It was the first time she'd had a bed in a month, yet Ramona still couldn't sleep. Thrashing and rustling, she couldn't stop thinking to save her life. Thoughts were swarming, and if she tried to dodge one idea it just directed her to another unpleasant one.

Perhaps an occupational hazard of the past few years, but she used to be able to sleep soundlessly on fucking rock. Now, if she wasn't thinking about what to do with crippled wonder in the bed to her left, she was thinking about what to do about the descendants of Leif — and that just brought her back to now and how she had no clue how she'd ever get off this rock.

Her dreams were of no solace. Claustrophobia gripped her mind, if she fell asleep here she woke up back on that ship in a barrel, being rolled around by smugglers who were gleefully pretending that the contents were nothing but gunpowder.

She bit the inside of her cheek to create white noise in her head, but it only lasted a moment. Fidgeted with the buttons of her blouse till she got tired, but it didn't matter how exhausted she was — once she was awake she apparently wasn't going back to sleep.

Gally was a rather frightful sleeper as well. Every now and then she had to listen intently to make sure he wasn't dead, he just didn't move. However, it was after the third hour of thrashing around when he actually grumbled she realized that it was a moot effort.

Swinging her legs out from the bed, she pushed herself off. She could get a head start on the day. Find out where to get money, get better clothes, more food. Figure out where she was going and how they were going to get there.

Maybe she'd realize what the hell she was going to do.

It'd been a lie that bailing Gally out of Cocari hadn't been completely impulsive decision. It was the definition of impulsive. She'd had no plan, and no true intention. There was no place for her to go, and no goal to achieve.

Now she just had another mouth to feed, with no end in sight as to when she got to be rid of him. And it was more than just another mouth to feed. There was no way she could just abandon him when his health was as shit as it was. He couldn't even walk he was so poisoned.

Rubbing her temples, she drew her pinkie fingers and ran the nail down her nose.

What was she doing? Why did she decide now was the time to play at still having some sort of conscience? She'd been more than willing to shoot Cat a few days ago. It was like she was regressing.

"Something wrong?"

Jolting, she sucked in a breath and looked over to see Gally staring at her. Sunken eyes alight in the dark, pale face, it was as though a ghost caught her over their grave.

She sighed and leaned back, letting her head rest on the headboard. "No. Go to sleep."

"Hm," he said. Obviously unconvinced, and gratefully saying nothing of it. "Okay."

He needed to stop thanking her. At this point, she hadn't really done him a service. Just got him out of Cocari to do... what?

"I'm going to go grab the paper," she mumbled, picking herself up. There was daylight starting to pour into their small little room. Surely there was some boy biking around with stacks already.Ramona walked over and touched his shoulder. "I won't be gone long. So when you wake up, don't panic."

"If you are gone long, what should I do?" Gally mumbled.

"What did I just say?" she asked, smacking the back of his head lightly. "I won't be gone long." Grabbing her pistols she wrapped them around her waist, then pulled her coat on over it. She needed to feel more like herself, and less like some sort of caregiver. Needed to breathe on her own, lose the weight on her chest if she could.

Honestly, she wanted to go shoot something. Maybe she could shoot some beer bottles in the back, if the manager didn't mind. Practice quick-drawing, make sure she still had her edge.

Closing the door as quietly as possible, she backed against it and locked it. Looking around, she saw that everyone in the inn was still sound asleep, but she did hear rustling downstairs.

Following the noise and the smell, she found herself in an entirely empty bar area except for one woman, whistling a tune and brewing more coffee.

"Would ya like a cup?"

"That'd be great," Ramona said. Reaching for money, the woman waved her off.

"Nah, house specialty — first cup is on the house!"

"Ha," Ramona smiled and sat down for a moment. It was the most relaxed she'd felt all night. Maybe after a cup of coffee she'd be able to sleep — it'd be her luck. "Thanks."

"You ain't from around here, are ya?" the barista asked. Ramona shook her head.

"Wouldn't be staying in an inn if I were, would I?"

The woman's mouth skewed and she snickered, brushing off the hostility in Ramona's comment. "I s'pose. But I meant not from Capaxis."

Ramona raised her eyebrows and nodded. With Ramona's accent, the way she towered over most the woman of this country if not the men as well, and how she looked literally nothing like anyone else, she had to wonder if this barista was a complete moron. "Yeah, no, I'm not."

"Love travelers. I've only ever lived here! It gets boring. Your accent is so pretty!"

"Um." Ramona pleaded for the coffee to brew faster. "Thanks."

"Of course! Even when ya say thanks, or, I betcha when you say anything choppy, it sounds pretty. It's not fair, ya know. I sound like a dumb hick."

Ramona wasn't going to disagree with her, but she hummed and tapped her fingers on the counter. "I wouldn't think too much of it."

