The camp was quiet.

Not physically. Physically, people were rushing about, crying in pain, fixing things, it was a raucous.

But it was quiet in Hiccup's head.

The legionnaires and Charlotte sat down for a meeting. Aeliana was gone and they were down a legionnaire. Everyone was injured. The ships were out of the strait, all of them. And most of Drago's men on Britannica were gone, too, according to their scouts. This was their chance. They had to rush them, push them back north further and off Roman soil.

But they were all staring at the map in front of them. Not a thought came to their minds.

"the fourth doesn't have a praetor," Gaius said, leaning forward.

"she's not dead," Hiccup said, glaring.

"we need to appoint someone acting Praetor." Gaius said.

Silence.

"okay," Atticus leaned forward, "okay, Hiccup, time to step up."

"wait a second," one of Charlotte's legionnaire's said, "it's gotta be a vote."

"right, okay, anyone else want to put their name in the hat? Think they'd be better suited for the job?"

"Atticus, stop," Hiccup said, "come on, I can't"

"really?" Atticus looked at everyone in the room, "anyone want to step up?"

Atticus gave him a look like 'duh', Hiccup sighed and rubbed at his face, leaning back at his chair.

"okay, decision made," Gaius sighed.

Hiccup frowned, opened his mouth to object. Charlotte unclipped the Praetor badge from her chest plate and handed it to him.

"everyone knows I'm Praetor, you'll need something to make it obvious."

Hiccup sighed and gave her a look that he hoped conveyed everything. He couldn't, he shouldn't, he wouldn't.

"Charlotte, I can't."

"Hiccup," she stared at him witheringly, one eyebrow raised. It wasn't a look he got often from her, "take it as an order."

His eyebrows shot up. An order? His fingers felt numb as he took the badge from her hands. He swallowed and turned it over in his palm. he felt like he was about to throw up. But, He clipped it to his chest plate, gave Atticus a grim smile.

"so, let's figure out our next move."

He found Verlin in his own dug out bunk, all the way back in the archer's quarters. No one was there. Either because everyone else in his trench was in the infirmary or they'd unanimously decided to give him some space.

Hiccup sat down just outside the whole in the trench wall. He'd just washed himself and his gear, but he was going to get dirty again anyway so he couldn't care less.

"hey," he greeted Verlin, who was sat against the other end of the bunk's dug out hole. He had a flask resting against his chest, he wasn't in armour, a dribble of drink lined his chin.

"hey," he murmured.

Hiccup sighed, Verlin offered the flask, he took a sip.

"I guess she'd've wanted it this way, go out with a bang, save everyone's lives." He eyed a stray hair in front of his eyes.

Hiccup nodded, "if it weren't for her we'd all be dead or captured by now."

"yeah," Verlin sighed, looked Hiccup right in the eyes, "but I'd prefer it to her being dead."

Hiccup smiled thinly, it didn't reach his eyes, "if I'm being honest? I agree."

Verlin huffed and dropped his head against the dirt wall, gestured to the praetor's badge loose in his hand, he'd taken it off as soon as he was out of the meeting tent, "I see you've got a promotion."

"Aeliana has been captured," Verlin's head shot up to stare at him, "I'm standing in till we get her back."

"what?"

"I'm going to start planning a rescue tomorrow," Hiccup sighed, "with or without you."

"without."

"you sure?"

"yeah," he lifted his flask, "I'm gonna be mighty hungover tomorrow morn."

"the meeting's at night."

Verlin shook his head and took a sip, "no," he cleared his throat, "no, I'm done with this. All of this."

"Verlin."

"no," he levelled a withering glare on hiccup, "I don't care."

"Aeliana is your friend," Hiccup was expecting this, he didn't think he was going to persuade Verlin, but he wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't try.

"I don't care."

"like hell," Hiccup huffed, "Verlin, I will forgive you if you don't come. Heck, I'll forgive you if you go AWOL and I never see you again."

"compelling argument there, mate."

"but will you forgive yourself?"

That made him pause. He took another sip of his drink, clenched his jaw and dropped his head against the dirt again. This was when Hiccup expected him to finally burst into tears, but he also expected he'd have exhausted his tear ducts and have nothing left to squeeze out.

"no," he capped the flask, "and I could deal with that, too, you know?" he gave Hiccup a look of desperation, took a deep breath that just barely hitched as his eyes turned shiny, "but she wouldn't. I can't deal with that."

