Growth

Captain Rogers gave the full tour and showed the young women a trick or two about sailing in the process. Alice seemed indifferent to the whole experience but Clare loved everything. She jumped at chances to press the buttons or pull the levers whenever Captain Rogers asked if they wanted to try what he was doing. The ship included a large superstructure, six stories in height, on the aft end of the ship. Inside, bottom to top, was the mess hall, living quarters for the passengers and crew, the captain’s cabin, helm, then radar room that Butcher had claimed for himself.

The tour eventually took them to the captain’s cabin. While they stood outside the door and chatted, Butcher put his head against the glass and stared down the delicious young women on the other side. Captain Rogers smacked on the glass when he finally noticed to make Butcher stop.

“That’s that, ladies and fox,” Rogers concluded. “I’ll leave you to your business while I go and take care of my own. I’ve had to take a dump since the engine room.” He left the women with faces of disgust.

“What now?” Clare asked.

“I don’t know. The ship’s not taking off for another hour or so.”

“Now I wish that tour had taken a little longer.”

“Hey.” Marco walked up, right on time.

“Hey,” Alice responded.

“Not going home?” Clare said. “You’ve been given ample opportunity.”

“Your friends didn’t tell you? I’m kind of their prisoner. They want to take me to their Master.”

“Sucks to be you,” Alice smiled.

“Yes, I suppose it does.”

“Before this, though. You had a lot of chances to escape. You could have snapped the rope we put around your hands.”

“I suppose that’s true too.” Marco sighed. “Something you said, Alice, stuck with me. We were walking to the training grounds so I could show you Primal’s effectiveness. ‘Life outside the nest’ was what you mentioned. I had thought about that before but that time, hearing it from two outsiders, it felt more… Well I just had to know what more was out there.”

“Were you stuck at home all your life too?” Clare asked.

“No. I travelled with the Overseer a lot when I was little. But that was when I was little. I am twenty-two now. I think I spent the last… ten years in Terra helping organize the Overseer’s army.”

“Bummer, dude,” Alice remarked.

Clare elbowed her. “I’m sorry about that. I know where you’re coming from,” she said to Marco.

Marco looked down. “I wish you didn’t.”

“But I do.”

They changed topics before later seeking out the Protectors. They were in the living quarters, claiming beds for themselves. Other passengers were doing the same, only on the opposite side of the room.

“There they are,” Raven said when she spotted them. “Better late than never. Hurry, get a cot next to me. Calvin snores. Marco, you’re in the middle.”

“Hey, we both know who the real snorer is here.”

Clare smiled. “Having spent a few nights with both of you miscreants, I have it on good authority that neither of you snores.” She flung her pack on a cot beside Raven. “But just in case…”

Alice took a cot beside Alfred. “This old man sleeps like the dead. Probably because he’s almost there.” Alfred shook his head. “What have you all been up to? Discussing who to throw overboard next?”

“No, we have greater worries than discussing who to torture,” Alfred answered.

“Worries?” Clare asked.

“Yes. About you two. We’d hoped that you two will make it all the way to the Great Tree to partake in the drinking of the Elixir, but we were wondering just what effects the Elixir will have on you two, having Primal flowing through your veins and all.”

“I had wondered this as well,” the fox said.

“We’ll be fine,” Alice said. “It hasn’t bitten us in the ass yet. I’m sure it’ll get along just fine with that Elixir.”

“You don’t know that,” Alfred responded.

“We don’t but at least let us think that. It’s only been a blessing so far. Let’s see what it can do.”

Alfred looked to his peers. Raven shrugged in agreement but Calvin held a worrisome expression. “I’ll drop it,” the old man said. “The decision is the Master’s anyway. I’ll leave it to her.”

“You do what you have to, gramps,” Alice said.

“What were you doing with the Captain earlier?” Calvin asked.

“Captain Rogers was giving us a tour.”

“Don’t put too much trust in that man,” Calvin warned. “Rule one.”

“You know you’ve only told me two rules.”

