“Bee,” he said her name like it was a refuge and in some ways it was. Her smile grew, dimpling her umber cheeks. “Your hair,” Stone said. “I like it shorter.”
“You can compliment the guards for their craftsmanship.” Bee ran a steady hand over her head, the dark hair shorn close to her scalp. “They shaved it nearly clean.” Bee turned to Birdie and kissed her, quick and expected like they’d done a hundred times before, but this time with a small pause when Birdie pulled away. A hesitation that made Stone question whether he should let them have some privacy, considering they’ve been apart for several months.
“Now, you two were discussing the…” Bee glanced up the stairwell, where heavy footsteps and bustling people still carried about. “The agreement?” she whispered. Birdie’s face had softened as it always did when Bee was around, but as soon as the words were suspended between them, her eyes shot daggers in Stone’s direction.
“Yes,” Birdie said, “the agreement he conveniently didn’t have time to tell us about last night.”
Oh he had the time, but he figured the element of surprise was the only way to get them on board with two royal knightsjoining their crew. “Had too much to drink,” he said, “it slipped my mind.”
Birdie punched his shoulder. “Bullshit.”
“Well if it isn’t my favorite criminals? Who’s the most hungover?” The deep rumbling of Patch’s voice nearly shook the crates on the counter. “Stone?” He slapped Stone’s back, a broad smile stretched over his lips. “You look like shit,” he said. “I think you win.”
“Fuck off.” Stone slapped his hand away but a smile bloomed across his mouth.
He'd been out for six months, which only meant that the rest of them had spent that much longer in prison and that fact ate at him everyday. Maybe his plan was shit, maybe it wouldn’t work with the knights here, but he got them out and for now he could at least be thankful they were all together again.
“Rule number one,” Birdie bellowed from her small frame, hands on her hips.
“Here we go.” Stone buried his face in a cupboard, pretending to sort through their provisions.
“Any decision that impacts the cadre must be voted on and passed unanimously,” she said. Stone could admit he’d fucked that one up, but seeing them all together, on a ship no less, solidified his decision to break the rule. The queen’s offer was too good to pass up and despite Birdie’s frustration, he knew she’d see his reasoning sooner or later.
“Birdie–”
“The second,” she said, ignoring Bee, “no matter what, we always have each other's backs. We don’t leave anyone behind.”
“Aye,” said Patch, nudging Stone’s shoulder. The second rule, Birdie failed to understand, was one of the most important reasons he insisted to the queen he needed them. If one of them was in trouble, someone would come. No questions asked. That’s why he demanded their release. They were in trouble, and he came to them.
“The third and most relevant rule,” Birdie said, closing in on him. Stone’s grip froze around a pack of dried meat. “No outsiders.”
He turned to face Birdie. His best friend. A dedicated pain in his ass. “I didn’t have a choice in them coming, Bird.”
She crossed her arms, tilting her head to meet Stone’s gaze. “I’d bet you didn’t protest it.”
“Against the queen?” Bee slid her hand into Birdie’s. “Come on, Birdie, what would you have done?”
Patch adjusted the eyepatch, his good eye bright and shining. His dark hair had grown longer, he wore it tied back, low at his neck, showing his matching star tattoo along with several others he’d acquired during his smuggling years. “Tell us more about the mission, boss.”
Stone hated when he called him that, but he understood it. In the Outpost, Stone led the three of them as runners. They worked together, lived together, they trusted Stone then and for some reason they still trusted him now.
“Not much more to tell.” Stone shrugged. “We find the king, bring him home, and you assholes are pardoned.” He turned to Birdie and gave his brightest smile. “You’re welcome.”
“Everything is so easy for the notorious Stone Odega.” Birdie shook her head. “We have a lot of terrain to cross. Plus, do youreally think showing your face in the Outpost is going to be smooth as silk?”
“Sometimes the risk is worth the reward, Bird,” Stone said. “That’s the case now. Plus, like you said, I’m notorious for a reason.” He picked up a crate from the floor and shoved it into her hands. “I’ll get us through.”
Everything he told the queen and her sister was true. He had flown the most miles of any current living pilot in Vargah. He had heard of Ravki and dragons. He had seen the words Lunaris and Whispering Mountains more than once in various books he stashed in the Outpost and most of all, he knew if there was anyone that would be able to hunt down a missing king and the remains of an ancient, mythical city, it was him and his crew. They’d survived hell and back being runners for Vic, they could survive a few monsters and a knight or two.
Whether he intended to actuallyfindthe king was a different matter entirely. One he wasn’t sure he cared to do. Change in leadership always came with promise and visions of a better future. Desmond was no different. Even though it was bred deep into Stone’s bones to distrust Vargah, distrust Novaria, he couldn’t deny the fact that King Desmondhadhelped him. Had seen something in him and allowed him a chance at a new life.
“I’m all for the adventure,” Bee said. “Beats rotting in prison.”
Patch huffed a laugh, but Birdie kept her gaze locked on Stone. She was daring him to say everything he hadn’t yet. That there was a real chance King Desmond wasn’t alive. That there was an even better chancetheywouldn’t survive past the Outpost.
Stone went back to emptying the crate. Fruit, dried meats, nuts. He focused on categorizing the provisions. Putting his hands to work was the best way to get his brain to shut up.
Except even with the supplies in front of him, he couldn’t stop the racing thoughts circling in his mind.
