Sneak Peek

The mission began like any other, with the familiar trail of the Yewdew forest and the thriving wildlife that called it home, but I was certain the similarities would end there. 

My arm was steady as I lined up my shot, keeping the raglaw within range. A common sight in the forest, the plump, black birds provided a satisfying meal, sadly a rarity on my travels across Idrix. Perched high in a dragontail tree, oblivious to my presence, the raglaw preened its obsidian feathers.

My arrow struck true, as they always did, the bird plummeting to the ground with a satisfying thud. I removed it from the raglaw’s body, wiping the point on a filthy rag before returning it to my quiver. Arrows were a valuable commodity, and I couldn’t afford to leave any behind. Not when I wouldn’t be returning to the Old Keep for supplies for a while.

I trudged through the mud of the clearing towards my modest camp, and the sack of plucked birds hung there, the result of my afternoon hunt. I’d amassed enough to keep me sustained for the duration of my mission, even if I sold a few. Knowing I could rely on my prowess with a bow to keep the hunger at bay, I’d declined provisions this time. Others weren’t so lucky. 

Without the raglaw song echoing through the treetops, the forest had fallen into a hushed stillness. The afternoon light faded as the sun began its descent. Soon darkness would fall and bring with it a host of new challenges. 

Mercifully, the downpour I’d been caught in the previous day hadn’t persisted and my camp was largely unaffected by the mud. A campfire remained unlit where I’d assembled it earlier, beside a sturdy log covered in moss and the worn material of my bedroll.

 The defensive wards I’d woven around the camp let me pass without trouble, a warm caress on my skin greeting my return. It was simple magic, used in abundance by the fae, but I would take every advantage I could. Sometimes the simplest measures proved to be the most effective.

I set the bird I still carried down next to the campfire, trying not to dwell on the fact I’d be eating alone again. The solitude never became easier. Scouts were so scarce in the Night Ravens that travelling together was a rare occurrence. There was simply too much ground to cover and too few bodies to do so. Recruitment wasn’t easy either. Trusting anyone was a risk, a possibility of exposure. It only took one mistake to jeopardise everything we’d fought for.

My mind returned to Reuben’s words, to the orders he’d given me. My brow furrowed. None of this made sense. All I needed to do was meet the informant in Valtarra, find out what they knew, and report back to Reuben. I’d spent days staking out dangerous woodlands and crept around bustling cities while evading notice, but a simple bookshop owner would be my toughest mission yet?

Still, I had no choice but to take this mission seriously. This was a golden opportunity, a stepping stone to prove myself capable of taking on the most difficult scouting assignments. 

A chance to belong. 

The raglaw I’d just hunted was still warm as I plucked its feathers a fistful at a time, depositing them in my pack with the others. If I was lucky, I could earn a few coppers in exchange. Sometimes that was the difference between sleeping outside and affording an inn. 

I slumped on the log, holding my head in my hands. I despised this part. My bow felt like magic in my hand. Hunting prey was as easy as drawing a breath. But lighting a fire? Near impossible. 

Kneeling by the pile of firewood, I struck together two pieces of flint until they sparked. Or that was the theory. There was a technique to it, one I did not possess no matter how hard I practised. Instead, I relied on stubbornness, cursing under my breath all the while. With enough attempts, it would work eventually. Hopefully before nightfall, else I would be at the mercy of the forest.

A shudder ran down my spine, seeping out across my skin and making my hair stand on end. A warning. My wards had been breached. I was on my feet in an instant, my bow pointed at the intruder. We’d gone to great lengths with our stories ensuring no one chose to travel through the forest without good reason. A stranger being this close to the Old Keep was suspicious at best, catastrophic at worst. My heart pounded, lodging itself in my throat. I had to protect the Night Ravens.

“Having a little trouble there?” The voice was smug, taking far too much enjoyment in my struggle. 

Other fae could not be trusted, something I’d learned the hard way. Scaring him away was my best chance of ensuring not only my safety, but the protection of the Old Keep. 

The stranger’s approach allowed me to examine him more closely. He possessed a youthful charm, with twinkling green eyes full of mischief and dimples that appeared when he grinned. Glossy brown hair fell onto his handsome face before he brushed it back. It would be endearing if that sort of thing affected me. I couldn’t look past his polished appearance, the easy pride in his stature and his lack of supplies. He appeared to be nothing more than a liability, accidentally straying from the High Road with no concept of what he’d wandered into. Still, I stayed on high alert.

