I clung on for dear life as Rollo leapt over some exposed roots to land lightly on the other side; his head went low and I mirrored the motion a second before a branch whipped past and a future of it smacking me in the face flashed before my eyes.

A laugh left me as I glanced behind. Cybill was on a horse, her expression impassive as she and her steed trailed behind. Further back, beyond sight, was someone else, moving at speed for short bouts before stopping for a few seconds.

Cybill and I had been out and about for hours, yet the trip still felt exhilarating. Things were helped in large part by the armour which kept me cool and seemed to suck up any sweat without getting stained.

The Grand Healer hadn’t mentioned it, but the material of the armour stretched; it had been a little too small when I’d first worn it, but through the day it had expanded to a perfect fit. I still hadn’t run the gamut on what the armour could do, but it aided my movements to give me a bit of agility, and right now that was enough. It wasn’t true — at least that’s what I kept mentally telling myself — but I felt really powerful with my assortment of gifts.

As I turned to face forward again, a thick branch slapped onto the forehead of my helm, but the force of impact was absorbed.

A laugh escaped me.

What fun you’re having while being an instrument that perpetuates inequality.

The thought was sudden, sprouting from the ether and it sucked away my mirth.

Rollo still ran along, my legs still ached from being spread open, my heart still hammered, and the wind still hit parts of my face, making me blink. All things that had been exhilarating only a moment before now made my stomach sink.

I pulled on the reins and Rollo slowed.

The treatment of this world’s commoners should have been clear from the very beginning, or maybe it had been but I hadn’t wanted to think about it because the very same thing was prevalent back in my world. Since my arrival the ‘war’ hadn’t made sense as a descriptor for what was going on. There wasn’t any sense of urgency in the people involved, it hadn’t been clear what they were fighting for and the tactics didn’t make total sense. But now everything fit, after all Odysseus had called this a dispute over resources and people were the resources.

This wasn’t a war, it was a social revolution, and by being here, by playing the game, I was keeping the royal family and the nobility in power, or at least making it easier.

“Is something the matter, Champion?” Cybill asked as she and her horse came to a stop beside me. Her expression was hard to read, but I didn’t get the sense that she was pissed after I’d snapped at her.

Is that because you don’t care or because you believe it’s not your place to care?

It had been a moment of outrage directed at her, but it also applied to me, didn’t it?

Althor and the Commonality weren’t my home and these people weren’t my people. I’d been pulled here without any say. My duty was to myself. It was surviving and getting back home.

Ignoring all the people out there who are suffering. Ignoring how you’re bolstering the power of the royal family when it might be best if Althor breaks apart.

“I have to be useful.” Belatedly I realised that I’d spoken out loud. I swallowed, feeling a little embarrassed. “I shouldn’t be playing around like I’m doing. I should be training so that I can beat Owain. We’ve wasted most of the day.”

At least I’m not really trying to keep them in power, I made myself think. I’m just trying to escape. That’s better right? It wasn’t helping, but it also wasn’t hurting.

My stomach still roiled with guilt, but I tamped the emotion down. After all, what power did I really have? There was being a Champion, but what did that mean in the real world? I had no money, no real influence, no skill as a fighter or as a military general. There was literally nothing I could do to help.

If I was being completely honest, I had limited power to help myself, so trying to help others wasn’t even in the cards.

There was still discomfort but it became less so. Being powerless felt…better of all things.

I just have to focus on myself, I thought. Getting back home, back to Grandma, back to a normal life where the only thing I’ll have to worry about are my studies.

“Ally and Odysseus are speaking to their father,” said Cybill. “We can’t do anything about that. We don’t know what his Majesty will decide. He might decide that the hunt doesn’t happen.”

“True,” I said and sighed. My eyes closed and, with a bit of trepidation, I relaxed. No intrusive thoughts came. “How far away are we from the shore? You know, I haven’t exactly seen it up close.”

“The lake’s waters are dangerous,” said Cybill.

“You know, everyone keeps saying that, but they’ve never exactly described these dangers,” I said.