“He is essentially a mercenary,” Alfred agreed, “and mercenaries are not to be trusted. Their only loyalty is to the coin.”

“Sounds like someone had a bad experience.”

“I am not kidding, young lady. Listen when I tell you what to beware of. It will save your life one day.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll be in the mess hall. This ‘young lady’ needs lunch.”

Clare and the fox followed Alice. The tour and transformation worked up her appetite. No doubt Alice was feeling the same way. Clare looked back expectantly but Raven smiled and waved for her to go ahead without them. Clare shrugged it off and left. The mess hall was crowded with most of the other passengers and a few crewmen who also deemed it lunch time. Thankfully the cooks knew what they were doing and food was being dished out quickly. Captain Rogers had a great crew.

The trio took their meals to the deck and watched the cranes set containers on the deck, the fox carrying a raw hunk of meet between his teeth. The last one caught their eyes. It was more of a box with holes poked in it than a normal cargo container. And there was definitely something breathing through those holes. Two cranes were needed to securely set it, as it was constantly rocking back and forth. Crewmen used extra-large chains to keep it down once it was in position.

“What do you think is in there?” Alice asked.

“A big animal.”

“Want to go see?”

Clare shoveled down the last of her food. “Definitely.”

“You two go on ahead,” the fox said. “I already know what that thing is.”

So the women crossed the ship to see what the big deal was. Crewmen were double checking the other crates and containers. When one was what the women were up to, she rushed over to them.

“Don’t get near that one,” she warned.

“Why? What’s in there?” Alice asked.

The crewman looked to another, who shrugged back and resumed work. “I guess it’s not top secret. There’s a dragon in there.”

The women’ jaws dropped. “A dragon?” Clare exclaimed.

“Judging from the size of its box, it’s only a juvenile. Catching one of those is still achievable at that age. I can guarantee it’s not like one of the captain’s stories about catching it all alone. You’d need a full team of experienced hunters to get one of those behind bars, and more if you want an adult. Now I have work to do. Don’t get too close, you hear?” The crewman resumed her duties.

“Want to get too close?” Alice asked with a smile.

“But not too, too close.”

They ventured nearer. The beast in the cage sensed approaching footsteps and grew restless within. The women could see movement through the holes. It was pacing. Fear set in and as much as the two wanted to peer through one of the holes, smart thinking told them to keep away. Good thing, too. Long claws slipped a foot out of an opening. A head peeking in would have been quickly removed.

Enough was enough. The women left the danger zone and returned to the rather boring center of the ship. The Protectors had come up on deck, and everyone gathered just in time to hear the horn signal departure. The crew scrambled and the other passengers came up to bid New Orleans farewell. The great port city faded away just as Memphis had done. Clare began to wonder how Memphis had fared against the dryad attack. She pulled on Raven’s sleeve and asked.

“I haven’t heard anything,” she answered. “And that’s not good. I mean, it could mean that business has resumed as usual, or the place has gone dark. Silence usually means the latter has happened though.”

“But what about all the innocent people there?” Clare asked. “It’s not like they all went out and pissed off the dryads or whatever. It’s not exactly fair.

“There’s nothing fair about life, Clare,” Calvin answered. “You should know that.”

Clare frowned. “It’s just how things are, right?”

“It is.”

“I don’t suppose there’s a way to change that?”

“A way to make life perfect?”

“Not perfect, but at least more tolerable, fairer.”

“There were many methods throughout history that tried to make the world a better place,” Raven answered. “None of them worked. There was always something that went wrong. All we can do is live with what we have. That, or rise above. But think about it. Things aren’t so bad, are they? Before you complain that they could be better, remember where you used to be.”

“I’m not going to do either of those things.”

“No? I love complaining.”

“The past is past. I’m making an effort to live in the here and now.”

“Well good for you, Clare,” Calvin said. “You are really growing up.”

Clare laughed. “You forced me to when you tossed me into that river.”

“For what it’s worth, that was mostly Alfred’s idea.”

“I knew it!” Alice shouted. “I fucking knew it all along!”

