Stars of Fortune (The Guardians Trilogy 1)

“Okay.” Riley rubbed her hands together. “Let’s sack the castle.”

Once they’d set the table in a more mundane fashion and passed around the platter, Riley turned to the dog, who sat, watching hopefully.

“That’s yours,” she told him, pointing to the bowl of kibble she’d set out. He heaved a sigh filled with disappointment, but moved off to eat. “So, we’ll look over the maps, but my best sense is to head south, follow the river into the hills. My intel says there’s a cave up there, multichambered, largely unexplored. The locals call it Anasa tou Diavolou. The Devil’s Breath. Sounds promising,” she added, forking up some eggs.

“What about underwater caves?” Sasha began, and Riley nodded as she ate.

“Got some on my list. But we’re going to need a boat, some gear. I’m working on that. Anybody know how to handle a boat? I’m okay with it, but I’m better with a canoe or a kayak.”

“Depends on the boat,” Sawyer put in.

“What sort of gear?” Sasha wanted to know.

“Snorkeling for certain, scuba most likely.”

“I’ve never done any scuba diving.”

“We’ve got a pool to practice in if we need to. I’m certified—or was. Probably still am.” Riley shrugged. “Maybe we’ll get lucky on land. In any case, we’ll eliminate areas, and get some scuba practice in.” She gestured at Annika with her fork. “That dress isn’t going to work for the sort of hiking we’ll do today.”

“You don’t like it?”

“Looks good on you, but you need pants. Jeans or cargoes to protect your legs. A jacket, a hat, a backpack. And hiking boots.”

“I don’t have those things.”

“I was afraid of that.” Riley looked under the table at Annika’s bare feet. “I’ve got spare boots, but your feet are longer than mine.”

“Looks like a trip into the village to outfit her,” Sawyer said. “It shouldn’t take long.”

“Been on many shopping trips with women, mate?” Bran asked him.

“Shopping.” Annika bounced in her chair. “You buy things. I have coins.”

“No trouble understanding how shopping works,” Bran added. “Coins?”

“I have many coins. I’ll get them.”

When she raced off, Riley turned, jabbed her fork toward Bran. “You’ll eat that insult to my species, Irish. I can get her outfitted inside twenty minutes.”

“Bet you a fiver you can’t.”

“Done. So into the village, deal with that. We can drive south from there for the first ten, twelve kilometers, but we’re off-road after that.”

“I’d like a look at your maps, if it’s all the same to you, before we head out.”

Sawyer nodded at Bran, then Riley. “I’m going to second that.”

“No problem. Nothing to say on this, Sasha?”

“I’m still stuck on Devil’s Breath. Anyway, I can read a map well enough, but I’m pretty sure one cave will strike me the same as any other.”

Annika came back, hauling a royal-blue drawstring bag with g

old braiding. She set it on the table with a little oof, where it thudded heavily.

“My coins.”

“She meant it literally.” On a laugh, Sawyer got up to walk to the end of the table, look into the bag. “Yobanny v rot!”