Really, right now Eve.
Come on, let's hurry. Eve muttered ahead of her. This plan is bound to get us food.
I don't know if I'm hungry anymore Eve. I need sleep. I need it. Can't you do this alone. I feel like I'm suffocating.
Stop acting grumpy. It will be worth it. A pause. And if you still want to suffocate I'll bury you next to that pile of fish bones.
The warm morning light settled on their skin as they moved through the trees. Naomi mumbled something to the parrot. Eve turned and gave her a look.
Shh.
Naomi went quiet.
They crouched behind a wide tree, its bark still wet from rain that never fully fell, leaves heavy with morning dew. Naomi waited. The forest was still around them except for the distant sound of something coming down the road.
What is the plan, Naomi muttered.
How good are you at hiding your rift without it showing.
You know I'm pretty decent. A pause. Why are you asking this.
Her voice had gone confused. Worried.
Eve finally took a moment to explain. It felt like forever to Naomi — standing behind a wet tree, parrot on her arm, carriage getting closer, while Eve laid out every detail like she had been rehearsing it for days. Which she had.
You see that transportation coming. It's usually filled with food. I've been observing it for days and every time around this time it comes through here. The road is rough so they move slow. It's usually two to four people escorting, including the driver—
So what are you trying to say. Naomi's eyes went wide. We're going to steal food. Oh my god Eve. If this doesn't work and I get caught—
It will work. The horse carriage grew louder and closer.
Do you still know how to manipulate your rift color.
Yeah but it's been a while. Why. A few tree leaves drifted down catching in her silver hair.
All I need you to do is change your rift color to red. If they're low level guards they should run. Cover your face so they don't recognize you. Once they run we get the food. Eve said this last part with quiet satisfaction. *And it's not stealing if they ran and left it.
Fine. This better work, Eve.
Naomi jumped onto the road and landed clean. Stylish even. Like the opening shot of something.
She stood there.
Naomi became aware, in the silence that followed, that she only had defensive powers. She was a healer. There was nothing inherently threatening about her standing in this road except the color of a mark on her skin and the hope that was enough.
The clouds shifted overhead. The trees moved in the wind like they were keeping time to something.
For no reason at all the guards ran. Like they had seen something far worse than a girl with a red rift. Like the carriage and everything in it wasn't worth whatever she was. They were gone before Naomi could fully process it.
Eve came out of the trees, all excited, her plan working exactly as intended.
Without a second look she pulled open the storage door of the carriage.
A small clean click.
Naomi heard it before she understood it. A sound pulling at something old in her memory. The artillery room. Their father's compound. The weapons their military made. The trapdoor bomb strings that made a sound exactly like that.
The memory clicked
Run, she screamed. It's a trap—
Before the words could fully reach Eve she had already grabbed a couple of bags and had to drop some and run but the explosion was faster. Both of them were caught in it, covered in exploded food, stumbling out of the smoke with whatever edible scraps had survived. Enough for a week if they were careful.
They walked home annoyed. A little relieved that neither of them was hurt. Mostly annoyed.
Was this part of your plan. Naomi picked something off her sleeve. *Smart ass.
Eve replied with a look. Then —
Food for a week. I see you won't be getting some.
They saw the footprints before they reached the door.
Sand colored dirt. Not the dark soil of this part of the forest. Something that didn't belong here, tracked in the shape of steps leading toward home.
They went still without discussing it. Both of them signaled each other to suppress their rifts. Then they moved slow and careful, the leaves under their feet feeling like they were screaming with every step.
Their door was open.
Before they could enter the flap of wings caught them off guard as the parrot came flying out of the house.
So this is where you flew back to. Naomi was first to recover, reaching out to carry it. Smart.
She stepped inside.
Her jaw dropped. Worry written across her face before she could stop it.
There was a body on the floor. Face down. Still. Or at least what looked like a body — it was hard to tell if the person was unconscious or something worse.
Eve. Her voice came out stuttering. You have to see this.
Eve ran to the door.
They both stood there, smoke still faint on their clothes, salvaged food still in their arms, staring.
There's someone in our home, Naomi said.
The parrot flew past them both and settled on a beam directly above the body like it had decided this was fine.