“Then perhaps it would be best if you saw them for yourself, Champion.” Jaslynn’s voice came from between the trees, riding a tall bird.

I had sensed her coming and I wasn’t surprised by her arrival, but I was surprised by her. A part of me had hoped that it was either Odysseus or Ally, telling us that they had convinced their father to go through with my whole plan.

My expression evened and everything became duller. I directed a scowl her way, but looking at her felt heavy, as if I was back in those mines, with spiders sailing through the air to stab me. A shiver ran through me and I felt again the impression of Jaslynn pushing me forward, sending me into death’s embrace.

“You’re back,” said Cybill.

Jaslynn smiled. “I think I terrified Lord Richard,” she said. “I think he so rarely meets women like me.”

“There are very few women like you,” said Cybill.

“Thank the ancestors,” I muttered under my breath.

“You flatter me, Cibbs,” she said.

“No,” said Cybill.

Jaslynn laughed. “Well?” she asked, turning to me. “What of it, Champion? Do you wish to see the dangers of the lake? It could be something of a preliminary hunt. The creatures that bask in the sun’s light are lesser in strength than anything Owain would have you hunt, but they will do on short notice.”

I swallowed. “St—” The words caught my throat. I cleared it and tried again. “Stuff like what?”

“Would it not be better if you experienced it all instead of having it said?” Jaslynn asked. “It would be the perfect form of training, coming across the unexpected, then swiftly dealing with it even when you know nothing.”

“That might sound like a good idea to you, but not so much to me,” I muttered.

Jaslynn pouted. “I had begun expecting so much more of you, Champion,” she said with a hint of derision. “Yet I see that your cowardice still remains. Your challenge with Owain is a foregone conclusion, then. You will lose.”

I knew what she was doing, spurring that part of me that didn’t want to be called a coward. Honestly, I didn’t care, even if it grated. What mattered was that while normally it wouldn’t work, it had to right now because the plan wasn’t to challenge Owain. It was to escape and make my way either to Washerton or Susserton; the former because that was where Rowan was supposed to be, and the latter because High Chief Ran either had their own Champion or they were allies to Rowan. I’d need to survive the trip, which meant being able to protect myself as I travelled.

There are so many things that could go wrong, I thought, which was why I’d given myself two weeks. There were skills I would need and I had to figure them out and get started on building them.

“Okay,” I said, the word catching in my throat. “Okay, let’s do it.”

“Good, Champion,” Jaslynn said, pride in her words. All of me hated her for that. “We might make a warrior out of you yet. Now let us get our weapons.”

“Are we going to need weapons?” I asked, my heart starting to beat faster.

“Who knows?” Jaslynn said, which sounded a lot like ‘yes’.

Jaslynn’s bird was a fast and agile runner. Like an ostrich it had long, clawed legs, but a long, thick neck smoothly flowing to its head and then into a bright orange beak; the bird’s feathers were a mixture of blue and green. Jaslynn had the grace of a dancer and that was true as she rode; she didn’t lead the bird by its reins, but by leaning left or right, forward or back.

Watching her I was in awe, which turned my stomach because it felt unfair that she would be skilled at anything. Owain, I sort of liked because he was easy to hate, the guy was pompous and didn’t have the slightest sense of fashion — fair in the greater scheme. Jaslynn was just good — stunning, graceful, and an awesome fighter. If she hadn’t tried to get me killed I could see myself liking her.

We reached the castle, Jaslynn’s bird scaring some of the servants who were finding a moment to relax.

“Go inside,” Cybill said to Jaslynn. “I’ll watch our mounts.”

“I’ll stay too,” I said, tone low. Jaslynn shrugged and left. “Cibbs.”

Cybill glared at me and I smiled, it didn’t reach my eyes but it was getting easier to put on the mask. My mind flickered towards Surefoot, his words, and then I didn’t think about him because he didn’t understand.

Focus, I thought. An idea was bubbling at the back of my mind, and unlike thinking about Surefoot, it would actually count toward something if my escape failed.

“Do you know which floor Norbert’s on?”