The liability in question sauntered closer to my camp, holding up his hands in surrender. “No need for violence.”

“Come any closer and there will be,” I said. His gaze darted to the bird resting next to the campfire and my sack hanging behind it, lingering too long for my liking. “I don’t share. Leave now and I’ll let you walk away with everything intact.”

His lip curved up in a wry smile, if anything, encouraged by my hostility. “I’m Silas, and just who are you?” 

I glared at him with enough venom to wither even the most courageous heart. There would be no chance of him receiving an answer. No crack in my shield. He may not be an overt threat, but that didn’t mean I wanted him anywhere near the Old Keep. Or me. “That’s none of your business. Go away.”

His dimpled smile only widened, my hand tightening on the bow in response. His reaction unnerved me. Usually, my hostility discouraged interest, leading others to believe I wasn’t worth the bother. But my rage amused him. He could be dangerous after all.

“Don’t be so hasty. Perhaps we’ll be useful to one another? You’re struggling with your fire. Luckily for you, that happens to be a strength of mine,” Silas said. I kept my bow trained on him, even as he inched closer. Too close. I wouldn’t fall for that trick again.

I fired a warning shot, the arrow sinking into the ground just shy of his feet, hoping it was enough to scare him away without resorting to bloodshed. But I wasn’t afraid to escalate if he pushed me further.

To my dismay, he laughed, pulling the arrow from the ground and examining it in his hand like it was made of gold. “I meant what I said. I mean you no harm.”

With an exhale, I released some of the tension in my body. We couldn’t lie. The words prevented him from hurting me. The ancient rules of the Fae made it so, but there was an art to phrasing things to hide a truth you didn’t want to share. Just because he meant me no harm didn’t mean he had no ulterior motives for approaching me.

“How about a trade? I start your fire, and you share your food with me. Then it’ll be like I was never here.”

“I said I don’t share.” But even as I said it, my mind turned the offer over carefully, trying to find his angle. 

I wrapped my cloak around me tighter, a cool breeze sending shivers through me as the sun bowed out of sight. I wore the basic clothing the Night Ravens had provided me with. A white shirt, frayed at the edges, brown trousers that itched my skin, and a heavy green cloak with a hood. Easy enough to move around in, but not the warmest of garments. The prospect of a roaring fire was enticing, but I hesitated, unsure if I could trust him, even with such a simple bargain.

“Well, in that case, I’ll go. Enjoy your evening.” Silas made a point of retreating, so slowly he barely moved. He glanced back, checking I was still watching him. I considered the offer again. So long as I was specific with the terms and kept my guard up around him, I could use his help. 

I groaned, certain I would come to regret it.

“Wait.” Silas stilled at my shout. “One bird, that’s all, and you’ll leave as soon as you’ve eaten. Or if I decide you’ve outstayed your welcome.” The words were specific enough to give me the power to protect myself should Silas be deceiving me.

“As you wish.” He bounded over to my camp in a few paces, with barely concealed glee. This close, I could see the detailed embroidery of his doublet, intricate golden patterns woven into the green material. There was no telltale flickering, no obvious flaw to the illusion. He wore no glamour. It was real, hand-stitched and made to fit him like a glove. It must have cost a fortune. He was important, whoever he was.

Silas extended an arm towards the unlit campfire. “Step back. This could get a little… heated.”

I scowled at the instruction but obeyed. Flame, real hot fire, flowed from his fingertips, igniting the firewood in an instant. I gasped in surprise. All fae had the ability to wield simple enchantments, like glamours and wards, even if some were more talented than others, but only the chosen few had Blessings, the ability to harness the magic of the elements - air, fire, water, and earth. I was already an adult by the time I’d met my first Blessed fae. In the Night Ravens, there were only a handful. 

The warmth from the fire soon reached me, the heat seeping deep into my bones. My shivers subsided at last. Silas sat on the mossy log, rolling his shoulders. I joined him, leaving a wider gap than necessary, still wary of his intentions. To my dismay, he smelt just like the forest. It was a woody scent, punctuated by subtle notes of vanilla that only enhanced its soothing quality.

“I’m surprised you didn’t try that earlier. Aren’t you Fire-Blessed?” He cocked his head, assessing me. “No? Even with that temper? Gods, I’m usually better at this.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“Your Blessing.” He said it like it was obvious. “You know, magic.” 

“I know what a Blessing is. I don’t have one.” 

I skewered two birds, propping them over the open fire until the flames licked at them. My mouth watered at the smell, providing a moment’s distraction from my infuriating companion.

