Elina had a scowl on her face as she looked out of her balcony. It had been a couple of days since she had sneaked out of the manor, and the trouble she had gotten in with her sister was enormous. Since that day, she had been closely monitored, only allowed to eat, train, and stay in her room.

  Deep down, she knew she was in the wrong—she should have told someone she was going to the practice field and taken a guard. But still, the punishment felt too harsh.

  Clenching her jaw tightly, she tried to calm herself. Knowing it was her fault didn’t change her feeling wronged. Being yelled at for something she already knew she had done wrong only made her more stubborn. It was a shortcoming of hers—one she was well aware of—but she couldn’t help the way she felt.

  She couldn’t stop herself from falling into a defensive mindset. She couldn’t control her temper as she shouted back at her sister.

  Gazing at the sun slowly setting, she felt restless—the only thing she had done for the past couple of days was read the book Veston had given her, and pore over the kidnapping reports that June had smuggled to her.

  At first, that was all she needed to keep her spirits up, but as the days went by, she felt trapped. She needed to do something! Anything!

  Making up her mind, she grabbed her bow and sneaked out of her room—it was not or never. The guard standing in front of her door had gone to relieve himself for the first time. It was her chance!

  Skillfully creeping down the hallway, she made her way to the back of the manor, each step making her feel as if she were becoming lighter and lighter. Grinning impishly to herself, she stepped out into the backyard, the setting sun throwing long shadows across the grass.

  “Princess, what are you doing here?”

  Jumping up in surprise, Elina spun around to see June. He seemed to have materialized out of thin air, his disapproving face barely visible in the dim light.

  Silently cursing to herself, she started walking towards the back wall, her bow and arrows strapped to her back and side.

  “I feel smothered in there. I need to do something. I can't just hide in my room as children go missing,” she said, jumping up and grabbing the ledge of the wall with her hands. Straining momentarily, she hoisted herself up, swinging her legs over and sitting on the wall.

  On the other side of the wall was a dense forest, tall trees expanding as far as she could see.

  “You’re going to get in trouble when your sister finds out,” June called up to her, craning his neck up as he looked up at her. “What are you even going to do outside?”

  “She won’t find out if you don't tell her,” she retorted, looking for a good place to jump down. “And I have a plan. I’ll be back before morning.”

  Rolling his eyes to the sky, June climbed the wall after her. “You know I can't let you go by yourself,” he said, pointing to a clear patch that they could climb down to. “And what is your plan?”

  “You're my accomplice,” Elina said with a mischievous smirk.

  Hiding her face so he wouldn’t see her smile turn genuine, she checked that the landing was clear before hopping down. She landed with a soft thump, the grass muting most of the sound.

  Scanning her surroundings to make sure that her action did not cause someone to notice, she stepped into the forest.

  “Where are we going?” she heard June ask, his landing making no noise.

  “What’s this plan of yours?”

  “I’ve been going over the reports you sneaked in for me, and I had a thought,” she replied, turning her head.

  “If I were keeping a bunch of children, it would be near this town… but not too close.”

  “Why do you think they are still keeping the children here? Reges thinks they’ve already shipped out of the Kingdom.”

  “It’s too dangerous to smuggle the children out one at a time,” Elina said, locking her eyes on his. She had to convince him she was right. “Every time you move a child, you leave potential evidence or clues. It’s safer to move them all at once.”

  “I see… but why do you think they are being held near this town?”

  “Logistics. Since I was young, I’ve taken all sorts of classes, one of which was about war. In war, the most important thing is to make sure your soldiers are fed. No matter how strong your army is, without food, they will starve. In the same way, there’s no point in kidnapping children if they starve to death.”

  “Yes, but why this town?”

  “I’m getting to that. This is the only town near the kidnappings, where a wagon full of food can be bought and leave without anyone being suspicious. The high traffic of merchants acts as a cover. It’s the perfect spot. It’s the only spot.”

  Turning back to the forest, she studied her surroundings before walking in a random direction. “Judging by the number of missing children, I think the kidnappers are using a large cart or a small wagon. They must be within an hour or two of town.”

  Stopping to look at June, who had stopped walking, she raised her eyebrow. “Are you going to follow me?”

  “That was amazing. How were you able to put all that together?” he asked, his eyes wide. “I would never have thought of that. I doubt even Zenrom could have! That’s amazing!

  Wondering for a second if June was making fun of her, Elina blushed, seeing the way his eyes seemed to be sparkling. He was serious.

