Gaia had tried not to laugh, she really did. But, it was hard to stifle the manic laughter that had overcame her when the old man gave her the job of finding and rescuing the two teenagers that were stuck in the North Woods.

She had doubled over with laughter, her face flaming red as she gasped for breath, trying to still her giggles. It wasn’t the mission that she found funny, it was the shocked, sour expression on Triton’s face that had her dying. He had looked like he was either going to burst into tears or throw her out the window.

But, to his credit, he had stayed in his fetal position on the table, glaring daggers at her back while she walked out with her bow, a small pack, and a map with Frank’s messy scrawl.

Even now, in her deadly pose, the corners of Gaia’s mouth lifted into a small smile as she thought about the ways she would tease the boy when she got back. She would walk through the door with both of the lost Uniques in tow, proving her loyalty and earning bragging rights.

But, she would have to get the Uniques to trust her first.

Gaia studied the two kids staring back at her. The girl - Aethera, judging by the reports - would be easy to win over. She could already see the shining hope in her eyes.

The boy, however, would be a different story. He was a puzzle, managing to avoid being recorded into any chart - rebel or government-owned. According to the papers, he didn’t exist. She would have thought that he would be ecstatic to see her, but he looked quite the opposite. His green eyes were narrowed in what she would guess to be disgust and his eyes darted from her to Aethera nervously. He recoiled as they made eye contact, and though it probably wasn’t personal, Gaia couldn’t help but feel a little insulted at his reaction.

“Tell us your name at least,” the boy practically spat, his fists clenching.

Gaia hesitated. She would much rather hold off on introductions, at least until they were closer to the safe house and out of reach of hunters. She didn’t plan on it, but if something went wrong, she didn’t want her name coming out when they went through interrogation.

She could lie, but she felt that wouldn’t build a great foundation. Gaia met the boy’s gaze evenly as she replied. “I can’t tell you that right now, but I can tell you that I’m your only option. It’s clear you need help. Otherwise, you would have made a beeline away from here days ago. Let me help you.”

The boy glanced sideways at Aethera, his fingers twitching.

Gaia tensed, her own hand itching to grab the bow tied tightly to her back. She had strapped it safely away so she could climb the tree without any distraction, but now she regretted it. There was no way she could release an arrow before the boy stuck his dagger in her heart. But, she doubted he would make the first move. He may be acting the part, but he surely wasn’t that stupid. He wouldn’t have survived this long if so.

“We need to leave, soon,” Gaia whispered when the boy didn’t reply. “If you want to stay here, that’s fine. But, you are going to die if you don’t come with me.”

“She’s right,” Aethera mumbled. It wasn’t directed to her, but Gaia’s gaze landed on the girl anyways. “Hestian, she’s our only chance.”

So that was his name. Hestian. It had a familiar ring to it, but she couldn’t quite place where she had heard it originally.

Hestian shook his head. “No. She could be working with them.”

“I could be a hunter, you’re right,” Gaia replied. “But, I could also be a rebel.”

“Are you a rebel?” Aethera inquired, lifting her dark, brown eyes to meet hers.

Gaia nodded. “I am. I can’t prove it to you, but for this to work, you need to trust me.”

“I trust her,” Aethera replied, her hand slipping away from the boy’s clenched fingers. Hestian’s face tightened at her reply and he grit his jaw, glaring at Gaia.

She met his gaze, unfazed. “And you, Hestian?”

He flinched as she spoke his name, but bit back a retort, giving a sharp jerk of his head instead.

“Good,” Gaia said, shifting her weight on the branch. It creaked underneath her and she grimaced. She wanted to get back on the ground as fast as she could. “We need to move as soon as possible, then. Can you both climb down?”

Hestian shook his head. “Thea’s hurt,” he muttered, jabbing a finger towards Aethera.

Her gaze followed his and she barely bit back a gasp as she saw the girl’s twisted foot. A wave of nausea instantly flowed over her and Gaia looked away, chewing her lip.

It was bad. It appeared as though they had attempted to splint it, but her foot was twisted the opposite way, the swollen flesh an ugly, dark purple. Gaia couldn’t even imagine the pain Aethera must be in.

She would never walk on that foot again, not without the work of a healer.

Gaia sucked in a breath. “What happened?”

“I tripped over a branch when we were running from the hunters,” Aethera mumbled. “I’ve always been clumsy, I guess it’s finally caught up to me.”

Aethera forced a laugh, but Gaia clucked her tongue worryingly. “You’re not going to be able to put weight on that.”

“Thanks for pointing out the obvious,” Hestian snarled. “You said you were here to rescue us, can you still do that?”

Aethera nudged the boy hard in the shoulder. “She’s trying. Quit it.”

Gaia quietly watched them before leaning back against the trunk of the tree, clasping her hands in front of her as she thought it out. Could she still do it? Aethera’s injury was a major setback, one that she didn’t know if she could make up for.