“You wish to visit your paramour?” Cybill asked.

“Paramour. Anthony?” Her expression was a little too suggestive. “You’re not the first person who’s mind went there, which…can I— You and Ally are together, right? Odysseus has friends — guys — who seem like they’re together; and everyone’s been pretty okay about the idea of me and Anthony — which isn’t a thing by the way — being together.”

“What’s your question?” Cybill asked, her tone level. It always felt like she was humouring me, though that changed when she talked about Ally.

“Why isn’t that a big deal?” I asked. “Where I’m from it's usually a big deal. People…they’re dicks about it. But I’m getting the sense that isn’t true here, or it’s more complicated?”

Cybill shrugged. “Dalliances should remain between their participants,” she said, looking away. “But trouble begins when the dalliance becomes a union.”

“So…officially, you and Ally aren’t partners?” I asked.

“No,” she muttered.

“That must suck.”

She looked away.

I should stop making Cybill feel like shit, I thought. First it had been calling her out on the stuff she was ignoring, and now it was reminding her that her relationship was illegitimate in the eyes of society.

“Can you tell me on which floor Norbert’s quarters are?” I asked. “I’m hoping to find Anthony.”

“He’s on the tenth floor,” she said.

“Thanks, Cibbs,” I said, jumping off Rollo and wincing as my legs twinged. Not from the impact, because the armour protected against that; but because I still hadn’t gotten used to having to spread my legs while riding. “Rollo, go and explore, but stay out of trouble. I’m gonna call you when I get back.”

The goat drifted away and I went into the castle, finding the elevators and going up. It opened on the fifth floor, a servant stood beyond; they bowed and then didn’t get on. The elevator continued on and opened on the tenth floor.

A servant was at the door and I could feel people moving, going about their duties.

“Greetings, Lord Champion,” the man said, bowing and staying that way. “I am sorry to inform you, but Sir Norbert is not currently on the grounds.”

“That’s cool,” I said. “I was looking for Anthony, actually. Norbert’s squire. Is he in?”

“Yes, Lord Champion,” he said. “Should I lead you to him?”

“No, get him please. I’ll be here.”

The man nodded, bowed lower and then rushed off. Anthony got back a while later, with another guy I didn’t know instead of the servant; the guy was thinner, a little on the short side, with black hair that had been combed back.

“Greetings, Champion,” said Anthony with a slight bow. “I would like you to introduce you to my fellow squire, Latimer Crowe.”

“Greetings, Champion,” the guy said with a bow.

“Well met, Latimer,” I said. "Anthony, were you busy? I was hoping to show you something?”

“No, Champion,” said Anthony. He swallowed. “After your declaration to Baron Owain the Younger spread through the castle, my request to my master became clearer. He has offered me laxer duties for the fortnight to follow.”

I nodded, then looked at Latimer who stood straight, arms behind his back and gave me the feel of a soldier. Except his eyes, they were too sharp.

“Can you spare the moment to come up to my quarters?” I asked. “Latimer is free to come too. It’s nothing too sensitive.”

Anthony’s expression worked, but Latimer closed the small space between them, giving his friend a bump.

“I will gratefully accept, Champion,” he said with a bit of resignation.

We went into the elevator again and it climbed up to my floor.

“Your armour is not anything I have seen before, Champion,” said Latimer. “What material is it made from?”

I shrugged. “It was made by the healers,” I said. “I think it’s made out of moss or something.”

“Truly a wondrous gift,” said Latimer. “The healers are not known to leave their school. It must have been an honour to set eyes on them.”

“Yeah, I guess,” I said. The doors opened and where before there had been a more carefree atmosphere, now people tensed. Guards who had been chatting stood at attention — a part of me wondered what would happen if I started to order them around, would they listen? Were they my soldiers or were they my guards? I filled the thought away. “Unfortunately I don’t have food prepared.”

“It is no trouble at all, Champion,” said Anthony, the words quick.

“I’m expecting this to be short, anyway,” I said. “Can you wait here for a bit?”

