Chapter 29: Antares

Antares tied the laces of his boots, the now familiar, golden hilt of his sword sticking out of its sheath at his side. On the ground next to him was an assortment of weapons: swords of varying sizes, blades, arrows, and even a few spears, all accumulated over the days Antares had stayed with Astrid. It seemed the money she carried was being spent well.

In front of him stretched out the clearing, the campfire now a blackened pile of soot and ash on the ground. He had eaten earlier in the morning, waking up to the pale sunrise and failing to fall back asleep again. Everyone else was finishing up their breakfast, a soft chatter filling the buzz in the background.

Eclipse approached him, brushing the crumbs of her bread off her shirt. Her hair was in a tight knot at the base of her neck.

“What are you up to?” she asked casually.

Antares shrugged. “Nothing much. Besides wondering how the hell I’m going to clear my name, all I can do here in this camp is assist Astrid in training you.”

“I meant at the moment.”

“Oh. Well, I’m just waiting for you all to finish up.”

She bent at her knees, scanning the layout in front of her. “Do you know where my sword is? The one with the black and silver hilt.”

“Um…I think it’s by your satchel. You took it with you yesterday, right?”

“Ah, right. Why didn’t I think of that?” she muttered, pushing herself from the ground.

As she left him alone, Arcturus passed by her, walking towards Antares. His eyes landed on the pile of weapons, his face a mix of curiosity and reluctance.

“I have to ask, do you have any experience with a sword?” Antares said with a smirk.

“That’s a definite no,” Arcturus replied. Cassiopeia walked up behind him as he answered, peering over his shoulder.

“Oh. So Astrid was serious when she mentioned the training,” she observed.

Antares stretched his legs out, leaning back in his seat. “Astrid is always serious.”

Cassiopeia looked skeptical. Antares’ gaze shifted to Astrid, who was approaching the pair on silent feet. He remained quiet, watching with interest.

“He’s right you know,” she suddenly said, her arms crossed. Antares stifled a laugh as Arcturus jumped, accidentally stepping on Cassiopeia’s foot. She whipped her head around to Astrid, a scowl on her face.

“Could you maybe not startle us like that?”

Astrid gave her a light shrug, a smile playing on her lips. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“I think it’s time we figure out what weapons best suit each of you,” Antares cut in. Astrid gave Arcturus a lookover. “Definitely the shortsword for our Alchemist.”

“I’m actually not an alchem—” Arcturus started softly, but faltered as Astrid walked forward.

She leaned over and plucked a blade from the pile. It was thinner than a usual sword, the top curving into a sharp point. The hilt was flat with a brushed, dark sheen. Though smaller, it could be just as effective if wielded properly.

Astrid handed it over to Antares with a questioning look. He analyzed the blade, before shooting her a nod.

“Here you go,” said Antares, flipping the blade in his hand and giving it to Arcturus from its hilt. He accepted it hesitantly, weighing the shortsword in his hands. There was an oddly curious look in his eye as he examined it.

“What’s this made of?” he asked.

“Just your basic steel.”

He stepped back from the others, giving it a rapid swing.

“It’s incredibly light,” he observed with wide eyes. He swung it again into the clearing, Cassiopeia flinching back.

“Careful, though. Just because it’s light doesn’t mean it isn’t just as deadly,” Antares reminded him.

“Astrid!”

Eclipse’s loud voice pierced through the clearing. She was marching towards the rest of the group, an angry scowl on her face as someone followed.

Wait…Andromeda?

It was Andromeda, still here and stumbling as she tried to catch up to Eclipse, testing the limits of her plastered feet. Her hair was braided back, and her white bandages were bright against her tanned skin.

Eclipse waited for her to hobble next to her, and then turned to Astrid with a confused and irritated look. It seemed she had found her sword, though.

“I thought you were going to take her back?” she pressed.

“Eclipse, for the last time, I was the one who decided to stay,” Andromeda said, tugging at Eclipse’s arm to stop her.

Astrid nodded. “That’s right. She told me last night.” She turned to Andromeda. “And you shouldn’t be on your feet for too long. Come, sit next to Antares.”

Antares shuffled to the right as Eclipse reluctantly led Andromeda to the log. She sat down, letting out a small sigh of relief. There must have been an uncomfortable amount of pressure on her already damaged feet. Eclipse studied her, the worry in her face still apparent.

“Are you sure about this, Andromeda?”

She nodded firmly, her grey eyes clear. “Trust me, I’m sure.”

Eclipse let out a small huff, still skeptical. Andromeda gave her a comforting smile before looking to everyone else.

“So…what are we doing?”

“Well, we’re going to begin training today,” Astrid explained, “and we’re starting with figuring out what weapon is best for everyone.”

“I can see Arcturus got the practice sword,” snickered Eclipse.

“It is not a practice sword,” Arcturus protested.

“He’s right,” said Antares. “It’s technically called a shortsword.”

“What about this?” Cassiopeia interrupted, pulling out a long, silver spear. She stood up, admiring the lustrous metal. The top was a tight spiral sharpened into a wicked point. Setting its end to the ground, it reached her chest level. She turned to Arcturus, tilting the tip slightly towards him.

“Hey, hey! Careful!” he yelped.

Cassiopeia let out a laugh, straightening the spear again.

“I didn’t even know we had that,” murmured Eclipse, eyeing the weapon.

“I guess Cassiopeia has chosen the spear,” said Antares, his mind already working on the stances and techniques each of them would need to learn.

This is going to be fun.

Astrid turned to her students. “Great. You three, stand by the clearing, each of you a good distance away from each other. I don’t need anyone losing a limb.”

Eclipse, Arcturus, and Cassiopeia walked over to where Astrid had pointed, Eclipse pulling out her sword as she muttered something under her breath.

Astrid looked over the leftover weapons before facing Antares again.

“We’re going to have to switch training between them, with hand-to-hand as well. There’s no way I can take them on any missions until they’re ready.”

“How much work do you think it’s going to take?”

“I don’t know,” she responded with a shake of her head. “I’m going to start with the basic guards, see how bad our situation really is.”

Astrid turned around and strode towards the group, her silver hair woven together and tied high on her head.

“She scares the stars out of me, and yet, I somehow almost trust her at the same time,” commented Andromeda, who until then had remained quiet beside him.

Antares nodded in agreement. “I’m sure that’s how most of us feel.”

Andromeda scanned the weapons beside him, leaning past him as she looked.

“Oh, right, I guess swordsmanship really isn’t your thing either. I’m not sure if Astrid wants—”

“Could you pass me that bow? The arrows with it too, please,” she chimed.

Leaning back, she faced him expectantly, waiting. He opened his mouth to say something, thoroughly confused, but shut it and grabbed the bow and arrows, his curiosity getting the best of him. The bow was constructed of sanded, dark wood, strong yet still flexible enough to bend to the force of its thick drawstring. The quiver holding the arrows was made of a fine leather, its strap folded against the back.

Handing her the bow and its arrows, Andromeda took them from his hands and dropped the bow in her lap. Pulling an arrow out of its quiver, she held it in the middle of her palm, her thin fingers feeling the edge and tip of the arrowhead. The end of it had finely trimmed feathers attached, flakes of a deep red.

“These are almost like the small spears my father uses when he is out at sea,” Andromeda remarked.

“He is a fisherman?”

“One of the best. Good enough to attract the attention of neighboring lands. He goes on merchant trips often and sells everything he’s caught.”

Antares watched her continue to study the arrow, before she put it back and slowly pushed herself off the rough log. He scrambled to his feet, a hand stretched out, but she waved him away, her lips pressed tightly together as she stood. She held the bow and quiver in her hand.