“Come on, you can tell me. We’re friends now.” He shuffled along the log to nudge my shoulder, unbothered when I shook him off. The fire sizzled as juices from the cooking raglaw trickled onto the flames. “What’s the big secret?”

I snapped, my limited patience depleted. “Would you fucking listen to me? I have no magic.” 

Silas reeled back like I’d punched him. Good. It was satisfying to wipe the smile from his face and gain the upper hand. Silence fell, only interrupted by the crackling of the fire and the hiss of the meat as it cooked. 

He frowned. “That’s impossible. Everyone has magic.”

It clicked. The casual arrogance, his fine clothing, the disbelief at my words. He was part of the nobility, sheltered from the world beyond his limited experience. “Everyone you know.”

I awaited his rebuttal, but none came. He nodded, looking uncharacteristically serious for a moment before he masked it with an easy grin. “Good thing I now know you. What was your name again?”

I ignored him, turning the raglaw over slowly, avoiding burning my fingers. Silas leant back on the log, a thoughtful expression on his face. “You must be tough.”

“Excuse me?”

“A Blessing isn’t just about having command over an element. It’s a way to prove you deserve respect. We’re constantly pitted against one another to determine who is strongest, and where the true power resides as a result. Lose, and you’re treated worse than dirt. Without a Blessing, you must be tough to have survived.”

I busied myself with the skewers, even though there was no need to interfere with the raglaw.

“You don’t talk much, do you?” 

“I think you’re doing plenty of talking for the both of us. I only agreed to feed you, I don’t owe you more than that,” I said.

Silas shot me a dazzling smile. “You should count yourself lucky. Many have vied for the chance to dine with me.”

If that was meant to impress me, he’d made a misjudgement. His popularity was no concern of mine. “Why don’t you go find one of them and leave me alone?”

“And miss an opportunity to find out more about my new friend?” he said, not missing a beat. 

I bristled at his presumptuous familiarity. Was he always so forward with strangers? It only heightened my distrust of him. “We’re not friends, and if you value your life, you’ll stop trying to get to know me.”

Silas let out a low whistle.

“I mean it. You cannot harm me, but I haven’t made any such promises,” I said.

“Have it your way,” Silas said with a shrug. He gazed around the camp with interest. “It’s just you out here? No ferocious hunter to watch your back?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Who says I need one?”

“You’re plenty ferocious, I’m not doubting that. Just working out if I should sleep with one eye open tonight.”

“You should, but not because of my imaginary hunting partner,” I said.

“So, there isn’t anyone?”

I didn’t dignify that with a response, instead rescuing the cooked raglaw meat from the fire before it burned. “Here,” I said, handing him a skewer without looking at him. “Be careful, it’s-”

“Hot!” Silas yelled before I could finish, yanking his canteen from his belt and gulping down the water. “It burns.”

He truly was naïve to the world, possessing not even a shred of common sense. I laughed, surprising myself as much as Silas. He snorted, the sounds of our laughter bringing life to the quiet forest.

“So that’s what it takes. I’ll be sure to injure myself more often if it earns a smile from you,” Silas said. I realised how close he was to me, so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. It was too much, a level of intimacy I hadn’t experienced in a long time. I withdrew back into myself, to safety. 

“Finish eating, then leave as you agreed,” I said, leaving him alone by the fire. From the refuge of my bedroll, I hugged my knees to my chest.

“Did I do something wrong?”

I lifted my head from my knees, finding him straddling the log to face me, his face anguished. 

“I don’t owe you an explanation. You are distracting me from my duties, and that’s the last thing I need right now.”

“Oh, so you find me distracting?” he said.

I scoffed. That’s what he had gleaned from my words? 

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I said. He didn’t need his ego inflated any more than it was already. “I’m serious. You have a bargain to honour.” 

Breaking a bargain had unpredictable consequences, none of them pleasant. Some perished immediately, others were struck down with unimaginable illnesses or cursed with eternal misfortune. That was if you could even break it. Usually, fate intervened to bind you to the terms. 

Messing around with bargains was a fool’s game.

“Right,” he muttered. “Has anyone told you how warm and welcoming you are?”

“It’s worked for me so far.” As he wiped his mouth and prepared to leave,I offered him the only thing I was willing to. Advice. “Be careful out there. Idrix is a dangerous place for those who are ill prepared.”

Silas’ bravado returned as a flame danced on his index finger. “I’m ready for anything it can throw at me.”