They tie the horses to trees and check their weapons, Mellissa checking Red’s again and making sure the thin leather armor Mellissa had brought covers her chest and stomach. The closeness stirs something in Red, and it might not be the time for lust, but it makes her feel strong and daring, so she holds on to it.
“Ready?” Mellissa asks.
Red takes a breath. “As I’ll ever be.”
Mellissa takes the lead, sneaking into the sleeping village. There is an alter set up, and her grandmother is tied to the stone, several guards around her.
“No quick or easy way—we have to fight.” Mellissa draws her bow, and Red follows suit. They take aim at the same time; Mellissa counts them down and they both fire.
Red has hunted animals her whole life. She is a good shot, and both her arrow and Mellissa’s hit