“You know how to shoot an arrow, right?” she asked.

“Uh…yes, I do. Why?”

Andromeda shrugged. “I want to give it a go. You can tell me how badly I do.”

Antares blinked, staring at her.

Let’s see how this goes then.

Turning around, she took a few slow steps forward as she searched the trees. Antares followed her, curious to see what she would do.

“Try aiming for that tree there,” he said after a moment. He pointed to a large oak in the direction of Astrid and the others, though a good distance away from where they were standing.

“All right.”

Andromeda grasped another arrow and bent her knees, dropping the quiver before shakily straightening again. Holding the bow in her left hand, she gripped the curved middle of the bow in front of her. She brought the arrow up, centering it as she shifted the bow and arrow close. Antares watched her take her stance, noticing it was wildly off. But he remained silent, letting her take her time.

With a weak pull of the string, the arrow sprung out of her grasp, swerving to the floor only a few feet ahead of her. Andromeda let out a sigh of defeat.

“How was that?” she asked dryly.

“Well, I couldn’t judge your aim from that shot, but the main problem is that you weren’t holding it right.” He reached out an arm, asking for the bow. “I can help you, though.”

Instead of handing him the weapon, she plucked out another arrow, adjusting it into position. Her fingers gripped the bow tightly, her arm awkwardly tugging back.

“I think you’re well-aligned with the target,” Antares observed. “Just straighten your back a little.”

She obliged, slowly shifting herself into the stance.

“And your arms. Slightly lower that one, so that your arms are perpendicular to your body.”

Andromeda brought down the arm at the bow, still nervously tugging at the string with the other. “Like this?”

Antares approached her, Andromeda still frozen in her stance. He studied her position, seeing that it was still slightly skewed. He reached for her shoulder, gently straightening it.

“Like that.”

She stood there for a moment. “Shall I shoot it now?”

Antares gave her one last lookover. “Wait.” He moved over to the arm holding the string. “Raise this elbow when you shoot. It will lessen the strain on your arm.”

Andromeda did as he said, pulling the string back further. “Now?”

He nodded. “Now.”

With a deep breath, she pulled the arrow back tightly, biting her lip hard as her bandaged arms faintly trembled. Yet she held the string tight, her hand almost to her ear. With a resounding twang, she released the arrow, dropping her hands as it left the bow.

The arrow lodged itself in the trunk of the tree, low and near the ground. Still, it was near the center, the feathered end almost perpendicular to the thick trunk.

Antares turned in surprise, his eyes widening as he stared at her. Andromeda looked back at him blankly.

“How about that?” she asked.

“To be completely honest, I expected you to almost hit one of them,” he said, looking back to the stuck arrow.

“Hey!” came a yell, Antares shifting his gaze to the group. They had stopped their practice, Cassiopeia waving a hand at the pair. She pointed the tip of her spear to the tree.

“What the hell was that?” she demanded.

“Come on,” he said to Andromeda, gesturing towards the group. She quickly grabbed the quiver and slung it over her shoulder, following him nervously.

He jogged to the tree, grunting as he pulled the arrow out.

“Antares, what—” started Cassiopeia, but he cut her off as he held up a finger. Antares walked back to Andromeda with the arrow, and she turned her back to face him, allowing him to slide it into its quiver. The two approached the others, Astrid glancing at the bow in Andromeda’s hand.

“All right, I’ll ask again, what was that? Were you aiming at us, Antares?” huffed Cassiopeia.

“Sorry about that, I was just using the tree as a target,” Andromeda replied sheepishly.

Cassiopeia paused.

“You shot that arrow?” Astrid marveled, glancing at Antares as she spoke.

“I did,” she said as he nodded.

“Huh…that wasn’t that bad of a shot.”

“Thank you.” Andromeda smiled.

“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” Eclipse interjected. She walked up behind Andromeda, peering curiously at the quiver holding the bundle of arrows. “I didn’t take you for someone with experience with a bow.”

“Uh, I…” she started, turning her head as Eclipse strode behind her. “I guess I got my aim from my father. He taught me a little bit whenever he would take me with him to the sea, using his spears and bayonets to aim and throw at prey. But the bow is new to me. Antares helped me hold it correctly.”

“Well, it clearly came in handy. Are you interested in learning to master it?” Astrid proposed.

Andromeda looked at the bow in her hands, mulling it over. With an aim like that, Antares thought she should definitely continue to learn. She had enormous potential, and with the proper training, she could probably become good enough to best Rigel.

After a brief moment, she glanced up and nodded, her grip tightening on the weapon.

Astrid looked to him, placing a hand on her hip. “I guess you’re up, Antares.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m already working with these three. You need to start with Andie on that bow. She’s already proved that she can learn well from it.”

“Andie?” Eclipse repeated, coming around to stand next to Andromeda. She flashed her a wide grin. “I see you’ve already found a nickname for her, Astrid. I like it.”

“Oh…thank you,” Andromeda replied hesitantly.

“All right!” Astrid said with a clap of her hands. “Let’s go back to our forms, shall we?” She ushered Cassiopeia and Arcturus back into place.

“Have fun,” Eclipse called over her shoulder in a singsong voice, though Antares wasn’t completely sure what she meant. Before he could say anything, she followed the others into position.

He nodded to Andromeda to return to their original spot.

I’ve got nothing else to do. Might as well.

They chose a space facing away from the group, to a cluster of trees close to each other with easy practice targets. Antares dug around through their supplies, finding a handful of colorful ribbons to tie around each trunk. Striding back to their spot, he watched as Andromeda reached behind her back, grasping for an arrow. She squinted at the brightly colored marks.

“Are those…hair ribbons?” she asked.

Antares glanced back with half a smile. “I’m pretty sure. But it doesn't make a difference, they work well for our purposes.” He gestured to the log near them. “Do you want to sit for a little before we begin?”

A shake of her head. “No, I’m fine.”

“Okay, I guess we should start with the stance first. It was still a little off in your first shot. I’ll try to teach you so that it comes naturally to you. You’re dominant in your right hand?”

She nodded.

“Then set your left foot in front of you.”

Andromeda obliged, shuffling her feet so her right one was supporting her in the back.

“Good, both legs straight. Now, hold the bow in front of you, like you’re getting ready to aim.”

She raised her left arm in front of her, her hand gripping the smooth middle like she had done earlier. “Is this correct?”

Antares moved to her left and reached out to adjust her fingers, careful to avoid brushing her arms. He placed her thumb pointing upwards on the wood, leaving her other fingers wrapped around it. “Like that. It gives you a strong grip that lessens chafing in your palm. I’m not sure if we have archer’s gloves, but I’m sure we can get a pair.”

With a nod, Andromeda brought in the arrow in her right hand, lining it up above her hand. Antares nudged her arm with his, bringing it down so the length of the arrow was right above her hand.

“Are you trained in every weapon, Antares?” she asked, genuine curiosity in her voice.

“Yes, it’s part of Guard training. My friend—”

He cut himself off, the thought of Rigel and his family coming back to him. The courtyard practices that now seemed like a part of a different life.

“Your friend?” she asked, turning her head to him.

“Yes, my friend, he’s a master at the bow. We always used to practice together, whenever we would have the time,” Antares replied, smiling as he remembered.

“You would practice with weapons to pass time?”

He shrugged. “Usually, yes.”

A pause. “Forgive me when I say that sounds a little strange. To me, at least.”

Antares chuckled. “I guess it kind of does, doesn’t it?” He turned to the trees ahead of them. “Okay, try for the trunk with the white ribbon, to the left. Aim to hit the center of it. There isn’t a very strong breeze at the moment, so we don’t need to account for it right now.”

