Keeper of the Lost Cities: Rebuild [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty-Two - FITZ

"So you're saying you heard a random scream, followed it to find a guy trying to rob a girl, and you brought the girl back here?" Fitz asked, needing clarification.

He'd left Stina and Maruca alone for, what, twenty minutes, and they'd already had a wild adventure?

He felt like he had been gone a whole day.

Part of him wanted to be angry, but he wasn't sure if that was a habitual thing or the actual emotion he felt. In reality, he was a little hurt.

The Council had finally trusted him enough to send him on his own mission, yet when something important happened, he was off talking about theories and speculation. Pointless words for pointless planning.

That was what the Council always did—but he had thought he'd be different. He'd thought he could shake things up a bit, make things more proactive than reactive.

But he'd been wrong.

He was wrong.

And for some reason, that knowledge was hard to swallow.

"What's wrong with that?" Maruca asked, bringing him back to the present. "Belisia

already scolded us—"

"In the same breath she commended us," Stina jumped in. "That lady's a nut case."

"There's nothing wrong with it," Fitz said slowly, ignoring Stina's comment, "but... it wasn't the plan."

Ugh, was he seriously going all Councillor on them right now?

"There wasn't a plan," Stina snorted, shooting him a bewildered look. "It just happened. You know, I'm getting a lot of weird emotion-y vibes—"

"I'm fine," Fitz interrupted. The last thing he needed was for the whole campsite to know what he was feeling. "Just surprised, is all. Where's the human now?"

"With Belisia," said Maruca.

Stina pointed over his shoulder. "Speak of the squirrel."

Maruca shot Stina a confused look. "Did you say 'squirrel'?"

"Yeah," Stina said, shrugging. "You know, nuts. Squirrels. Since she's a nut case, I thought it would make sense... Oh, never mind. I'd better stick to the horse references."

"Normally I would disagree with you," Maruca said, "but I think you're right."

Fitz sighed, then turned around to face the Ancient. This was the first time he realized just how tall she was; likely his height. She carried herself differently, though, straight-backed and confident. Even though her dark hair was frizzy and her indigo eyes wide like she had just been electrocuted, she demanded one's attention.

That was what Fitz wanted to embody as a Councillor. He wanted people to look at him and feel safe. How could he do that when his teammates ran off and did things without him?

"Lady Belisia," he said, bowing.

She chuckled. "Oh, child, do refrain from the titles. Clearly you're uncomfortable with them."

"Wait, so you don't want me to call you Councillor Fitzroy?" Stina jumped in. She leaned back without waiting for an answer. "Huh."

"Can we get on topic?" Maruca asked. She looked at Belisia. "Where's the girl?"

"Hannah? That's her name, you know. She's in quite a bit of shock right now, so I sent her to get some rest. When she wakes, the Telepaths will plant her memories."