“Don’t worry, boss,” she said, her tone light. “I’ll watch out for both of them. Make sure they don’t do anything too stupid.”
“Very well.” Fenn rolled his eyes as Bran finally wriggled free from her hold, straightening his hair with exaggerated annoyance.
Rynna stood, then, draining the last of her tankard and setting the cup back down on the table with a soft clink. “Thanks for dinner.” She flashed Fenn a small salute. “I’ll see you all in the morning. Just going to take a post-dinner stroll before bed.”
Her eyes lingered on the Unit Leader for a beat longer than necessary as she turned to leave, and the rest of the team slipped back into their usual, comfortable conversation, already halfway into another debate. She knew they’d keep going until the restaurant staff finally kicked them out.
“Check, please,” she heard Fenn call to a server just before she shut the door behind her, leaving the lively noise of the room behind.
The quiet of the night greeted her, cool air settling around her as she stepped into the peaceful calm outside.
Chapter twenty-seven
“So,westicktogether,right?” Bran adjusted his sashira, the lightweight, sand-colored fabric woven from desert fibers to protect Gale Reach Hollow-born from the unforgiving sun.
The three of them ran along the jagged canyon edge, where the desolate landscape opened into the battleground of the Ascension.
“Seems like a solid plan.” Rynna’s eyes scanned the deep, shadowed crevices below for any hidden threats. “But keep your sashira tight.” She swatted the back of his head. “The sun out here will kill you faster than any Hollow-born we’re up against.”
“Still don’t get why they picked Gale Reach for this,” Bran grumbled, pulling his covering tighter. “Would’ve been way more fun at Tide Reach.”
“Idiot,” Taren muttered, pointing toward a narrow strip of shade cast by an overhanging rock formation. The stone arched over a shallow alcove, offering momentary relief from the blistering heat. “Managing the environment is part of the battle. You can defeat an enemy just as easily by taking their water in a place like this as with some flashy elemental attack. Out here, patience and planning are worth more than brute strength.”
“Yeah, you’ve got a point,” Bran admitted, pulling his covering back over his face and steering the group toward the patch of shadow. The air shimmered with heat as they neared the weathered mesa jutting up from the canyon’s edge, its surface cracked andmottled from years of harsh sun and wind. “Looks like we’re in the clear for now. Let’s rest for a moment.”
Gradually, the group eased up, their footsteps falling quiet as they neared the shaded rock formation.
Pulling out her water skin, “Just a sip,” she cautioned the others, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.
“So, let me get this straight,” Bran said, taking a long swig of water before Taren swiped it from his hands and stuffed it into his own pack.
“Hey!” Bran lunged to grab it back, but Taren just shook his head, unfazed.
“Fine, whatever.” Bran sank back onto the rock. “So anyway, to beat someone, all I need to do is snatch this little placard off their vest?” He pointed to the red wooden Ember Reach disc tied securely to the front of his shirt.
“Yes.” Taren nodded, glancing down at his own disc. “Whoever collects the most by dawn wins.”
“And why don’t I just hide mine?” Bran cocked an eyebrow.
“There’s a Source-powered tie.” Taren shook his head. “Once the tie is broken, it changes color. You're disqualified if your disc isn’t in its original state by the end.” He paused, a small smile tugging at his lips. “But…it’s not a terrible idea. We could hide the discs we take from other Hollow-born.”
Rynna nodded. “That way, if one of us is defeated, we wouldn’t lose all the discs they carried. The rest of us could keep them safe.”
“Plus,” Bran added, “we might be underestimated if the enemy thinks we haven’t beaten anyone yet.”
Both Rynna and Taren snapped their heads up, staring at Bran.
“What! People are always underestimating me.” He kicked at a rock, his cheeks flushing slightly.
Taren grinned. “That’s because you look like an easy target.”
“Whatever,” Bran grumbled. “It’s still an advantage.”
Rynna chuckled and, without warning, reached over to ruffle his hair. “Well done,” she teased as Bran squirmed in her grip.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” He wriggled free and brushed her off. “So, what’s the plan?” He looked expectantly between Taren and Rynna.
Rynna glanced up at the clear blue sky, the sun bearing down on them. “Fighting under this sun is a fool's errand. We should find somewhere more secure to wait for nightfall.”