Andromeda held the arrow between her fingers, pulling it back along with the string. It became taunt as she tugged it back near her face, her eyes focused. After a few moments, she released it with a breath, the hiss of the arrow followed by a sharp thwack at its impact. Antares watched its end quiver, low on the tree and skewed to the left. But nonetheless, it had landed on the tree with the white ribbon.

She dropped the bow to her side, switching it to her other hand as she rubbed her arm. “Not close enough,” she muttered with a frown.

Antares tilted his head at her, surprised. “That was a good shot for someone who hasn’t trained with a bow before.”

“Thank you, but I know it’s not enough yet.”

He snaked an arm around her, sliding another arrow out from the quiver hanging at her back. He offered her the weapon, a smile on his lips.

“Well, then, let’s try again.”

✦✦✦

The low-hanging branch tugged on Antares’ sleeve as he brushed it away. He pulled it aside as Arcturus and Andromeda walked underneath it, ducking their heads.

The early morning air hung around them, still not quite warmed up, and carried a cool breeze left over from the night before. The forest was quiet and calm, the trees still asleep and silent with their leaves. Antares wore his normal clothing, one of the few outfits he cycled through every week.

He followed the pair, stopping next to Andromeda, Arcturus at her side. They all were dressed similarly, with tight shirts and thick boots, typical attire to hunt with ease. Arcturus carried a bag similar to the one on Antares’ back, though Antares’ own was weighed down by the small game he had managed to catch before.

Andromeda had her bow slung across her shoulder, her quiver hanging at the other side. Her long hair was weaved into its normal braid, and her wounds had disappeared over the last few weeks, save for a new one across her forearm. The soft sun had brought out the subtle sprinkle of freckles across her face.

“Try to tread quietly, we’re near one of the used trails,” Antares said to the two, his constructed map of the forest running through his head. They nodded as they continued forward, their feet crunching against the forest floor.

The days had become a blur, and Antares wondered how long it had been since he had first met Astrid. It must have been a few weeks now, or maybe even a month? In all that time spent training and watching over the camp, he still hadn’t managed to find a way to clear his name. The thought bothered him, but not as strongly as before.

Astrid and Cassiopeia had left a few days prior, on a mission to find as much information about the Legion base as possible. That had left Antares to continue the training by himself, switching between swords and bows and hand-to-hand combat with those who remained behind. It left him so much more exhausted than usual, but he didn’t mind it. He was used to it, after all.

Eventually, they had run out of food, and Antares had no intention of heading out to the marketplace. Not when Astrid was away, and it was too risky for himself or Eclipse to go. He worried Arcturus and Andromeda would get lost, and then they would have a whole other problem to deal with.

A hunting expedition seemed the best solution for their food shortage, especially when the forest was filled with an abundance of creatures that were easy to catch. Andromeda and Arcturus had insisted that they come along, and Eclipse agreed to stay behind to watch over the camp.

As they passed by a particularly massive tree, Arcturus stopped in his tracks, his attention stuck on the wide trunk. He made his way over to it, pausing as he studied it. Large vines covered the tree like a scab, climbing their way up to the sky.

“What are you doing, Arcturus?” Andromeda asked.

“There are Exodamon vines growing on this tree. I never expected to see them out here,” he declared, reaching out to rub one of the wide leaves.

Antares opened his mouth to bring Arcturus back, but Andromeda responded instead, walking up to join him.

“What are they used for?”

Arcturus turned to her. “Oh, usually rashes, it can sooth anything on the skin. Sometimes even for things like poison ivy or bug stings.”

She nodded, taking another look at the twisting plant. After a moment, she stepped away. Arcturus followed her soon after, back to where Antares was standing.

“You really know your plants, huh?” Antares commented with a grin.

Arcturus shrugged. “Comes with being an apothecary’s apprentice.”

They continued to tread through the woods, brushing past tangled roots and tall ivory, which stood over them like guardians against the blue sky and lazy sun. Antares brushed a curled lock from his eyes—it had gotten longer in the passing time, now trickling down past his ears—and adjusted the sack at his back. The trio walked in the eased quiet for a bit, attentively scouting around them.

“Quiet, get down!” Andromeda whispered suddenly, dropping to her knees. Antares and Arcturus obeyed without a word, crouching down behind a thick shrub.

Andromeda grabbed her bow and an arrow from her quiver, setting them in front of her with practiced motions. Her middle fingers and palms were covered by leather gloves, ones Cassiopeia had sewn out of spare pieces of leather. Antares followed the arrowtip, which was aimed high up at a tree. His eyes searched its large branches before spotting a large hawk perched on the edge of one. It swiveled its head away from their shrub, ruffling its feathers.

“The hawk?” Arcturus asked under his breath, brushing his dark hair from his forehead.

She nodded silently, her eyes trained above them as she pulled back the string. Holding the position, Antares watched her shift slightly, the breeze coming in.

Good aim, accounting for the wind, she should be able to hit—

A slight movement quickly drew his attention away, his ears picking up a sound foreign to the forest’s rustles and whispers. Antares turned around slowly, his eyes straining to see past the layers of green, brown, and sunlight.

A flash of bright red broke through the forest foliage, followed by the rattling of a cart. Someone faintly yelled into the clearing. The loud snorts of steeds grew louder. All of these disruptions came within sight and earshot.

Antares spun back around and grabbed Andromeda’s arm, jerking it down fast. She whipped his head to him, Arcturus mirroring her confused expression behind her. Her eyes widened as she opened her mouth to speak, but Antares pressed a finger to his lips, still clasping her wrist and keeping the bow down.

With a gesture of his head, they slowly turned around on their knees. It was quiet for a moment, before the knocking of wood faintly sounded again. Arcturus turned his head sharply to the left.

“Travelers,” he whispered.

Antares nodded, finally releasing his grip on Andromeda’s arm. Sliding the arrow back into the quiver, she shuffled forward, trying to look past the trees covering them.

Travelers had gone through this road a few times, but Antares always made sure to steer clear of them. Stars knew how far the posters had spread, and he could be recognized and captured by anyone.

“Andromeda, stay back. We’ll just wait them out,” murmured Arcturus.

“We won’t get too close…” she replied, still moving forward soundlessly. Antares exchanged a glance with Acrturus, who shrugged hurriedly before following after her. Crouching, the trio weaved around the trees, still keeping low to the ground. Antares’ knees scraped against the thorny branches.

What is she doing? We’re getting closer to the path.

The scuffles of hooves and the small chatter of the wanderers grew louder as they got closer to the road. Andromeda stopped behind a tall, weeping willow tree, its leaves trailing down in a protective embrace as it shielded the three from view.

“What are we here for? The closer we are, the more likely we’ll be seen,” Antares protested, trying to mask his nervousness.

Andromeda stayed silent, observing the travelers as she inched closer. The boys eased up next to her, and Antares caught glimpses of the rolling caravan.

Two horses pulled at a cart, a large one built with a lofty roof and door. Bags, satchels, even a few tapestries hung from the top. Star charms, crystal wards, and tarot cards hung with them. An older woman sat in the middle of it all, cross-legged and dressed in full robes.

The cart was flanked by two men, each with sacks strapped to their backs. One of the men was completely bald, short and ample with a walking stick in his hand. A younger woman led the entire caravan, her midnight hair twisted on the side of her head, hands pulling at the reins of the two horses. From the distance, their voices blended with the air, Antares catching snippets of their conversation.

“Where are the rolls we brought, Terrence?”

“In the food sack, where else?”

“They aren’t there.”

“What do you mean they aren’t there?”

“I mean, they aren’t there!”

“Enough bickering, you’re acting like children,” the older woman called harshly from above.

