Theodran whipped through the easy woods of Aethline forest at a hard trot. He held Nightfire’s reins tight in one of his hands and a shortened hickory staff in the other. Twigs snapped like thunder under his furious onslaught as they trampled sprawling plants in the forging of a new trail.

His bow was an awkward weight slung over his back. He had two quivers, one at his side full of blunt tipped arrows that wouldn’t do much more than leave a bruise, and another at the ready on his saddle with razor sharp broadheads for hunting.

Or for bandits, but there would be no bandits in these tranquil woods.

Certainly no bandits. The Order’s presence might be weak this central in the Chalice, but sometimes they came through this way and while he didn’t look like a rich target with his well-worn cloak, shirt and trousers… Nightfire would water the mouth of any aspiring or actual thief. She was the finest mare his family had managed to produce after a decade of horse breeding.

The woods thickened ahead except for a narrow track that he knew led to a small clearing. He didn’t have much farther to go.

Heartbeats thudded in his throat as he burst into the clearing only to throw himself to the side from his saddle in a roll to his feet. His staff was a bar of wood now damp with sweat. A blunted arrow stuck at a slant in the rich soil, it’d have surely hit him if he hadn’t dropped.

Where is she?

He crept to the center of the clearing with Nightfire at his side. Shadows twisted in streaks of darkness across the swaths of tall grass and wildflowers near him. Birdsong twittered all around amidst the rich sweet scent of the flowers that nearly made him sneeze.

But yet there was no sign of her.

An itch tugged at the nape of his neck and he spun with a wide, low sweep of his staff. It made a loud clack as it struck the steel of her sword.

“I swear you have a talent for not being snuck on.” Alanna said with a grimace twisted by a sly smile. She leapt back and held her blunted sword up by her head at the ready. Her vivid green eyes seemed to shine as she studied his stance and posture. He hoped she found no weaknesses or he’d surely walk away from this with bruises to mark his failures.

“More likely one for horses.” Theo grinned, then pounced with a flurry of blows. High, low, from side to side.

It didn’t matter. Every strike was blocked, parried, or turned aside. Her own attacks cut new, narrow grooves into the already scarred wood of his staff whenever he managed to block them.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t too often.

He was now crisscrossed with a pelt of welts covering his wrists, arms and legs. It pained him to know that despite months of practicing she’d surely destroy him if they fought for real.

“Enough.” Alanna danced back from his clumsy attack with a smirk. She sheathed her sword right beside her always present dueling rapier. Hands on her hips she watched him lean on his staff like it was his only lifeline.

It probably was. Sweat drenched his already grass stained clothes and he knew his unkempt heap of brown hair was even more mussed than usual. He wanted to collapse on the soft pillowy expanses of the grass strewn ground.

“How’d I do?” He croaked out, cleared his throat then added nervously, “I mean I caught your little ambush… and to be fair usually the Pageship Races are done on horseback. Although jumping off like I did won’t really help train Nightfire for it.”

“Doesn’t matter, you still lost. And your horse ran off to eat flowers again.”

Theo scowled then smiled at her giggle as they both watched Nightfire graze placidly.

“Isidora does far better than you and she’s actually going to enter. Granted, she has Father’s experience and her tutors to train her.”

“But I have you.” He smiled again with a wink to sow good favor. Women liked that sort of thing, right?

“Only because I’m going after the dueling quarter.” She scoffed while she crossed over to him. “It’s too bad I can’t train you more with the sword, but it’ll be nearly useless in that cross-country death trap. Wouldn’t make sense to get a horse used to prancing rapiers when she’ll be sold for someone else to ride, right?”

Alanna glanced up to meet his wide-eyed stare. Her eyes glittered with unasked questions, his story of training Nightfire for it was full of enough holes to fill a farmer’s field in planting season, and he was sure they both knew it.

“You’ve done plenty. Thank you.” He leaned down to kiss her, but she twirled away with a laugh.

“None of that now! We have to ride back or we’ll get too many difficult questions about where we’ve been.”

Theo wiped the sweat from his brow with a sigh then whistled after Nightfire. She took a few moments of persuading to stop her feasting on flowers and tall grass for him to pack up his bow and staff. He climbed easily into the saddle then headed back to the opening of the clearing where Alanna waited on her own horse, Fleet.

“How long until you have to be back?” He asked with a click in his throat. He was distracted by how the light seemed to stream off her loose, pulled back blonde hair. She squinted in the low light and shifted uncomfortably in her saddle.

“Soon. I’ll already be late.” Alanna frowned, her hands clenched into fists around the reins. “Father insists on me practicing nearly every waking hour with Sevra. ‘I made duelBaron my first try and so will you.’”

