"Ah, look," Astrid then said, pointing ahead. Carter gasped.

The four of them stood at the edge of a massive valley. The space beneath them was so deep that it would have been completely dark, but Carter's night vision allowed her to see some reflections of water far below. Where the Python Dragonfish was. Across from them, on the other side of the cliff, small waterfalls rushed vigorously from crevices in the rock. Lush grass covered the whole landscape.

And there was the Northern Strait, a handful of yards to their right. The tree was truly massive, and its root system was exposed from when it had fallen, stretched roots with the thickness of Sephia's arm curving here and there through the dirt like snakes.

Sephia turned to the three of them. "We need to debrief on the crossing protocol. So—”

“Hey Faizah,” interrupted Jacob. He didn't look at her. “Since you’re so excited to cross, why don’t you go first?”

Astrid looked at the abyss with a wary eye. “I think the most skilled person should go first.”

Jacob laughed humorlessly. “Faizah, Faizah, Faizah. If you’d paid attention in class, you would know that tree-walking isn’t a skill. And I’m prepared to try you for assault if you don’t get up there. How many witnesses were there to your manhandling of royalty? I’m counting three? What say you, Seph?”

Astrid replied before Sephia could display her masterful grip on basic arithmetic.

“Being able to pay attention is the reason I have my job. But it’s also why I've noticed your capacity to abuse your power, so…” she shrugged and ascended the tree with some effort.

Sephia spoke up quickly. “Your Grace, the next person must be—” But Jacob was already going up, and invited Carter up right after him. 

Carter heard Sephia climb on, and the four of them began their crossing of the strait. The trunk was thick, but its curve rendered it hazardous, and the steep drop below did not help one bit. Astrid and Jacob walked with great struggle to retain their balance, and Carter figured that they might be thinking about this. 

She certainly was. Although she had an easier time balancing, her thoughts strayed to stories of immortals being trapped underwater, drowning to death over and over again until, mercifully, their souls rotted away from their tortured chassis. The idea made immortal objects seem as harmless as the prick of a thorn.

Carter distracted herself from these thoughts by hassling her cohorts. "Hey, so is it just one Piranha Dragonfish, or is it like, a species?" 

"Umm, I think it's just the one," Astrid said.

"Oh." A pause. "Isn't it lonely?" Carter mumbled.

"What did you say?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing!"

"I heard you. You asked if the Python Dragonfish was lonely."

"It's not 'python,' stupid, it's 'piranha,'" Carter replied.

"It actually is 'python,'" Astrid said. "But it's an easy mistake. I'm sure lots of people have made it."

"...Did you not hear me say 'piranha' the first time, or did you hear me and decide not to say anything about it?" Carter asked.

"Ah…"

"Well anyway," Jacob said. "I personally theorize that there is more than one of them. And even if there wasn't, it would most likely befriend something else, like a water spirit. Or perhaps a Piranha Dragonfish."

Carter scoffed, but she thought to herself that it would be nice if Jacob was right.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

They were nearing the opposite cliff. But then, suddenly, Carter heard a little gasp directly in front of her. Jacob slipped. His footing was lost and he toppled to one side, arms flailing for a non-existent handhold.

Blood stormed in Carter’s ears. She dug her heels into the bark of the tree and grabbed Jacob’s wrist just before it was out of reach. 

She stood there for what felt like an eternity, limbs straining to keep them both out of the water, Jacob’s stupid cape flapping in the wind.

“Damn it,” Carter said through her teeth. “You can't escape my wrath through death!”

Sephia broke the limbo, reaching over Carter’s shoulder to take hold of Jacob as well. Together they hauled him back onto the tree trunk.

Jacob was breathing hard, and Carter thought he looked sick. She felt a twinge of pity. He could have died, easy.

Sephia exhaled and put a hand to her chest, but her other hand curled into a fist. 

“Your Highness,” she said. “With all due respect, this is not the palace anymore.” Her voice was just a notch above her usual intensity, but it stung. Jacob twitched, gaze fixed downward.

Carter stifled a laugh. This day was surpassing her wildest hopes with regard to the prince's comeuppance. Then Sephia laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked back, and Sephia nodded slightly, and Carter looked away, unable to stop a wobbly smile from creeping onto her lips.

Finally, Astrid reached the other side of the cliff, and the rest of them soon followed. They were now in the North.

They walked a few more yards across the grass, when Sephia stopped and turned to face them. “We should set up camp here. Let's divide the tasks.”

There was a sizable pause.

“Noelle?” Sephia asked.

“Oh, right.” It was time to do her job. “Uhh… you can put together the tents. The other two can come with me to get firewood.”

Sephia nodded her approval. Thus, Carter, Astrid, and Jacob set off in the woods adjacent to their campsite.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Carter and Astrid had gathered a decent amount of branches each. Jacob was mostly just following along.

At one point, Carter tired of this and turned to him. "What are you doing, man? We're out here to collect wood for the fire! Carry your weight!"

Jacob smiled and shrugged. "This seems like a job for which two people suffice. And it's beneath a prince to do it, anyhow."

"How would you know how it seems? Have you ever—"

"Carter," said Astrid. "Can I speak to you for a second?"