They were coming up from the left, still a good several paces away from the willow the trio were squatting in. Antares backed away from the swaying branches, leaning against the trunk of the tree on his heels.

“Why are we here, Andromeda?” Arcturus asked softly as he continued to watch the caravan. Even away from the leaves, Antares could see the travelers treading closer along the path.

“I don’t know. But just listen,” she whispered back. Antares rubbed the back of his neck, bewildered. Yet, he still listened, and listened hard, for whatever Andromeda wanted them to hear.

It was calm. The sun was slightly higher up now, yet the air was cool under the willow’s shade. The morning birds were a melody in the background. Antares tuned in to the caravan’s noise again, before freezing in his spot.

What the hell is that…?

A sound of incoming thunder. A soft rumble that was threading its way into the air. Antares cocked his head to the side, his bewilderment growing. Andromeda looked back, her eyes wide.

“You hear that too?” Arcturus whispered nervously.

Before anyone could answer him, the quiet roar became louder, a sudden rush of thunder, rolling in with force and clarity. Black streaks raced past them, emerging from around the caravan in a blur without warning, disappearing and reappearing between the thick green.

Andromeda stumbled back from her spot, right into Antares, clapping her hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp. Antares shot an arm out and pressed it against her back, steadying her as he frantically gestured to Arcturus to move back as well.

“Shit,” Antares said under his breath. “Bandits.”

They weren’t the lousy, typical bandits Antares had encountered during his time in the Guard. These were swift, practiced, organized bandits that surrounded the caravan quickly. Some emerged from the hidden foliage on the side of the road, others came up on horses that set the forest shaking. Antares even spotted the blur of Speed, a dark figure appearing behind the cart in a heartbeat. Each was dressed in black, their faces covered by masks, and flashes of silver glinted from the blades at their sides and hands. Antares did a quick head count, seeing roughly ten people.

The horses attached to the caravan halted, rearing on their legs, their reins ripping out of the hands of the black-haired woman. The other two men froze with their cart, one of them letting out a yelp. Antares looked to the old woman sitting above, who strangely showed no signs of alarm.

“What in the stars’ hell is going on?” hissed the black-haired woman, her voice carrying over the road as she desperately tried to calm the horses.

One of the bandits slipped down from their own horse, landing on the ground. They slid a blade out from their back, polished with a twisted end.

“I recommend you drop any weapons you may have on any of you,” replied the person, the seemingly leader of the group. Antares blinked at the voice, its threatening ring belonging to a female.

“Excuse me?” gawked the bald man, Antares wincing at the tone of his voice.

Does he not know a bandit guild when he sees one?

The leader let out an exasperated sigh, before flicking her hand to the side. Eliciting a collective knell of metal, bare swords erupted from the black clothes of the bandits, some carrying more than one.

“We’re here for your belongings, you dunce. Comply with us, and we’ll let you live. Try to stop us, and you’ll lose your life along with your precious valuables,” the leader said calmly, giving the blade in her hand a nonchalant twirl.

The travelers reached for their sides, dropping their few weapons with soft thuds. Antares watched the scene unfold through the thick willow, his heart loud in his ears. He glanced at Arcturus, who had gone pale as a sheet. Andromeda turned to face both of them, Antares’ hand falling from her back.

“What do we do?” she breathed, her voice low enough that he almost missed it.

“We’ll just have to wait it out and pray they don’t find us,” Antares replied, his eyes still trained on the road. “If we move, they’ll most likely see us.”

“And…and just let that happen?” Arcturus trembled.

They were scavenging the caravan now, gathering what supplies and bags they could find in fluid motions. One of them, Antares presumed a Strongman, knocked down the small wooden door of the cart with ease.

“Tell the old hag up there to come down,” someone called sharply.

“I have nothing valuable up here,” she replied.

“Mama, just listen to them!” one of the men cried. He was frozen in his place as a few bandits held him and his accomplices, their swords delicately poking at their chests.

Antares gritted his teeth, struggling to get his thoughts into order. He pushed himself off of the willow’s trunk, and crouched forward, eyeing the group of darkly dressed thieves.

“Antares, what are you doing?” Andromeda murmured behind him.

He turned around to face them. “Okay, listen. I’m going to distract the bandits, and knock a few of them out to give that caravan a surviving chance. You both run for it the second their attention is diverted, all right? Run for it, but don’t go straight to camp. Circle around, and make sure you don’t have any tails on you. I’ll catch up afterwards.” He said all of this in a rush.

Andromeda exchanged a glance with Arcturus, her face scrunched up in confusion.

“Are you sure about that?” breathed Arcturus, his eyes flitting between Antares and the people behind him.

“It’s all we’ve got.” Antares gave them a firm look, glancing between them both. “You both run, got it? You run.”

Without another word, he spun around, focusing on the bandits as he grabbed his sword. He eyed their position, the weapons they held, and drew up a rough sketch of what he would do in his head. Knock a few out. Give the travelers their weapons back. Get the hell out.

Easy, right?

Andromeda reached an arm out. “Wait—”

Antares shot forward, too late to hear her speak. The world became its familiar blur, his vision clear and pinpointed on the leader of the group who was watching her crew work. He burst through the willow’s leaves. Adrenaline flooded his body, and with a swing, he aimed the flat side of his sword to the soft spot at the back of her head. With a sharp crack, the blade met her skull, pitching the woman forward violently.

One down, Antares thought through the pounding of his heart.

Without hesitation, he sped around the caravan, dealing similar blows to multiple members of the group. His knuckles were white around the hilt of his sword, and his head spun in a dizzying whirl.

Two…three…four…

His body was growing heavier and heavier.

…Five…

He swiped a few blades and swords, dropping them at the feet of the travelers.

…Six!

Antares skidded to a stop, sinking his sword into the ground as he leaned over it, panting heavily. Blinking rapidly, he forced himself to stand up.

He had stopped to the left of the cart next to the travelers, three of the bandits he had hit lying nearby. One of them groaned loudly, shifting his aching legs. Antares didn’t dare look near the willow and kept his eyes ahead. The broken down door of the cart next to him exposed more sacks and tapestries inside.

The bald man stared at him incredulously. “What in demon’s hell—”

“Kill them all!”

Antares whipped his head around, the leader stumbling to her feet. Her mask was misplaced, revealing a face of pale skin and sharp cheekbones. He couldn’t tell if she was bleeding, but her furious roar was enough to let him know.

“Grab your swords if you want to survive,” Antares called to the travelers, switching his own blade to his other hand.

“What—”

“Listen to the boy, Terrence!” yelled the other man, grabbing a sword off the ground. With a yell, he charged towards one of the bandits, their swords meeting with a resounding clang.

Antares swung his blade, blocking a blow from another one of the bandits who charged at him. The road was suddenly filled with clashes of metal and loud cries, Antares’ view half covered by the cart beside him. Gritting his teeth, he held his stance as the man in front of him pushed against him. His mask was pulled down, exposing his face.

“Looks like someone wants to be the hero,” he hissed, before jerking his sword up. Antares followed his move and discarded his sword, ducking sharply as the man’s blade slashed back down. Antares sliced his sword against his unprotected abdomen, cutting through his clothing and leaving behind a thin line of deep red.

The men let out a blood-curdling yell, his words mixed with angry screams.

“You’ll pay for that!”

With a swift twist of his body, Antares swiped his leg underneath the man and knocked him to the ground. He scrambled to his feet, letting out a sharp breath at the red tint on his blade.

Breathe. Breathe. You need to get out of here and get back.

Antares took one last glance at the man, who was curled onto himself, before turning his attention to his surroundings. Bandits were scattered across the ground in piles of black cloth, some struggling to their feet. He caught glimpses of the travelers fighting, the woman with the midnight hair attacking viciously at another.

