Page 47

Reina

“ S till holding your breath when you aim?”

I glanced up at my brother with a smile, keeping my eyes on him as I fired away. “Still making dumb comments when I’m busy outperforming you?”

He whistled, leaning casually against the post, his hands shoved in his pockets. “Cocky as ever.”

I already knew I hit the bullseye. Of course I did. I was Reina Adelaide Moore. Honestly, the shocked mumbles and pangs of fear coming from the surrounding soldiers were a bit unnecessary. What’d they think I was gonna do, miss?

“Real guns?”

The question came from somewhere behind me. No way was I getting in his line. Alexiares was a nightmare when it came to teaching, well, among many other things, that made him scary.

Creaking wooden carts and the rhythmic clatter of shifting metal filled the air as a group rolled in crates brimming with weapons. Through the slats, I caught glimpses of polished steel and intricate carvings—Tomás’s unmistakable craftsmanship. He was a dang genius and there was a lot I could learn from him. The way his designs didn’t suffer from the beauty he etched along the sides. It all fed into magic enhancements that brought additional lethal components to play. Those were for later.

“Would you prefer us to assess you with water guns?” Alexiares’s voice cut through the murmurs. “Either set your piece up or get the fuck out of my line.”

Hard ass . I laughed quietly, slinging my bow over my shoulder and grabbing Hunter’s arm to pull him closer to the action. The distinct tang of iron and the earthy scent of sawdust surrounded us as we weaved through the gathered soldiers. Alexiares came into view, arms crossed as he stood there menacingly, Amaia at his side, face set with boredom.

“Then what?” his buddy asked, his tone teasing, but he kept his stare warily on Alexi. “Paintball style exercises?”

Amaia’s grin sharpened. She pushed off the fence of our little makeshift range with the easy grace of someone who had already won the argument before it started. Oh boy, I knew where this was going. Her agitation was evident from here, no magic necessary.

“They don’t say we got the best troops for nothing,” I stepped in, proud enough for us all. “Don’t worry though, the simulations don’t use weapons with lethal force but the weight and balance of it al?—”

The soldiers gave me a once over and turned toward each other with a burst of laughter. I scoffed, jaw on the ground as they brushed past me, talking like I wasn’t right there and couldn’t hear.

“Rude.” I shook my head. “Do you think it was the outfit?” I muttered to Hunter, re-tucking my tank top into my rolled-up shorts, focused on something that hardly mattered.

“I think it was a lot of things, Sis,” Hunter said with a light chuckle.

Amaia’s gaze shifted across the crowded field as she approached, sharp yet softened when it met mine. I loved seeing her this way. All in charge and stuff. ‘General mode’ in all her glory. Soldiers moved quickly when she passed, offering quick salutes or nodding in acknowledgment.

“Doesn’t matter what they think—half of them are still too scared to be on a squad with you after whatever the hell you pulled in the north. Besides, I can say with absolute confidence that you could outshoot them all. Speaking of which, still set on being a combat medic?” Amaia said, her voice steady, reassuring as the clattering of weaponry and the crackling magic continued behind us.

I shot a wary glance at Hunter, already bracing for his objection.

“Reina is an adult. She can assist where she pleases,” Amaia added before he could intervene over the sounds of magic and metal. The sharp whoosh of a magic-infused arrow hit its target behind her, the commotion making me feel small, not helped by the thud of boots stomping on the ground around us.

“She’s a healer, not a soldier.” Hunter’s voice cut through the noise, his tone firm. “Like hell she’s seeing any action that’s outside of a surgical tent.”

“I’ll go where I’m needed. Thank you very much,” I shot back, heat rising in my chest, though I knew better than to expect anything other than support from him. He may protest the hell out of a situation, but he’d never hold me back from doing something once I had my mind made up. Hunter had been my main advocate for leaving the ranch and going to college.

“She’s already seen combat. Why do you think she’s here?” Amaia said matter-of-factly.

Hunter snorted. “Emotional support.”

“Sexist much?” I shot him a glare.

The thrum of elemental power surged behind us. Air and earth elementals worked together, partnering up and calling on their power as they moved around rocks and earth from the ground, hovering them with trained efficiency.

“I’m your brother,” he said dismissively.

“That doesn’t make your statement any less shitty,” Amaia interjected, her eyes narrowing in amusement. She remained entirely unfazed as a wave of soldiers brushed against us in the process of changing stations.

“All I’m saying is, I mean it in an overprotective brother way not—” Hunter sighed, his shoulders slumped in defeat. “Ya know what? Screw it. What do you need from her, and how can I help her prepare?”

“Music to my ears,” I said, grinning as excitement bubbled up in my chest. Aerial drills began, sending gusts of wind swirling above our heads. My hair flew into my eyes, blinding me and catching in my mouth.

“Ramona isn’t here to train the cavalry since they’re needed on patrol now. That leaves Marco, Hayfield, and Wells to assess the others and run the exercises.”

“But they’re idiots,” I mumbled in confusion, still fussing with my hair. Okay, the Katniss braid was a bad call.