“Now that you’re here, we could fight,” Hestian said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“What?”

Hestian rolled his eyes. “Fight. I assume you know how to do that?”

“Of course,” Gaia replied coldly. “I’m just wondering exactly how you plan to overpower a dozen armed hunters with nothing but that dagger that’s not even yours.”

His eyes narrowed even further. “How did you know it wasn’t mine?”

She shrugged. “Everyone has a weapon, whether it be inside of you or something physical. It’s a part of you. But, that dagger is a stranger. You don’t know how to properly grip it or use it. Anyone that’s paying attention can tell.”

He studied her for a second before shaking his head. “Regardless, do you have a better idea?”

Gaia refused to admit that she, in fact, did not have a better idea. Her confidence wouldn’t allow it. She was a rebel, raised to come up with battle plans and strategies. This kind of work was exactly what she was born to do.

And she had come up with several different escape attempts, all of which had a high chance of survival, and all that would go to waste with Aethera’s injury. But, it was a minor obstacle. She could come up with another idea, with time.

But time was the one vital thing that they didn’t have the luxury of. The government reinforcements were supposed to arrive any hour now, and though she had gotten to the forest earlier than planned, it wasn’t enough. She would have to use her powers, effectively labelling herself to the hunters as the one thing she had spent her entire life hiding. She had managed to stay off their radars thus far, but if she was captured there would be no chances.

Gaia’s hand instinctively went to run over her breast pocket, where the small, white pill was hidden. She knew too much information. She had never been interrogated before, but there were rumours of the methods they used. She was prepared to take it, but she didn’t want to die. She had suffered too much to lose the game now. Her thoughts flickered to Isla, both her General and adoptive mother.

When the odds are against you, do you run or do you fight?

The other rebels joked about Isla's ‘motto,’ saying that the answer was obvious. Gaia had initially agreed. There was only one right answer. Fighting the odds was what the rebel base had been built on. It was what she had been built on.

But, fighting wasn’t always the right decision.

She had held her head high and met Isla’s gaze, squaring her shoulders as she replied.

Both. You run when you have to, you fight when you get the chance. Bide your time. Lie low. Strike only when you know it’ll hit. You do what’s best in every situation.

Inhaling deeply, Gaia turned her head so she was looking the boy straight in the eye. “We don’t fight. We run.”

Hestian scowled and nodded his head towards Aethera. “How’s she supposed to run like that?”

“She won’t have to,” Gaia replied, flourishing her hand as she focused on the green vines steadily growing on the bark beneath them.

It expanded instantly, twisting around itself as it snaked up Aethera’s bad leg, earning a startled yelp from the girl.

“What are you doing?” Hestian demanded, pulling desperately on the tendrils.

“Relax, buddy,” Gaia soothed as the vines ignored the boy and started to wrap around Aethera’s torso. “It’s just to bind her leg to make things easier. The pressure might hurt a little initially, but it’ll make the pain better after.”

Aethera inhaled sharply and clenched her jaw as Gaia spoke, confirming her suspicions. The girl was definitely in a lot more pain than she was letting on.

“T-thanks,” Aethera managed to rasp out.

“Of course,” Gaia replied, dipping her head in acknowledgment. She turned and directed her attention to the boy. “I can grant us safe passage to the edge of the forest, maybe a mile or so, but it’s going to cost me. When we get there, I’m going to be too drained of energy to offer us much protection. You need to defend us then if it comes to that.”

He nodded. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try my best.”

“Good. You only need to buy us a few minutes, by then I should be okay to continue.”

“Sorry, but what is your plan, exactly?” Aethera questioned, her eyes still darting nervously over the vines encircling her lower body.

“Most of these trees have vines growing on them. I can control them enough to swing us from tree to tree. But, I won’t be able to extend my focus to all three of us. You both will need to keep close and we’ll have to swing on the same vine.”

“Why don’t you just lengthen the branches so we can step from tree to tree instead?” Hestian inquired.

“The vines are easier and more efficient,” Gaia answered, her patience weaning. “The branches are harder to grow and I’ll grow tired quicker.”

Hestian hesitated. “This is too risky.”

It wasn’t, really. It was less dangerous than fighting, but she knew Hestian didn’t trust her. If they did things her way, he and Aethera would be entirely at her mercy. She could drop them to their deaths if she wanted to.

“I could kill you where you stand before you flexed a muscle,” Gaia replied coldly. Not to her surprise, Hestian reared back like he had been slapped and his hand went to his pocket where the dagger was stored. She suppressed the urge to laugh.

“But, I haven’t. If I wanted harm to come to you, I would have done it already. Trust me on that.”

The boy’s eyes narrowed in disdain, but he huffed and pulled his hand back out of his pocket without a weapon. “Fine.”

Gaia ducked her head, an attempt to hide her satisfied smile. “Then let’s get this party started.”