Theo winced at her exacting mockery of Tyren, her father. It wasn’t a secret that he was overly zealous in educating his daughters. He’d been both a horse-and-duelBaron before stepping down to become a moneylender in Fremr, the village where they both lived closest too.

“I do want to become a duelBaron, don’t get me wrong, but I also want to do so much more with my life then the endless politicking and duels that I’d have to partake inside of Aethel.” Alanna continued in a bitter tone. “Don’t you ever want more out of your life? Travel to all the Three Great Cities through the Unholy Wastes?”

“That certainly would be a sight to see.” He lied with an easy, reassuring smile, but her green eyes bored into his own hazel ones. He turned away to the rough terrain almost untouched by man ahead of them instead. “I’m content with my life now. I like raising the horses we have and selling them, helping out on the farm… training to enter the Races.”

“Oh? So you admit it’s you that’s training and not only the horse?”

“Of course it is. Well, it’s both. Dad wants to sell him to some trumped up fool eager for fame and the chance to get in. Better yet, to show our prime stock to really open up our business.”

“Wow, usually you fight more when I call you a fool.”

“Ha ha.” Theo stuck his tongue out at her then leaned back into his saddle, content with the steady sway of Nightfire’s gait. “I would like to see those things, but my visits to Aethel with Dad to trade horses haven’t exactly made me eager to see what the other two cities are like. Especially with a trek through the wastes needed.”

“Aethel is far more impressive in the inner rings.” Alanna scoffed, likely with a roll of her eyes. He swore he could almost feel it. “Especially since the deeper in you go the more frequently you’ll find people with known talents, skills, or even an arc.”

“Talents.” Theo grimaced. His humor faded to embers at the thought. No, his family’s lives would be far better without that curse. Even if it wasn’t her fault. “They say everyone has one and nearly every person will swear up and down they know what theirs is.”

“Trust me, those with actual talents will hardly tell a soul unless they can profit off it. Skills and archetypes are easier.”

Theo went quiet. There was no way they could profit off of that tragedy. Sure, they could stave it off, but it always came back. Eventually. He checked the progress of the sun and felt his mood turn sour at how late it had already become.

“Is Modran’s sickness worsening again?” Alanna asked softly..

Theo flinched then nodded, wilting into the saddle. He swore she could read his mind sometimes, surely that couldn’t be her talent could it?

“Doesn’t your grandfather own a clinic in Aethel? I’m surprised your father hasn’t taken her to see him.”

“It’s complicated.” He mumbled and shifted uncomfortably.

“How is it complicated? Theo! Why wouldn’t he want to treat his granddaughter?”

“He’s tried, but there’s nothing he can do.” Theo glared into the depths of the woods, the horses' hooves now thudded on the trail that’d lead them closer to Fremr. No matter how good a doctor is, you can’t treat an unfortunate side effect of a talent, now could you?

Of course Modran’s talent required them to do other things to get her to recover. Or she’d just get sick again and wither away until she died. He found it distasteful, but it wasn’t as bad as it used to be. His stomach churned at the mix of emotions he was experiencing.

“I get you’re worried I mean how could you not be? If Isidora got sick like that I’d be beside myself with fear! But I can’t even imagine it being your twin…” She trailed off, picking up on his glum mood.

Theo gave her one of his best smiles in the hopes of lifting her mood. His family’s burdens weren’t hers to bear, and it wasn’t such a bad price to pay as long as they stayed on top of it. “I was going to go see Mother Kressi for some more herbs. They help sometimes.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” Alanna moved Fleet so his flank almost brushed Nightfire’s. “I can if you want.”

“Won’t Sevra lecture you again?” Theo leaned over to grab one of her hands and held it between them. Butterflies fluttered in the pit of his stomach and he felt his face burn red with a blush even though they’d been together for awhile at this point.

“Probably.” She grinned at him, but her eyes were still shadowed with concern.

“It’ll be okay. Thank you though.” He squeezed her hand trying to press in the gratitude he felt. “I have to hurry or Dad and Uncle will start to get mad at me and I don’t want to you get in trouble either.”

“If you’re sure… it really wouldn’t be too much of a bother. I have to go that way anyways.” Alanna pulled Fleet to a halt and he did the same with a gentle tug on the reins. He marveled at the weight of those all-seeing green eyes.

“I’m sure.” He brought her in for a kiss and an embrace. She relaxed into the press of his arms, her head on his shoulder.

Theo tried to ease his tension, but he couldn’t. He wanted nothing more than for her to come with him, but then she’d ask why they were going to Prielle’s farm instead to buy one of the newly born piglets.

