In the dampness of the lit alley, Jill sat with Jack standing behind her, both of them surrounded by kids similar to their age. Some older men and women also filled the crowd as Jill spoke. “Just keep an eye on them, don’t follow or try to question around. Observe and tell me about it.” They all nodded to her and walked away, chatting among themselves. Jack took a seat beside her, his fingers intertwined. “Are you sure this isn’t just some rich kid trying to fool us?” She patted his back and stood. “We should go.” She exited the alley. He took a deep breath and followed.

  That day, the crowds covering the streets of Jade were scarce. Jack and Jill looked around as they traversed the market stalls. Noticing the lack of fancy-clothed people, Jack scratched his chin. “Wouldn’t they all be at the festival of arms?” Jill halted in her tracks, turning around. “That is true. Maybe he didn’t think of it?” They both strode down the path toward the valley. As they walked, Jill sighed, her gaze settling on Jack. “What was the name of the Heliosian apprentice who maimed another apprentice?”

  He looked at her, shrugging. “Ray, I believe. That is what the guards said. Why do you ask?”

  “Yes, Ray, I remember.” Jill's lips curled into a smile as she glanced away. “Nothing important… Just thought he was brave to do that in front of his imperial highness.” Jack’s eyes narrowed over her as they both picked up the pace.

  Once they reached the crowd seated by the valley, cheering and murmuring, Jack and Jill stood separately. They watched the actions of all the people dressed in fancy clothing who continued making bets. The sun, high in the sky, glowed. The warm afternoon wind carried with it the scent of flowers from the valley along with blood. A distant screech echoed through the murmurs, fading under the laughs.

  In the valley, Ray sprinted through the forest under the sunlight seeping through the leaves. A screech pierced through the trees as he halted, turning around. His eyes fixed on the golden-brown feathers flickering through the trees. Okay. He took a deep breath, raising his sword in the sunlight shining on him. The hauwk emerged, its wings tucked in, heading straight toward him.

  Ray angled his sword, letting the sunlight reflect off its blade onto the hauwk’s eyes. He dodged, rolling to the ground as the hauwk flew past him, straight into a tree. Its sight returned at the last minute, as it barely avoided it, flapping to keep its balance over the ground and flew into the sky once more. Ray clicked his tongue, moving further into the forest. The trees grew thicker; the sunlight scarce all the while the hauwk circled above him. Lucy jumped out of the bushes and ran alongside him. She raised her thumb with a wink. “They found it.”

  “Which way is it?” he asked as they kept moving. She took a moment before answering. “To the east, a few hundred steps.” Another screech followed her words, echoing above them. Ray halted, turning to face her. “Anything else?”

  “No.”

  Ray nodded at her, steadying his feet in the dirt. “You know what to do.” Lucy stared at him for a moment. “Will you be okay?”

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  “Yes.”

  Then she rushed back into the dense forest, towards the others. The hauwk’s screech rang through, getting louder with each passing minute. Ray stood, his back facing a tree as the scarce sunlight glossed over him. As soon as his eyes spotted it, he held his breath until the last moment. He exhaled, tilting his sword under the light shining into the hauwk’s eyes and ducked. It crashed into the tree right behind him, tearing through its bark. Ray shot to his feet, panting. It fluttered momentarily on the ground, blood gathering nearby, prior to its ascent skyward. Without letting the moment pass, he followed the trail of blood trickling on the leaves.

  Into the forest, a few hundred steps east, Lucy came to a halt near the group waiting under a tree. Charlotte stood, wiping the dirt off her clothes. “What happened?”

  “It will be here soon.”

  Charlotte’s grip tightened on her hilt. The others stood, moving towards different spots, all their eyes focused on a nest in the middle of the forest. Meanwhile, Ray continued tracking the hauwk, following its trail of blood. The hauwk kept moving, sensing him on its tail. He halted for a moment and sighed, glancing over his shoulder. It’s moving west…

  “This should be far enough.” He stretched his arms and sat under a tree. His breath remained steady, his head resting against the tree. The leaves flew through the wind passing by; silence surrounded him as he stared at the canopy overhead. He stood, taking another breath, and sheathed his sword. His eyes closed, his ears focusing on the hauwk’s movement. After a moment, the wind above him rippled as the hauwk moved. “I hope they’re ready.”

  Near the nest, Charlotte and the others hid, their breaths steady, bodies still. Wings flapped above them. The hauwk descended, landing in the nest with a heavy rustle of feathers and leaves. Silence filled the forest. It glanced around once, then twice, its head tilting as it listened. Finding nothing, it closed its eyes.

  Leaves burst apart as Xylo rushed forward. “Glory is ours!”

  Charlotte frowned. Lucy pressed a hand to her face. Gabriella sighed. He leapt, swinging his blade. The hauwk’s eyes snapped open. It lurched sideways, wings beating violently as it dodged the strike, its talons scratching across Xylo’s face. He screamed as blood poured from his eye, stumbling back. Sylvina jumped from the tree above, blade flashing. The hauwk twisted midair, screeching, but not fast enough. Her strike bit into the base of its wing — not clean, not deep enough — feathers and flesh tearing. It shrieked, flailing wildly and crashed through branches, half-falling, half-flying.

  She landed on the ground, but before she could recover, the hauwk lunged, its beak snapping shut around her forearm. Skin and muscle tore free as it wrenched back. She screamed, her voice echoing through the trees. It didn’t stop and aimed its talons at her face. Lucy rushed forward, tackling Sylvina to the ground before the hauwk’s attack and landed near the screaming Xylo. She tore off his sleeves and tied them to Sylvina’s arm, pressing the wound. Charlotte gritted her teeth and lunged at it, grabbing its wing, and she sliced it — cleaner and deeper than Sylvina’s attack. Its body fell to the ground, but before Charlotte could deal the final blow, Gabriella stabbed its skull through to the ground. Jacob walked out of the bushes, a frown covering his face. “How dare you steal Charlotte’s kill?”

  Gabriella replied with a smirk. “I was simply faster.”

  Before Jacob could retort, Charlotte said, “Stop talking and look after Xylo and Sylvina.” He clenched his fist, but didn’t argue. Silence filled the air for a moment before footsteps closed in. The group tensed until Ray walked out of the trees. His eyes darted between them, landing on the hauwk’s corpse. He exhaled, shaking his head. “You did it.”