A yell drew his attention away, and Antares braced himself as he saw another bandit running straight at him.

Then he became a blur.

Suddenly the bandit was in front of Antares, his sword cutting right across his bicep and tearing into his skin.

Antares let out a guttural yell, stepping back as he raised his sword. He ignored the sting in his arm and swung hard, pushing the bandit back considerably against his blade. A million protests were coming from his body, but Antares ignored everything.

His senses immediately heightened, and he kicked straight and hard into the stomach of the man before spinning around. He barely had time to register what happened before another sword met his, sending a reverberating shock through him.

The man with Strength from earlier grinned wickedly without his mask, his teeth strangely straight and white. He shed Antares’ blade and jabbed right for his chest. Antares jumped back, knocking the blade back with a grunt and a swing.

He could hear retching from behind him, the Runner shuffling as he struggled to his feet. Antares’ mind raced, desperate to figure out how to deal with both him and the Strongman. His Gift was on threads, and he had fatigued in the process. The battle around him was a rush of muted noise, disorienting him further.

You have to get back, Antares. Don’t stop, dammit.

With a glance behind him, Antares faced the Strongman, who stalked towards him still with that sickening smile. He could try and knock him back, and finish up with the other bandit before turning back to him. He could do it.

I have to do it.

Antares gritted his teeth, a small burst of energy shooting through him. He gripped his hilt tightly, preparing to swing. As he went in for the strike, the Strongman’s smile vanished in an instant, and was replaced by a roar that seemed to shake the trees around them.

What in the loving stars?

There was an arrowhead sticking out of the man’s thigh. An arrow. The tip was fresh with crimson blood, the rest of it hidden in the man’s leg. He dropped to one knee, his sword digging itself into the dirt. The man fell to the ground, a familiar figure in the distance behind him.

No no no no NO.

Andromeda stood far behind, her bow still held in front of her. She slowly brought it down, the string empty of an arrow. Antares noticed her alarmed expression, a saddening mixture of horror and shock.

“Andromeda!” he yelled, his voice hoarse. “Get back, no—”

“BEHIND YOU!” she screamed, cutting him off.

Antares whipped around, bringing his sword up just in time to meet the bandit’s. Blood trickled from his nose, his mouth open with a yell. Antares held steady, biting his tongue hard enough to draw blood.

I’ve had enough of your bullshit.

With swift, practiced motions, Antares cut into the man’s side, deep enough to make him howl in pain. He knocked his hilt into his head, allowing him to collapse.

Antares’ heart pounded in sync with his head. That move had required him to dig deeper into his Gift’s precious reserve, and left him even more drained. He looked back to where Andromeda had been standing, finding her a few paces away by Arcturus—his hands outstretched in front of him—and one of the travelers. His heart jumped higher.

Why the hell are they here?

Breaking into a run, he made his way to the pair, his feet pounding against the worn road.

Only his path was instantly blocked by a shadow.

No, no…a bandit. The leader, stepping in front of him with her blade aimed right for his neck.

Antares dropped to his knees, skidding painfully on the rough road as he slid underneath the wicked metal. He turned around fast as he stood upright. Facing the woman, he twisted his wrist, acutely aware of Arcturus and Andromeda behind him.

Seems I didn’t hit hard enough.

“Looks like you know some moves,” the leader said smoothly, but Antares could hear the restrained anger under her voice. “That was quite the blow you dealt me. However, you’ve ruined my score, and we simply cannot allow that to happen.”

“Well, sorry to crash your party,” muttered Antares, before whipping his blade to her side. But instead of hitting a weak point between her ribs, he was met with a hard barrier, knocking him and his sword back. He rubbed his head in frustration as he tried to regain his footing.

Of course she has a Forcefield.

A shimmering field had enveloped the woman, disappearing just as quickly and revealing a sly smile on her lips.

“It’s not that easy,” she whispered, sending a shiver down Antares’ spine. He gritted his teeth, his muscles sore and burning.

The leader of the bandits took a step forward, her twisted blade poised to hit. Antares kept his eyes trained on her, his breath shallow. His body tensed as he leaned back, bracing himself for the impact.

This is it. This is where I die.

The leader raised her sword, swiping downwards without hesitation. Antares raised his sword on instinct in a feeble attempt to block the blow. Yet he knew it wouldn’t help, he couldn’t escape the fate that awaited him.

Yet the pain never came, and neither did the strike. Instead the woman stumbled forward, a sharp gasp escaping her lips. Her arm dropped midway in its strike, the sword cutting the air in front of Antares harmlessly.

Behind her, Antares could see the hilt of a particularly familiar shortsword, swinging down hard on her head for the second time. With a loud grunt, the woman fell forward, Antares instantly stepping back to avoid her landing on him. She plummeted face first, making no move to get up again for the time being.

“Arcturus?”

The boy stood there, both of his hands gripping the hilt of his shortsword with white knuckles. Acrturus had gone even paler than before, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. Andromeda was standing with her back to him, an arrow trained ahead, but Antares could see her fingers shaking.

“Did I kill her?” Arcturus breathed.

Antares shook his head vehemently. “No, no, you just knocked her out. Thank you.”

He still stood there frozen, his blade held out in front of him. Anatres took in gulps of air, surveying the scene around him. The chaos had quieted down slowly, the cries and yells of men and women dying out one by one.

The bald man, Terrence, was beating the living stars out of a bandit with his stick, who Antares was certain was already unconscious. Antares stared at him before looking away and stealing a glance at the other man, the one who had first taken a blade. Antares’ stomach twisted as he saw him slide his sword out of the torso of another bandit.

Andromeda turned around, finally lowering her bow. Her normally tan skin was pale as well. She glanced between Arcturus and Antares, her grey eyes hard before putting her arrow away.

“That was quite the surprise,” said a voice, and Antares immediately straightened. He lowered his sword when he saw one of the travelers, the woman with the deep black hair, approaching them with her companions. His body remained tense as they reached them.

“I bloody told you there would be bandits, Elana,” called Terrence, his knuckles raw and red. Antares stared at him incredulously.

“Funny, you seemed to be the slowest when it came to fighting those bastards,” retorted the other man. He wiped his sword against a rag from his caravan, staining the pale green cloth. “Redhead over here did much better than you. Hell, this girl even took down a brute with a goddamn arrow,” he said with a gesture of his sword. “All you did was come with that itty walking stick of yours.”

“Vladamir, come help me down at once,” a voice called impatiently. The man immediately turned around and strode to the cart, his arms raised to help the old woman still sitting at the top.

She’s still there?

“Was she up there the whole time?” Arcturus muttered with disbelief, mirroring Antares’ thoughts exactly.

Elana looked at him with a smirk. “She sure was.” She glanced between the three, her smirk fading and brows creasing. “You all seem awfully young to be out here, let alone wielding weapons like that. What are you doing in these woods?”

“And why did you help us?” Terrence added skeptically, crossing his arms over his chest.

Antares was still holding his sword. His tired fingers itched to slide it back into its sheath, but he resisted the urge as he held onto it. “We were nearby and heard the bandits approach.”

Terrence blinked at the vague sentence, and Antares knew he was suspicious. He nervously looked away, praying they wouldn’t recognize his face.

“That still doesn’t answer my question of why you were here in the first place,” said Elana.

“Oh, quit pestering them, Elana, they don’t have to tell you anything,” interrupted the old woman, who was hobbling towards the group. Elana pursed her lips but stayed quiet, allowing her to come up next to her. Vladamir was right behind.

The old woman faced the trio, her face serene. There were crystals and charms hanging around her own neck, similar to the ones around Terrence’s and the ones hanging from the cart. Her greying hair was pulled back, revealing her lined face.

