“Hey… it’s time to get up.”

Will felt a foot tap—maybe a bit too firmly—against his shoulder. He squinted his eyes open and the light poured in. He turned his head away and rolled to his side, and as soon as he did so, his arm reared up in a painful reminder of the fact that it was both unusable and badly in need of medical attention. It was hot and tingling, as if it had awoken in an angry rage. After he leaned up, Will took his good hand and wiped away the dirt and grime that felt as if it’d somehow been cemented to his eyelids.

The next thought hit him with a rush. Was Swoop back? He turned and looked around him, hoping to see the black bird sitting close maybe somewhere near his head, but it wasn’t there. Ezra and Bet knew immediately what he was looking for. They stood over him at the moment, and as he pulled his desperate eyes upward toward the two of them, for the first time he saw a bit of pity flash across Ezra’s face. The boy said nothing, but instead pointed up and into the trees. There, high above was the black blot of his Cakrit bird.

“Swoop.” Will made no attempt to hide the relief in his voice. The bird must have heard her name, because as soon as it was out of Will’s mouth, she opened her wings, took to the air, and alighted down in the grass by his side.

“Surprised us again,” Ezra said. “Whatever you linked her with, it was strong.” He turned and gave a quick nod to Bet. “Now, get up. We gotta get moving. We have business in Bezda if you’re gonna get that arm fixed.”

“What kind of business?” Will said through clenched teeth as he struggled to his feet.

“The same kind that get’s us fed,” Bet said. “We gotta run a con. Something’s gotta pay for the Mender’s services. Unless you happen to have any money.”

Will gave a small head shake.

“We figured you might be short,” Ezra said.

The next half hour or so they wandered through fading trees painted with the many vivid shades of fluorescent moss. Pexel was allowed to scamper at Bet’s feet, and occasionally he would bolt to a nearby tree, climb it to some swatch free of moss, and after scraping it a bit with his paws, he’d stuff something or another into his mouth for a quick bite.

Bet and Ezra talked back and forth about what con to run. For the most part it was fairly hard to understand since much of what they referred to had to do with certain instances in the past. It did become clear however that his addition to the three of them could possibly add a new dimension to what sort of scam they might be able to pull.

Will traipsed along behind them, his thoughts bouncing back and forth from his home to his parents to the new bird and how his arm would somehow get fixed.

He must not have been paying attention too well, because almost abruptly the trees stopped and gave way to a low grass field with a small winding dirt path cut through it. His eyes followed it into the distance and fixed on their destination.

It was Bezda.

They had made it at last. Now, to get the help he needed.

What does Bezda look like?

Large, tan-colored tent structures strung together with lantern lights

Blocky, stone-grey structures surrounded by a run-down and crumbling rock wall

Tall, white spires that point high to the sky

This Poll is Closed