“Sol took all of the trained riders with him to help us, but he did say there were others who had been spending time with dragons who hadn’t bonded yet,” Kirsten remarked, sounding distracted for the first time in days. Britt wondered if this was the first sign of progress in the healing of her broken heart.
“That’s good then,” Britt said, trying to sound hopeful.
“Good for them,” Kirsten mumbled.
“Do you two want to see the ceremony?” Britt asked, motioning to the ships.
“Yeah,” Max said.
“Not without Thomas. He was there the last time, so he should be there for this one too,” Kirsten said.
“Did they ever figure out how to heal him?” Britt asked.
“No. Anders can’t figure it out and the soul in his sword thinks the damage is permanent,” Kirsten said.
“I’m sorry,” Britt said.
“It’s not your fault,” Kirsten said. “It’s his own for trying to stop that dragon.”
“Come on, Kirsten. That’s not nice. You brother’s a hero. He saved countless lives,” Max said.
Britt could see Kirsten’s eyes welling with tears as she shouted, “Why did Tony have to do it?!”
Max stopped walking and grabbed Kirsten, bringing her in for a hug. Britt saw him eyeing her for help, so she stepped over to comfort Kirsten as well. “Nobody but Tony will know that,” Max said.
Britt joined their embrace while Kirsten released her emotions.
After several long moments he said, “Sometimes I wish Tony would’ve gotten me instead.”
“Max,” Britt said in a warning tone.
“But he didn’t. And I know that Bo wouldn’t want us feeling sad and sorry for him,” Max said with a sniffle. “He would want us to remember him like the happy-go-lucky brother he was to me and the loving companion he was to you. We owe him better than dwelling on what would’ve happened if he’d been two seconds slower or if he hadn’t been there at all. Wishing we were dead, too, does nothing to carry on his memory. I don’t know about you, Kirsten, but I’m going to take the extra time he gave me and live my life as best I can, because Bo didn’t die for nothing. I suggest you do the same.”
Britt pulled away from their hug and stared at Kirsten with wide eyes wondering what she might do. She had never heard Max speak to a friend so tersely.
Kirsten wiped away her tears and snot with her sleeve and nodded, “I know you’re right. He would want me to be happy and I promise I’ll try to be that, but not yet. I need to feel sad now so that I can move on to feel happy, eventually, even if right now it seems like I never will.”
“I want what’s best for you too, Kirsten. We’ll get through this, eventually,” Max said.
“I’ll go get Thomas,” Kirsten said and left them.
“Are you okay?” Britt asked Max.
“I will be,” he said.
“That was the most serious thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Britt said.
“What about when I told you that I loved you?” Max said, smiling for the first time in days.
“I guess you were pretty serious then,” Britt said hugging him.
When Red’s funeral ceremony was over, Britt stood on the muddy riverbank with Max, Kirsten, Anders and Maija. Thomas sat on top of Zahara while Raffa observed from her side. The small shuttle boat carrying Red’s body burned in the distance. Now nothing remained in Britt’s way to stop her from being the next Chief of the Rollo Islands.
Britt felt Max’s arm wrap around her shoulder as he said, “Here’s a last farewell to a stubborn thorn in our side from the day I met him. Even though he was bull headed, Red helped fight for the good things in this world. In the end, he did what was right for his people and saved the person who was best fit to lead them into a time of rebuilding, peace and prosperity.”
Britt turned around to face the crowd of people who stood on the bank to watch the Rollo Island leader’s final fire.
Anders stepped alongside her and called out to the Rollo Islanders. “Who is best suited to lead you now. Who was the one who fought for you and is best for your people’s future?!” he paused. In the silence that followed Britt heard members of her crew start to chant, “Britt, Britt, Britt.” Soon the entire host of Rollo Warriors was calling her name.
She saw the heads of all the free nations in Kartania cheering with the crowd. The elf and dwarf leaders, Anders, Maija and Hannah of the Norfolk. Hensal and Helga, the two surviving leaders of Westland’s Revolution, and Inama, of Southland. In that moment Britt knew they had accepted her into their ranks, and she would be the undisputed voice for the Rollo people.
***
Anders and Maija sat on their dragons’ backs watching the hosts of each army leading their forces away. The people of Aquina had recently returned to their homes and Kartania’s current leaders had agreed to meet in six months. Anders and Maija realized that their duty to see that the world returned to working order had been fulfilled.
“Do you think they’ll all show up in Kingston for the summit?” Maija asked.
“If they don’t, we can fly them there,” Anders said.
“I think they’ll all keep to their word,” Kirsten said.
Hannah walked into view with a dragon from one of her dead comrades. She came over to them and said, “Anders, Maija, I will see you both in two weeks?”
“You can count on it,” Anders said.
“Good. My people will look forward to assimilating into our ancestral homes,” Hannah said.
“The people of Grandwood will be glad to have helping hands to rebuild,” Anders said.