“What they are trying to say, Moonchild, is thank you. You’ve saved us a great deal of work and headache.”

“Moonchild?”Andromeda repeated, stepping out from behind Antares.

The old woman smiled. “I can see the three of you have something written in your stars.” The crystals around her neck clinked together as she spoke. “So you are Moonchildren, destined to serve under the sky.”

Vladamir shook his head, a small amused smile on his lips. “Mama likes to speak in tongues sometimes, she just likes pretty names.”

His mother turned around and swatted his arm. “Hush, Vladamir.”

“Please,” started Arcturus, “we only ask that you don’t say anything about us. Don’t mention where we are.”

Terrence frowned. “Why do you—”

“Done,” cut in Elana, nodding. She shot a glare at Terrence’s protests. “It’s the least they could do after they helped us.”

“I am not going to be responsible for whatever the hell they’re doing in these woods. It sounds awfully suspicious if you ask me,” huffed Terrence.

“And you won’t,” Antares responded firmly. His arm throbbed painfully, but he kept eye contact with the man.

“See? Now quit complaining and come help me gather our belongings,” said Vladamir, glancing up at the sky. “We’ve already lost enough daylight, and I want to be as far as possible from here before one of them decides to wake up.”

Antares flashed back to the moment Vladamir had pulled his sword out of that bandit, sending cold shivers up his arms. Not all of them would be able to get up again.

The old woman gave them one more smile before leaving them there, Elana following her. Terrence stayed behind a beat, giving Antares a lookover.

“Thanks,” he muttered, before stalking off.

The three stood in silence, watching the caravan begin to gather their items. Vladamir was helping his mother back atop the cart, while Elana calmed the horses down, finally able to get control of their harnesses.

“Do we help them?” said Arcturus.

Andromeda turned to Antares, her eyes snagging on his arm. “Antares, you’re hurt.”

He glanced down at his arm. His shirt was ripped, exposing the skin underneath. The cut was superficial, but had expelled enough blood to stain the edges of the ripped fabric. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the drums pounding in his head.

“I’m fine, it’s just a cut.” But he couldn’t stop panting.

“We have to get back to camp,” said Arcturus. “Can you make it?”

Antares nodded. “I’m fine, just close to a burnout. Let’s go, I don’t want them following us.”

“Wait,” said Arcturus. He strode nearby to one of the horses standing idly in the sea of bandits, the one the leader had rode in on. Grabbing the reins, he stroked its nose to calm it down before leading back to the group. Its coat was a dark ember, but still shone with a chocolate hue.

“There’s more of us now,” he said by way of explanation.

They left without another word, Antares brushing away the hair that had fallen into his eyes. The three walked through the willow’s leaves, disappearing from the road and leaving behind the picked-up chatter from the caravan. Antares finally sheathed his sword, his arms sore and limp. His feet trudged against the ground, vision fuzzy at the edges. Yet he shook his head again and kept moving, Andromeda and Arcturus on either side of him. As Arcturus led the horse by its reins, they took the winding path back to camp, Antares still worrying they might be followed.

The sun had climbed higher, its rays shining down through the trees’ leafy roof. The forest had returned to its normal quiet rustle, but the roaring in Antares’ ears had only just begun to subdue.

“I can’t believe we actually did that,” Arcturus said, breaking the silence.

Antares looked at him. “You guys didn’t run, why didn’t you do as I said?”

“There was no way we were going to leave you,” Andromeda replied quietly, her eyes still trained ahead of her.

Arcturus nodded. “We agreed to help you. We have been training for something like this.” Antares watched him swallow, his hand rubbing the horse’s coat absentmindedly. “I just didn’t expect it to be…like that.”

A small bug zipped around them before flying away. Antares let out a sigh. “No one does, trust me. I guess it’s good you got some exposure.”

They trekked farther, Antares mentally mapping out their route. The camp should be coming up to their left soon.

“I actually shot him.”

Antares turned his head to Andromeda. She still didn’t look at either of the boys, stepping over a twisted branch.

“Are you all right?” asked Arcturus.

“I don’t know,” she responded quietly. “I saw him ready to strike you, Antares, and I just…did it. I trained the arrow and released it without thought, right at his leg.” She finally looked up, her hand rubbing her wrist as she continued softly. “What if I hadn’t shot his leg? What if…what if I pierced his heart? Killed him?”

“You didn’t, Andromeda,” replied Arcturus. “You did what you had to do. In fact…I admire what you did. You shot it so well, so smoothly. I was scared out of my wits the entire time.” He said that last part with a half-hearted chuckle.

“I was terrified,” she whispered.

“Hey,” said Antares, placing a hand on her shoulder as they walked. “You essentially saved my life. Really. You stopped him and warned me about the other guy. And I thank you for that.”

She stared at him silently, before nodding and looking away again. His hand dropped from her shoulder and they continued to walk in the quiet.

“Did you guys see that bald man? Terrence, right? Did you see him with his walking stick?” Arcturus said suddenly.

Antares unexpectedly burst out laughing, stopping in his tracks and bending over with gasps. His body was sore, tired, and ready to collapse, but he kept laughing, his voice echoing throughout the trees.

“No, no, I’m serious! He was beating people left and right with that stick of his!” exclaimed Arcturus, joining in on his laughter. “He was so short too!”

Antares stood up, clutching his side as he laughed. His breaths were brief and shallow, but he didn’t care. All he could see was the image of Terrence whacking bandits with his walking stick.

Andromeda cracked a smile, staring at the two boys incredulously as they laughed and laughed. She let go of her wrist, placing a hand on her hip.

“Okay, okay, enough!” she said, trying to be serious, but slight amusement laced her voice. “Let’s get back, I’m sure Eclipse is wondering where we are.”

She plucked the reins of the horse from Arcturus, who released them in his fit of laughter.

They continued like that, walking into camp chuckling, and remembering the bald man they had saved from the bandits.

Arcturus let out a contented sigh, rubbing an eye. “Where is Eclipse?”

Antares wiped his own eyes. Looking around, he didn’t spot her standing by one of the logs or sacks, or even by the firepit. Phantom and Bella were off to the side, and Eclipse wasn’t attending to them either. Andromeda led the new horse to the grazing spot and tied its reins to a nearby tree.

“I see her,” called Andromeda, walking to the right towards a small area that was heavily shaded. Antares raised his eyebrows as he followed.

She cannot be serious.

There was Eclipse, lying on her back under the shade. Asleep. The camp was left unguarded the entire time.

Andromeda crouched down and gently shook her shoulder. Eclipse’s eyes flew open, and she sat up fast, knocking Andromeda back.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Andromeda!” she exclaimed. “You scared me.” Eclipse glanced between the three of them surrounding her, before her eyes landed on Antares’ arm.

“Stars, Antares, what happened?”

“Did you leave the camp unguarded the entire time?” he questioned with disbelief.

She raised her chin. “It was not ‘unguarded.’ Now tell me, why are you all roughed up?”

The three looked at each other. Then Arcturus burst out in a laughing fit again, and Antares had to use everything in him not to do the same.

“Wha—are you okay? What happened?” she prodded.

Andromeda gave her a small smile, standing up. She helped Eclipse to her feet.

“I’ll tell you, ignore them,” she said, leading her away.

“Wait, wait,” Arcturus gasped, doubling over. Antares couldn’t stop himself and broke out in laughter with him, leaning against his shoulder.

Astrid should have known not to leave them on their own.

✦✦✦

Antares struck his spear into the water, just below his knees in the shallow pool. The blade impaled a nearby fish, thin and frail with skin of grey. He pulled the creature out of the water, its scales glinting in the sunlight, and slid it off the end in a gentle motion.