"Well, when you're the only one out of your family of brothers who owns her own place, you can bet I don't think on it much."

That was impressive. Ramona forced a smile and shrugged. "That's good."

The woman giggled. "You're a real shiner, though! Gotta think about it with you around. You're very different looking — wild. My brothers would be all over you," the woman smiled and poured Ramona's cup of coffee.

"They'd regret it," was all Ramona thought to answer. Then she caught her tongue. It may be morning, but she should probably not sound so clipped.

The woman belted out laughing, an uproarious cackle that Ramona was sure the tenants above could hear. Still, Ramona was glad she found her more funny than threatening.

"Oof, wish you could meet them, knock some sense into 'em! I'm sick of threatening 'em with a skillet to the head. I think you could think of more creative means."

Ramona actually chuckled at that and nodded. "Probably." She grabbed her cup of coffee and took a sip. It was damn good. "This is great. Thanks again."

"No problem, hon. Refills are free too, just for my first customer of the mornin'."

She was a bit too plucky for the morning, but Ramona had to give her credit. If she owned the place, she had to have some sense in her.

"Do you know where I can find a paper?" Ramona asked.

Using her thumb, she jabbed just out the door. "There's a stand out there. The boy should be here in a minute if he isn't already."

With that, Ramona stood up off the stool and made her way out the place. Low and behold, just outside the door the boy was just loading the stacks.

"How much?"

The boy raised one finger and Ramona flipped a coin at him, grabbing one. Then his eyes grew like saucers, and his lip began to tremble. 

"Huh." The noise seemed to escape from his lips, like a groan. 

Ramona pinched her eyebrows, agitation pulsing in her veins. "What?"

He grabbed the paper and pushed it into her face. Ripping it out of his hands, she held it away from her face and peered at the news.

POOL OF BLOOD, MISSING ROYAL, FOREIGN CRIMINAL — MERINNE MISCREANT WREAKS HAVOC IN COCARI

Merinne Miscreant wreaks havoc in Cocari? Missing royal? The only way these two things would have tied together is if someone leaked the information. Like an angry curator, or a polished woman with a nervous-wreck doctor lackey. Either that, or perhaps the new royal family already had their eyes on this.

Below the headline was a drawing of Ramona. A bit of a caricature, hair larger than hers was and longer, lips bigger, face rounder than she thought. Still, the menacing glare was probably accurate.

It didn't even matter. The picture was obviously a woman from Merinne — no one else on this damn rock looked like that. People would blame her the moment they saw her. She could buzz her hair, change her clothes, scratch her eyes out, it wouldn't matter. She looked enough like the drawing that she was one in the same.

This felt like a direct threat, all too personal. Someone had done this, and quickly. Cocari the icebox usually was not front page news on a paper miles away. This word traveled quickly. How far it had gone, Ramona couldn't be sure, but either way, it meant they would have to get moving much faster than she anticipated. 

If this was the royal's work, there was nowhere her and Gally could go that wouldn't be put on surveillance. They could snuff them out before they even started blazing. 

At the moment, Ramona would not let this circulate. At least not here. She set her coffee cup on the floor with a sigh and crossed her arms. 

"Where are all of your stands?" she asked.

"There are two more back there —"

"You're going to go pick up those papers, and leave all the rest of them here."

The little boy's teeth chattered. "But I have to—"

Ramona crouched down in front of him. The boy trembled and took a faltering step back. "How much do you make, little boy?"

"A lot! And my boss will kill me if I don't get these papers out there!"

With a sigh, she grabbed her pistol. "Boy, whether I'm the woman in the picture or not is up to you." She grabbed the stack from the holder and gave him some money. "I can either pay you to do this, or I will make you do it."

The boy nodded vigorously, taking off his bag and handing it over to her. "Please give that back, I —"

"I've got no use for the bag," she said. She slung it over her shoulder and grit her teeth. "Now, meet me back here in ten minutes with every paper you've got."

"What about the other paper boys?" he asked.

Ramona's heart hammered. "Other paper boys?" she said through gritted teeth. The boy's heart looked like it was going to come out of his chest and he nodded, but his eyes were watering. "Quit your crying," she spat. She didn't want him making a scene. Looking around, she gave him the money. "You give 'em this. Everyone you find. I'm not going to hurt you unless you don't do as I say."

"What if I don't do as you say?" he squeaked.

She took her knife and threw it to that it got caught in between the bike's handlebars. The boy squealed. "I'd just do as I say."

He gulped and hopped on his bike and made way from which he came. Ramona put the strap of the bag over her neck and set the cup of coffee down on the ground by the door.

She needed to make another bonfire, and threaten any witness who dare say anything on that paper. No one would see a damn thing, whether by fire or force. 

A/N: 

This is a shorter chapter, but consider it a sort of turning point. We're going to start moving into the next section of the story now. 

Hope you enjoy!

_huckleberry