It was early in the morning, and the sun hadn't even risen yet when Kale woke up. He nudged his companion. "Hey, Izuna, wake up. I think we should keep moving towards the city to inform the Royal Guard. We can’t handle this matter on our own."

  Izuna woke up with a yawn and stretched. "Yes, I agree with you—but not because I’m afraid to fight!"

  The two of them began rushing back toward the valley. Izuna carried Kevin on his back, while Kale took the lead. Suddenly, Kale skidded to a halt.

  "Izuna, wait!"

  "What happened, Big Brother?" Izuna asked, slowing down.

  "Quickly, hide! Someone is approaching us."

  They dove into the thick brush, concealing themselves just as a squad of about ten soldiers marched past.

  "Aren’t those the Royal Guards?" Izuna whispered to Kale.

  "Shhh! Be quiet," Kale hissed.

  "Hmm, what is up with these guys?" Izuna mumbled to himself. Kevin hugged Izuna’s back tightly, trembling, not fully understanding what was happening.

  What is going on? Kale thought to himself. Why are the Royal Guards here? Did they come to find us, or are we in even bigger trouble than I thought?

  Once the guards disappeared into the thick forest, Izuna stood up and brushed off his uniform. "Hey, Big Bro, why did you tell us to hide from them?"

  "I don't know exactly why, but I feel like something is wrong here," Kale replied, his eyes narrowing as he watched the path the soldiers had taken.

  "Whatever it is, we should keep moving," Izuna suggested. The sun was already beginning to climb into the sky, casting long shadows across the trail.

  "No, something is fishy," Kale insisted. "I don’t know why, but I feel like something is waiting for us up in the valley. Izuna, remember last night? We knocked out those guards, and that man with the tattoo said we made his work easier by taking out those 'fools.' He said they were the only ones who knew where the lady was hidden."

  "Yeah, what about it?" Izuna asked, looking confused.

  "What I’m saying is: why were the Royal Guards there in the first place? And how did they know Kevin’s mom was kidnapped when we were the first ones to find Kevin? Don't you think something is wrong here?" Kale paused, his mind racing. "The man with the tattoo said he wanted the boy, but they took his mother instead. Maybe they couldn't find Kevin because his mom told him to hide?"

  "No, that’s not it," Izuna responded. "For someone like that man, I don't think he would have trouble tracking a little boy. He must have let Kevin go on purpose."

  Kevin didn't fully understand what Kale and Izuna were discussing, but after the terrors of the previous night, he knew one thing for certain: he trusted them.

  Suddenly, a cold laugh echoed from the trees above them. "Smart boy," a voice hissed.

  Kale and Izuna jumped back, eyes scanning the branches. Dropping down from a tall oak tree was the man with the tattoo, looking completely unbothered. He wasn't alone; behind him, several men in dark cloaks emerged from the shadows.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "You!" Izuna growled, shifting Kevin’s weight on his back. "I was wondering when you’d show your ugly face again. You ready for another round of being knocked out?"

  The tattoo man grinned, but it wasn't a nervous grin. "Oh, I don't think there will be any fighting today. At least, not with me."

  Kale narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? Where is Kevin's mother?"

  "She's safe... for now," the man replied, stepping aside to reveal the path leading into the valley. In the distance, the Royal Guards they had seen earlier were now turning back, alerted by a loud whistle one of the man’s subordinates had just made. "You see, those Royal Guards are looking for a kidnapper. And who do they see? Two strangers, armed to the teeth, carrying a high-born child who is covered in dirt and tears."

  "You're framing us," Kale said, his voice dropping an octave as his grip tightened on the stick he just pick.

  "Exactly! You're a genius," the tattoo man clapped his hands mockingly. "By the time the Royal Guards reach you, I'll be long gone. They'll think you two are the ones who snatched the boy and his mother. You'll be locked in a dungeon before you can even say 'Special Forces.'"

  "Wait, wait, wait!" Izuna interrupted, looking offended. "You mean to tell me I’ve been carrying this kid on my back for miles, losing my breath and ruining my posture, just to make your job easier?! That is just rude! Do you know how much a chiropractor costs?"

  The tattoo man blinked, confused by Izuna's outburst. "Is that really what you're worried about right now?"

  "Yes! And another thing," Izuna pointed a finger at him. "My hair is red, his is brown. We look like a sunset! We’re too stylish to be kidnappers. Kidnappers wear ugly masks and smell like onions!"

  "Izuna, shut up!" Kale snapped. "He's escaping!"