This will do nicely.

Wading through the water, his feet sunk slightly into the soft dirt beneath. With heavy steps, he trode through the pond, reaching the edge where the grass hung above the water. A small barrel sat firmly on the ground, just a few feet away from where he stood. With a light swing, Antares tossed the fish into the barrel, knocking it out of balance as it hit the edge and fell inside.

Eclipse flinched at the impact, straightening against the tree she was leaning against. “You could have hit me!” she spat.

“And what’s the problem with that?” Antares replied with a small smirk. He raised his shoulder to his face, rubbing the water off his skin. With a lift of his chin, he tried to peer inside the barrel, which had steadied itself after the impact. At least the fish had made it inside.

Eclipse rolled her eyes. “I don’t want any slimy fish ruining my clothes. I’ve barely got any clean shirts as it is!”

Always so dramatic, he thought with a roll of his eyes.

Antares turned back around, slowly making his way back to his spot in the water. A smooth stone slipped against his bare feet and small colonies of tiny fish darted around him, some brushing against his legs. His airy trousers were rolled up past his knees, the edges darkened with water. The simple white shirt he wore was damp in some spots, although they were drying in the summer sun.

They were lucky they had found this pond a few weeks back. A secluded area hidden within the forest, and a good distance away from any of the worn paths that cut through the trees. It was sunken into the ground, half hidden by the small hill covered with the bed of the forest. Trees bent to the center of it, their long arms grasping for the clear pool. After days without any water to spare for bathing, this seemed like a refreshing gift from the stars.

Once he reached the middle of the pond, Antares stilled and peered within its waters, searching for any fish passing by. A slimy plant danced against his skin at the floor, flowing along with the current. A small fish zipped by, its orange scales bright with color.

Mmm…too small. Would be a waste of time.

Another fish swam into view, the tip of its back fin bumping against his exposed calf. His grip tightened as he watched it carefully, moving slowly to avoid disturbing it.

Antares aimed straight for the fish, its grey skin identical to the one he had previously caught. With a plunge of his spear, he hit his mark easily, the tip hitting the floor as it went clean through the creature. He brought out his prey, flapping frantically in the sun as it was impaled on the metal.

With a satisfied breath, Antares headed back to the barrel, treading through the heavy waves again. He glanced up at Eclipse, shaded by the branches and leaves of the tree above her, her eyes closed. At the sound of his splashes, she lazily opened them, watching as he approached the barrel.

“I think you’ve caught enough for today. You’ve gone back and forth almost a dozen times. How much fish do you expect us to eat tonight?”

Antares reached over and tipped the barrel towards him, realizing she was right. He must have caught close to ten fish already, much more than they needed. He placed his newly caught one along with the others, the fish finally having given up on its struggle.

“Funny that you’re criticizing me, I didn’t see you in the water helping,” Antares pointed out. “Why did you even come along?”

“Well…obviously,” she stammered, searching for an excuse, “obviously to make sure you stay on task.”

“Of course, how could I forget,” he replied mockingly, knowing full well that wasn’t true. She had probably done it to get out of a chore. Astrid was notorious for putting them all to work if they weren’t training, even when she wasn’t even there to monitor them.

“You should jump in, the water’s great,” Antares suggested casually.

She shook her head. “There is no way I’m getting in that water. There are fish and all sorts of other creatures swimming in there. What if they rub against me and…ugh.” Eclipse shuddered at the thought.

Antares hefted himself out of the pond, his feet landing on the sun soaked grass as he gave her a dubious look.

“Besides, I prefer to stay dry, thank you.” She closed her eyes again, leaning back as she relaxed against the tree.

An idea entered Antares’ mind, silly, yet he still considered it. Crouching down by the pond’s bank, he cupped his hands into the water, scooping out a small handful. He silently crept towards her, still dozing and unaware of him.

Eclipse’s eyes flew open as he splashed the water onto her, her shirt darkening from the moisture. She pushed herself off the trunk of the tree with a yelp. Antares threw his head back and laughed.

“Oh you will pay for that, Antares Euphorion!” she sneered, her hand reaching for the grass. Antares’ eyes widened and he spun around, running away from his furious friend. A sharp pain bloomed between his shoulder blades, and he stopped abruptly, turning to face her. She was now a good distance away.

“Uh, ow…” he called out.

Eclipse folded her arms. “That’s what you get for ruining my outfit.”

“It was just a bit of water! You didn’t have to chuck a whole damn rock at me.”

“Consider yourself lucky, I could have done much worse,” she said with a devious smirk. Antares rolled eyes, yet a small part of him knew she was right. From the past weeks he’s been with her and the group, he had seen that she was capable of a lot.

He jogged back to the bank and sat down on the grass, the sun shining down on him as he stretched his legs out. Whatever water was left in his clothing would dry in this heat. He rolled down his folded trousers, twisting their edges in an attempt to squeeze out some of the water. A few drops escaped from his palms and landed in the crisp grass. Antares sat back and turned his face to the sun, closing his eyes as he welcomed its warmth. The sounds of the leaves brushing against each other and the calling of birds mingled in the background.

“So…” Eclipse started, breaking the quiet calm. “You still haven’t found a way to clear your name?” The rustling of her clothes told him she had settled down across from him.

He shook his head slightly, his eyes still closed and facing the sky. “No. I’ve been…preoccupied lately.”

“Really?” He detected a hint of surprise in her voice. “You know, I was beginning to think you might actually want to stay,” she teased.

He sighed. “Me too.”

A pause. “What?”

Antares finally dropped his head and opened his eyes, meeting her gaze, a small smile forming.

“Wait, are you serious?” she asked, sitting a little straighter. “What about being a guard and all that? Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Actually…no.” He meddled with the grass, pausing before he looked back up. “The truth is, I never wanted to be a guard, but for some reason, I was still set on returning home. My focus has…shifted, is all. It would make most sense for me to stay.”

Eclipse stayed quiet for a moment. “For what it’s worth, I…” she hesitated, glancing down to her hands in her lap, “I’d like for you to stay.”

She smiled at him, a comforting one that relaxed him easily.

“You would?”

She nodded. “Even though you can be a little bit…tiresome at times,” she said with a tilt of her head, “I honestly enjoy your company. It’ll be hard to let you go.”

He looked away, a warm feeling flooding through him.

“We need you, Antares. You’re a good soldier.” She paused. “But you’re a good friend as well.”

They stayed quiet, Eclipse finally meeting his eyes again with a silent plea.

“All right then.” He smiled. “I’ll stay.”

Eclipse immediately lit up. “Really? Yes! And I didn’t even have to use Persuasion!”

His smile instantly vanished, staring at her blankly.

“Calm down, I’m only kidding,” she said with a laugh.

“I really don’t know if I’m inclined to believe that.”

“You’re right, it’s always a possibility.”

Antares picked himself up off the ground, shooting her an unimpressed look. “You know, I might consider retracting my statement—”

“No no! Don’t do that,” she said scrambling after him. “You know I’m joking.”

“Uh huh.” He had an eyebrow raised as he wiped his forehead. “Well, I think it’s time we head back now.”

“Agreed. This heat is killing me,” Eclipse said as she dusted herself off.

“You were sitting in the shade the entire time. And you weren’t doing any work.”

“It’s still bloody hot. My point still stands.”

Antares rolled his eyes. He quickly pulled his shoes back on and went back to the pond bank, picking up the barrel of fish on the ground. Eclipse started back towards the camp, going down the hill they had come from. He lugged the fish after her, trying not to stumble on the downward slope. Eclipse was already most of the way down, pausing to wait for him.