Hiccup smiled grimly, his own eyes stinging.

"I'll see you tomorrow night." Verlin said.

"the officer's tent, that's where we're meeting." Hiccup gave him a hug and got up, "I've gotta go. Praetor stuff. All work no play."

Verlin mock saluted with his flask, "I better get some sleep."

"and have a bath."

He took one step into the legionnaire's trenches and Gaius took him by the shoulder and pointed down a ways to the praetor's quarters.

"go."

"but."

"Now."

He clenched his jaw, glanced at Atticus over Gaius' shoulder. His friend gave him a withering stare and pointed as well. Then a sad smile as he mock saluted and turned down the path.

Hiccup sighed and dropped his shoulders with a nod, "aye, alright," he gave Gaius a nod then left.

Charlotte greeted him in passing, pointed at the spot the badge was supposed to be. Hiccup was too tired to articulate or explain anything. Considering Charlotte's look she felt similairly, she also seemed to know why anyway. No words needed.

Hiccup trudged down the trench. There were only four dug outs, two on each side. Two for the eighth's praetors and one for each of the fourth and fifth's. Charlotte pointed to the one on the far right.

"you really expect me to sleep there?" Hiccup asked, incredulous.

"procedure. You know how it is."

Her demeanour suggested it was also about accepting the fact there was a chance his rescue mission may turn south for all he knew.

The quarters had an opening that was small, just big enough to see a desk with a candle atop it. papers strewn about. He slipped inside to find a bed against the far wall. Surprisingly a mirror leant against the foot of the bed, the bottom mud splattered and a crack along the left side. A spare sword and shield leaned against the wall next to the door space and a dragon saddle had been lain atop the desk's chair.

Aeliana's dragon companion, Sparks, was flying above the camp. Hiccup was tasked with telling the poor guy his human was captured. Some thought he hadn't understood, still clinging to the old ideas that dragons weren't as intelligent as humans. Hiccup knew better. He recognised the denial in Sparks' eyes.

He needed to talk to someone. Gods. He collapsed onto the bed, head in his hands.

He hadn't sent a letter to Astrid, Johan, Mala, The Wing or his mother since this blasted battle had started going on seven months ago. He wanted to hear of something outside this beach. He wanted to be reminded that outside of this stretch of land life existed. it wasn't all mud and blood and tears.

He heard, distantly, Toothless trudge through the doorway. His dragon curled up against the bed, his head against his legs. Hiccup's arms dropped to hang between his knees.

Toothless crooned.

"I'm tired, too," he sighed.

Toothless let his eyelids drop as he purred lightly against Hiccup's foot.

He was so tired. Gods he almost wanted to go AWOL himself if it meant he could rest. Even when he was blessed with the chance to sleep he'd found himself plagued with nightmares. Jael's face as the sword wrenched itself through her chest would surely be added to the list of sights he'd find in sleep.

His hands were drenched in her blood now. He was not the one behind the blade but he was the one that allowed her to bleed out on the beach. He could have dragged her behind the lines, he could have pulled on the darkness and used that godly power, he could have done something.

Toothless whined. Knowing he was beating himself up over something he couldn't change.

The wounds would have killed her, infirmary or not.

He couldn't stop death.

He couldn't have done anything.

He'd sat there, scrubbing at his fingernails, trying to get every bit of red off his hands. He looked down to find a small bit still there, crammed under his pinkie fingernail, taunting him with the reminder that hundreds had fallen under his sword by now. This was honourable to many, this was battle. The numbers weren't supposed to hurt. Even on Berk the circumstances would have brought him glory. He didn't feel glorious, he felt like a murderer.

His throat blocked with a sob. He couldn't think of this now. He couldn't.

He shoved himself to his feet, tore his armour from him starting with the red cape. It was still stained, forever would be. the leather quiver was tossed from his hip. his vambraces and grieves shoved off after his boots and gloves. The armour creaked as he dropped it on the hardened dirt. He stood in just his shirt and leggings, the necklace with the pendant hung over his collar. The stygian ring burned against his skin and he pulled it off with a wench, threw it against the wall and let it clatter onto the desk where it bounced and rolled, hit the candle and swerved into the praetor's badge where it lulled to a stop.

He was just Hiccup.

