Chapter 19

The heroes rose an hour before the twin suns, full of purpose. Bartz and Tomas collected gear and food while Falca shook Mattt awake and Nata stood by looking impatient.

“Can’t I sleep one more minute?” Mattt whined as Falca moved in for a short, sharp touch of the talons into Mattt’s backside. Nata stalked out of the room in disgust.

“Why do we have to put up with the kid?” she asked Bartz. “He’d make such a lovely, quiet slime.”

“He’s just a boy,” Bartz said, “and we told him he could go live in the castle.”

“You told him,” Nata said rebelliously. “I’m still not sure how my mom is going to react to being called away and asked to take in a street kid. She really likes to stay by the king’s side in times of crisis.”

“Can’t you just teleport the boy into the castle?” Tomas asked, pausing in his quest through Bartz’s junk cupboard for missing tent stakes. “Then your mom wouldn’t have to leave.”

Nata glared at him.

“I can’t teleport anything in