  “Well, I am the second princess of Vanura,” she responded, puffing her chest out in pride. “Oh, and I’ve had a lot of free time recently.”

  Throughout her life, she had always been treated as an addition to the royal family, someone who was not truly part of the family. Because of this, she was not used to compliments. Milina was the only one to give her real compliments.

  Embarrassed but happy at June’s words, she cleared her throat. “Let’s keep moving. We need to find somewhere close to the main road, but out of the way.”

  “I think I know a place.”

  As the two of them crept through the forest, June led the way, pointing out the dangers and small details she had to watch out for when in the forest.

  “Watch out for that plant. The one with the three leaves clustered together,” he said, showing Elina a vine that was wrapped around a tree. “If you touch it, it can cause you to break out in a rash. We call it Poisoned clovers.”

  Making sure to step far away from the vine, Elina carefully memorized the shape of the leaves.

  Soon, the setting sun dipped behind the trees, the forest becoming darker, the warm air slowly cooling.

  Intently studying the way June moved in the forest, she tried her best to mimic him. As someone who had grown up in a castle, it was her first time walking through a dark forest.

  “Elina, if you draw a little bit of Aether, it will be easier to move in the forest,” June whispered. He had noticed the way she was moving.

  Hearing him, she felt her face turn red in embarrassment. She had forgotten all about using Aether to enhance her senses. Feeling as if his earlier compliment did not do her justice, she carefully drew power into her body, slowly bringing the Aether through her Gate of Power and into her heart.

  Using the method written in the book, she started to guide the energy to her eyes, the Aether weakening as it traveled through her body. As soon as it settled in her eyes, her surroundings changed, the once dark and suffocating forest transforming into a beautiful world of warm and cool colors.

  “Wow,” she breathed, stopping to admire the rich colors. It was as if she had learned a new way to see.

  “It's a good idea to use Aether to move and see in the dark, but remember to keep enough energy to fight or run away,” June said, pointing in the direction he was taking her.

  “Watch out for that log, it’s rotten.”

  “I see it, but where are you taking us?”

  “There are only a couple of places that you can bring a wagon full of food in less than two hours,” he said. “One of them is around thirty minutes from here, an abandoned farm a little ways away from the road. There's also an old mine fifteen minutes from the farm. We can search both of them tonight.”

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  Nodding at June’s suggestion, Elina silently followed him.

  With Aether coursing through her, she finally noticed that she was not as silent as she had thought—each step she took, she made a noticeable amount of sound. I need to learn to walk silently, she thought.

  Using this newfound realization, she started to move deliberately, every step and movement soft and with control. Luckily, the leftover Aether gave her the ability to have precise control of her body.

  Almost thirty minutes later, she saw a clearing open up, an old, abandoned farmhouse in the center.

  “Wait!”

  Elina felt June grab her arm, pulling her behind some trees.

  “What's wrong?” she quietly whispered, her heartbeat speeding up.

  “I smell blood. And I don't hear anything in the clearing, not even a bug,” he replied, cautiously peering past the trees.

  He can smell blood, and no bugs?

  Closing her eyes, Elina slowly brought power to her nose, her eyes losing some of their power. She was not skilled enough to enhance her eyes, nose, and ears without flooding her whole head, and she wanted to save as much energy as possible.

  As her senses became sharper, she took multiple short breaths in through her nose. The scent of the forest, accompanied by a hint of iron, prickled the hairs on the back of her neck.

  Snapping her eyes open, she hissed. “I can smell it too.”

  Her heart was beating so loudly she thought June could hear it.

  Clumsily putting an arrow to her bow, she felt as if her fingers had turned to clay, the dexterity robbed by nerves.

  “What do we do?” she timidly asked.

  “Stay here while I check it out. If anything happens, run back to the manor as fast as you can,” he whispered back, his attention solely directed towards the farmhouse.

  “I’m coming with you!” she angrily retorted, her hands gripping her bow so hard her knuckles turned white. “You can’t stop me!”

  Looking back at her, he studied her face, his dark eyes glinting in the darkness. He nodded.

  “Stay close to me and keep your eyes sharp. We have ranged weapons, so try to keep your distance if anything happens. Do you understand?”

  “I understand!”

  “Stay behind me.”

  Sticking close, Elina kept to June’s shadow cast by moonlight as they slowly circled the clearing, staying low, they moved as close to the abandoned farmhouse as they could without exposing themselves.

