Jule twirled around the bathroom while getting ready, the music from Rosalina's house blasting through her walls. It helped and lifted her mood before meeting Carrillo for a trip she had no idea where to.

She'd chosen an appropriate outfit that'd allow her to be ready to fight, run or jump, if needed. Cargo pants, large enough for her to move and with a large pocket on the side, and a sleeveless turtleneck that let her arms free.

She'd saved her upper body harness in the backpack to put on later, together with two of her daggers, her coconut shell water bottle, a map of Pietra and a compass. She had no list of things to take, so she chose whatever would be useful.

A change of clothes and a windbreaker also joined her sleeping bag inside the backpack.

The binoculars, she left them for last and flung the strap over her shoulder. She tied the laces on her steel-toed boots, twirling around one last time, her long braid dancing along.

She'd woken up anxious, the unknown journey ahead bringing up insecurities about her ability to do the job. Every time she had to do something like that, a tiny question rose in her mind that, perhaps, someone else would be better suited.

She'd have to hide her connection to the book, she'd have to keep her sisters informed, and she'd have to figure out how to even get the book. Only the Gods knew what protected it. And Carrillo.

It'd be a complicated mission.

But then, Rosalina had turned up the volume. The hot and fast rhythms of Zhéha could drag anyone out of a bad mood. Their traditional music genre had been created for happiness, for dancing.

That's all she wished to do after it came on. No more frightened thoughts.

"Jule!" She stopped with a hand on her backpack while Mama knocked hard on the door. "I've been calling you for ten minutes!"

She opened the door and followed Mama to the kitchen.
"I didn't hear you, I'm sorry. Good morning."

"It was a good morning!" Mama stepped hard on the ground, her fists clenched against her sides. "Until Rosalina turned that damned volume up!"

Jule sat at the table and grabbed a couple of sour breads and sliced mango. Her mama took the sour breads away from her with more force than necessary.

"Your sister came around, one of her beauticians missed work today, and she needs you to take care of her appointments."

Jule furrowed her brows.
"Why didn't she talk to me first? I'm leaving I dont even know for how long, at least a few days, I can't help her."

"I know you don't want to work for her, we've heard that a million times, but this is urgent..."

"And I understand that, mama, but I can't help her."
Mama dropped the plate so hard on the table she almost jumped.

"Enough. Enough of this pretending you have something better to do. I know you still haven't found a job."

Jule dropped the bread she was eating, slowly.
"Enough of this rebellious phase you're in since your sister got her own business, I won't tolerate..."

She jumped off her seat and grabbed her backpack. The music from next door stopped so suddenly a buzz sang in her ears.

Mama followed her to the front door.
"We've given you everything we've given her, how come she did something with it and you did not?"

The unfairness of it all raged inside her, words locked on her throat unleashing, all at the same time, as she turned.
"I've been doing everything I can to make you proud. I've been working hard all these years, I've been saving to start my own business. What more do you want from me?"

"I want you to be like her!"
The silence took over, as Mama sent her fingers to her lips, but the words were out. She couldn't take them away. And Jule's heart raced so fast, breaths coming fast and sharp.

"What I meant was that I want you to be smart, try harder. You keep running around with those other girls, and your sister can teach you so much, we know..."

Jule put her backpack on, adjusting the binoculars and fixing her braid.
"I'm not listening to any of this again. Never again."

"Jule!"
She pushed the door open hard, letting it knock against the wall. She stopped only to stare back at Mama.

"D'you know the difference between Justa and I?"
"Jule, please..."

"It's your support!"
She slammed the door and walked away, as fast as possible. Her ragged breaths and shaky hands threatened her a crying session wanted to come around, but no. Not possible, maybe some other time.

She just walked, ignoring Mama's callings.

She passed Rosalina's and moved fast, farther away from the house. Her lungs ached, but she turned left to go down the streets, sending just a small glance behind her, to make sure Mama hadn't followed.

When she looked forward, her nose smashed against a hard chest

She grunted, taking her hands to her face.
Two large hands grabbed her shoulders and she found a concerned Carrillo, watching her. Phineas was right behind, frowning.

"I'm sorry we're late. Phineas got us lost."

She sniffed, shaking her head at Phineas.
"This is the first street in Highford, how did you get lost?"

"Hey! I got a little dizzy with the scent of all these flowers."

"Are you okay, Jewel?"
She turned to Carrillo, furrowing her brows.

"I'm fine, and it's Ju-le. You ready to tell me which way to go?"
She glanced back. No danger, no Mama stalking her.

"Are you sure you're ready to go? You seem a little concerned with something back there."
"That's none of your business, I'm ready. Where to?"

He sighed.
Both he and Phineas had chosen cargo pants, as well, and their thin cotton shirts had long sleeves. No tattoos out.

His hair fell down to his shoulders, washed and fragrant. The length, the smell, even the color... So pleasing to the eye. Beautiful.

"Is there some place we can sit?"
She glanced down the street and noticed Lupus had its door opened. The bakery had the best Chocolate Sticks in Highford. She guided them to the corner of the street, where the pastel green walls of the building had scribbled boards hanging, inviting people in to taste their sweets.