He wasn't praetor or legionnaire. He wasn't Champion. He wasn't even dragon rider.

He was just human. And this was too much.

He breathed, finally without the weight of the armour on his shoulders. He didn't realise it was there till it was gone. His Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed. He huffed a breath and looked to the dirt between his toes, let go of the power he'd clung to to keep him upright since he'd first stepped on that godsdamned battle field.

He collapsed to his knees. He felt a sob bubble up but no tears. He had none left. His stomach whined and his throat cracked from dryness.

Toothless cooed and rubbed his nose against his side. Hiccup absently rubbed a hand behind one of his ear plates.

"I'm sorry."

Hiccup's head rose up, it did not turn, he knew who was there.

"are you?"

"Hiccup."

"it's your domain."

"I can't just stuff her back in her body," Pluto said, low, steady, "she followed the Egyptian path, she comes under Osiris and Anubis' area. And even if she wasn't, I can't just save every Roman soldier."

"she is not just a Roman soldier!" he turned on his knees, Toothless crowed.

"Hiccup," Pluto pleaded.

"no," he could feel his eyes stinging from the need to glaze with tears, he had none left, "if you care you'll bring her back. Please."

"you know I cannot," Pluto whispered, voice turning hoarse.

Hiccup did not miss the irony of his position, one knee down the other up, shoulders stooped, he was pleading and his posture matched. This was the first time he'd asked someone to do something for him since he'd joined the military. He'd always worked for what he wanted, done it himself, but this he couldn't do.

Not his jurisdiction. And not Pluto's either.

Pluto pulled him up by the biceps, Hiccup took over halfway up.

"my friend," Pluto sighed, "this is war. Death is a part of it, they go just as hand in hand as mania and emotion."

"but why did it have to be her?" Hiccup asked, wanted to take fate by the shirt and ask it, "why not me? Why not anyone else but her."

"if it was another of your friends you would still be here, and if it were you it would be one of them instead. And if it were someone you did not know it would be their friend. There is always a hurt after death, that is the way of things. tragedy doesn't come from the swing of the sword but the scream of the onlooker."

Hiccup stared darkly into Pluto's eyes, "I couldn't do anything. I just had to watch. I'm still just as useless as I was on Berk, this time I've just fooled people into thinking otherwise."

"on the contrary," Pluto said, "you've grown, my boy. In any way that matters and many that don't. everyone is helpless in the face of death, it is a power that all must fall under one day."

"not gods," Hiccup snorted.

"yes gods," Pluto said evenly, smirking at Hiccup's incredulous look, "we live long, yes. But our power comes from those who believe in us. As we age we wither, and eventually there comes a day when we fade into the past where we belong."

"ah," Hiccup murmured, "well, at least you get an extra century or two."

"it is more a curse than a gift," Pluto said evenly, "for example, I will have to watch every one of the soldiers in this camp die, one by one. I will watch you walk through the gates of the underworld to have your soul judged. I will live long after any generation you could foresee or experience."

"yeah," Hiccup sighed, "I can see where the curse comes in."

"it allows me an understanding of how life works, allows me an ability to appreciate the beauty of a soul passing with acceptance in their heart."

Hiccup's shoulders sagged as he looked into Pluto's wholly black eyes.

"she is at peace, my boy," he consoled, "she was not born for earthly worship, she was crafted for adventure and she had exhausted the world of all it could give her in this life. she has moved to the ether. You heard her. She was accepting, she completed all she wished."

Hiccup pursed his lips, "that doesn't make it hurt less."

"no," said Pluto, placing both hands on his shoulders, "but it is good to remember when the worries and fear of the next world haunt you. She is not in danger and she is not in pain."

Toothless warbled next to him, bumped his head against his leg in support.

"you said I have grown," Hiccup said after a moment of silence, "on the battlefield, I blew people away when they grew close. What more is there I can do with these powers?"

Maybe he could save people from death, or stay the effects till help could come near? Maybe there was more.

Pluto sighed, "plenty, nothing that you wish for now," he let his hands drop and moved to the foot of the bed, he picked up the mirror, it was only about as wide and tall as Hiccup's torso, he placed it in Hiccups hands, "but more."