Alfred laughed. “You had some growing up to do yourself. Sometimes all we need is a little push.”

“Or a little drowning.”

“You’re here, you’re alive, quit your bitching.”

“Hey, we get to bitch all we want. We were the ones being chased by cultists and gunmen.”

“We asked you to get to New Orleans,” Alfred reminded. “You are the ones who went ahead and did what you did. And let’s all ease up on the language.”

Alice tossed her hands up in defeat. “There’s no arguing with you, is there?”

“None. I am a wise old man. My logic has a lifetime of experience and wisdom behind it. Arguing with me is like yelling at a wall that has all the right answers,” Alfred bragged.

“There’s a dragon on board,” Clare threw in to change the subject.

“I thought I sensed one,” Calvin said.

“The crewman said it’s just a juvenile but they have it in a cage up near the bow.”

“Just a juvenile?” Raven said. “A juvenile is no less deadly than an adult, or even a newborn.”

“So is that really where your armor comes from?” Clare asked. “From their skin?”

“It is,” Calvin confirmed. “It’s almost impenetrable. It only makes sense to seek out armor that formidable.”

“Even if it means risking your life to get it?” Alice asked.

“Absolutely. Although monster teeth and claws are still quite capable of penetrating this. I should mention that we have learned to keep casualties to a minimum when it comes to dragon hunting.”

“Well that’s good.”

“Plus killing them does the world a great service.”

“The fox called them abominations once,” Alice said.

“That, they are,” the fox confirmed.

“Kill, eat, and repeat,” Raven said. “At least they reproduce slowly. One or two eggs per clutch.”

“Thank God.”

Some crewmen began setting up a canopy that covered an area of the deck to protect everyone from the sun’s harsh rays. “Let’s get under there,” Clare said. “Please.”

Before long, land became a thing of the past. There was only maddening nothing on the horizon in all directions. The canopy was a godsend. People thanked Captain Rogers as he passed for thinking of it. He accepted the praise, then reminded everyone that they could just go inside and look out windows. Many did just that.

Card games passed a lot of the time. Clare, having spied on Ron playing with his associates, knew almost every one and her knowledge won her many a round. She caught the attention of some experienced players from the crew and passengers and a real game began. Stakes skyrocketed. The combined fortune of the Protector was thrown into the pot. Alfred assured her that if the money was lost, she was going overboard.

But there was no losing that afternoon. Clare’s prowess won the day. But she was a merciful winner; she returned a portion of what the other players had contributed, much to the disapproval of her allies.

The sun began to set and the temperature lowered to a very comfortable degree. Everyone was on deck, watching the sun’s steady descent. With nothing else to do until dinner, people shared stories. Some were immediately forgetful, but others stole the hearts of the listeners. One such tale of intrigue belonged to Captain Rogers.

“Listen and listen well, ye paying customers, to the romance of Captain Rogers,” the man said to the crowd before him. “It may be hard to believe but the rough and tumble sea dog before you used to be a young man in love, smitten with a young lass that he should never have pursued. But he did anyway, for he loved her.”

“It all began years and years ago, before I had a single ship under my flag. I was a man of the sea then, as I am now, and spent my days on a fishing vessel. Day in and day out we sought the fresh meat of the sea with but small nets, not the guns you see on either side of you now. We had a client those days, a powerful client whose riches bought up the best of our catch every damn day. And wouldn’t you know it, he had a daughter. My captain warned me about her. Every time she visited the docks with her father, I was told to not even look at her, lest her father take his business elsewhere, along with my head. I heeded the warnings. For a time. We began stealing glances, then smiles and waves at each other all the time.”

“The fated meeting between that young woman and I happened on her terms. I was told by my captain to fetch something from the boat and when I had retrieved the item and was about to return to the dock, she had found me on the pier. It was her beauty that stopped me dead in my tracks. Her smile could part the clouds. It is what I still remember about her. ‘My father told me to stay away from men like you,’ she said to me. ‘Do you always do as you’re told?’ I asked her. She told me no, and then jumped into my arms. I could hardly believe my luck. I had a living diamond in my arms. Or so I thought.”