"Huh? Sure, I guess…"

The two of them turned around and huddled. Astrid spoke quietly. "Carter, you've already saved his life. If you want him to do something, you could just use that as leverage. Ah, but try not to overdo it—"

"Oh yeah!" Carter broke away from the huddle and turned back to Jacob, triumphant. "Remember when I kept you from drowning and being eaten 15 minutes ago?"

Jacob flinched and cut his eyes to the side. There was a very long pause. "...What of it?"

"I'm giving you the charitable option of making it up to me, in part, by telling me everything you know about my mother right now!"

Jacob stared at her for a moment. His mouth twitched. 

"Well, Carter, they say Yun'ha retired from her job at the palace when she was about 200 years old. She returned later to visit, and told my mother and the advisors that if they ever needed another bodyguard/scout immortal, they could call on you, and that you would be perfect for the job." 

He stuck a hand in his pocket. "I know it's hard, but can you remember what you're doing right now, Carter? That's right, you're doing the job you were hired for. In other words, your saving of my life is already made up to you through your payment, and through information like what I'm giving you now. But these things will be doled out to you when and where I see fit. There will be no badgering or blackmailing."

Carter turned away and shut her eyes, for a moment not focusing on her anger with Jacob. 

Perfect for the job. That's what was thought of her.

It didn't feel bad, not particularly.

"Ah—!" Astrid cried out suddenly. Carter looked up.

"D-do you hear that sound?" Astrid said. "We should get out of here!"

"What?" Jacob looked around. "I don't hear anythi— mmph!" Astrid had clamped her hand over his mouth. 

Carter followed her gaze to the crop of trees in front of them. Two shining white slits peered from therein. Then there were two more. And then more and more eye-shaped openings appeared in the shadows, and as Carter looked she could make out a figure that chilled her blood.

The slits were eyes to a hulking mass of thorny fur. There was a pair of scraggly ears jutting from its head, and green spit leaked from its gaping jaw. Carter estimated that the beast was almost three times her height.

Astrid gasped, covered her ears, and stared intensely at the beast. Its gaze never seemed to leave the trio. And suddenly, it crouched for an instant before rocketing forward.

Jacob reacted first and took off at a run to the side. Carter came to her senses and pulled Astrid over in his footsteps.

“What is… that thing?” Jacob panted as they ran.

Carter had to slow down to keep pace with the royals. “I don’t know! Shouldn’t you of all people know these things?”

The creature was gaining ground on them fast. Carter dared to look behind her and noticed that it had six legs, all tipped with sharp claws. She tried not to imagine how those would feel sinking in.

As though with impatience, the beast leaped once more, landing this time mere feet from the group. The impact of its landing sent everyone flying.

Carter landed hard against a boulder and felt the air being knocked out of her.

The creature approached her, releasing more waves of spit as it opened its mouth. Carter caught a glimpse of its mouthful of yellow teeth before she lurched away.

She was just in time— the creature’s jaw closed over the boulder. She could see the rage overtaking its expression, the constriction of the countless eyes lining its whole body. It unhooked its jaw from the stone and turned towards her, winding its limbs for another lunge.

“Over here!”

Carter turned to the source of that voice, and to her surprise, so did the monster.

It was Astrid. She looked small and vulnerable, standing before the creature who was now inexplicably fixated on her.

“It’s me you want, right?” Astrid shouted.

As if in response, the monster narrowed its eyes and took a tentative step in the ambassador’s direction.

Astrid turned tail and ran into the trees. The monster followed suit.

Carter stood up and looked after them with unbelieving eyes. What kind of heroic sacrifice was Astrid trying to make, exactly? There was no way she was getting out of that alive. Carter took off in their direction. The beast was so big that it was easy to see the path they took, in its footprints and the branches that had fallen in its wake.

“Noelle?”

An unexpected visit from royalty. How flattering. Carter snatched Jacob’s wrist without hesitation and started dragging him along with her.

“Hey careful, that's a national treasure,” Jacob said. “Where are we going?”

“How did you find me?” Carter shot back.

“Astrid and I were both knocked away from you. I followed her and there you were.” Jacob pulled away and stopped walking. “Where are you going?”

“Astrid baited that thing. We have to help her!”

“Are you sure that’s smart? She probably did it because she thought she could get away. She’s most likely making her way towards the camp right now.”

“That’s so stupid. How could you possibly know that?” Carter demanded.

Jacob raised his palms. “Use your head, Noelle. Haven’t you noticed how determined Astrid is to do this mission? Trust me, she won’t be throwing away her life for you.”

Carter sucked in her breath. “Fine, go back to camp if you want then. I’m gonna look for her.” She turned and continued following the path of the beast.

But Jacob was still following her. “I said go away,” she yelled. “You’re just a liability.”

“You’ll be the liability if you and Faizah both go AWOL. Just make this quick.”

They continued along until, suddenly, the trail ended. Carter looked around carefully, but it was no use. There were no signs left. It was like the monster had disappeared.

“This is so weird…” muttered Carter.

“Yeah, right,” Jacob said. “Shall we follow Astrid’s lead and head back to camp now?”

“Stop acting like you know what happened!” Carter snapped. But she couldn’t think of a better plan herself. She took the lead as they headed back.