that made Kirsten feel she was trustworthy.
“Good,” Kirsten said satisfied. “First, I need to let them know what’s going on. A few in our group wanted to attack you.”
“Hurry, we must act quickly,” the rider urged.
Kirsten jogged back to the army. The soldiers made an opening for her and she quickly found Rune waiting for her. “They’re the dragonriders Anders saw in the mountains. They want to help us and say the enemy army will beat us to the city. A pack of fairnheir and a dragonrider already attacked the city. Anders and Maija drove them off, but more are sure to arrive tomorrow. They want me and the other crystal bearers to come with them now.”
“Have the Rolloans made it to Aquina?” Rune asked.
“No,” Kirsten said. “That’s why they need me and the others to come with them. With our powers, we might hold them off until our Army can arrive.
“We’ll have to march now.” Rune muttered.
“You aren’t seriously going to fall for this, are you?” Tony asked. “These dragonriders are clearly working for Merglan!”
“If they were, they’d be burning our camp down,” Rune said. “We aren’t in any kind of position not to trust them. We haven’t seen Anders or Maija since they left this morning. I say we send those who have crystals with these riders and we begin our march to the city at once! Who’s with me?”
Five of the Revolution’s leaders shouted their agreement. A rabble of chatter rose from them for a moment and Kirsten saw Tony’s eyes fall onto Kirsten.
Tony shook his head and yelled, “You are leading us all into a trap!”
“Either join us or go home,” Rune said. He turned his attention to the crowd and shouted, “Spread the word! We march for Aquina in one hour!”
The soldiers around them cheered, pounding their shields and whooping.
