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"Hey, stop!"

I laughed before sticking my tongue out at him. "Make me, George."

He pouted, causing me to laugh harder. My stomach twisting into knots and tightening. My hand pressing against it to try and ease the pain.

"You're not funny, Rachel."

"Come on, I thought it was." I tossed him the bag with a wide smile. "You reminded me of a child. You do know you're seventeen, right?"

His pouting turned to a scowl.

"I'm going to buy a bar with this one day. It's not nice to go and steal things."

"I didn't steal, I borrowed." I jumped onto my feet and folded my hands behind my back. "What knid of bar?"

"Why does it matter to you?" He snapped.

"Ah, come on. I apologized." I tilted my head at him. "Shouldn't you be acting like an adult here and accept it? You are older than me."

"Only by a few years," he mumbled. "You didn't apologize. One of these days you're going to come across someone who will expect a real apology, Rachel."

"Won't a kiss on the cheek work?"

"Knock it off!"

I guess George had been right. One day a real apology would be needed to fix a mess I found myself in. Only I don't think he was expecting me to run into a tribe who attacked me first and killed someone I knew.

Staring down the end of a muzzle wasn't pleasant, but neither was having at least five arrows pointed at you. Placing the gun down, I straightened up, raising my hands into the air. I knew that this would be the only chance I had to surrender.

"I am Ehecatl, from the clan Kulan. Who are you?" It was the man in the middle of the group who spoke.

"I'm Rachel."

"What clan are you from?"

Clan? I didn't come from a clan.

"I don't have a clan."

Whispers between the other two, who had moved behind him, broke out. From the way they kept looking at me every few seconds, it was pretty clear I was the center of that topic.

"Why are you here, Rachel without a clan."

It felt odd that they wanted to know this now. They had already killed one of us.

"We came in search of food and medicine."

"You and your mate?"

I didn't dare look behind me, to Rambrect. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"You and your mate came looking for food and medicine? Alone?"

Why was he calling Rambrect my mate? Did he think that Rambrect was something like my husband?

"No, there are others." I knew lying would be pointless.

If the others did follow, they would run into what we had and more would die. I was sure of that.

"Where?" He demanded.

I pointed towards the direction we had come from.

"Show us."

The ash behind me crunched before something sharp poked into my back. It didn't appear that I had an option on the matter. I had already said there was more and they would go looking even if I said no.

"Only if you promise not to hurt them. They are like me."

He looked unconvinced. "Only the great Quetzalcoatl can decide that. Show us the others and then he will pass judgment."

Feeling the sharp object get pressed more into, I started walking forward. It was silent besides the sound of our feet crunching against the ash as we went back in the direction Rambrect and I came from. They made sure that I was aware of the sharp object that was right behind me.

They were small shapes in the distance and looked as if they hadn't moved an inch. Bondi stood up as we came to a stop from them. Far enough away that these people would be able to stop any close-range attack with their arrows.

I felt a push from behind, my teeth sinking into my lip to stop any remarks that might make it worse.

"What's going on?" Bondi asked as he looked at those that surrounded me. "Where is Rambrect?"

Eyes like a storm waiting to break free. The thirst for blood hang heavily in the air around him. He didn't even know what happened, but yet he wanted blood.

"I am Ehecatl, from the clan Kulan. Who is your leader?" His question came from right beside me, but I didn't dare look from the pirate crew I was a part of.

Goran looked wary, his hand resting on his pistol. Hahn pushed her tattered cloak slightly to the side, her hand resting on the curved sword she favored. Kurt didn't make a move to grab any of the weapons he might have been carrying.

"I am." Bondi stepped forward. "We didn't come here to fight."

My eyes dropped to the ground to avoid the wary and hard glances they had.

"Tell Ehecatle, why strangers have come here and what you seek." It sounded strange for him to say his own name. "And why you bring your mates with you. Ehecatle does not understand."

His use of mates had me looking at him. I was sure my guess had been right at that moment. He assumed that we were with them. Like we were a husband and wife.

"We saw land from our ship and came in search of food and wood." Bondi waved a hand towards the direction the ship would be. "We were attacked and needed supplies."

"If Quetzalcoatl grants you your wish, will you leave us?" Ehecatle asked.

"Yes."

"Ehecatle wants to know if there are more of you on this ship." His hand landed on my shoulder for some reason. "Like this one. Who no longer has a mate."

Pain shot through my lip as I bit into it.

The seconds for his answer felt like they were dragging on. "No," Bondi cleared his throat before he continued, "there is no one on the ship without a mate."

"Come, Ehecatle and his warriors will bring you to our tribe. There Quetzalcoatl will judge you. If you pass, we will help and be good friends!"

As if that would be possible. I doubted they would let them off with what they had done to Rambrect. I knew Captain Velywan wouldn't and he wasn't one to usually take action unless it was absolutely necessary.

The ash crunching under their feet told me that Bondi and the others were doing it. I didn't know if he only agreed because of the arrows I was sure were pointing at him from behind me or if there was another reason. Either way, I'm sure he realized that he had no choice in the matter.

A small hand appeared before it wrapped around mine. Hahn stopped, her tattered cloak getting draped around my shoulders before her other hand went over my cheek.

"He's dead, isn't he?"

I didn't speak as I answered by squeezing her hand slightly harder. A sigh escaped her.

"Don't worry. Bondi will get us out of this mess. He has that uncanny ability to always get out of the worst possible situations. I would say that he charmed his way out but there's nothing charming about him."

We followed behind the clan. The others held in the rage or harsh words they wanted to speak as we passed by Rambrect. Goran hissed curses under his breath, but a sharp look from Bondi had him becoming quiet.

Whatever laid ahead of us, I couldn't be sure we would make it out.