The three were good at doing their job, but their job was to follow orders, not instruct or call any fundamental shots. Certainly didn’t possess the brain power it took to help other riders figure out or overcome any hiccups.

“Exactly.” Amaia pursed her lips, a knowing glint in her eye.

It hit me then. My heart thudded against my ribs at the realization of what she was getting at. “You want me to lead an impromptu cavalry?”

“She’s not a rider,” Hunter protested immediately, his eyes flicking to the mounted units performing maneuvers across the field.

The sound of hooves pounding the earth, the low whine of horses … and half of their riders struggled to stay on while following Hayfield and Wells movements. Marco stood on the side yelling out commands, red with frustration as he tossed his hat onto the ground.

“Sorry, you keep speaking for Reina when I’m talking directly to her.” All patience in Amaia’s tone had disappeared. She stood tall once more, the relaxed posture no longer present. A flash of blue light from a nearby combat magic duel illuminated her face. “Either stand here as a supportive, proud brother and shut up or get lost.”

I bit my lip, doubt creeping in. “He’s right. Seth and Hunter were always the better riders. Hunter competed. He can probably help ‘em better than I can.”

“If I thought that was the best option, I’d have asked him,” Amaia said firmly, leveling her stare. A heavy thud shook the ground, emphasizing her point as two horses took off … without their riders. “I asked you .”

“Are you askin’ as my friend or my general?”

“As your general. But as your friend , I’ll have you know I’m asking because I’ve seen you ride. You may not be your brother, but you’re still better than half the riders these ingrates have. And more importantly, you have the heart to get them to commit—to believe in themselves. Millie will probably lead the push to Covert.”

“Ramona?” I asked, even though we all knew she wasn’t here.

“Will receive orders to protect our borders when we move east. She is irrelevant to this conversation both now and in the future.”

A warmth spread through me as her words sank in. I straightened, meeting her gaze with a smile wide enough it dang near hurt my cheeks. “I won’t let you down.”

“You never do.” Amaia turned, already walking away. “Skip the combat assessments to run barrel drills with them. But if you want back on my field, I want you training on the mat morning and night. Don’t embarrass me.”

Excitement fizzed in my chest, and I couldn’t help the little hop and clap that escaped.

Hunter groaned. “Does she always scheme on her own and then drop bombs on y’all like that?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” I admitted, still grinning ear to ear, the sounds of magic and battle melding into the background like a war symphony.

“And how often does that usually work out for her?”

“Annoyingly,” I said, switching the shoulder of my bow. “All the time.”

A messenger approached Hunter, his face tense as he relayed the news that his people had finally arrived.

“I need to talk to them before they interact with the others,” he said, squeezing my hand before walking off, his footsteps swallowed by the noise around us.

I watched him go, the familiar ache pressing at my chest. Seth should’ve been here with us. That was all he ever wanted—just to stand side by side with us. If only things had been different. If only Seth had known Hunter was still alive … But he had known. That was the whole point.

Day one of assessments and my legs ached like no other, my back protesting every movement, and my hands were a reddened raw mess from hours of drills. There’d been no time to mend myself in the blur of chaos. Soldiers bustled around me, hauling gear back to where it couldn’t be touched by weather conditions, while others sparred, getting in extra sessions or showing off.

I tended to my bow, trying to ignore the noise, lingering far beyond what was expected of me. Going home right now didn’t excite the way that it should. Maybe because it wasn’t really home at all, just a place to sleep for the next few weeks. Old me would’ve loved having my family all together under one roof—but I wasn’t old me anymore and a lot had changed.

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

I kept my eyes on my bow, forcing my voice to stay even and not give me away. “It’s been a busy day, that’s all.”

Jessa’s boots crunched closer. I knew what she would say before she even spoke. “This thing with the cavalry—Amaia shouldn’t have put you in that position.”

Again with this. Except she wasn’t Hunter—Jessa would never support what I was doing, no matter how much I wanted it. “Amaia is my general. She can ask me whatever the heck she wants.” I sighed, finally turning to face her.

Her sandy blonde hair was pulled taut in a ponytail, the sun having kissed her cheeks. God, she’s so beautiful . Almost enough to distract from the fact that she was a healthy reminder that not all light is good.

“Yeah, she can. That doesn’t mean you have to say yes. That’s the beauty of you being a medic and not a soldier,” Jessa snapped.

I moved my hand in a mocking motion, mimicking the words she was saying. “Whatever, Jessa.” Her words struck hard, igniting a surge of anger in my chest.

I was beyond done arguing with her. That’s all everything was with her now. No such thing as a pleasant conversation between us, even ones that started off tender, with good intent, ended with me walking away. I hated being an angry person, and that’s all I was these days. Especially in her presence.

“And you know what? I can do both, actually ,” I said, brushing past her then whipping back around, having more to say than I originally intended. “Hello? What do you think a combat medic does in the first place? The only difference now is I’ll be doing it from the top of my mare. Amaia trusts me—something you couldn’t seem to do in the first place.”

