Their crew made good time—taking shifts driving or sleeping—and Indira found herself enjoying the adventure. Phoenix was right. The company of her crew made all the difference in the world. She liked some of them even more than she’d liked the characters in her own story.

Dawn arrived, and it brought a glimpse of looming mountains with it. The group gathered around the front of the carriage to watch as sunrise painted the horizon with bright colors. Phoenix and Squalls were sitting up front, talking quietly as Phoenix drove. Indira decided it was a good chance to learn a little more about Gadget. The girl was in the middle of polishing a set of wrenches when Indira plunked down in the seat beside her.

“So, how’s it going so far, Gadget?”

She shrugged. “My score isn’t great. I missed a scene yesterday morning because I got distracted working on the bees. But I did get a lot of positive points for the driving scene. I’m having a hard time understanding the point system. In both cases, I was doing what I love to do—I was playing with tech. I’m not sure why one gained me points and the other lost me points….”

Indira nodded. “Well, you drove that piece of tech into the middle of our scene, provided our escape route, and saved us from an angry mob. It seems like you got more points when you focused on using the tech to help people. Does that make sense?”

Gadget shrugged again. “I guess so. I’m just not…like you.”

“Like me?”

She nodded. “You and that hammer…you’re all instinct. You just jump right in and start swinging. It’s pretty cool. That’s not how my brain works, though. I like having a plan. I do a lot of research. But it seems like by the time I’ve figured out the answer, the scene has already passed me by.”

Indira thought she understood now. “Well, my way of doing things doesn’t always work either. That’s kind of why I’m here. I’m supposed to learn how to work with a team. I’ve always done things on instinct, but Brainstorm Underglass wants me to learn a new way. Maybe that’s why she paired us together. I can teach you instincts. You can teach me how to look at the bigger picture. Sound like a plan?”

Gadget smiled. “Affirmative. Pretty cool that you’re still learning, even after getting in a story. Didn’t expect that. My hypothesis was that you were joining us on this mission to confirm your affections for Phoenix.”

Indira nearly choked in surprise. Her voice caught and she hacked an awkward cough. Her eyes darted up front, but thankfully Phoenix was laughing loudly at something Squalls had just said and hadn’t heard them. She shook her head at Gadget’s curious inspection.

“I’m not…what…are you…”

Gadget raised an eyebrow. “Was that assumption incorrect?”

Indira shrugged. “It’s…no…we’re just friends.”

Gadget surprised her with a laugh. “Right. I’m no expert on crushes. I’ve never enjoyed subjects that ignore scientific theory. But every time he looks at you, his eyes literally light up with flames. You know what happens when he looks at me? No flames. I don’t have any scientific degrees, but I’m pretty sure the flames mean something more than ‘we’re just good friends.’ ”

Indira could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. Gadget noticed.

“Didn’t mean to embarrass you,” she said. “Sorry about that. I’m not the best at this whole talking thing. Machines are easier for me. More predictable. Don’t worry. I won’t tell him how much you like him….”

Indira was grateful when the girl returned to polishing her tools. Her eyes roamed back to the front of the carriage, where Phoenix was sitting. She wasn’t sure how to make her Author choose Phoenix, but she knew Gadget was right. There was more between them than she wanted to admit. For a long time, she sat there, watching the road go past, trying to come up with a solution. But there were no answers written in the morning sky.

During the night, all their tutor devices had rotated. The words of King Arthur’s speech echoed, and their newest step in the Hero’s Journey was highlighted with dark warning:

THE ROAD OF TRIALS

Indira didn’t need anyone to explain this step to her. Her first year at Protagonist Preparatory had basically been one long road of trials. It was the step she felt most ready for.

And the first trial came early that morning.

Their motorized carriage started to fade. The engine shorted out a few times before kicking back to life. Indira heard Gadget messing around with levers, muttering under her breath, but about five minutes later the car died completely. Their crew sputtered to a stop on the side of the road.

“Road of Trials.” Indira rolled her eyes. “Guess it’s a literal road here.”

