“I can’t believe she turned out to be an elf,” Thomas said, running his hand through his hair.

“She was an elf?” Bo asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” Kirsten said. “She had this crazy magical hearing while we were captive, but I would’ve never thought she was that rider’s sister.”

“Wow,” Max said, eyes widening. “So that’s why she stayed behind?”

“I guess,” Thomas said.

“I knew there was something special about her from the moment I saw her,” Kirsten said.

“Sure you did,” Thomas said sarcastically.

“I did. And I like Maija, I’m glad she’ll be with Anders, but it’s hard for me to see him go after such a brief time together.”

“Things are going to be different now, no doubt. We’ve just been reminiscing about what it’ll be like once we get back to Grandwood,” Thomas said.

“At least you’ve got a home to go back to,” Max said pushing his black hair out of his eyes.

“You two aren’t going home?” Kirsten asked.

Together Max and Bo shook their heads, “Even if we were welcome, I wouldn’t want to stay there again,” Max said.

“Not as long as Tony’s alive anyway,” Bo added.

“Yeah, besides Britt’s offered us working positions among her crew,” Max finished.

Kirsten felt a rush of disappointment when she heard the two boys would stay on with Britt, not because she didn’t think them capable of the job, but because she realized her time with Bo would be ending soon. Nothing between them had been said, but Kirsten could feel that he was beginning to grow fond of her and she’d only recently warmed up to the idea.

It’s probably for the best anyway, she told herself, trying to see reason. Kirsten suddenly became aware that she’d been staring at Bo while she was wrestling with her thoughts. His dark eyes were locked with hers as they gazed longingly at each other from opposite sides of their respective brothers.

“Have you two ever been to the Rollo Islands?” Thomas asked, abruptly changing the subject after noticing the look Bo and his sister were sharing. When he spoke, Kirsten snapped her head back forward, rosy-cheeked and flushed with embarrassment. Bo kept his eyes on her for a moment longer before he, too, looked back to the east.

“No, but I’m eager to see them. I’ve heard their beaches are like none other in the five nations. It could all be a rumor, but I intend to find out,” Max said with a smile. He placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest, striking a pose for them, “I’m not one to turn down an adventure, you know.”

Bo scoffed at his older brother, hitting him with the back of his hand directly in the belly and making Max double over.

“The only thing you’re ever up for is talking someone’s ear off and bragging about all of your wonderful accomplishments,” Bo mocked while taking several steps backward and readying for Max’s retaliation.

“I do not!” Max paused, crouching before he lunged after Bo while adding, “Unless it’s a beautiful girl, of course.” He sprang at Bo, tackling him onto the deck.

Kirsten rolled her eyes as she and Thomas watched the dark-haired brothers roll around on the wood decking. She crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto one leg, “I’m so glad we don’t do that anymore.”

Thomas shrugged, “I don’t know, it looks like fun to me.”

Kirsten uncrossed her arms and Thomas grinned and faced her. “Don’t get any ideas,” she said putting her hands up defensively. “I might be smaller than you, but I’ll,” she cut off as Thomas launched himself at her.

Over the following weeks, Kirsten and Thomas became very familiar with Britt and her crew. Britt ran a tight ship, well organized and regulated. The days passed quickly as most of their time was spent cleaning, cooking and rigging the sails onboard. Their experience on the journey homeward was vastly different than the trip over to Eastland; everyone seemed to be in high spirits as opposed to the oppression they had faced before. The Rollo fleet sailed two dozen of the ships they’d taken from Merglan’s fortress. And with the extra passengers, Kirsten didn’t mind the extra space.

As they sailed across the Marauder’s Sea, the fleet stopped nearly once a week to replenish their supply of fresh water and fresh meat. The journey back west took much longer than it had when they’d been captured. Kirsten chalked it up to the lack of escape and pursuit. After sailing three days beyond their last stop along the Bareback Peninsula, the ships turned inward making for shore.

“Why are we landing here?” Kirsten asked. “We resupplied a few days ago before reaching the Bareback Plains.”

“From what I gathered last night, the clan leaders want to stop and have a ceremony to elect their new head chief,” Thomas replied.