Mama had learned her sour bread recipe with Lupus, and at nine years old, Jule ran down the street every morning to buy warm bread, just out of the oven.

It had no more than two tables outside, the sidewalk was narrow. She greeted Lupus at the door, busy with other customers and asked for three Chocolate Sticks.

Carrillo and Phineas plopped down on the small iron chairs, clearly uncomfortable.

Jule took off her map of Pietra and stretched it on the table.
"Where do you wanna go?"

"Orindis."

Lupus came outside, three Chocolate Sticks on a big blue plate, smoke still coming out of it. She thanked him and invited Carrillo and Phineas to taste the puff pastry sweet.

"So, Orindis." She took a bite from her Stick and pointed at the city in the map. "It's close, we might take around six hours to get there."

"We might stay the night in Orindis if needed. I'll tell you our final destination when we're there."

He didn't trust her, she understood. She'd also be careful with information around someone she'd just met, even if she'd asked for help.

He wouldn't make it easier for her, but they're both smart. She'd get him to trust her.

"Alright. We might get there a little after meal time. This road through the forest is the quickest, but we might find some setbacks."
"What kind of setbacks?"

Carrillo nodded at Phineas to eat the rest of his pastry.

"The forest is known for its high variety of medicinal plants. A lot of people try to intercept the harvesters to steal their stash. It's valuable in Cherri and in Great Bull, the poorest counties in Orindis."

Phineas frowned, a finger sliding through the road that crossed the forest of Orindia.
"Can we do this on horseback?"

"Technically, we can. But the trees have a lot of exposed roots, some cut through the road. Fallen branches, uneven terrain... Horses might save us some time under normal conditions, but like that..."

Carrillo hummed, eyes on the map. His dark lashes moved as he analyzed the forest they would cross.
"Is there any alternative road?"

"Yes, but it's deeper in the forest. Possibly dangerous wildlife, and it'll take us longer. You don't want to have to camp in Orindia."

"Lodging in Cigas?"
He pointed at Orindis' neighboring city.
"A waste of time. We'd still have to cross the forest."

Phineas finished the Stick and leaned back on the small chair, patting his stomach.
"I think we can manage a six-hour trip."

That road had both Liberians and Orindians crossing it every day. For commerce, for visiting, for transport. The dangerous group of people targeting harvesters was a recent development, and locals avoided them by using the forest to their advantage.

The thick and long trees gave them enough room to hide behind, to go around. The fruit bushes offered a strategic spot for them to peek from. The density of the forest itself camuflaged them at a specific distance.

Jule had crossed the forest a few times, but both with an Orindian guide. She'd learned some safe spots and where she could stop for water. But a long time passed since she'd last crossed. Things could be different around that road. They'd have to risk it.

"We should hit the road, we can lodge and plan the rest of the trip when we get there."

"Let me just pay for these and use the restroom." Jule stood up and got inside, ignoring Carrillo's attempt to protest.

A noble gesture for him to want to pay, but she needed to go inside.

She paid Lupus, rejecting his offer for a discount, and headed to the restroom. She'd been there enough times to remember it had a window. She closed the door and stepped on the toilet.

A couple walked up 2nd street, greeting some neighbors who were taking care of their gardens. One lady Mama had despised for years was cleaning the windows of her house's first floor. Other than those, the street was empty.

Jule closed her eyes and whistled a tune she'd never get wrong. She sang it once, twice, thrice, due to the distance.

When she breathed in to do it again, a pair of wings flapped closer, coming from up above.

She smiled and grabbed a small notepad and a pencil from the pocket in her pants. She scribbled their destination, the time they'd arrive and that the book wasn't there. She underlined that part.

When yellow claws landed on the window sill, she opened it and greeted Polo, her wacca. She cooed and slid the back of hand down his blue feathers, carefully.

The sunlight enhanced Polo's intense colors, as he stretched his neck up, showing some children who'd just turned the corner his real size.

"Showoff."
Polo's black eye focused on her and he nodded, lifting a leg. She buttoned a small bag she'd sewed for him to wear and left the note inside.

She caressed his head, smiling when he leaned into the touch.
Polo had been bred to be a champion, to fly distances other waccas couldn't. His destiny, chosen by his breeders, was to be connected to racing until he died.

But Jule and her sister had dismantled that animal trafficking ring, and they've saved them before someone bought them. Polo had landed on her shoulder upon their arrival, and on their way out, he refused to go with the guards.

She took care of everything to make him her legal pet. Three years later and he still loved his peaceful life.
No races, no breeders, no violence.

"Take this to the girls."
He chirped and took flight, while she jumped to the floor and flushed the toilet.

Carrillo and Phineas were waiting for her outside.
"Let's go."
"You got everything you need on that backpack of yours, Jewel?"

She rolled her eyes at Carrillo.
"This isn't my first time travelling through those woods. And it's Ju-le."

Phineas snickered and walked slightly behind them.
"I've never been to Orindis. Any warnings?"

She kept the map and the compass close and sent him a glance.
"Yes. Don't drink any herbal teas unless you're in for a wild ride."

