The next day Maddie was tired. Being woken up in the middle of the night and having to kill a ship full of pirates took its toll, even with her god-given stamina. She sat on deck staring out into the sea while the sailors bustled around her, attending to their duties. Most of them hadn't registered much about what had happened the night before, but those who did -- including the captain -- avoided her. She didn't mind; she had a lot to think about.

Maddie's mind hadn't felt clear in a long time. The same fog that obscured the sinking of Ys pervaded her every waking moment. When she was alone it lifted a bit, but when she was around Tereus or other high-ranking members of the Order of Mars she was little more than an automaton, capable of following orders but not much else. Her attack and the clues that pointed to her employers made her feel that joining Tereus would be a bad idea. She needed to think about everything that had happened to her and what it could mean, and she wouldn't be able to do that in Caer Lug. She might not be able to guard herself from an attack if one came.

They were almost within sight of the town when Maddie confronted the captain. She barged into his cabin, making him produce a squeak that didn't seem possible from such a hardened sailor.

“Turn the ship around.”

The captain paled. “I can't do that. We're due to arrive later today.”

“You can and you will. Caer Lug is no longer on the table. We're going back north. We're going to...Brigantia.” The name popped into her head. Brigantia made up a large portion of the island, but some parts of it had resisted Roman rule and were more independent.

“We--”

“What's the closest port in Brigantia?”

“But we--”

“Go there. Or that pirate ship won't be the only one I sink.”

Of course, that was an empty threat -- sinking the boat would leave Maddie stranded in the water as well. But watching her practice her sword work by the ship's prow drove those thoughts from the captain's mind.

They made landfall the next day. Maddie had spent the whole night awake and practicing, just to make sure that nobody tried to turn them back toward Caer Lug. It took up a lot of her stamina, but she managed to keep a clear head. Or at least as clear a head as she normally had.

“What do I tell our employer when I get to Caer Lug?”

“Nothing.”

The captain looked afraid. Maddie considered killing him right then and there but something stopped her.

“Maybe better that you never arrive in Caer Lug.”

The captain blanched. That could easily be a threat. He had his sailors push off the pier just as soon as Maddie stepped off.

After buying some food and taking a night to rest, Maddie headed east. The more independent tribes were likely to be inland. And the further she got from the coast the further she would be from Tereus and his army. She hiked away from the coast, alternating walking with running, relying on her superhuman endurance. When the occasional wagon rolled by she left the road and wrapped shadows around herself so no one would see her. She didn't want to attract attention, something that was hard to avoid.

As she traveled she thought about Tereus, his plans, and the attempt on her life.