  The tattoo man started to back away into the thicket. "Have fun in prison, boys. Oh, and Kevin? Tell the guards your new friends were very 'kind' to you." With a mocking bow, he disappeared into the brush.

  "Hey! Come back here and fight like a man with a bad tattoo!" Izuna shouted.

  "Izuna, look!" Kale pointed. The Royal Guards were sprinting toward them, their armor clanking loudly.

  "Stop right there, criminals!" the lead Guard screamed, drawing his sword. "Release the child!"

  "Criminals?!" Izuna looked at Kale, then at the guards. "I'm literally giving him a free ride! Do I look like a taxi to you? This is the last time I try to be a hero, Kale! Next time, I’m staying in bed!"

  "Less talking, more running!" Kale grabbed Izuna’s arm. "If we get caught now, we'll never find the mother or clear our names!"

  "But my legs are tired!" Izuna whined, even as he started sprinting. "And Kevin is getting heavier! Hey kid, did you eat a rock when I wasn't looking?"

  Kevin just clung tighter to Izuna's neck, his eyes wide as the Royal Guards began to fire warning shots into the air. The chase was on.

  "Hey, don't worry, little guy," Izuna said, his voice becoming soft as he felt Kevin trembling against his back. He reached back and patted Kevin’s leg with a big, warm hand. "I’m the strongest guy in the Special Forces! I’ll carry you all the way to the moon if I have to. Those guards are just playing a game of tag, and they aren't fast enough to catch us!"

  "Izuna, focus," Kale whispered, his eyes scanning the thick trees. "This forest is huge and we don't know the paths. If we stay on this trail, the guards will surround us."

  "I know, I know!" Izuna whispered back, his loud personality leaking out. "But I’m not exactly built for sneaking, Kale! I’m built for smashing! Every time I step, a branch snaps. It’s like the floor is out to get me!"

  "Just follow my lead and try to step where I step," Kale commanded, his mind racing. "We need to find a place to hide until the guards pass. If that snake-tattoo guy let Kevin go on purpose, it means he wanted us to be found with the boy. We’re being used as a distraction while he takes the mother somewhere else."

  "That coward!" Izuna hissed, his kind heart burning with anger for Kevin's sake. "Using a kid as bait? When I find that snake-man, I’m going to tie him in a knot! He thinks he’s so smart, but he hasn't met the 'Red-Haired Hurricane' yet!"

  "Shh!" Kale pulled Izuna behind a massive, moss-covered rock.

  A group of Royal Guards ran past just a few feet away. "Search every bush!" the Captain shouted. "The kidnappers can't have gone far with a child!"

  Kevin let out a small sob, but Izuna quickly leaned his head back. "Hey, Kevin, look at me," Izuna whispered with a goofy, wide grin. "Do you think I look like a kidnapper? Or do I look like a super-cool hero who needs a nap?"

  Kevin looked at Izuna’s bright red hair and his big, friendly eyes. He gave a tiny, shaky smile. "A hero who needs a nap," the boy whispered.

  "Exactly!" Izuna beamed.

  Kale looked at the path the guards had taken. "They're heading toward the valley entrance. We have to go the opposite way, even if we don't know the woods. We have to find a cave or a thicket to hide in so we can plan how to get Kevin’s mom back without getting arrested by our own side."

  "Right behind you, Big Bro," Izuna said, his face turning serious but determined. "Lead the way. Just... try to find a path that doesn't have too many thorns. My uniform is already a mess, and Captain Nymeria is going to kill me if I come back with holes in my pants!"

  Kale nodded, moving deeper into the unfamiliar brush. The forest was dense, the sunlight barely breaking through the thick canopy. Every bird that took flight or rustle in the leaves made them jump. They were strangers in these woods, and every step felt like a gamble.

  "Wait," Kale whispered, stopping by a cluster of jagged gray rocks. He spotted a narrow opening hidden behind a curtain of hanging vines. "There. It’s small, but it’ll keep us out of sight."

  Izuna ducked low, careful not to bump Kevin’s head on the low entrance. As they crawled inside, the damp smell of earth filled their lungs. It wasn't a palace, but it was safe.

  Izuna sat down heavily, leaning his back against the cold stone wall. He gently unbuckled the straps holding Kevin and set the boy down between him and Kale. "There we go, kiddo. Safe and sound. Mostly."

  "We can't stay long," Kale said, peering out through the vines. "That man is getting away with your mother, Kevin. We need a plan to find him without the Royal Guards throwing us in chains first."

  Izuna looked at his hands, then at Kale. "If we find that snake-man, I don't care about the rules anymore, Big Bro. No one uses the Special Forces as a shield for their crimes."