  When they reached the edge of the forest closest to the farmhouse, June came to a halt.

  “Climb up that tree,” he mouthed, gesturing to a massive ancient tree. Its gnarled branches were stretched outward like a giant’s hand. If someone were to stand on its branches, they would be able to see into the farmhouse. Using his hands, he mimed climbing before skillfully scampering up its side, his legs pushing himself up as his hands held him steady.

  Nodding, Elina slid her arrow back into her quiver and slung her bow across her back. Gripping the rough bark of the tree, she began climbing up after him. Her arms strained with the effort, but she kept going—she would not drag him down.

  As the two of them reached the thick branches overlooking the farmhouse, they stopped and crouched down, steadying themselves among the leaves. Using their augmented vision, they peered down into the farmhouse.

  The roof was long gone—half of it had caved in and now lay in a heap inside, while the other half was entirely missing. Tall grass had taken root both around and within the building, years of neglect allowing nature to reclaim its territory.

  What is that? Elina wondered as she strained her eyes. A shadow was moving oddly against one of the crumbling walls.

  Frowning, she rotated more Aether to her eyes. As the world leaped into focus, she felt her stomach drop.

  Inside the building stood a man drenched in blood. In his left hand, he held an unrecognizable object; in his right, a sword that he was swinging wildly.

  Staring in horror, Elina watched as the man occasionally struck down at a small, crumpled body at his feet. Feeling bile rise from her stomach, she realized that the small body was that of a little girl, her mangled corpse slowly being scattered all around the room.

  “Goddess protect me,” June gasped next to her.

  Clutching at a tree branch, Elina felt her body freeze, her muscles refusing to move. I’m going to fall, she thought, the idea flickering briefly through her mind. I need to steady myself!

  Drawing Aether into her body, she freely let the power course through her, the intoxicating energy clearing her mind and giving her control over her body again.

  Glancing over at June, she saw him pull his bow up, his usual calm face distorted. An unexpected feeling of oppression seeping out from him. Noticing that she was looking at him, he silently signaled to her with his eyes, telling her to draw her bow.

  Pushing her anger, fear, and disgust down, Elina fumbled with her bow until she got an arrow placed. Drawing on the Aether in her body, she felt her bow greedily absorb it before channeling some of it to the arrow.

  As her eyes locked onto the bloody man’s chest, she heard June hiss.

  “Now!”

  The two released their arrows in unison, Elina’s destructive arrow tearing through the night while June’s silent arrow flew hidden beneath its shadow. The two deadly arrows closed the distance in a second, a deadly combination of power and stealth.

  They’re going to hit!

  Right before the two arrows struck, the man seemed to notice something and dove to the ground, his body curling up. As he curled in, both arrows missed him by inches.

  Elina stared in shock, her mouth open—she didn’t expect the man to dodge both arrows! How did he do that? Did he hear June’s hiss?

  Next to her, she heard a silent twang, quickly followed by another one. June had not been perturbed by his arrow missing—he had kept his cool and kept shooting. Face contorted by pure concentration, he rained arrows down on the man in a deadly fury.

  I need to help him!

  Pulling out another arrow, Elina tried to track her target, watching as he leaped from place to place, June’s arrows narrowly missing him, as if he knew where the arrows would land.

  As she waited for an opening, their eyes met, causing her breath to catch in her throat. His eyes were a piercing, ice-cold blue that bore into her soul. There was an evil there that she couldn’t put into words.

  Elina would have stayed frozen there forever if June’s arrows hadn’t forced the man to throw himself to the side, breaking eye contact with her.

  Drawing a shaking breath, she nocked an arrow and fired, watching in disbelief as the man used his sword to deflect it.

  What happened next startled everyone—Elina’s arrow was stronger than expected, the impact from deflecting the arrow causing the sword to slam into the man’s shoulder, knocking him to the ground.

  June didn’t waste the opening, loosing shot after shot, he traced the man as he crawled behind a wall, one of his arrows finally striking him in the leg.

  “Cover me!” he shouted, jumping off the branch and running towards the farmhouse. “I need a better angle!”

  Sweat coated Elina’s hand as she nocked another arrow, her eyes locked on the spot where the man had disappeared.

  “I’m going to hit him! I’m going to hit him,” she muttered again and again.

  She saw movement—now! Raising her bow, she shot, willing the arrow to strike true.