“You know,” Antares started, catching up to her in a puff of air. “If you were so hot, you should have just gotten in the water. Easiest way to cool yourself.”

Despite being in the shade, he thought, but he left that part out.

“Oh don’t even start.”

“In fact,” he continued, ignoring her, “I think I actually did you a favor throwing that water on you.”

She stopped, turning to face Antares.

“Oh really? Well in that case, maybe I should do you a favor in return. Now where’s the nearest rock?” Her eyes darted across the ground.

“Hey, hey, no need, you already returned the favor,” he rushed. He spotted a large rock near his foot and kicked it off to the side, rolling it into the bushes before she could see.

“You’re no fun,” Eclipse chaffed, obviously taking notice of what he had done. “It’s fine, though. I don’t need a rock. Is there a blacksmith nearby? An anvil will do fine.”

Antares chuckled to himself, wondering if Eclipse would even be able to lift such a heavy thing to begin with.

“Well then, I’ll be sure to watch my back.”

They continued through the forest, following the path they had set for themselves back to camp. The complex route would be confusing to most, and Antares even remembered getting lost the first time he had visited the pond. Yet now it was familiar, simple even, having gone through the same groves so many times.

Finally, they approached the enclosed trees that surrounded their camp, sacks and supplies leaning against the trunks. The horses were standing in their usual spot to the left, most of them grazing. They had named the new one Clover after they had swiped her from their encounter with the bandits. As he and Eclipse entered the familiar clearing, eager voices rang out.

“Look who’s back,” Eclipse said, pointing to the middle of the camp.

“Finally…” he breathed.

Astrid and Cassiopeia sat near the quenched campfire, Andromeda and Arcturus across from them as the four were trapped in eager conversation. Antares stode over to the group, Eclipse right behind him. He dropped the barrel near the firepit—he would have to skin and clean his fish later.

Except as he followed Eclipse to the rest of the group, she came to a sudden stop a few steps away before scrambling backwards and almost knocking into him.

“Stars above!” she cried, her gaze at the floor.

Astrid paused and everyone’s heads turned to her in confusion. Antares stopped behind her, searching the ground over her shoulder. “What?”

“Astrid, by your foot,” she hissed, inching to the left.

Looking down, she searched the ground before her expression melted away, replaced by a sly smirk.

“Don’t tell me you’re talking about the spider, Princess,” she said.

Antares finally spotted the arachnid, the length of his palm and right by the edge of Astrid’s boot. He swallowed nervously. He didn’t exactly fear spiders, but that didn’t mean he liked them either.

Stars, that is huge...

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about!” replied Eclipse, moving behind Andromeda and Arcturus. “It’s huge. And I said don’t call me that!”

In a swift motion, Astrid cupped the spider and stood up, striding towards Eclipse. Antares quickly drifted to the side, making a wide berth for her as Eclipse let out a small yell. Both of them scrambled away from Astrid’s outreached palms.

“Don’t you even try it, Astrid! Don’t even come close to m—eek!”

Antares let out a loud laugh at the image of Eclipse running from Astrid and the spider in her hands. She paused, standing where Eclipse had been moments before, Andromeda and Arcturus craning their neck to look into her palms.

“Oh, it’s not that big. Looks like the ones I used to get back home,” remarked Andromeda.

“In your home?” Eclipse gaped from her spot a few paces away.

Arcturus nodded. “This one’s not poisonous from what I know.”

“Who the hell cares if that one isn’t poisonous, just get it away from here!”

“Come on, Astrid,” Cassiopeia said with a roll of her eyes. “I don’t think our rich kids here will sit down until you do.” She shot a pointed look at Antares and Eclipse before going back digging through their medicine bag.

Me? he thought disbelievingly.

Well…he was still standing, and a few steps away from the others too.

Astrid laughed, bending over to drop the spider back on the ground. She dusted her hands and went back to her spot next to Cassiopeia. Eclipse watched warily before shuffling back.

“Anyway, how was your trip?” Eclipse asked. She plopped down next to Andromeda as Antares sat on the ground. He noted the eagerness on Andromeda and Arcturus’ faces, glad their shakiness from the week before had subdued.

“Informative,” replied Astrid, unlacing one of her boots. “I’d say we got plenty on the Legion and where they’re sitting. Enough for us to break in successfully. Frosty here did most of the digging though. I must say, she was pretty useful.” She looked to Cassiopeia, who smiled at the compliment. She held a small capsule in her hand and popped it in her mouth, grimacing before swallowing it from a swing of her canteen.

“That time of the month again?” Andromeda questioned sympathetically across from her.

Cassiopeia nodded, stashing the bag to the side. Antares had no idea how the girls could stand the feeling, especially as they were out in the woods.

“So what did you learn?” Eclipse prodded.

Astrid sighed, stretching her leg out. “Frankly, I’m quite tired and don’t have the energy to tell you everything. Cassiopeia and I already have the basis of a plan. Once we draw it up, it’ll be easier to explain.”

“Aw, come on,” whined Eclipse. “You can’t just go on a special mission and leave the rest of us in the dark.”

Ignoring her, Astrid turned to Antares, pulling her other heavy boot off. “I’ll help you clean the fish. Andie, can you and Arcturus go check if we have enough firewood for tonight?”

Andromeda nodded, she and Arcturus standing up and walking to the area where the kindling was kept. Antares and Astrid left Eclipse sitting with Cassiopeia, already attempting to get her to talk about their mission. Antares stifled a smile—he had a feeling she may even bring out her Persuasion if need be.

Grabbing the barrel, Astrid slid two small blades from her side, handing one to Antares as he set out down by a large tree stump. On it were a few big bowls, washed clean and dried out in the sun. The blade fit neatly into his palm, and he reached for the tail of one of the fish.

“Wow, that’s quite a few fish. How many do you think we would need?” Astrid remarked as she took a fish of her own.

Antares shrugged. “You could say I got carried away. Eclipse was no help.”

“As usual.”

The knife cut cleanly down the creature, removing its scales and exposing the meat underneath. He dropped the strips of skin beside him, Astrid adding to the small pile as she skinned it in wide strokes. The chatter of the camp faded away as they fell into a comfortable quiet.

“I see you’ve found another horse.”

“We did,” Antares said. “Arcturus named it Clover.”

“Clover, huh? I like that. That’s good, there are a lot more of us now…maybe three horses wasn’t really enough.”

Antares stayed silent, unsure of what else to say.

“You know, I didn’t see as many posters this time,” she started again while taking another fish. “I suppose that’s a good thing—it’ll make it easier for you to move around and eventually find a way to prove your innocence.”

Antares silently nodded, his eyes trained on his working fingers. “I suppose. It has been weeks since it happened.”

She looked up, her eyebrows slightly raised. “I’d expect a fugitive to sound a little more happier to not have his face plastered everywhere.”

“No, I’m glad, I guess. But it also means the Terris Guard has bigger problems to deal with, probably with Silmorite and the damned Ash Court. But to be honest, it really isn’t that big of a deal to me because…I’ve decided to stay.”

He looked up, expecting Astrid to be surprised. Instead she kept working, her face calm.

“Oh, was I supposed to be surprised?” she said.

“Uh…”

“My bad, it’s just that I assumed it a while ago.”

Astrid looked up again, finally giving him a smile. “Stop looking at me like that. I’m glad to have you stay, Antares. And we’ll figure out how to clear your name.” She pointed her knife tip at him in a waving motion. “Now hurry, you’ve brought a lot of fish we need to clean.”

Antares looked back down, the same warm feeling from the pond filling him again. From the moment Astrid had appeared in that alleyway, never did he expect to be… welcomed. Yet here he was. He resumed his work, unable to shake off his small, goofy smile.