The Marksman [The Talent of Three: Book 1]

21 ••• The Rescue Plan

The two of them whirl around, desperate to call out but knowing what will happen if they do. Chip turns to Atheris, the panic on his face unmistakable.

"Atheris—" Chip starts.

"I'm so sorry—" Atheris tries.

"It's not your fault," Chip assures her quickly. "There were so many people and none of us were paying attention."

Atheris nods, trying to think of reasonable explanations. "Maybe he got mixed up with another group Or maybe he just fell behind. Or maybe—"

"—he got captured," Chip finishes darkly.

Atheris swallows, fighting down panic. "There's gotta be a way to find him..."

"Backtrack?" Chip suggests.

"And get captured by the centaurs ourselves? No, thank you! We're no help to Kayne if we're trapped, too," Atheris points out.

"Yeah, I know that," Chip says, tugging lightly on his short hair. "So what do we do?"

Atheris hesitates, at a loss. "I...I don't know."

"There must be something," Chip mutters to himself. He casts his gaze around, clearly looking from something that will give him an idea of what to do. After a moment, a tiny spark lights up in his eyes. "Atheris..."

"Yeah?"

"What if...what if we drew the centaurs out in a way more reliable than a hunt? I know they wouldn't be stupid enough to leave Kayne unguarded, but if we caused a big enough distraction, could we get him out?"

Atheris thinks for a while. "Possibly," she says slowly after a long silence. She meets his eyes, which are glittering with mischief. "What's your plan?"

"What's the centaurs' worst enemy?"

"Well...I would say humans, but only for resentment between the two species."

"Forget about the enemy part then," Chip says. "What's a creature that can keep them occupied?"

"Maybe a chimera? Ooh, or a manticore!"

Chip flinches. "A manticore?"

"Well, maybe not. Not after fighting one."

"And a chimera is probably just as dangerous and impossible to control."

"You want to control it?"

"Well, it'll be better if it can be managed."

"Griffin or the Sphinx, then."

"I don't think the Sphinx will help."

"Griffin it is." Atheris studies him. "So what's your plan?"

"It's simple, really," Chip says, a grin on his face, and begins to explain his plan.