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They practised until noon, and all the while, Thea picked Cal’s mind for advice on how to best handle the longbow. She soon discovered that he was also rather proficient with the sling and the spear, and was generous with his knowledge. He patiently walked her through several techniques with both weapons.

‘But from what I’ve seen,’ he told her. ‘Your strength lies with the throwing stars.’

Thea nodded stiffly.

‘That’s not what you want to hear?’ he asked.

Thea chewed her bottom lip. ‘I… I want to be a master of all,’ she answered at last. She waited for laughter or mockery, but none came.

Cal simply shrugged. ‘Then you’re going to need a lot of practice.’

A harsh voice cut through the woods. ‘ — moron is just as useless with a bow as he is with a sword. Furies know why he’s still here.’

Thea’s skin crawled at the sound and, instinctually, she knew its target.

With Cal at her side, they searched the Bloodwoods, finding Kipp wedged between two of Seb’s lackeys, the point of an arrow held to his throat.

‘I’ve been telling you for years, Sebastos, my talents lie in the War Room,’ Kipp said, inching his neck away from the tip, revealing a trickle of blood.

Seb leaned in. ‘And I’ve been tellingyoufor years, no one wants a commander who can’t swing a sword or throw a spear.’

The creaking sound of a bow being pulled taut sounded.

‘Seb!’ Cal had drawn to full height, an arrow nocked and ready in his longbow. ‘Let him go.’

Thea’s heart rate spiked. Things had escalated so quickly. Where was Torj? Surely he should step in.

But Seb turned his sneer towards Cal. ‘You, I’ve never understood. Why you throw yourself in with a bunch of freaks? First this weakling.’ He smacked Kipp’s face with the flat of the arrowhead before jutting his chin at Thea. ‘Then the bitch who thinks she’s a man.’

Thea refused to blush. Instead, she clenched her fists and adjusted her stance. If Cal shot, chaos would follow. She only wished she’d pocketed a few of the throwing stars.

Cal’s knuckles were white around the bow, but he held steady. ‘You want to know why I’m not in with your lot?’ He laughed darkly. ‘I have no interest in playing errand boy for some entitled prick who uses others to fight his battles for him. You’re only here because your uncle is friends with the Guild Master.’

Thea’s mouth nearly fell open.What?

The tips of Seb’s ears reddened. ‘That’s not true.’

Cal ignored him. ‘Let Kipp go.’

‘Or what? You’ll shoot me?’

Blood roared in Thea’s ears and she took a step forward without thinking, something crackling in her chest, a static buzzing at her fingertips. All the fear she had felt fell away and her focus became singular: teach Sebastos Barlowe a lesson. Her whole body coursed with a fierce energy that she knew in her bones could take that bastard down.

‘Well?’ Seb taunted, digging the tip of the arrow into Kipp’s neck.

Their friend winced, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face.

Seb was enjoying this. ‘You going to shoot me or what?’

Thea took another step forward.

‘Maybe he will,’ came Torj’s deep voice from behind them.

Seb had the good sense to flinch.

Thea froze.

‘And from what I’ve seen, Whitlock doesn’t miss,’ the Warsword added, moving to Thea’s side. His voice was calm, as though he hadn’t just found his shieldbearers in a deadly standoff, but his ice-blue eyes betrayed the fury beneath.