Her expression flickered with guilt for a moment before her ocean eyes hardened again. It didn’t matter; it lingered beneath the surface, just waiting to break free. “That’s not fair.”

I scoffed, taking out my braid and ruffling through my hair. “Neither is lying to someone who cares about you. But life’s not fair so, cry me a freaking river.”

We were attracting attention now. Great . Any respect I’d gained these last few hours was officially out the window thanks to my … my what? My girlfriend? We barely functioned as roommates. I’d wanted to fix this—at first. Now I realized it wasn’t my thing to fix and trying to ‘fix’ everything that was out of my control had resulted in a dead brother, so maybe I should stop.

“We aren’t doing this again. I’m not going there with you, not right now. This is war, Reina. It’s serious.” Jessa took a step closer, lowering her voice. We stood eye level with each other, locked in a quarrel only lovers could fight with merely just the eyes. “Now isn’t the time to worry about proving yourself to her. Or anyone, for that matter. It’s about doing what it takes to make sure you stay alive.”

“You think I don’t know that?” I gestured to the swirl of energy around us—the sparring soldiers, the endless row of weapons, the hum of magic that never seemed to face. “This is what staying alive looks like, Jessa. Fighting, training, stepping up to do what’s right for the group when no one else can or will.”

“Even if it kills you?” she asked, her raspy voice cracking slightly, that edge of vulnerability cutting through her frustration.

No faith. She has never had any faith in me. And it didn’t help that I could feel it—every spike of doubt, every sharp pulse of frustration.

I opened my mouth to argue, hesitating because right now wasn’t the time or the place, and in that pause, I caught movement out the corner of my eyes. Millie. She stood across the field near the cavalry’s makeshift stables. Her hands rested against her thick, muscular thighs as she buckled over. The sweet song of her laughter carried over the rest of the noise. She leaned back up against a post, talking animatedly with another rider. Her ease in all this mess was a knife twisted in my gut. I didn’t want to think about her, about that night. Right now probably wasn’t the time to acknowledge any feelings that lingered from a brief dalliance.

Jessa followed my gaze, her eyes narrowing when she saw Millie. “Of course—your new ‘captain.’”

“Don’t,” I whispered, not having the energy to run back through this fight either.

Her laugh was bitter, cutting through my ears like a splintered piece of wood. “Don’t what? Say what we’re both thinking.”

I turned fully to her, “Our problems have nothing to do with Millie. Aren’t you tired, Jessa? This isn’t what it used to be. When’s the last time you can honestly say we got through the day without arguing? It’s not fun anymore, and it hasn’t been in a long time.”

Jessa’s face fell as she stepped closer, the space between us now limited to a shared bubble of oxygen. “Of course it isn’t. How can it be when you’re throwing yourself into every role Amaia gives you, pretending like you’re fine, pretending like we’re fine?—”

“Stop,” I said, my voice firm, though it wavered under the pressure. “Just stop. I’m exhausted. I’m not doing anything I don’t want to do of my own free will. None of this is a job for me. I want to help my friends, my family .”

Jessa’s expression softened, but the tension didn’t leave her body. “Reina, you’re spreading yourself too thin. And if you’re doing it to avoid dealing with us, then I?—”

“There is no us,” I snapped, my voice rising despite the soldiers milling around us. Millie and the rider turned their heads, curiosity flickering in their gazes, but I didn’t care. “Not really and you know what? Maybe there never was. You made sure of that the second you decided to spy for my father.”

Her face drained of color, lips parting like she might protest. But then her shoulders lowered, quiet acceptance settling in. I knew denial when I saw it. I was denial for the last four years. “You don’t trust me. I get it. But I’m here because I want to help. I want to make this right between us.”

I shook my head, the ache in my chest too heavy to ignore. “Between us ? No, Jessa, that’s the problem. The difference between you and me and why this will never work no matter how much I want it to—I’m here for my family, for me . You’re here for me because it’s convenient to the cause and Amaia’s conditions on the grounds that it was this or execution. Because Riley’s spy network needs the intel and you’re mapping borders. You’re a useful piece on the chessboard for the others.”

The words were callous—cruel, even. Unnatural coming from my mouth. But they were the first honest ones I’d spoken to her in months, and now that they were out, I couldn’t bring myself to stop. Kindness was already scarce in this world, and I refused to be the one to spread more venom. Though the urge to say more tugged at me, I chose mercy instead.

I told myself I meant them. That I wanted this to be the end of whatever thread still tethered us together. Maybe, one day, I’d regret it. Maybe, one day, I’d want to make things right. But not now. Not here. Not during the simulations.

Jessa didn’t say anything else. She stood there, her gaze flicking between me and Millie one last time before she turned and walked away. The weight in my chest didn’t ease as I watched her go. If anything, it settled deeper, a stone sinking into dark water.

I turned back to my bow, my fingers trembling as I gripped the smooth wood. Tomorrow was another day, another fight. But this fight—the one I’d been fighting for a while, maybe it was finally over. At least, that’s what I told myself.