Allen Squalls climbed out, glancing up and down the road. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. I can already see how it’s going to happen. Our car breaks down. Another car passes us. It loses control. I leap forward and save Phoenix, but in the process I slip down the hill. There’s quicksand at the bottom of the hill….I start to sink….”

Phoenix frowned. “Why would there be quicksand? There’s never actually quicksand.”

Gadget waved them both off. “It’s just a little car trouble. Let me take a look at the engine real quick. Just give me a few seconds to see if it’s something I can fix.”

Indira didn’t point out that the last time the girl had inspected the parts of a vehicle, she’d nearly sent them spinning off into some other dimension. The rest of the crew carefully removed their knapsacks from the back of the carriage as Gadget slid underneath. They heard her banging around for a few minutes. All the noise hid the approaching sound of wheels until someone was right on top of them.

“We have company,” Squalls said, clearly reading lines again. “Everyone act natural. Let’s pretend we’re taking a…sunny delivery to a town nearby.”

“What’s a sunny delivery?” Gadget asked.

“Supply delivery,” Allen muttered. “Sorry. It’s hard to read the text!”

Indira eyed the approaching carriage. The man riding up front looked like the most average farmer she’d ever seen. He had a fine mustache and was whistling a little tune. When he caught sight of their carriage, he made a quick adjustment, slowing the speed of his own vehicle until he came to a stop just to their left.

“Ho there, neighbors!” he called. “What seems to be the trouble?”

“Engine gave out,” Indira replied, settling into her character. “We’re escorting some goods down into the valley. You wouldn’t happen to have an extra charge, would you?”

Her tutor rewarded her fifty points for the response.

The man frowned. “Afraid not. And my cargo hold is mostly full.”

Gadget slid out from under the carriage. “We’ll just have to buy a new one.”

Something about her appearance drew a distinct reaction from the stranger. Indira noted the slight rise in his throat as he swallowed. The way his hands tightened slightly on the forward levers of his carriage. She wasn’t sure why Gadget of all people would bring out that kind of reaction.

“Well, I could take one of you into town,” the man offered, his voice a little shaky. “No room in the hold, but I could have one of you ride with me….” He scanned their group, swallowed again, and pointed. “How about you, young lad?”

A little chill ran down Indira’s spine. The man was pointing directly at Phoenix. Indira remembered he was the one people were after. A thunderous desire to protect him roared to life in her chest. It took effort to keep her voice calm as she answered the man.

“We’d rather not split up. This is the first time our parents have trusted us to take a delivery this far. The only rule they gave was that none of us were to go off alone. Surely you understand.”

The man’s eyes darted to Phoenix before fixing back on Indira.

“Sure, yes, of course. That’s more than sensible,” he said. “Why don’t you wait here? I’ll head into town and let the engineers know that you’re in need of a recharge. Someone should be up in the next hour or so. Just make sure you stay right here!”

Indira watched the man hastily restart his carriage. She couldn’t help noticing the layer of sweat that had gathered above his mustache, even though it was quite chilly out still, the sun barely risen. She put on her best smile, thanked the man, and kept waving until he rounded the bend.

“Time to move,” she whispered. “Get your things.”

Gadget frowned. “But he’s coming back—”

“He’s going to report us,” Phoenix cut in. “He was awfully nervous for a farmer helping out a few stranded kids. You heard the kingswolves howling. Word can spread quickly that way. I’d guess there’s a search warrant out for us.”

Indira nodded. The reason for the man’s reaction to Gadget clicked into place.

“He saw three of us and stopped,” she said. “But when Gadget appeared, that made us a group of four. I’d bet anything that the description was of four runaways. And that’s why he wanted you to go with him, Phoenix. You’re probably worth the biggest reward.”

The others all nodded now. It was a shame to abandon the carriage, but Indira saw no other option. They started through the hills, skirting farmland and favoring the sparse forests that curtained everything. Squalls kept muttering about hiding places for wolves as they went.

It hadn’t taken long for the Road of Trials to start proving its name.

And it was far from finished.