The pair nodded and I went to the library, grabbed the sword and returned. I didn’t want to seem thirsty, to look like I really wanted Anthony and his family on my side; but I really did and I needed to entice him, ensure his loyalty in case my plan didn’t to escape work out.

“This is Swiftwind,” I said, holding out the sword. “Gifted to me by King Maybelle of Connelly. She told me it was a good sword, but I have no idea if it is. Can you check for me?”

Anthony didn’t move, his eyes were as large as saucers as he looked down at it. Beside and a little behind him, Latimer shifted, looking as though he wanted nothing but to shove his friend aside and take the sword.

“Um…”

“I don’t think it bites, Anthony.”

“Unless it meets its mark,” said Latimer.

Anthony swallowed and, with reverence, reached out and took it. Slowly, and with the utmost care, he pulled the sword out of its sheath and turned it over.

“I think it’s a temporal blade,” I said. “I don’t know if you can use magic—”

“Artefacts do not require one to truly know magic,” said Latimer. “Though we have been trained in the sensory aspects of magic. More than my friend, I am gifted at sensing the minute shifts in the air.”

Keen eyes, so dark a brown they almost seemed black, were set on me. I didn’t know Latimer, but I thought that he might be a starkly different figure to Anthony. One wore his emotions for all to see, the other…he was keener, and he wanted more — at least that was the feeling I had. Where Anthony was driven by family, I thought that Latimer might be more selfish.

“How does it feel?” I asked.

“I can feel its magic,” said Anthony. “It is a two-handed blade and if it is temporal, it might quicken its bearer’s steps so they can dodge incoming attacks. The blade is much lighter than it should be, thin, but the earthen gems would give it its strength.”

“I think it has a bit of wind in there too,” I said.

“For a better cut. Her Highness’s rapier and dagger have a similar magic, and they cause the split to be further, and the blade to cut farther than it normally would.”

I smiled. “I’m glad to see that King Maybelle was right,” I said and then I held my hand out. Anthony’s expression fell but he sheathed it again and handed it over. “Ladies Cybill and Jaslynn and I will be making a trip to the coast of the island. Would either of you care to join us?”

“Yes,” said Latimer, eager.

I looked at Anthony and he nodded. I threw the sword and he caught it.

“I don’t know what threats there are or how strong they are,” I said. “But if you’re going to be coming then you should be protected. I’m sorry, Latimer, but I can’t offer you the same.”

“Being in your company is honour enough, Champion,” Latimer said, smoothly.

“Tell me of your family as we descend, Latimer,” I said.

Latimer filled the silence as we went down. I used the time to recharge because talking to people was starting to get tiring.

***

Latimer, Anthony and Cybill were on horses, Jaslynn was on her bird and I was on Rollo. We kept our pace slow, though the bird moved erratically, sometimes running ahead, stopping and then pecking at the ground as it waited for us.

The others were only lightly armoured, wearing thick clothing I didn’t think would hold up well if the fauna of the island was truly dangerous, though all of them had donned helms or helmets which was worrying. Cybill hadn’t brought her sword, only her round shield, while Jaslynn had brought her disks; Anthony had my sword strapped to his side and Latimer had a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

Birds of various sizes and colours filled the air, their chirps running over each other, becoming a veritable cacophony. The trees were tall and widely built, their branches drooping from the weight of the many nests that hung from them. Our path became less grassy, turning into dark pebbles, and the sound of water lapping against stone became louder, joining the caw, screeches and chirps from the birds.

“Are the birds in this place dangerous?” I asked. My hand waved as a ladybug drifted past my face; the thing — a dull yellow with black spots — became a vivid purple at the motion, a low stink cutting through the air. My nose scrunched.

“The fliers or swimmers?” Jaslynn asked.

“You have penguins?” I asked.

“What’s a penguin?” Cybill asked.

“It’s a bird that swims,” I said. “What are you guys talking about? Ducks? Geese?”

“A freshwater auk,” said Jaslynn. “They are fearsome little things. Genial if undisturbed.”

“O-kay,” I said, because there was again something in her tone that had me on my guard.