“The client spied us from the dock and sent his men to tear her away from me. They took her and knocked me on my ass. The man himself stood over me and warned me to stay away from his daughter or else. I agreed, and that was the day I became a liar. The first thing I did was follow that beauty to her home, or castle, I should say. The guards were none the wiser when I slipped around them and climbed three stories to her bedroom window. I knocked, she answered, and was then told to go away! I was but a tool to anger her father. Well, your Captain Rogers went home heartbroken that night. My captain was waiting for me on the boat, smoking his pipe as he always did. The wise old man could tell from my expression that my heart was broken. ‘Do you see why I told you to stay away from her?’ he asked me. It was never about losing that man as a client. It was about heartbreak. My captain saw it coming from a mile away. But I am not saddened by that day. Not anymore. That was my first heartbreak. It was a rite of passage, a step into manhood, and despite the result, something I’m glad happened to me.”

“Why?” Clare asked.

“Because when I finally overcame my sadness, the sunrise was never brighter, and darkness never as dark. I learned to better judge people as well.”

Storytime ended. Clare, Alice and the fox were alone under the stars when all of the storytelling came to a close for the night. “I don’t get it,” Clare was saying. “Glad it happened? That’s crazy.”

“What’s crazy is that you’re still thinking about his story. I liked the other one where that guy was attacked by monkeys.”

“That story sucked.”

“You suck. Look, the moral of his story is that it’s darkest before the dawn. Learn a lesson like Captain Rogers did.”

“It’s nonsense. I was in misery for years and there’s no way in hell that I will ever say or even think that I was glad to be where I was.”

The fox spoke up. “Let me ask: Have you been as miserable since then?”

“You know I haven’t.”

“There you go.”

“And I haven’t been as miserable as I was when I watched my parents die. As awful as trudging through the muck of those swamps was, it did not compare.” Alice smiled. “Fucking that guy up sure felt good though. Ah, revenge…”

“I’m still not convinced. I think a giant gap in my memory would be better.”

“Arguing this with you is going to get me nothing more than a headache, I can tell.”

“Agree to disagree?”

“Agreed. Shall we adjourn to bed, Ms. Clare?”

“We shall, Ms. Alice. Before we do, it just became apparent that we don’t know each other’s last names.”

“Alice King.”

“Clare. Just Clare.”

“That’s lame.”

“I know.”

“Excuse me,” the fox said. “I was hoping for a favor before the night ends.”

“What kind of favor?”

“You two have names, the jaguar has a name…”

“And you’d like one too.”

The fox nodded.

“It’d be too lazy to just keep calling you ‘Fox’.”

“Why not ‘Todd’?” Alice suggested. “I’ve always thought it was a nice, cute name.”

“What does it mean?” Clare asked.

“Who knows? What do you think, fox?”

“I like it too. Todd. Yes, I like it very much.”

“Then Todd it is. Let’s tell the others.”

“You go ahead,” Clare said. “I’ll catch up.”

Clare took a deep breath of salty air as Alice led Todd inside. She closed her eyes and let the wind blow through her hair. It was peaceful. When she was ready she opened her eyes and moved to go inside but first noticed a woman leaning on the rail nearby. She was absolutely stunning, arguably the most beautiful woman Clare had ever seen. She had a slender model-esque body, long, sun tanned, and stunning. She wore a tattered black bikini and a black sarong. Her long, wavy, shimmering black hair fell from a black bandana to her sleek shoulder blades. Her hazel eyes met Clare’s and Clare found herself unable to move.

“Uh. Hey,” Clare sputtered.

“Hello,” the woman said with the lyrical voice of a siren. Clare wanted to respond but was at a loss for words. The woman laughed. “How are you this evening?” she continued.

“G-g-good,” Clare stammered.

Amaris smiled a smile as bright as the full moon. “You seem to be a bit enamored.”

Clare shook her head and snapped out of it. “I… sorry.”

“It’s quite alright, my green-eyed friend.”

“My eyes are blue.”