“It seems like a strange place to do that,” Max said. He stood near a group of Rollo warriors listening in on their conversation.

Britt didn’t skip a beat in her response, “The location isn’t important to the ceremony. Unlike the other western kingdoms’ traditions where a coronation would take place in a capital like Kingston, the Rollo leaders decide once the clans have come to a consensus on who the final candidates will be. The location often varies because all of the clan leaders must be present, and this is often difficult to facilitate. Since we’re all together at this time and they’ve had several weeks to consider their options for a new leader, they’ve decided to call the meeting now.”

The bow of the ship plowed through the rough water offshore as they cut in toward land. Like the other crew members, Britt assigned Thomas, Kirsten and the brothers positions on the oars. Kirsten was paired with Max; they sat directly behind Thomas and Bo. Max was older and had a slight advantage over Bo in strength, so Britt matched them to allow the most equal pull along the ship.

While the crew rowed the heavy ship inland, several of Britt’s warriors were tasked with rolling up the mainsail to allow for the fastest mobility. Britt barked the rowing cadence as they pulled with all their might to bring the large ship across the rough waters and into the calmer waters within the reef.

Just as Kirsten’s arms began to seize up and cramp from the exertion of rowing as hard as she could for an extended period, they finally crossed the threshold to calm water. Halting their strenuous rowing, the ship glided in, slowing just before Britt ordered the anchor to be dropped, bringing them to rest among the other ships that had already anchored offshore. Britt began sending her crew one skiff at a time to shore, leaving one person to ferry the small transporter boat back for the next group.

Thomas, Kirsten, Max and Bo all piled into the same skiff, crawling into the boat from the hanging rope ladder dropped over the side of the tall ship. Coming to sit on the firm wooden bench, Kirsten remained quiet as Britt leapt down into their boat, the last to leave the ship.

As they approached the shore, they could see several clan leaders searching for a place out of the wind where they could build a fire and begin their deliberation. Hopping out of the boat, Thomas, Max and Bo lightened the skiff once it hit the beach, adding some buoyancy to the boat before dragging it up onto the beach so the craft couldn’t float away.

After securing the shuttle boat, Thomas asked, “How long will the ceremony take?”

“The fastest one I know of only lasted a few minutes. Usually, they take several hours, although it can go on for days,” Britt said. “It all depends on what the various clan leaders think. A new head chief must be selected by unanimous vote.”

“Are other people being considered in addition to Red?” Max asked.

“Two others are up for consideration,” she said. “I am one of them.”

The group gasped in surprise.

“Really?” Max asked.

Britt nodded, “Yes. I offered my name and enough of our people saw me as a fit candidate. Come on let’s get this over with,” Britt said heading toward the other Rollo Islanders across the sweeping shoreline. The windblown and crusted-in sand made the footing unsteady.

As Kirsten looked back at the ships, she noticed that not all of the Rollo army had come ashore. “Why aren’t the others coming to participate in the ceremony?” she asked as she hurried to join the others following Britt.

“Only those who are seen as worthy are allowed to join,” she said simply.

“Who decided we were worthy enough but not the other warriors?” Kirsten asked.

“I did,” Britt replied. “Each captain is invited by the clan leaders, but it’s up to each captain to decide who can observe the ceremony. Most captains do not bring their crew, some may bring their first in command, but I treat all members of my crew equally, so all are welcome to join.”

Kirsten raised an eyebrow and whispered to Thomas, “I wish I were as strong-willed as she is.”

Nearing the other Rollo leaders, Kirsten became acutely aware of how few people had been invited to witness this historic event. In addition to the twelve clan leaders, most of the other captains were present, only two of whom brought along another crewmember.

They’d gathered near several large boulders that sheltered them from the wind gusting steadily off the grassy plains. All of the warriors’ eyes scrutinized Britt’s crew as they joined the group. Kirsten immediately recognized Red’s large bearded face among the others scowling at the arrival of Britt’s whole crew.

Kirsten thought he looked more weathered since the Grandwood Games, but his large frame and dark curly hair were just as recognizable.