  A loud band and clatter rang out as her arrow shattered an old wooden chair, sending it flying across the room. The man had tossed it out as bait!

  Swiveling her head to the side, Elina saw him limp out the opposite side of the farmhouse and make his way across the clearing towards the forest.

  I’m not letting you go!

  Drawing as much Aether as she could, she allowed her bow to drink until her arms started to shake, the fatigue and exhaustion from the act almost causing her to fall. As Aether flooded into the arrow, it started to glow.

  Locking her eyes on the limping man, Elina let her arrow fly.

  With a violent rush, the arrow flew forward like a comet, tearing across the night sky.

  As her arrow flew, Elina felt her heart drop, she knew her arrow would miss. When she had shot, her strained arm had bucked at the last moment.

  The arrow blew past the man’s head and slammed into the ground in front of him, the violent impact causing a small crater to appear as dirt and grass went flying.

  Cursing helplessly, she observed as the man stopped in shock before his body lurched to the side as June’s arrow hit him in the arm.

  An animalistic howl of rage filled the clearing as he turned his head towards them, his bloody mouth dripping saliva and blood, his cold eyes like two souls floating in the dark. Seeing the man through her enhanced vision, Elina felt as if she were thrown into a pool of ice-cold water, his blue eyes petrifying her.

  “I'm going to kill you both!” he screamed, his mouth twisting into an unnatural snarl, moonlight glinting off his scarlet teeth. Taking a large breath that seemed to expand his chest to double its size, he turned and ran, blood dripping as he went.

  Hugging the tree to keep from falling, Elina kept her hazy eye on him, watching as he disappeared into the forest beyond.

  Disappointment filled her as she slid out of the tree, her body collapsing to the floor. Taking a moment to collect herself, she slowly made her way to where June and the dead child were, feeling like she was going to throw up.

  “I missed my last shot,” she said, her head throbbing.

  “It's not your fault,” he quietly mumbled, staring at the mutilated child. “I missed most of mine. The way he moved, he must have been an Arcane Lord. But if he was one, why didn't he kill us?”

  “Maybe he tried but couldn’t?”

  “Maybe. But I don’t think so. Things aren’t adding up. What was he doing here?”

  Looking around the room, Elina felt her body start to shake, her eyes locked onto what was in the man’s left hand before he dropped it. It was a heart, a shriveled-up, tiny heart.

  Feeling her stomach turn, she crouched and grabbed a broken chair lying on its side, using it to steady herself as it shifted slightly under her grip.

  “We need to go get help,” she sobbed, seeing all the blood around her—she needed to get out of here.

  Tears started dripping down her face as she stumbled out of the broken house, her hands clutching at her chest painfully. Falling to her knees, she started to cry, deep heaving sobs, not caring about her surroundings—the image of the heart was burned into her eyes. How could such evil exist?

  Feeling June’s hand on her shoulder, she looked up. His eyes were dull and devoid of emotion. “Elina, we need to get out of here,” he whispered. “We need to go get Reges and Shina.”

  Squeezing the tears from her eyes, she forced her body to stand.

  “Yes, let’s go.”

  The rest of the night passed like a dream. Elina and June ran through the pitch-dark, rushing to get help. She vaguely remembered him pulling out a wooden whistle as they ran, blowing into it as they neared the town. As the shrill sound echoed into the distance, something shifted inside her—the sadness in her slowly turning into a red-hot rage.

  She would hunt down the man who had done this. Hunt down this evil. And next time, she would not miss—she would fill his body with arrows.

  Lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed when Reges and Shina rushed toward them, their faces pale from worry, a group of town guards following close behind.

  “We heard the whistle!” Shina gasped, her eyes widening at the sight of blood on June’s hand. “What happened?”

  “We found a dead child,” June panted, waving in the direction they had come from. “If we hurry, we may be able to catch the killer!”

  Reges nodded grimly at June’s words, his face shadowed in the moonlight. “Princess, you must return to the manor. Some of the guards will escort you.”

  Elina shook her head, opening her mouth in protest. She wanted to be part of the hunt—she had to be part of it.

  “No,” she managed to say before the world began to spin. The exhaustion from running hit her like a crashing wave. She staggered, trying to stay upright.

  “You’re in no shape to move,” she heard Shina say as she grabbed her. “You’ll only get in the way.”

  Swaying in place, Elina closed her eyes. Shina was right, she would just get in the way. Cursing to herself, she nodded.

  “You’re right. Take me back to the manor.”