“Sure, they are. My name is Amaris. I am Captain Rogers’ first mate.”

“I’m Clare.” She swallowed. “I haven’t seen you around and I’ve been on two of Captain Rogers’ ships.”

“Yes, my quarters are hidden. But I really am his first mate,” Amaris swished her hair about, “What brings you onto our ship?”

“I am going to the Great Tree to become a Protector.”

“Ah, the Great Tree. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there.”

“Did you want to be a Protector?”

“Oh, no, I don’t have any interest in that. I was more interested in the dragons in the surrounding jungle.”

“Why on Earth would you be interested in them?”

“I am a master of traps. The best around! I can trap any beast and any man. Just ask Butcher.”

“Did you trap that dragon that's onboard?”

Amaris sighed. “Sadly, no. My duties have kept me on this boat for the past month.”

"What is it you do?"

"I just manage. But the captain is back now, and that is his job once again."

"Good for you, I guess."

Amaris looked Clare over. "You know, I've been thinking of something lately: training a pupil. An ambitious young woman such as yourself would make for a good candidate."

"I'm sorry, but I have my own business to take care of."

"Of course you do, young Protector-to-be. Once you have settled that, seek me out. Your strength can only grow under my instruction."

With that, Amaris said her goodbye and left Clare to think about the offer.

“One day to go,” Captain Rogers announced to passengers and crew at breakfast the next day. “This time tomorrow, we may well be at Cancun.”

There was light applause but almost everyone’s attention was on their food. A couple of people had their heads in trash cans from the rocking boat. The sun was bright and hot outside, the water calm and clear, and dolphins cruised along in the wake of the engines, shouting insults at Butcher as they jumped through the air. Clare was still unused to the salty sea air, but it was something she could get used to. Maybe the Master would assign her to a nautical mission one day. Wouldn’t that be something? Of course she had the entire process of actually becoming a Protector ahead of her. Clare was glad to have Alice along for this ride.

She stood at the bow of the ship. Holding her arms out like a bird was tempting, but keeping a tight grip on the rail in front of her was much more practical in her mind. A shadow cast overhead. Clare looked up and saw a bird with a greater wingspan than any she had ever seen before. It landed on the deck behind her. She was trapped but the bird was very nonthreatening.

“Ah, I needed a break,” the bird said.

“What are you?” Clare asked.

“What am I? I am an albatross!”

“I’m sorry, I’ve never heard of that type of bird.”

The bird looked very disappointed. “I suppose that is only natural. I am far outside the range that normal albatrosses travel.”

“So why are you here?” Clare looked behind the bird. A large crowd had gathered, but no one seemed ready to do anything. Calvin was among the onlookers but his interest faded after scanning the bird.

“I am actually here to talk to the jaguar. Do they still call that oversized housecat ‘Butcher?’ Silly name if you ask me. Is he behind me?” The albatross twirled around. Nothing but crates. “Good. He does this thing where he-”

A roar! Butcher pounced seemingly from nowhere and landed on the albatross, promptly putting its entire head in his mouth. The bird’s screams were muffled inside. Clare couldn’t help but giggle. The silly skirmish lasted a few moments before Butcher spat the bird out with a good bit of slobber.

“You taste like seaweed, you filthy bird.”

“Your breath could kill a dung beetle. And its family. From a distance.”

“As much as I enjoy our little back and forths, I hope you have a good reason for being here. Bird is still very much a part of my diet.”

“I do.” The albatross glanced at Clare. “But perhaps we should move this to an ape-less location.”

Butcher nodded and led the way to a more secluded area. Clare was visibly disappointed. The animals had a brief chat before the albatross took a running start along the deck, spread its mighty wings, and took off.

As the bird disappeared into the distance, Butcher returned to Clare. “You know, I knew there was something special about you and your friend the first steps you took on this ship. But what could this feeling be?” Butcher sniffed Clare. “Your futures will shape the world. But how, I wonder. Conquest? Plague? Pestilence? Death?”

“There are other ways to shape the world than by ending it,” Clare responded.

