Page 12 of Crown of Envy

“Whoa there, little sister.” His voice was gentle as he clasped my arm with a warm, grounding touch. “What’s the matter? You’ve got that stormy look that could shatter glass.”

I tried to brush past him, but Damon held firm. I sighed and met his worried gaze.

“Brody wants me to prove I can still handle weapons,” I spat, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.

Damon’s grip loosened, his expression softening. “Sawyer, you don’t remember Dad?—”

“I know!” I cut him off sharply enough to make him flinch. Frustration bubbled inside me, threatening to spill over. “I know,” I repeated, softer this time. “Everyone keeps reminding me.”

I exhaled an angry breath, losing myself in the swirl of expectations. The bow in my hand suddenly felt alien, a relic of a life I couldn’t fully recall.

“If you’ll excuse me,” I murmured, pushing past Damon.

He didn’t try to stop me this time, but I felt his eyes on my back as I walked away. The concern in his gaze was like an anchor around my neck, adding another layer to my guilt and frustration.

By the time I returned to the porch, Brody had set up a target on a pine tree about twenty yards from the manor.

He stood out in the drizzling rain, his broad shoulders hunched against the chill, while Justice remained in the chair, his weakened state preventing him from joining us.

Damon sauntered up beside me, a smirk on his lips as he glanced at the distant target. “You can hit that blindfolded, Sawyer,” he drawled.

I strode toward Brody, pulling an arrow from my quiver with a smooth, practiced motion. “From here,” I stated, my voice steady and sure.

“To start,” Brody replied.

I felt his eyes on me, evaluating my every move. I had a feeling that was why Damon was out here, too, since I couldn’t remember Dad. His words and image were lost to me, leaving a hollow ache in my chest.

Damon stood beside me, his presence a comforting warmth in the cool, damp air. I nocked the arrow, my fingers curling around the bowstring as I raised the bow, my arm perfectly parallel to the ground. The familiar weight of the weapon in my hands felt like an old friend, and a sense of calm washed over me.

I drew a deep breath, focused on the target, and released the arrow. It zinged through the air, a deadly streak of silver, before stabbing the target dead center.

Damon clasped my shoulder, his calloused hand a reassuring weight. “At least you remembered something Dad taught you,” he murmured.

“Let’s see how far back you can go,” Brody’s tone was devoid of praise, his eyes still assessing.

I gritted my teeth, irritation flaring at his lack of acknowledgment. But I reminded myself that Brody had been in the Army, and the Army wasn’t big on compliments. Especially after he’d been with Sector Nine, the division that hunted supernaturals and had been Justice’s worst enemy.

Brody had me move back to thirty, forty, and fifty feet. Each time I hit the target dead center, the thwack of the arrow a satisfying sound in the rain-soaked air. I glanced at Justice, and he winked at me. The pride shining in his eyes made my heart swell.

Justice maneuvered to where we were standing, his movements careful and deliberate. “You do know the bow and arrows came from the Court of Blossoms, don’t you, Brody?” he asked. “If it hadn’t worked, something would have been terribly wrong.”

“I know,” Brody replied quietly, his brow furrowed. “From what I learned, the Unseelie realm is unpredictable, and I wanted to see if it left another mark on Sawyer besides stealing her memory of her father.”

I scowled. “Do you think I’m going dark side?” My voice was sharp with defiance.

Brody shook his head, his expression softening. “No. But let’s see what else you can do.”

Damon whipped out a blade from the sheath on his belt, the metal gleaming in the muted light. “Sawyer was always excellent with a blade,” he remarked with pride as he held the weapon toward me.

I extended my palm, my fingers twitching in anticipation. Damon placed the blade in my hand, the cool metal sending a shiver down my spine. Without thinking about it, I dropped into a lunge stance, my muscles coiling with tension. In one swift, fluid motion, I threw the blade, my eyes locked on the target. Like with the arrows, the blade found its mark, striking the center of the target with a satisfying thud.

I put my hands on my hips with a triumphant grin as I faced Brody. “Satisfied, Captain?” I asked with a playful challenge.

Brody smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I am,” he admitted.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Lisa rushed out, her face pale and stricken. “Come in here quick,” she urged in a tight voice. “The mirror is showing us something. Something’s coming.”

My heart leaped into my throat. I ran over to her, my pulse pounding in my ears. “What?” I demanded.

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