Live Free or Die Complete Series Boxed Set: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series Hayley Lawson (ebook reader play store .TXT) 📖

Ewoks sprang into his mind, much to his relief, and he looked at the woody landscape. I’ll find you if you’re out there, and you can be my furry buddies.

Maxwell’s voice snapped Carter out of his Ewok daydream. “We’ll need some weapons since we’ve given ours to them,” Maxwell said, pointing to the adults leading the kids in the direction of Massimo’s home.

Graham was ready. “Did someone say they needed some weapons?” Graham produced a handful of long knives and grinned at them all.

“We’ve got weapons. Thank you for joining us,” Ryder told them.

Maxwell shook his head. “We should have done this a long time ago.”

Ryder disagreed. “You would have died.”

“Here she goes again with her uplifting pep talk.” Carter tugged on a braid. When he let go, Ryder noticed that there were new braids with pink bows. Jessica was quick at cleaning Carter up.

Ryder rolled her eyes at Carter. “By that, I mean because you didn’t have the Merry Men with you.”

“I think she’s quite good at pep talks,” Maxwell told Carter.

“She learned from the best,” Carter bragged.

“Carter’s taking credit again? Go deep-throat a cactus.” Ryder laughed, and Massimo was quick to laugh alongside her.

“Deep-throat a cactus! I love it! That’s one of your best,” Massimo managed between gales of laughter.

Ryder took a bow. “Why, thank you, kind sir. I’ve wanted to use that one for a while, but the right moment hadn’t come up.” The two laughed together and the others watched on in bemusement, missing their inside joke.

“What is it with you and cactus? I have no clue what you’re talking about!” Carter was still confused, which pleased Ryder even more.

“I’ll show you when we get back to Massimo’s house since you and it have a lot in common,” Ryder informed Carter.

Carter stood proudly. “We do? Are we both handsome?”

“You’re both little pricks.” That was it. The two couldn’t contain themselves. Massimo and Ryder were both crying with laughter.

Graham looked down at them from the cart. He passed the weapons down, shaking his head.

Ryder put her hand over her mouth to stop her laughter and asked, “Graham, have you got another one of those badass spears?”

“Since you asked so nicely, I do.” Graham reached into the cart and pulled out a wooden spear like Koda’s.

“Sweet!” Ryder banged the end of the spear on the ground, and knives extended from the bottom when she pressed a button. “Has anyone told you you’re one badass blacksmith?”

Graham grinned. “They have now.”

Carter was looking around at the forest. Everyone did the same every so often since they were worried a Mad might spring out in front of them.

Carter seemed to be scanning the area more than the others, and Massimo had noticed. “I can’t smell any of them,” Massimo said.

“They smell?”

Carter looked at Massimo, a little confused. “They smell?”

“Yes, like rotten eggs.”

“Ewoks smell like rotten eggs?”

“Ewoks?” Massimo laughed. “How many Star Wars movies did you watch last night?”

“Not enough. I know they are shy, but in all my years living in the mountain settlement, I’ve never seen an Ewok. Have you?” Carter asked Massimo in wonder.

Massimo pondered his answer. “I’ve seen a couple over the years.” It was too delicious not to play along.

“You have?” Carter was excited and glanced around again. “I hope I see them.”

Massimo grinned like a little kid.

Tightwad was brushing his sweater, trying to get the blood off it. He was really upset. He took out his flask and knocked back a drink, then wiped his lips. Ryder felt bad for Tightwad. She should have told him not to wear his favorite clothing.

“Shit rainbows!” Ryder blurted. Everyone looked at Ryder like she’d gone crazy.

Ryder giggled. “Up at the mountain settlement, they have a house filled with all different cool stuff and colorful yarn,” she informed Tightwad.

Tightwad’s face lit up. “Yarn?”

Ryder nodded. “There was a lot there.” Shit, Jessica had said they could only borrow it. She’s going to be pissed at me now.

Carter’s eyes bulged when she said that, then he grinned. “As long as he’s borrowing it, it’s fine.”

“Dick!” she said, shaking her head and smiling.

“I can?” Tightwad asked nervously.

“You can,” Carter agreed.

Tightwad bounced with excitement. “I’m going to make one for everyone! All the Merry Men can have a new sweater!”

Oh, shit, I put my foot in it now! Ryder thought.

Carter started laughing when he’d worked out what was going through Ryder’s mind.

Ryder thought it was time to change the subject. “Right, we’re going to run to make up for lost time.”

The others didn’t look impressed by the idea of a run.

“Come on, you chickenshits, let’s race! Are you afraid to be beaten by a girl?” Ryder laughed as she ran ahead of them, Fluffy by her side.

The men looked at one another.

“Fuck that.” Carter quickly caught up with Ryder.

Graham jumped on Black Beauty, “Laters, chickenshits.” He laughed and rode away from the others.

Massimo turned to run. “You’re going to lose to a girl and a two-hundred-plus-years-old man? Peace out, chickenshits.”

The remaining men and Vicky looked at one another. None of them wanted to be last, so they took off after the others.

Chapter Fourteen

Everyone had slowed from a run to a quick walk. They were still a fair distance from Afana’s bunker, and they didn’t want to get worn out before the fight had actually begun.

The path they walked along was wet and muddy, but passable. Luckily the trees weren’t too thick, and the horses could continue with them. On the horizon, Ryder could see the thick woods in front of Afana’s bunker.

Ryder walked between Massimo and Fluffy. “Massimo, will you tell me now what happened on the World’s Worst Day Ever?” Ryder had asked Massimo when they were at his home, and Massimo had promised to tell her.

Massimo nodded somberly. “I suppose we have the time now.” He smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “The world was very different before the World’s Worst Day Ever. People lived in homes very much like mine in towns like Pinewood. Pinewood is very small