Fingers jabbed into Serena’s ribs, ripping her from sleep; the face hovering over her was not the one she’d been dreaming of.

“Up.” Jo said, turning away. “They’re coming.”

Any remnant of sleep vanished as Serena shot up, heart accompanying her into her throat. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, only a trace of gold visible outside the window, Jo’s form silhouetted against it as she strapped on her sword belt.

“How?” Serena signed, kicking the covers off; oddly enough, Jo’s bed beside hers was already made. “How do you –”

“Cruck’aa. Came by.” Jo said, adjusting her belt. “Meet us downstairs.”

Without waiting for so much as a nod, Jo strode out of the room and closed the door. The hallway had been just as dark as their room, although Serena assumed that everyone was already up by now.

Shivering, Serena kicked the covers the rest of the way and got out of bed. Her long skirt, the only thing she’d taken off to sleep, lay wrinkled on a chair next to the door, boots resting beneath it. Plucking it off and throwing it on, she snapped the wrinkles away, then snapped her body clean. As she plopped onto the chair and began shoving her boots on, Serena wished, not for the first time, that she could simply magic her boots onto her feet.

She smiled as she laced them up; Ned had made some mention of such a spell existing, though he never bothered to learn it. Too lazy, he’d said. Then again, who’d ever heard of a dragon that needed boots?

The warmth of the memory faded as Serena stood up, glancing out the window. It was hard to remain happy when everything rode on their efforts in barely a few hours time; their escape to Silverymoon, Nura’s family freed from the barbarians, and a lighter conscience for all of them. Assuming everything went well…

Serena sighed and shook her head. Wasn’t good to assume. It would go well. It had to.

Boots tight, she stood up, threw open the door, and walked straight into Werond’s face.

Thankfully, Werond jerked back at the last moment, notebook clutched to her chest, eyes wide as Serena stumbled. The sight of her did nothing to help Serena’s already hammering heart as she composed herself and stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

“Sorry.” Serena signed, leaning against it, heat rising in her cheeks.

Werond shook her head and waved it away. Despite sleeping by herself, something that still didn’t sit right with Serena, she looked more haggard than before, as though she’d barely slept. Before Serena could ask, however, Werond flipped the parchment around and held it up; a tiny sentence, scratched into the center of a blank page, was barley visible in the darkness of the hallway.

“Be safe.”

“R-right,” Serena signed, chest growing tight. “You too. I…just, stay –”

But Werond waved her off, pulling the parchment back to her chest. Serena nodded, glancing at her feet, cheeks burning. They’d gone over the plan countless times last night, there was no need to remind her. Yet she couldn’t help but worry; they’d made so much progress the day before, yet Werond still insisted on sleeping separately. It was enough to keep her tossing and turning throughout the night. One step forward…

Serena shook her head. There wasn’t time to worry about that, they –

The floorboards creaked. Serena looked up, so lost in her head that she hadn’t noticed Werond still standing in front of her, shifting her weight. The hallway was rather narrow, and only now did Serena realize just how close they were to each other.

“Werond?” Serena signed. “We should…get down there.”

Werond nodded, staring off to the side, brows furrowing just enough for Serena to worry.

“Is…something wrong?” Serena signed. “I…I’m sorry, I know I keep repeating myself, I just…I’m worried, you’ll…”

Her signs trailed off, fingers curled in, as Werond stared at her, brows still furrowed. She unfolded one of her arms and reached towards Serena, only to pause halfway, uncertainty painted across her face. Serena glanced at her hand, frozen between them, then up at her, the uncertainty fading away to –

Werond cupped Serena’s chin, leaned in, and kissed her.

The world blurred as Serena melted into it, bracing herself against the door as Werond pushed in. What could have been a few heartbeats felt an eternity, yet it wasn’t enough as Werond pulled away, her hand against Serena’s chest. Time seemed to still as Werond pulled her hand away and signed with it.

“4 – L – U – C – K.”

Serena could only stare, certain that her heart had stopped. Yet the gaze that met hers did not match the heat stirring within her chest. Werond sighed, looking towards the end of the hallway; she nodded towards the stairs, eyes flicking to Serena, before moving towards them. Serena followed without hesitation, mind utterly empty…

…until the heat finally pulled her back.