Modran’s price for life came cheap, but also at a higher cost that they’ve come too quickly to accept as a family. How would Alanna react to know what kind of a talent she had?

Would she regard them with suspicion? After all, talents were often similar in families if they grew strong enough to be noticed. It was all too likely that his would be similar to Modran’s curse.

Theo tensed and she tightened her hold on him with a whisper of, “It’s okay.”

Or would they send for the Order if news got out? The Order hunted for any talent of use it could in its fight to defend the Chalice and explore the deadly wastes outside of it. Who better for that than a girl who can’t really die?

Theo gave Alanna one final squeeze before releasing her with another kiss.

Alanna beamed at him for a moment before she caught the crestfallen expression on his face. She opened her mouth to speak, but got interrupted before she could.

“Not surprised at all to find you two out here!” A familiar boyish not yet man’s voice called out to them. They both startled and shot a heated glare at Garret, Theo’s cousin, who was riding up the trail in the saddle of Briar, one of their lesser horses.

“Oh no… did dad send you?” Theo widened his eyes at the casual approach of his smirking cousin.

“Yep.” Garret chuckled with a smirk and his ever-present mischievous twinkle in his eyes that had gotten him in plenty of trouble over the years. “Wanted me to check why and where you took his precious horse off to.”

“Naturally.” Theo frowned with a wry shake of his head.

“Ahem.” Alanna cleared her throat, interrupting them. “Garret? I don’t know what you think you saw, but—”

“What? I didn’t see anything! Nothing at all! Everyone knows I have the poorest eyesight of Fremr or anywhere else nearby!” Garret exclaimed with hard waves of his hands, his face turning pale at the steely glint in Alanna’s eyes.

“Really now? Are you certain?” Her hand inched towards the rapier at her waist instead of the blunted practice sword.

“I saw nothing!” Garret shrieked, he startled back so hard he fell right off Briar. His left leg caught in the stirrup for a moment before he slipped with a thump.

Theo roared with laughter watching the two of them jest.

“What’s so funny, Theodran?” Alanna whirled on him, her hand now firm on the graceful hilt of her rapier.

“What?” He blanched.

“You know… it’s been awhile since I’ve had a bout.” She said thoughtfully, her stern eyes darted from the two of them.

“I find that hard to believe.” Theo chuckled half-heartedly, twitching Nightfire’s reins to drag her away from her grazing. “You get into fights all the time!”

“An aspiring duelBaron lady doesn’t get into fights, but duels.” Alanna narrowed her eyes, before snorting with laughter.

“Didn’t you beat up Bilby and Fen last week though?” Garret asked with a hard glare at her while he rubbed his left leg.

“They made a rude, offensive remark in my hearing.” She sniffed disdainfully.

“What about Ivo the week before that?” Theo chuckled.

“He didn’t watch where he was walking so I gave him a swat on the leg he wouldn’t forget anytime soon.”

“Isn’t he one of your dad’s guards though?” Garret blinked in surprise.

“It was a warning.” Alanna nudged Fleet closer to Garret and Briar. “Just like I’m advising you to be careful you didn’t see anything that could cause unfortunate rumors. You know how protective Father is about his reputation.”

“Everyone does.” Garret narrowed his eyes at her. As bad as Alanna was with her getting into spats with people, Tyren was far worse. He practically ruled half the town and the surrounding farms with an iron fist.

He’d take anything he could get from someone who took a loan from him, but he was also the only real chance for those in hard times. The first few payouts were beyond generous, but the subsequent payments?

“Just be careful, please?” Alanna sighed then turned back to Theo. “Same time next week?”

“Hopefully we can sneak one in before we leave for Aethel.”

“Right for the Pageship Races. Perhaps we’ll see each other there too as well.” She winked at him before riding back towards town. “Good day Theo, Garret.”

“I nearly thought she was serious there.” Garret muttered beside him, back in the saddle as they waited a bit so they wouldn’t come out of the woods together.

“Me too.” Theo sighed in relief before he asked shyly, “Did you see anything though?”

“Of course I did.” He slapped him on the shoulder. “How could I not? Besides, I’m pretty sure everyone already knows.”

Theo turned to look at Garret then sighed. “She asked about Modran, Ret.”

“By the Aleyr, did you tell her? You aren’t that dumb over her… are you?”

“Of course not.” Theo scoffed. “But she wanted to go with me to get ‘herbs’ from Mother Kressi. What was she going to say when I bought some basil, sage, and thyme for the cooking?”

“Good thing I came then.” He winced. “We do need to hurry though, my dad and Uncle Kieran will want us back soon.”

