Freya

It’s good to finally be traveling toward the place where the remainder of the pirates are hiding. Yes, I think of them as pirates. They are perhaps not the kind of pirates one is accustomed to reading about in stories, swashbucklers thieving on the open ocean, but those who steal from the very heart of my pack deserve a much stronger condemnation than simply calling them “thieves” invokes.

Riding in these unnatural automobiles sets off my balance, and normally, I’d steer clear of them. But we’re making swift progress toward our goal, so for now, I’ll not complain about it.

Matthew sits beside me, a pillar of calm and...