Fingers twitching a curse, Serena wiped the back of her hand against her forehead, dragged it against the wood in a vain effort to dry it, and immediately felt stupid as a splinter pricked her.

“Easier way to do that, isn’t there?”

Serena glanced at Jo, stretched out beside her, chin propped up with her fist.

“What?” Serena signed.

“Snap. Can’t you snap?” Jo asked.

Serena’s fingers curled in, a guttural sigh escaping them as she did just that. Jo cocked a brow and muttered, “Good?”

“No.” Serena said.

“Can tell. Keep it together, little longer please.”

Frustration bubbled in her chest, but Serena shoved aside the retort dancing on her fingers. She’d been doing her best, but her best wasn’t enough to shake whatever Werond’s kiss had done to her throughout the morning. Strange that something she’d been craving for so long had done the opposite of what she’d wanted; instead of the bliss she’d expected, Serena had floated through much of the morning preparation. She’d vaguely been aware of meeting everyone downstairs, then moving to Nura’s house, the door flying open before they could even knock. Nura had barely said goodbye to her family as she marched out with them, Hugo and Werond leading the children back to their building. Serena gave a feeble wave as they separated, though it wasn’t returned.

And of course, that only made the confusion blazing in her mind worse.

Another guttural noise slipped from her fingers as Serena laid her head against the wood. How much she wanted to roll the issue around, figure it out, badger Werond with questions, but they had more vital matters to attend to.

So, shoving aside that all-encompassing confusion, she pulled her head up and craned it just enough to see over the edge of the roof. Just as she did, however, a familiar hiss sounded in her other ear, starting her back down.

“Head down!” Cruck’aa said, glaring at her when she shot him a look.

He was sprawled out, same as she, against the wood, feathers ruffled as they usually were. Laying like that made him look like he’d crashed into the roof of the building, and it was only by picturing that situation did Serena bite back her frustration.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Cruck’aa,” Serena signed. “it’s fine. They haven’t shown up yet.”

“And what if they did?! Right as you poke your head up!” He snarled. “Think before –”

“Can it.” Jo said, from Serena’s other side. “Serena, Nura still good?”

Smirking, Serena craned her head, poking it up just enough to see over the lip of their building. Nura was indeed fine, sequestered in the center of the clearing. She sat upon two stuffed bags of supplies they’d packed earlier, biting her fingernail as her eyes never left the entrance to the square. She hadn’t said a word to them when walked over together, nor when they’d gotten her situated below. Despite the nervous gesture though, her eyes remained set, though if she hadn’t known better, Serena would have sworn she’d stopped blinking an hour ago.

“Seems fine,” Serena signed, then glanced at the other roof across the square. “just like those two.”

“Yeah?” Jo asked.

“Yeah…” Serena said, watching as Doriyah and Pavel, spread eagle on their roof, continued their argument from before with multiple fingers held up; a cock-measuring contest to be sure.

“Need them to shut up.” Cruck’aa grumbled.

“They’re fine.” Serena signed. “They’re…boys, but they’re not dumb.”

“Unequivocally false.” Cruck’aa retorted.

“Crow calling the kettle black.” Jo said.

Cruck’aa simply shook his head as Serena laughed.

The moment, however, soon faded, their eyes downcast, their ears to the wind. Yet only silence greeted them, and with it, the inevitable turn to her earlier confusion.

Sighing, Serena craned her head up again, glancing back towards the house. She knew Werond had meant it as a nice gesture, but –

“Would you get your damned head down!” Cruck’aa hissed.

Serena rolled her eyes as she lay back down. “Cruck’aa, relax. Just keeping an eye out.”

“There remains no need to. Focus on the task at hand.”

“I am, whether you believe me or not.”

“A lie. Throw the distractions from your mind.”

“I have.”

“Haven’t.”

Serena glanced at Jo, who kept her eyes forward, staring at the roof’s edge.

“Got a moment,” Jo continued. “So…what’s wrong?”