As Pluto disappeared Hiccup stared into the rippling mirror's surface. It was filled with shadow and Hiccup saw a terrifying image. A figure draped in darkness and flanked by hellhounds, the surroundings were strange and not something he recognised, but there was one thing he knew for sure from this image Pluto had gifted him.

This magic was not something to be trifled with, especially when he was as emotional as he was now.

He sighed out a deep breath and dropped his arms, let the mirror's edge rest against his stomach as it faded back to normal. The room had been lit up by Pluto at some point, the candle flickered brightly with a supernatural intensity. The sky outside was dark. No one was outside his quarters, Charlotte had volunteered for night shift and the eighth's Praetors should be finishing up work at the front trenches.

Hiccup considered getting some sleep, knowing he'd need it tomorrow, but he didn't want to see Jael in his nightmares.

He made to lay the mirror back against the bed when he caught sight of himself in it.

He hadn't necessarily avoided reflective surfaces since he'd moved to Rome, but being a soldier there weren't many around to avoid. On Berk there were nearly none and when he'd finally got a clear image of himself he'd be annoyed with the lanky limbs and baby fat. That had been years ago. Since then he'd got the occasional glance in the markets and he hadn't bothered to look long enough to take any much notice of changes. And water was never truly faithful.

A plaster of material was stuck to his right cheek where he'd been hit with the arrow, it would definitely scar. But stark against the white material was red-brown stubble that he'd been feeling against his skin for a couple of weeks, it was such a grown-up facial detail he almost thought he'd been hallucinating it. the hair on his head was only just darker and military short, still slightly longer than Atticus ever let it get. His eyes were still that dark forest green but they were set in a more solid face, no baby fat was left.

Toothless warbled questioningly, Hiccup shot him a surprised look.

"don't judge me."

Toothless just laughed.

Hiccup huffed and put the mirror down, catching his body in the reflection as he stood straight. He almost forgot he was tall. He'd gotten used to having to look slightly down at his friends- except for Atticus who was about the same height- and had forgotten he'd actually started out craning his neck at most anyone. He'd definitely filled out since he was fifteen. He knew this of course but still.

It was a surprise.

Three years. Three years difference. He could use his fifteen-year-old self as an armrest

What the hell.

Thinking over what had gotten him here had it making sense. This wasn't that surprising when put in context. But. But.

The shock he'd get if he showed up at Berk now.

He almost humoured the idea, just for the closure of seeing everyone's face. But it was ridiculous. They all thought he was dead and it made things easier for that to remain the case. He didn't need their recognition anyway, no matter how good it had felt hearing from Astrid. He didn't need it. he was doing just fine without.

He was... proud of himself without them.

It hit him like a Rumblehorn. That somewhere along the line he'd shed the idea he needed anyone's respect to respect himself. It felt nice, sure, and it was something he appreciated, but he felt no pang at the idea of his father looking upon him in disappointment.

He understood now. The reason Atticus had sat at that table and asked someone to contend him and none had spoken. The reason they looked at him and thought he was Praetor material. He was, he just hadn't realised it.

Three years. No. three and a half. That's what it took him to realise he was capable in his own right. Aeliana had been telling him for months and belatedly he noticed she'd been prepping him to ascend to Praetorship for maybe a year or two now. The only person surprised was himself.

He looked at that Praetor's badge and oddly felt like he was supposed to get to this point. pain or not there was something right.

He slapped himself mentally. Jael was dead. Dead. Nothing was right.

But Pluto had said it and so had Jael. She had been tired of what she found on the living plane for a while, Hiccup had always been scared of that. had always worried he'd find her limp in the barracks one day. But this wasn't a moment of pent up emotion, this was her taking fate by the hands and saying, 'screw you, I'll do this my way'. He was alive because of her. This whole camp was alive and free because of her and she'd known it, willingly made that decision.

He would always be sad. He would always remember and be crushed. But nothing was going to change if he just wallowed. And if he allowed himself to slip into grey she'd likely find a way to see him again just to hit him over the ear.

But there was one thing he had to do first.

There were plenty more candles around the place and no one blinked at the question of wanting a couple more. The rest of the items he needed were in his personal gear.

He carved a circle in the dirt with his knife wishing that he'd had the chance to actually keep up on his studies since this battle had started. Casting a proper circle was never something he was confident with from the start and now he had rust to shake off.