I’d asked the question because there was just too much life around me. The smaller bugs I couldn’t sense — those had already been filtered out — but between the birds, the squirrels, the snakes and other things I hadn’t yet checked for, my focus was spread too much.

Something shifted at my feet and I looked down, expecting another snake — Anthony had explained that the snakes on Malnor island weren’t venomous, but snakes were snakes and I wanted to keep my distance. On the ground was a mossy looking rock that was scuttling along. I pulled Rollo to a stop and jumped off, bending over to see a little crab with a rock-like house on its back; the texture of the rock shifted to match its surroundings, sometimes looking identical to bark.

“I did not think you would spend this trip looking at critters,” said Jaslynn, bored. “I would have not donned armour, then.”

I frowned, then, “I’ve brought you two good looking guys,” I said with a shrug. “Maybe you can be nice and make conversation. You did complain that Lord Whomever couldn’t keep up. Latimer seems a warrior, you and he might have something in common.”

“A squire?” Jaslynn said.

“Under a renowned huntsman,” said Latimer, not missing a beat. He didn’t grin or smile, but there was again something in his eyes that unsettled me. “I’ve been called a talent before. I promise you, my lady, if you try me, I will be able to ‘keep up’.”

Jaslynn chuckled. “I do appreciate your gall, at the very least,” she said. “To speak so with someone so above you in station.”

“In my experience, those of a higher station enjoy the thrill of being challenged,” he said, earning another chuckle from Jaslynn.

Their conversation continued but I ignored them, my eyes moving to Cybill and Anthony — both scanning the horizon and through the trees — before going back to the crab. I picked it up and it curled into itself, the rocky house taking on the colour and texture of my skin, but not the feel.

I tried to think if it could use it for anything, but no idea came to me. After putting the crab down I climbed onto Rollo and we finally broke out of the treeline to see the blue-green waters of Lake Altrine. My head went left as I felt something moving out of the water; it was a fish from the looks of it, long, using its flippers as legs. It walked up the shore towards the trees, then used what must have been earth magic to dig a hole before settling in; the rocks fell back into the hole, covering the thing.

“A strutting trout,” said Anthony. For all that he wanted to be a warrior, he knew a lot about the local fauna. “They have minor water magic that allows them to retain moisture for long periods of time. They use their power to escape the dangers of the water during the night as they sleep.”

“Fish sleep?” I said, honestly surprised.

“Do not all animals sleep?” he asked.

“I think what might be going through my mind is mammalian sleep and how that’s not exactly possible for fish. They can’t just lay down and rest, do they?”

“The strutting trout does,” said Cybill.

“Point,” I said. “Which still isn’t an answer for if fish sleep in general instead of this one. The strutting trout is the only one that gets out of the water like this, yeah?”

“As far as I know,” said Cybill and Anthony nodded.

“Then—”

“Let’s keep moving,” said Jaslynn, put off.

We kept to the coast, the shifting of pebbles joining the greater song around as each time the horses and the bird took a step. The same wasn’t true for Rollo, whose steps were silent, without even the clop-clop-clop of hooves against stone. I looked down and noticed why, horse hooves displaced the stone and sunk into the ground, but Rollo’s steps were perfectly supported.

As a test I urged the goat forward and he took off, having no trouble running along. The others followed, but they made sure not to tucker out their mounts, except Jaslynn because she was competitive. She pushed the bird and it seemed happy for it, catching up and quickly passing us — not that I was racing her so I didn’t respond in kind.

I kept an awareness over my spatial sense, making sure that I didn’t get too close to anything that might kill me; with a pull back, Rollo slowed to a stop as I sensed a crowd. I saw them, black birds that might have been the auks; they looked a lot like penguins except they weren’t straight and tall. The birds were shorter, with a birdlike shape, though they had the vibe of swimmers; they were largely black with white bellies, and had long, black beaks that were stripped with white lines.

There were twenty of them between the trees, some in holes they’d dug out and others staring at us. I quickly played with my filters and felt that there were more of the birds on the island, some in the water swimming around at a surprising speed.