“Nothing that I want to talk about in front of Cruck’aa.” Serena sighed, ignoring the hiss to her right.

“She do something?”

“Jo…”

“So yes.”

Serena sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. She couldn’t help it if she’d been obvious, but the last thing she needed was a heart to heart next to a perpetually angry bird.

“Yes, she did…” Serena signed. “Don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” Jo said. “Able to focus when we need you?”

“Yeah.” Serena signed.

“More lies,” Cruck’aa hissed. “The sooner we get rid of that woman –”

“Say anything else,” Serena rounded on him, fingers flying. “and I’ll throw you off this fucking building myself, by the Platinum Dragon I will, Cruck’aa.”

“Threats,” Cruck’aa sneered. “ones you can’t keep. I’d advise –”

“Quiet!” Jo hissed.

Serena glanced at Jo, brows furrowed, but just as she began to sign, Jo shushed her again, jerking her head towards the edge of the building. It took Serena only a few heartbeats more to understand her concern.

Marching.

Her heart rocketed into her throat, and Serena tried to flatten herself more than she already was. It almost sounded like a drumbeat, but that was probably her ears playing tricks; she doubted the barbarians were that organized. Still, the longer she listened, and the louder the marching became, the more worried she grew. None it was helped by the voices that, once muffled by the marching, now rolled over them like a mob as they neared the square’s entrance, a cloud of dust rising overhead like storm clouds.

“Pissed off.” Jo muttered. “Bad start.”

Serena nodded; though she couldn’t make out their words, there was no mistaking the venom that laced the air, a cacophony of rage that seemed to be hurled at Nura, though she couldn’t tell. Bahamut’s Teeth, how many of them were there? There could have been hundreds, and without being able to see, her imagination played wonders with her fears.

They continued to scream for far too long, and for a moment, Serena swore they would simply storm the square and tear Nura apart before they could do anything. But after a minute of vitriol, sweat beading on Serena’s face, a single voice sliced through the din, silencing it almost immediately.

“Woman!” It barked; a man, older probably. “You have much to atone for!”

Nura heaved a sigh, though if it was from exhaustion or one that older people gave when standing up, Serena couldn’t tell.

“Listen,” She began. “this whole thing has been a…misunderstanding of sorts, I –”

“Misunderstanding?!” Shouts of rage echoed the voice. “My men are dead because of you!”

Heart bouncing off the wood, Serena glanced at Jo, her lips pulled into a tight frown. Somehow, being unable to see the exchange made everything feel worse, and from the grimace on Jo’s face, she seemed to agree.

“I never wanted that!” Nura shouted. “Never! I told those people, I –”

“To attack us!”

“No! I never told them anything like that!” She stamped a foot to echo her words. “You think I’d want to cause trouble, bring you all here? My family is in danger because of them!”

“And you didn’t tell them to leave?!”

“Of course I did! But they wouldn’t listen! And…now we’re here. To put it lightly.”

Discontent rose from the barbarians, an angry ripple that Nura’s words weren’t enough. Whoever was their leader did nothing to silence them, so Nura had to wait until it had died down before she continued.

“I can’t repay the lives lost to those idiots,” She said. “But I can at least try to make amends with this.” She slapped one of the bags. “Lot of supplies. The usual, but enough to last you all for…a month? Tools too, among other –”

“And you expect this to be enough?” The leader shouted, his people echoing him. “Explain to me woman why I shouldn’t strike you down for your arrogance!”

Serena fidgeted, bracing her hands against the roof, ready to stand. Jo’s hand shot out and grabbed her arm.

“Because you’re not like those idiots.” Nura replied. “Kill me, and you’ve lost your stream of goodies. No easy food, no tools, no nothing. And after what the giants did…good luck finding anyone else to steal from.”

Serena pursed her lips. It was a good argument, from what she understood of the situation. And from the silence that hung in the air, the barbarians seemed to agree.

An elbow nudged her ribs; Jo met her gaze when she glanced over, eyes narrowed.

“Get ready,” She whispered. “on me, when they move in. Tell him.”