“Damn. Well let’s go then. I’ll stop by the Prielle’s farm for that pig if you get the herbs?”

“Good idea… want to race to the field?” He chortled with his hands ready on the reins, Briar plodded a step forward.

“On three?” Theo smirked and held his reins with the same anticipation. Nightfire stopped her grazing and pranced evenly in pace with Briar. The two mares turned to look at each other before rolling their heads and stomping the ground.

“Nope. Go!” Garret laughed as he spurred Briar into a gallop.

“Cheater!” Theo crowed with a laugh of his own as Nightfire streaked off under him. He bounced easily in the saddle, his bow and staff rattled under the chorus of hoofbeats.

Low-hanging branches snapped against him, but he goaded Nightfire to greater speeds. They rapidly gained on Garret who rode with his nose pressed against Briar’s mane.

Theo felt alive. He could’ve sworn he felt Nightfire’s every breath, the steady thunder of her heartbeat, and the flex of her muscles as they closed in.

They were neck to neck now.

Sunlight brightened as the trail loped in a long, widening gentle curve towards the outskirts of Fremr. There the trees gave way to grass that swayed in the gentle breeze. Victory would be found there.

Nightfire passed the slowing Briar and the swearing Garret.

His victory.

Nightfire surged through the breach as he let out a whooping cry. Theo pulled Nightfire to a prancing trot as he rounded in loops around Garret who clapped with mock applause. They both beamed at each other.

“What in the blazes is wrong with the two of you! Riding as if the Sectrasi and Muna are hot on your heels. Boys! The both of you.” Rosri shouted at them with a shake of her fist from the bench of her empty wagon. “You could’ve hit someone with reckless riding like that!”

“Sorry Rosri!” They echoed each other while she rode past muttering to herself.

“Wonder if she’s getting supplies for the inn?”

“Probably. Her and Laris take turns it seems.” Garret shaded his eyes to watch her progress down the road. “You’d know that if you went to the inn some time or helped more with the farm.”

“Not this again.” Theo groaned trying to urge Nightfire into a trot fast enough down the road that he could avoid the inevitable.

“Come on! You need to go some time! Maybe if you didn’t spend so much time with… so much time riding you could have fun every now and then!” Garret called after him as he beat a hasty retreat. He rolled his eyes at his cousin’s antics. He didn’t like drinking, it burned and didn’t seem to ever do anything for him. Whenever he’d start to get a buzz or anything it seemed to vanish.

Theo rode alongside Rosri’s wagon before too long in his eagerness to escape that conversation.

“I’m not going to race you down the road, boy.” Rosri glared at him.

“I didn’t expect you to.” He rolled his eyes with a sideward glance to the woods so she couldn’t see it. “Are you off to the Prielle’s farm?”

“No, I don’t have any interest in their wealth of pigs at the moment. Besides, they don’t have many crops to sell this harvest.” She muttered something to herself under her breath.

“Don’t tell me they—” Theo gasped then stopped short at Rosri’s slow nod.

“Another farm in that bastard’s hands.” She shook her head. “Your family’s farm, Faram’s, and Orell are the only ones left. He already got our inn, the tannery, and blacksmith a few months ago.”

“So he practically has the whole town now. All of Fremr.” Theo spat into the bristles of the woods to the right.

“He has everyone riled up with all of his demands while he struts around as if he were still walking the streets of Aethel. That filthy no good backstabbing chip hound!” Rosri snapped. “Now he has those daughters of his about to compete in Aethel and soon they’ll be even worse than he is, if they ever deign to come back.”

“They aren’t too bad.” Theo shifted a bit in the saddle then winced at her sharper than usual glare.

“Not too bad! Ha! Isidora practically runs most of his business now and is even harsher than he ever was. Apparently she now rides over to Gharadell and Jeil to leech more from them too. And don’t get me started on that wild mutt Alanna! She breaks the bones of any boy she can get her hands on. Uncivilized, is what that family is.”

“Apologies, Rosri, but I’m afraid I have to leave you behind. Father really wants me to pick up one of those pigs and be back before noon.” Theo said stiffly, cutting in before she could say anything worse. Nightfire nickered and he realized he’d clenched his fists too tight around the reins. His palm burned with the ache of it and from the grooves his nails had carved into the skin.

“What are you doing racing around in the woods then? Off with you then, boy.” Rosri shook her head as if he were a hopeless toddler still instead of on the cusp of being a man. “Tell Kieran I said hi and to watch his back. Trouble is brewing. Tyren won’t stop at the Prielle’s.”

Theo spurred Nightfire on to a hard trot trying to escape the hard words and his own resentment at what she’d said.