“Prepare to run,” Jaslynn said.

I had only an instant to process the words before one of her disks sailed through the air, crashed into the ground and flashed with light. Some of the auks cried out, but others spread their short wings and started to waddle forward.

I wasn’t scared. More than anything I was confused. But as Jaslynn turned tail, I quickly did the same. At a glance back I saw a few waddled towards the rocky ground, flop forward and dive, swimming deep into the earth.

Instinctively, I leaned on the ring.

The world around me slowed and became detached. Panic ran through me, making me want to run. Except I couldn’t. If I jumped off Rollo I’d fall and hit the ground hard, those things would catch up.

Five seconds per second, I thought. A whole five seconds for every second that passes. Use it.

I’d already tapped into my most essential tool — the temporal ring — which left me the second most important — my spatial sense. Right now it gave me too much information and that wasn’t useful. I cut things down: first the range, then filtering it so I could only sense auks and people, then cut down the range even more because there was still extraneous information.

Cybill was at the head of our group, Anthony and Latimer at her left and right, their horses running at speed. Jaslynn was ahead of me, but her bird was already starting to outstrip Rollo.

Horses and birds were fast runners, I remembered, and that seemed to work against whatever minor advantage Rollo got for his feet not sinking into the ground.

The sinking realisation hit that I would be the first to be attacked by the auks.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

My mind went blank and I swallowed a lump that formed in my throat. The auks were a breath away and they closed the distance, some angling towards me and Rollo while the rest continued on straight to the others.

Think. Focus. Weapons.

The first was the temporal ring and I was using that; the next was my spatial sense which was already giving me insight on the terrain; then—

Gun. Why did that take so long to connect?

My hand moved, but it was so slow. It was the detachment. The ring might have increased speed of thought, and maybe that would translate in my movements looking smoother from an external perspective, but within my own body it felt like I had to keep focusing on moving an arm towards my holster, feeling as my body moved in all sorts of wonky ways as it regained its centre of gravity — too distracting.

I let everything quicken and pulled my gun free.

Below Rollo and me the auks dove further down and then shot up. Earth erupted up in a stream as the auks breached, much like dolphins; they shot up high, surrounded by a torrent of black pebbles in a display that was breathtakingly terrifying.

Leaning on the ring gave me more time to process the image before me, black rocks with a sheen of moisture, light hit and bounced off, leaving a slight rainbow-like effect over them; the rocks plinked as they hit against each other, some weren’t even rocks but the crabs, and their colours changed to match the sky as they flew up.

The auks started to spin, which cast out a hail of pebbles.

Jaslynn’s discs became wreathed in pink-purple light and they flew free, orbiting around her and beating back the rocks that buffeted her. I leaned low, using Rollo as my shield; he seemed to be faring well against the assault. The rocks rained around me, smacking against my armour, but the impacts were negligible in terms of force.

The first of the auks fell again, diving into the ground and going deep, gathering speed to jump again.

It’s just the rock thing and that’s not working.

Confidence started to run through me and I pointed my gun.

“I’m gonna shoot, Rollo, don’t panic,” I said, but I made sure to lean away from his ears.

An auk shot out with pebbles around it. I levelled my gun and shot. The ball missed, hitting the rocks that flowed up around the bird. The auk spun, wings tucked in, and instead of shooting out, the rocks kept spinning around the birds as a shield. I shot again as it started to drop, breaking parts of the rock shield.

More birds flew up and rocks dropped. The hail was a nuisance, but didn’t hurt and I got the sense that the auks were more about intimidation than actual attack.

Or because being pelted by rocks means more to some predators.

My heart still beat heavily, but it was less fear and more adrenaline. The shooting became target practice as the birds chased us down the beach — I even managed to hit a few. Eventually the auks pulled back.

As a group we came to a stop.

“You are still a terrible shot, I see,” said Jaslynn. I glared at her. “But you fought,” she whispered, “you might succeed yet.”

I rode at a high as we continued to explore the beach. Even Jaslynn became less annoying.