Serena nodded, quickly signing at Cruck’aa, who barely gave her a glance; it seemed like his gaze was stuck on the roof’s edge, but his eyes lacked their usual irritation, filled instead with…

She cocked a brow. When was the last time she’d seen Cruck’aa nervous, especially with something like this? With all his boasting, she’d –

Laughter rang through the air.

“Alright, woman.” The leader said. “I’ve participated in this game. Now, have those idiots, as you said, come off those roofs. I wish to meet them.”

Serena’s heart tore through her chest, a terrible cold ripping through her body; Jo jerked, hands slapping the roof as she braced herself to leap up, eyes wide, mouth half open.

“How?” Jo hissed.

Serena glanced at her, then to Cruck’aa, who met her gaze with cold eyes.

“How?!” Jo said, pushing herself up to a crouch.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nura’s voice broke.

“Drop the act woman!” The voice responded. “We know –”

A different voice bellowed over his.

Serena, Jo, and Cruck’aa shot up all at once, just in time to witness Doriyah, war-hammer above his head, eyes alight, a terrible grin plastered across his face, hurl himself off the roof towards –

Serena swore.

Standing a few paces from the square stood a veritable army. Around twenty barbarians, all clade is their rough tunics, stood with weapons pointed, their own war cries upon their lips. What must have been their leader stood in front of them, a massive man with an equally massive headdress that glistened in the early morning sun with only the gods knew what. He leapt back as Doriyah smashed into the place where he’d just been, his own wicked grin across his face. He pointed an axe at Doriyah as he ripped his hammer from the ground, his own cry urging his people towards him, a wave of metal and hide, screams filling the air.

Outnumbered twenty to two, as Pavel leapt down after him.

“Serena!” Jo screamed, whirling on her.

Her body moved on its own, Serena’s hand flying up, index and pinky extended.

Steel clashed against steel as her bead of light smashed into the ground at the barbarians’ feet, far too many pointing at it, screaming.

Doriyah and Pavel both yelled as they threw themselves back, Serena’s fireball missing them by inches as the flames roared, incinerating only a handful of barbarians as the rest threw themselves back.

The flames vanished as quickly as they came, revealing only four charred bodies sprawled before the square’s entrance, weapons scattered. Yet it was enough to force the barbarians back, many now yelling and pointing up at Serena, spreading out but not advancing.

“Bahamut’s Teeth,” Serena swore; she’d been hoping to hit more. “Jo, what –”

“Again!” Jo screamed, ripping her sword from its sheath, before throwing herself from the roof.

“Gods…” Serena watched as Jo broke the fall with a roll, then fell into line beside Doriyah and Pavel. She shouted at them, though only Pavel looked at her, Doriyah too busy yelling at the barbarians.

“Oh gods,” Serena breathed. “Cruck’aa, I –”

Another yell, this time, from the square.

Serena’s heart shot into her throat as Nura sprinted towards her friends. She passed them, scooped up a fallen sword, then fell back in line beside Jo, glaring her down as Jo began to speak.

“Bahamut’s Teeth,” Serena cursed, heart hammering, watching as the barbarians waved their weapons about, matching Doriyah’s screams. “I…gods damn it! Damn it!”

She whirled on Cruck’aa, fingers alight as she began to sign.

“Focus on the ones in the back, I’ll hit the ones…”

Her signs trailed off; Cruck’aa wasn’t looking at her, instead glancing over his shoulder. Serena followed his gaze, finding their house…

Even from a distance, she could make out Hugo’s form, sprawled out on the ground, body almost cleaved in half, blood reflecting the early morning sun.

The numb washed over her in a wave.

Something stopped her from moving, a vice around her arm. Serena looked back and found Cruck’aa, his words slowly fading as he spoke.

“Leave them,” He hissed, barely audible over the hammering of her heart. “it’s too late. We need…”

His words fell away, beak moving with no sound. It didn’t matter.

Cruck’aa looked down as Serena shoved her hand into his chest. There was no time for him to react as the flames consumed him.

She barely registered her sleeve tearing, skin with it, as Cruck’aa rocketed away, flames lapping at her back as Serena vanished in a puff of mist.