He placed his candles at four points lining up with north, east, west and south. Before he stepped in he took out the amulet Jael had given him so long ago. It was old, the wood face cracked on the edge, but the inscribing still clear. Two Quartz beads sat next to the circular amulet's chain link, a selenite bead lined up on the left and an obsidian the right. He sat inside the circle and drew upon his power and cast the protective circle. Felt the walls of energy slide into place around him as he sat. nothing was getting in and till he was done he wasn't getting out.

The amulet had only worked the first year and after that it had cracked. The carving was still clear but Hiccup had never bothered to recharge it, preferring the prophetic or strange dreams one often got when you were attuned to magic. Recently he'd wished he'd kept better care of it but no matter. It served the current purpose.

Spirits of the newly passed made their way to their underworld naturally, usually guided by whatever deity had the role. For the Romans it was Thanatos, for the Egyptians it was Anubis. But regardless of how good one was at their job, on a battlefield things could get hazy and he and Jael had already had to deal with lingering spirits a few times.

He would not allow Jael's spirit to be left torn apart with pieces below and pieces here. That kind of pain could cause someone insanity.

He drew upon the amulet to sense Jael. Let it bring up all his memories of her. The circle would protect him plenty from anything malicious lingering about.

There wasn't anything running around that he could sense- and he was always good at that- so he figured Jael was safe. But that wasn't the only purpose of this exercise.

He slid the beads off the string. He intended to add them to the one around his neck later. He took the amulet off and flipped it between his hands. He focused on what it was, who it had been held by, who it had been made by. It was dry, fraying on some edges, chipped in others.

He took his lingering worry, stuffed it all into his head and focused on the amulet. He thought of Jael, how he missed her already but how he knew she was likely already enjoying the new place she was in.

And he took the final candle he had, lit it on the south candle and held it under the amulet.

The fire flickered in his eyes and the amulet took a while to catch but once it did it crackled strongly. He held it in his hand as long as possible as he grounded himself and let himself slip into meditation, then placed it on the ground when it ran to his fingertips.

He was letting her go. Just as he had on the beach.

And he hoped Verlin could as well.

It was cold.

It was bone chilling cold. The kind you only got from being on the sea so far north. But alongside it was an emotional freeze.

Aeliana was captured. Chained, fed pieces of bread, leered at by guards, distrusted, expected to shit in a bucket, captured.

Needless to say she had not touched the bucket.

Her wrists were weighted by heavy shackles that grated against her skin. She could not get free of them, she'd tried plenty with the utensils she had- which was very few. The only thing that stopped her from being entirely annoyed was that they weren't dragon proof. When her friends came they could be blasted clean off.

When. Not if. When.

Aeliana did not have the patience for any ifs.

Her hair had come loose of her braids, it hung stringy in front of her eyes clumped with mud and blood. Her cape was torn on the bottom and in a similar state. Her armour had been all but stripped from her, she was left in her leggings, shirt and boots. She didn't even have her belt. Her helmet had been torn from her head in the battle and she sorely missed the shield it provided from smell.

Because these cells stank.

She was the only one in them now and this block was only small, but she new they had seen plenty of visitors. The place smelled of faeces, vomit, piss and blood. The acrid after taste of burning metal and flesh lingered around like a warning.

She wanted her dragon. She missed sparks like a limb. He'd always seemed an odd match for her, this pent-up ball of rage and violence but that was because no one looked further. He was perfect because of why he was different.

They'd found him at the edge of his flock, alone and thrown out. they'd thought he was injured, ill, lame, anything. But as they investigated further he'd been cast out for being too good. His whole flock was barely surviving, hardly managing to get by during the especially cold spell of mid-winter. Sparks had been thriving. His family had thrown him out for what she could only see was superstition.

They thought he was wrong.

They bonded over that. she was the person in her family who'd always thrived in the worst conditions and everyone hated her for it. over the years she'd taken it as a signal to keep doing better until it would be enough, but nothing was enough unless she completely ridded them of their troubles. Working close as guards for royalty meant constant worry. If you threw your lot in too much with one person and they lost power you could be heading to a chopping block. The first chance she got Aeliana decided to screw tradition and join the official military.

She and Sparks were the same in that their family would always hold them in contempt for how strong they were. And because of that sameness they were always able to be weak around one another.

And now she was stuck without, miles from home, family, friends. She had nothing but wit and determination and even the former was starting to run drier than her throat.