“With you humans, I wonder.” Butcher yawned. “But who am I to question the powers that be?”

“What exactly did you talk to that albatross about?”

“I wonder.” Butcher turned to return to his post above the radar room. He gave the monster cage a sniff as he went. The dragon was not much larger than Butcher, Clare thought.

Calvin came over. “What was that all about?” he asked.

Clare shrugged. “Wouldn’t tell me.”

“Nothing foreboding, I hope.” Calvin stroked his beard.

“Where is everyone?”

Calvin explained that Alfred and Raven were with passengers trying to break the scary ice. Alice had disappeared for the time being. Marco was on the starboard deck, just watching the waves. Bored, Clare wandered the ship for a time. It was nice, but Clare began to feel something strange, something amiss, and she needed to talk to someone. She decided against the usual suspects and sought out Butcher instead. She found the big cat hanging around on the rail outside of the radar room. He stared her down her entire approach.

“I thought we already talked today,” Butcher said when Clare was in earshot. “That took all of my energy. I must rest if I am to have enough energy to do… something.”

“Some thoughts have come to me since then.” She leaned against the rail and let herself enjoy the ocean breeze for a moment.

“Do share. I love a good chat during peak nap hours.”

“You animals have a sixth sense about you, right?”

“More or less.”

Clare frowned. “What is it telling you about the other passengers?”

“Why do you ask? Don’t your spooky friends have any inklings?”

“None that I know of. It’s just that… It’s peaceful here. Do you get what I’m saying?”

“I do, in fact.” Butcher yawned. “I suppose I can mention that there are a total of four people onboard with Primal in their veins.”

“What? It must be a Crusader! Which passenger? And how do you know about Primal?”

“Slow down. I don’t know who it is. I am not one to pry. And as for how I know about Primal, don’t worry about it.”

“He must be in disguise.”

“Or she.”

“Or she.”

“It is a ‘he’ though.”

“So you do know.”

“Yes.”

“Just tell me, cat!”

“What will you do then? Fight him? I will not help you start fights. If the man acts out, I may interfere. Until then, naps are my only concern.”

Clare tossed her hands in the air with an “Ugh.”

“And don’t you go searching yourself. I will tell Captain Rogers that you are causing trouble. If he passes by and I’m awake, that is.”

“Fine. I won’t do anything.”

“I will hold you to your word. You have twenty-four hours remaining for this voyage. Do not ruin it.”

Clare let the jaguar be and returned to the deck. There were still a few hours until lunch and she did not want to bother anyone with the news of a possible Crusader presence, so she went for another walk along the path Captain Rogers had shown them yesterday. It took her up and down and all around the ship, so the walk lasted some time. She did not see the captain at any point during her walk. She did spot Alice flirting with a young crewman on deck. Good for her, Clare thought. Or maybe it was a ploy to get something out of Alfred, who Clare then noticed was watching from a distance with his arms crossed.

Then Marco walked by. He looked equally bored but perked up when he saw Clare. But then he sort of froze up, as if looking at Clare was the farthest ahead he had planned.

“Marco,” Clare acknowledged.

Marco nodded back. “Clare. How are you?”

“Bored.”

“I’m the same.”

“I really, really do wonder why you decided to stick around with us.”

“What I said was the truth. It sounds like you don’t like me being around.”

“I guess I’m a little hesitant.” Clare moved to the rail and looked out at the water. “Crusaders tried to capture us, and you are a Crusader.”

“Need I remind you who stole from the Crusaders?”

Clare looked into Marco’s eyes. “Kill all humans? Really? You’re using Primal for the worst kind of reason.”

Marco joined Clare at the railing. “You know what? I think you’re deluding yourself.”

“What’s that?”

“There’s no way you are actually on the side of the Protectors. You just feel indebted to them for saving you. There’s no one on this ship save for Alice who should have less faith in humanity. Look what people did to you. For all of your years as a slave, it took a random Protector who thought you might have potential to do his dirty work for him. You weren’t even on his itinerary.”

“But Calvin did free me. It happened.”

