Kurth waved his arms about, impressive in his fervor. “But Kurth…” Shai cut off when his cold gaze turned on her. “Quiet! You’re just a girl.” Inside she fumed, but she bowed her head and held her tongue. There were two other boys in the group. They didn’t look comfortable with the plan either. She would hope for their intervention. Does the fire inside matter if it never comes out? Perhaps he was right. She was just a girl. Weak candlelight in the old barn flickered and she held her breath, her heart pounding. Every draft of air could be someone cracking the door, catching them in their hideaway. Her brother, Mar, stood up from the hay bale where he’d been sitting. His weight shifted from one foot to the other and his gaze bored into the ground near Kurth’s feet, his overgrown hair spilling into his face. She knew he didn't like contesting the older boy, but he found courage to do so on occasion. She yearned to be more like him. “It’s one thing stealing from the marketplace and even raiding shops has been successful thanks to some skilled decoys.”