The cell door clanked open.

"get up," was all she heard from the man in front of her. A tall bloke with dark hair and a strong build.

Maybe her wit wasn't too dry. She levelled a glare on him between her hair.

"did you hear me?"

"clearly."

"then get up."

"no," she dismissed. She'd been brought here because she was a leader and she wouldn't let them forget that, the man rolled his eyes cursing and insulting her in Norse, clearly thinking her vocabulary wasn't as extensive as it was.

"get up!" he ordered again, this time removing a wide dagger from behind his back.

Aeliana stretched her legs out in front of her, moved her hands from her stomach to rest behind her head. the metal dug into the back of her skull, but comfort wasn't the point.

"nah," she summoned the most devilish smirk she could muster past the crack of her busted lip.

"are you trying to get yourself killed woman? Arrogant, Roman Imbecile." He hissed.

"because you're definitely gonna kill me," she said smoothly, relishing the surprise on the Viking's face, her voice was strong and her accent understandable, she briefly noted to herself to thank Hiccup for teaching her, "listen boy," she heaved herself to her feet, standing just at the mans shoulders but still appearing to look down on him, "I'm not dead yet and that's because Drago wants something from me, otherwise he'd have run me through the moment I was dragged across the beach unconscious. You don't scare me, so maybe try some more appealing commands unless you want my patience to run thinner, because trust me, that won't be good for either of us."

The man discreetly swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked her up and down, "you're unarmed."

"says who?" she smirked.

"you've got no way off this ship," he said, smirking, clearly thinking that was an issue.

"oh, honey," she smiled sharp as a dagger, "you have no idea what I can do."

"don't know what you can do, huh?" the man asked, smug smile spreading, "I don't think you're in the position to be making threats, lass."

"maybe not yet." She smiled.

And then she kicked him in the groin.

She wrapped his neck with the chains and stood behind him, foot against the small of his back. he gagged and spasmed, a hand flew to the sheath at his waist and Aeliana jumped. Leaned backward as she locked his arm with her other foot and let him drop onto her knee as her back hit the ground. His neck crooked and she kept his hand down with her other leg. His free limb grabbed wildly at the chains.

She puffed hot air past her teeth as he struggled a few more seconds and then choked and slumped. She rolled him off to the side and clambered up, extricating the chains from his neck.

The goon was down, now she just had to worry about the chains, the door, the guards and the freezing ocean. She really hoped she'd calculated right and another ship would be nearby with dragons. Or anything really. She could wait for her fellow soldiers; their tracking dragons were finely trained and as much as she suspected them to take a while to count their losses and patch up she knew that soon they'd be following her scent to pinpoint Drago and end him once and for all. But she could not accurately guess how long it would be and she knew how captives were treated.

She had no interest in being interrogated.

She rifled around the Viking's pockets for a while looking for keys and found the ones to unlock the door and her chains. She slipped out and stole the sword from the guard. Beneath the hatch she could hear others above and every now and then the wood would creak as someone moved along the deck. There was no way she was making it out if she went through the hatch. She had no armour, no long-range weapons, no dragon and definitely no energy. She pulled the hair tie that held on to some of the tips of her hair and pulled it all back in a dark, messy, mud sodden knot that she didn't look forward to pulling out later.

She hurried down the hall of the prison ship. Surely there was a window somewhere or any other escape route. There wasn't one either end of the boat and none of the cells seemed to have hatches or hidden doorways. She considered going kamikaze and storming the deck but there wasn't much point.

And then she, belatedly, remembered something.

That Viking had been trying to get her to move. He was likely ordered to bring her somewhere else on the ship or even to another vessel in the armada. He'd seemed impatient which suggested he was expected within minutes.

The hatch heaved open and Aeliana snapped around to find two more Vikings dropping into the hull. One tall and carrying a sword. The other shorter and leaner with a bag slung over his shoulder that clanged with the sound of metal as he dropped to the ground. Both foregoing the ladder as they noticed their prisoner unchained and armed.

Aeliana readied her stance, evened her weight and noticed her right leg was aching stronger now that she'd been walking. She favoured her left, knowing the other would give out soon if she wasn't careful.

The tall one laughed with an echoing bellow and prepared to charge while the lean one grinned at the awaiting scene.

Aeliana swallowed and grit her teeth.

This had best be quick.