“Yeah, years and years too late. You would have made a great Crusader.”

“Don’t rope me in with you murderous people.”

“No more murderous than you, I’m sure.”

“You’d better shut your mouth.”

Marco was about to continue but he saw something in Clare’s eyes that he did not want to tap into. “Fine.” And he moved along.

Lunch time. Portions were modest. Captain Rogers showed up late and sweaty. Wherever he was, at least he was up to something constructive. Clare was with the Protectors while she ate, though her attention was not with them. She was too busy inspecting each and every individual in the mess hall. Every face was nonthreatening, and none had the unkempt appearance that she remembered all Crusaders of Terra shared.

Raven suddenly nudged Clare. “Wake up, Clare-Bear. I asked you a question.”

“Huh? What?”

“Ever been in love?”

Clare’s answer was immediate. “No.”

“Too bad. Next! Calvin, you ever been in love?”

“No.”

“Yes you have.”

“No.”

“Then what do you call that week you spent in that hussy’s bed?”

“That ‘hussy’ happens to be your mother.”

Raven tried to smack Calvin but he dodged. “And it was just a fling.”

“Just a fling? Is that what women are to you? Flings?”

“Not at all. In fact, she was the one who left me behind. On the seventh day, the woman disappeared and Calvin rested.”

“So, you were used,” Alice pointed out.

“I was. It kind of hurt, to tell the truth.”

“Who’s next?”

“My turn,” Alfred volunteered. “Let me tell you all about Alice’s grandmother.” Alice covered her face. “We met before either of us had become Protectors…”

Alfred’s story went on for a while. It was interesting at first, but it became less about the audience and more about reminiscing about the time they made love on the beach. The adjacent table grabbed their trays and left during that part. Raven’s story took the cake. But it was far from a love story.

“I think only Calvin and the Master know this one,” she started. “This is the story of when I learned the true meaning of survival. It happened before any child should be concerned about the concept. We were living in New York at this time, and not by choice. This was the time that the New York/New Jersey tensions were at their peak. The Hudson River was about to become a warzone so we were desperately trying to get out of town. Us and everyone else, it seemed. Well as fate would have it, we were too late. Someone fired a gun across the river and the rest was history. The Battle of the Hudson River went into full swing.”

“We grabbed what we could and ran. The best way out from where we were was to go southward. Everyone else had the same idea and we were caught up in a mob. The fires caught up to us in no time. Panic ensued naturally. My mother was separated from my father and I. Her screaming face disappeared into the smoke and that was that. Her last words were those of anyone who cared for their offspring. ‘Keep her safe!’ is what she said to my father. He held me tighter in his arms as we tried to keep moving. Just when we thought escape was probable, gunfire sounded from up ahead. The enemy mistook us refugees as threats in the smoke and opened fire. There was nowhere to go anymore. My father resorted to becoming a human shield. It was just me after that. I wandered a few years alone, then heard of the Protectors.”

Raven poked at her food. “It feels good to share that story.”

“Are all of us broken people?” Alice asked. “Who here wasn’t ripped away from a normal life?”

“Most Protectors come from lives of despair,” Alfred answered. “But we learn to grow into something greater. It’s about moving on from our pasts and protecting the futures of ourselves and others. Before you know it, you won’t be a bitter little girl anymore.”

“Shut up.”

“You too, Clare.”

“Huh?”

“The Protectors are going to help you with your past. I do not know your whole story. It’s not my place to ask. But just know that we are with you and that you can talk to us any time you want to. We don’t believe that anyone is broken. Broken things don’t get to their feet and forge the way toward a bright new future.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.”

Calvin put a hand on Clare’s shoulder, gently shook her, and then returned to his meal.

Clare almost changed the subject to her Crusader hunt but decided against it when Raven revealed a pack of cards. “You people ready for a few rounds?” she asked. So, they played cards for a while. It put everyone back into good moods for a while. Marco was invited to play, and it was Clare who invited him. But the games grew a little old after Clare went on yet another winning streak, so she went out on the deck.