Different chirps fought to be the loudest in the forest. It sounded like a peaceful melody, in synch and prompted by the aura Orindia gave.

The density around them, with the sun shining down on the trees, gave the forest a light green hue, but the path was impossible to lose.

It ondulated between bushes and long trunks, gigantic roots crossing over it and forcing them to be always aware, to go slower than Carrillo wished.

"We've passed two merchants, a family of four, and two highly suspicious men already." Phineas drank from his pouch, leaning against a trunk. "I thought this would be a quiet trip."

Jule drank from hers, too. They'd been in the forest for four and a half hours, and they'd stopped three times for water and resting.

"I told you this is the main road, every one uses it. The real danger lies in the less dense areas, the curves where the trees are a little farther from the road."
"That's how they ambush harvesters." Carrillo lifted his sleeves up to his elbows, red tattoos catching her attention.

She nodded and turned, before she'd lose herself in the drawings again.

"I need to take a leak." Phineas moved away, choosing a far enough tree, thankfully.

"A very charming travel buddy you got there."
Carrillo chuckled and nodded in Phineas' general direction.
"I just brought him for his fighting skills."

"I can still hear you both." Phineas snapped, still walking away.

Jule rolled her eyes and sat on the ground, back against a tree. Carrillo walked to her side and sat right next to her.

"This isn't a conventional forest. There's a lot of edible plants around us, I've noticed."
"Yeah. I don't know how to tell you the whole story, not really good with history, but this was the way the First People found to feed themselves."

The five surrounding cities had been in charge of protecting the realm of diversity the forest of Orindia represented.

"That's pretty clever. I've read a little about the First People. This forest is a wonderful example of their intelligence and practicality."

"Too bad it's endangered now. All these thieves going around... If nothing's done, I'm afraid the forest will suffer greatly."

Carrillo just nodded, eyes jumping from trees to bushes to the road ahead. Jule admired his neck, thick and tanned. When he moved to look her way, she watched the ants on the floor, making their way somewhere.

"Are you ready to tell me what is it we're collecting?"

He crossed his arms and pursed his lips at her.
"Nothing you need to know about."

If she played her part right, he'd never guess how much she already did know.
"It'd be a nice topic for small talk."

"Unless Phin's taking a shit, I don't think we need to chat for long."

For one sharp moment, she couldn't find words. Then, she chuckled and followed his lead as he stood up.

"You don't trust me, I can respect that."
"Thanks, Jewel."

Oh, the nerve. She bit her bottom lip, saving the correction about to come out. The glint in his eyes dared her to do it, so she fought it back.

When something clever came for her to say, an arm squeezed her throat.

Carrillo's eyes widened and he stepped in her direction, arms reaching for her.
"You stay where you are, I have no issue killing a lady. Throw your backpack over there!"

She scrunched her nose at the shaky voice against her ear. The guy smelled like sweat and his cold skin squeezed tight against her neck. She had a hard time breathing.

Carrillo put his arms up.
"We're just passing by, we have no gold..."
"Shut it and do as I told you!"

Carrillo's nostrils flared as he took off his backpack, glancing to the side for a split second.

Jule's eyes started unfocusing.
She blinked hard and searched for Carrillo, already starring at her. She mouthed and prayed to Onza he'd understand the question.

Only one?

"Her backpack too, move! Throw it over there!"

Carrillo furrowed his brows but nodded, walking slowly to get her backpack from the floor.

The pressure around her neck loosened when her backpack flew through the air.

She shut her eyes and clenched her jaw, moving down and hooking a leg on the back of the thief's knee. He fell forward and she smashed a boot on his groin.

Before he could scream, Phineas had a hunting knife to his neck. She took several breaths.

"You're going to stay still while we walk away, get it? And if you follow us..." Phineas smirked while talking near the guy's ear. "Well, you won't."

Carrillo grabbed his backpack and Jule's, gentle hands helping her put it on.

"Take a little nap, why won't you?" Phineas suggested to the thief, ignoring his growls.

They started to slowly walk away, but she kept her eyes firm on the guy. He didn't move from the ground.

Phineas grinned at her, always walking a little behind.

"Nice moves. Where'd you learn that?"

She sighed. No need to elaborate a big lie for that.
"Phillip has two dominant arms, you forgot that?"

"Too bad. I thought there's something special about Liberian women..."

She rolled her eyes at Phineas.
"You're a real pain in the ass, man."
Both Carrillo and Phineas chuckled.

Her heart raced for another half a mile. She thanked her goddess in silence for the way she'd managed that incident.

She found a trunk with a few marks on it and touched it, feeling the knife cuts on it.

"We're one and an half hour away, give or take."

As soon as they reached Orindis, she'd have to inform her sisters. Would Fergus wait until morning to let her know where they were going next? That'd complicate things. She'd have to wait longer to send them a note.

Whatever he chose, her strategy depended on it. Perhaps she'd have to try and figure things out another way. She glanced at Phineas, already trying to start conversation.

Chatterbox over there could be her only chance of getting some answers. Maybe she should start indulging him.