Page 93 of Brutal Birthright

“Seeing as you’re here and have nothing better to do with yourself, go take these for a spin for me, would you?” Her fingers reached out eagerly. Flexing around the smooth curvature of the bow and allowing the weight of it to dance on her fingertips. Feather light and obviously made of the finest materials if the armourer before her had anything to do with it.

“Are you serious?” She couldn’t contain the hint of excitement in her voice. It had been so long since she’d been able to simply enjoy using a bow or firing an arrow without the constant awareness that each missed or misfired shot might affect her standings with reaching the elites.

“Head out to the range.” He shooed her off. “I’ll follow you out there in a minute to see how they fly.”

Ri hid the grin threatening to consume her entire face as she scurried outside. Despite the early morning quest to find her brute, locating Rowan of Nocturne could wait. Surrounded on all sides by the billowing mist, she could still work with the nearest targets set up on the perimeter of the forest. This was where the track beneath her feet continued an all-too-familiar path winding off to the assault course. But for now, she could set up her position here where the tree line began to thicken, and the scent of damp pine needles beneath her feet rose up to surround her in a blanket of wilderness.

So much like the familiar scents of her mountainous home territories, she suddenly felt weightless. Buoyant even.

There was every possibility she might be placed somewhere similar if she made it to the Astrals, which was looking more and more likely with every passing week. But there was still a long road ahead through the remainder of the year, and their most strenuous assessment yet was fast approaching.

Rowan had already dropped enough hints that she needed to expect the unexpected when the time came. Whatever lay in store for the class was going to make running the assault course look like a game made for younglings.

Attaching the quiver to her thigh, Ri withdrew one of the long, slender arrows from the sheath, and gently ran her thumb over the pointed golden tip. The entire shaft had been coated in a shimmering metallic substance, one that no doubt made for durability... and deadly precision.

She notched the length against the string and drew back into the stance ingrained into her muscle memory. Ri didn’t need to think twice about positioning her elbows, or her core, or the angle of her chin. It all just flowed through her like a dance where she became one with the bow under her command.

This must be what it felt like to soar high on wings. Without even needing to think about the technique, only existing in the moment when the world turned quiet, and all you needed to do was breathe.

Drawing back, the tension pulled with perfect weight as she eyed her target amongst the tall timbers. Only the slowly drifting curtain of mist lay between her and the marker she aimed for. On a careful breath, she allowed the arrow to soar. Relishing the familiar song of the weapon flying through the air as she let it sail on its path.

Perfect arc and trajectory.

The arrow landed true to its mark with a dull thud. Just as she anticipated.

She grinned down at the bow loosely gripped in both hands. This was a beautiful piece, and she felt like her chest expanded with a sparkling beam of light. Somehow Finn had entrusted her out of everyone to handle such a thing of beauty on his behalf.

Turning it over in her hands, she was just about to admire the carvings along the inner curvature of the bow itself when she heard a crack of a twig behind her. Lighter footfall than could belong to Finn.

On instinct, she whirled around, already with a new arrow cocked against the bowstring, ready to aim at whoever crept up behind her.

“Don’t—shit—I didn’t mean to startle you.” Big eyes met her own. The young witch stood frozen to the spot with several large books clung against her chest and a bag slung loosely over her shoulder.

“Stars. You’ve got a death wish creeping up on me like that.” Ri breathed out a laugh. Easing the arrow out of position and allowing the bow to go slack.

The girl winced. Shooting an apologetic look. “I didn’t want to put you off your shot.” She gestured with her delicate chin at the marker where the golden arrow jutted out from the dead centre of the target. “You were breathtaking, by the way. I can’t imagine being that good at something… anything.”

“The giant fuck off stack of books you’re holding says otherwise.” Ri waved the arrow towards the intimidating tombs wrapped in her arms. “If you can manage your way through that, I defer to your academic mastery.”

She let a small curve form along her lips. Her eyes beamed a little brighter against the dull grey morning.

“Can I watch you do another?” Stepping a little closer, she eyed the bow and the golden feathers protruding from the quiver at her thigh.

“You want to have a go?” Ri held it out and the girl immediately coughed out a laugh. Shaking her head vehemently, her nose scrunched up.

“Uhh. No. But I like to appreciate someone else excelling in their craft.”

Ri twisted her lips in a wry smile. There was a very good reason this gentle girl spent her days with her nose in potions books and grimoires and not taking elbows to the nose inside the training arena.

She dutifully turned and took aim. Letting another arrow fly with a steady breath. Satisfaction hummed through her chest as the pointed tip sank deep into the wood right alongside the first one. Dead centre on her chosen target.

The little gasp of appreciation had her turn and eye the witch, who was looking between her and the target with awe. She bobbed a little curtsey and propped the bow on the ground in front of her, resting both hands on the end.

“What brings you out here anyway?” Ri had half expected Finn to have joined her by now, but there was no sign of the man yet. She didn’t want to waste too many arrows without showing him exactly how well they were performing.

“I love the woods here. It reminds me of home, and while I do enjoy being cooped up in the library surrounded by books all day…” Her words drifted off and ended with a shrug. Looking up into the spindly pine needles sticking out at all angles on the branches above their heads, they both stood in silence for a moment. Breathing in the cool, crisp morning dew. The thick trunks disappeared into the shroud of mist like tall ghostly sentinels watching over them.

Ri’s thoughts suddenly drifted back to the girl’s warning from that day in the tavern. And considering the fact Rowan had now decided to vanish on her for the morning, she suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to press her for a little more on whatever it was this witch seemed to know.

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