I called for Corrin and instructed him in undertones to stay with Priya. Then I walked toward Callix, every bit of charm I could muster poured into my voice.
"I really think you should meet Lyric. She's responsible for this victory too," I said lightly. Before he could object, I called her over.
"Sir Callix Sable," she bowed her head low, "It's an honour to be in your presence again. Last we met, I was just a child—"
He cut her off, and from his tone of voice, I could guess what he was about to say.
"Miss Lila."
"Lyric—Sir, I was an archery student," she leaned toward him like he was the sun and she a flower. For a split second, I saw the girl she'd once been.
Before he could shoot her down again, I cut in. "Lyric is one of the best archers I've ever seen. She would be an asset to Eden—a mutually beneficial choice—"
Callix cut me off with a dazzling smile. He placed a hand on my back and guided me a few steps from Lyric, lowering his voice.
"Miss Alis, we are not in the business of offering charity to the infirm. I am quite sure having one less mouth to feed and house is of benefit to every settlement in this Cradle. Unfortunately, the Order of Eden has not secured enough land or housing to support those—"
"I'm not deaf," Lyric piped up from behind us. Her voice trembled—not with weakness, but with heat. "I'm blind in one eye. Doesn't mean I can't shoot straight. You said so yourself—I'm a natural."
I glanced at her. Her shoulders were squared, but her hands curled into fists at her sides. She wasn't just angry. She was shattered. Fighting to hold together the pieces.
"Just because one of those Castors took my eye—I'm nobody's charity case." Her voice cracked, just slightly. Then she spun on her heel and fled—not in shame, but with the fury of someone who had just relived their deepest betrayal.
Callix sighed. "I do wish we could help those like young Lilac, but you must understand."
I pushed away from him, just slightly.
"I don't," I said, voice hard.
"Miss Alis, we've come as friends," he said, looking almost wounded. "Your village has received top marks for its order, its commitment to purity. But this status can change." His eyes glinted with a warning. "I suggest you rein in tempers. We're here to help, after all."
Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a battle cry pierced the air.
I turned. Callix was gesturing to his people. Some drew weapons.
"It seems we were followed," he sighed. "Most unfortunate, but this shall be dealt with. If you would just shelter in place— No doubt a Quell. We heard of you felling Hexa Quell, but they say the younger one escaped. And where one Quell survives, a whole nest springs up again. No doubt the little one has come for blood."
I bit back what I wanted to say—because the Quell he was referring to was hiding in my home.
The way he spoke of them, like they were a disease instead of fellow runners, made my mouth taste sour.
"My people can help you," I said through gritted teeth.
"Not needed. They will get in our way," Callix flashed me a grin. "We'll have this dealt with in just a moment."
I huffed but nodded. "Shelter in place!" I shouted to the few villagers peeking out.
I sprinted to my home.
"You can't come out. They'll kill you on sight," I whispered to Nox. I pushed her under the bed and dropped the sheet. "Stay there."
She kicked the bed. I smiled a little and kicked back.
Outside the window, the Eden soldiers were vanishing into a thick cloud of dust. Whatever they were fighting was strong—unnatural.
I sat and closed my eyes, trying to feel through the code. Something was wrong. Tangled. Like someone had reached in and tied it in knots.
Then someone shook my shoulder, hard.
"It's Priya! She's gone!" Corrin was standing over me, tears streaking his face.
"How?" I followed him out. The Eden soldiers were gone, as was the strange enemy.
Inside Priya's house, it was eerily silent.
"Someone knocked me down from behind," Corrin rubbed his head. "I tried to get back up, but they pressed something into my neck. When I opened my eyes, she wasn't here."
"Did you see your attacker?"
"No," he said, more tears falling.
I brought him outside and called out, "Did anyone see someone enter Priya's home?"
A sea of shaking heads.
Then Lyric sidled up beside me, her expression flinty. Gone was the trembling anger. In its place was something harder, colder.
"Classic move. Create chaos, then snatch someone. They zapped Corrin so he wouldn't fight. They don't want to hurt us—yet. We might still be useful."
"But they're supposed to be good," Corrin said, eyes wide. "They fought off the dust storm."
"They brought it with them," Lyric shrugged. "They'll be long gone by now."
"You said you knew Callix. How?"
She hesitated. Then spoke, quietly at first. "I was a recruit in Eden's army. Until this—" she gestured to her eye, "and they discharged me. Promised I'd get a spot again someday."
Her voice darkened. "I trained for years in Eden. I bled for their approval. I smiled through every insult. They promised me a future, even after my eye... and then they threw me out like I was broken gear."
She met my eyes then—hers glittering like flint.
"I begged," she added quietly. "I begged them to let me stay. That's what shames me most."
A pause. She straightened, brushing hair from her face like casting off an old skin.
"But they made one mistake."
I tilted my head.
"They let me live."
"So you know where Priya might be?" I asked.
Her eye narrowed, and a slow grin crept across her face.
"Only too happy to show you," she said. Her voice had a new weight to it now—resolved and dangerous. "Let's show Callix how dangerous the 'infirm' can be."
Nox came running toward us.
Lyric gave her a look of instant approval, her grin widening.
"Want to cause some trouble?" she asked.