Troll in Reviews

As has been noted, there is a troll in reviews spamming guest reviews and trying to frame people by writing their name in the name slot. Just ignore it. It's not worth the effort of paying attention to and I'm only writing this message so people are aware.

He's also pretending to be me by writing my name in guest review slots. I would only ever review something from this (logged-in) account.


Chapter 10


Blake had them slip out half an hour before dawn, eschewing Mikael's undoubtedly wonderful breakfast to escape before the sun rose. With the air still cold and their coats wrapped tightly around them, they crept out the back door of the tavern, made their way to the front gates and then looped around the village and headed east.

No one made to stop them, though if the huntsmen or Qrow did want to attack, they'd want to wait until they were away from the village anyway.

"I feel like we should be moving faster," he whispered. He wasn't sure why he was in the middle of the wilderness, but with even the animals being quiet, it would have felt wrong to speak normally. Blake obviously agreed, replying in just as soft a voice.

"We can't keep that pace up. And if we are heading into an ambush, we may as well not run in."

Sarana could no longer be seen behind them. The forest that covered a large portion of Mistral had swallowed up their line of sight, and also sight of the sky above. Blake was navigating via her scroll, using the compass to keep them on track while he scanned every tree, every bush and kept one hand wrapped around the hilt of his dagger.

Why are we trusting this Qrow person? He could be a liar.

He knew why. It was because they couldn't afford to take the risk. With Adam and the others, they were strong. Here and now, they were vulnerable. He'd never felt it more than in the dark forests of Mistral with only Blake for company.

The sun rose a little later, but the strong canopy kept them in the shade, the sunlight simply making it easier to map their route. Blake drew out some rations at that point and tossed some back to him, dried military rations lifted from Atlas and sealed in tight silver wrappers. They'd stopped for each meal yesterday; she must have been just as nervous as he.

It made sense. Blake was strong – weaker than Adam, but still the second strongest in their group – but even she couldn't compare to a real huntsman, let alone two.

Shaking his head, Jaune hauled his pack further up his back and focused on Blake's back. The best thing – the only thing – they could do now was put as much distance between them and their pursuers as possible.

/-/

Blake came to a stop and swung her pack down. "We should take a break."

"No. I can-"

"Jaune." The look she gave him wasn't critical or cruel, nor was it pitying. Drenched in sweat, panting and struggling for the last half hour or so, he was a mess. "There's no point us working ourselves to exhaustion. Sit. Rest. Have some water."

He couldn't find a convenient log or stone, but the grass was soft and cool, still wet from dew, and he collapsed onto it with his feet pushed out before him. His pack slid off one shoulder and he sagged back, laying out flat with his eyes closed.

"I-I'm sorry," he panted.

"It's fine."

"It's not. You're not even winded!"

"I also wasn't kept strapped to a bed in a testing facility for months on end," she pointed out, unstrapping her canteen and holding it out to him. He took it and drank. "That's going to have an impact on your body."

"I thought I'd be better by now."

"It's been two weeks. It's going to take time to undo all that."

He'd known that but his skin had stared to fill out, so he'd assumed he was better. His weight was recovering but his muscles must still have been damaged. Or his bones. He could only hope it wasn't the latter.

The wet grass on his hair helped cool him down. He could have fallen asleep there but focused on keeping his eyes awake, the task made easier by the bright midday sun finally piercing down through the few cracks in the canopy up above. It was a good day – the kind of day where his family would head out to the lake not too far from the house to swim. Jade and Hazel would take his arms and legs and swing him out over the water. Then, their dad would usually punish them by pulling them up over his shoulders and diving in with them squealing like children. Jaune smiled, laying back and taking a deep breath.

Blake found herself a more comfortable position sat against a fallen log. Like him, she took a drink and fished out a protein bar. She snapped it in two and held half out, but he shook his head. Shrugging, she ate both.

"We'll be better off once we meet with Adam and the others again. More people to keep watch. Even huntsmen have to keep numbers in mind, and Adam and I are comparable. Well, Adam is. I'm still learning."

"I can't believe they're after me. Shouldn't they be fighting Grimm?"

"It's not that steady a job. The places worst hit by Grimm are also the poorest, plus huntsmen go after criminals as well. The SDC has a bunch on retainer. It wouldn't surprise me that some hunt down bounties."

"Just doesn't seem right. My dad never did that…"

"To each their own. You realise we're the last people who should be able to preach about morality, right?"

"Speak for yourself. I feel perfectly justified doing what I have done."

"Good for you." She closed her eyes. "Not all of us have the justification of our families in mortal danger. You've not seen a proper White Fang raid yet. Wait until after we get your sisters here. Adam wants you helping us with the robbery on the SDC train-"

Blake cut off suddenly, holding her hand out for silence. Jaune went still, listening as best he could. There was nothing. The birds and insects were still chirping away – so surely there was nothing to be worried about.

And then he heard it.

They were only singing from his left. There wasn't a sound from his right.

A thunk snapped his eyes back to Blake, who had dodged to the side a second before a huge spike hit. It struck the log and punctured through it, attached to a metal chain that reeled back suddenly, yanking it away and spilling Blake to the floor. The chain hauled back, the log splintering on the ground as Jaune and Blake scrambled to their feet.

The chain reeled into a large metal cannon carried by a burly man with bare, tattooed arms. It kept drawing in until the spike rested in the chamber snugly. The man strode out, large, bushy beard covering the lower half of his face but not quite hiding his wide smile. His leather jacket was open, his green cargo pants stained with mud and grass.

"Well, well," he said. "Not bad reflexes, missy."

"Be careful Jaune," Blake hissed. "We don't know where the other one is."

"Other? Ha. So you knew we were following. Hear that, Sarah? Guess you got spotted."

A rustle of the trees above preceded a woman dropping down into a crouch. Older than them, somewhere between twenty and thirty, she had dirty blonde hair drawn back into a tight ponytail and a green tattoo down half her face, curling around her eyes and jaw like a dragon. Dressed in much more form fitting blue leather undershirt with grey shorts and shin-high boots, she had a bandolier of knives across her chest and a baton in hand.

"I doubt it was me who gave us away, shit for brains. More likely your fat ass hulking its way through the woods." She paused as her partner barked a quick laugh. "Alright, kids," she said to them. "Time to surrender. Not a bad effort fleeing Sarana, but your tracks were easy to follow. Guess they didn't teach you that in Terrorism 101."

Blake already had Gambol Shroud out and was edging toward him. They'd have a better chance together, though even then the odds were against them. Maybe there was something he could do about that.

"We're not terrorists!" Jaune shouted. "This is all wrong – I've been framed!"

"Then you won't have any problem coming in with us, will ya?" the man asked. "Get your chance in court to defend yourself."

"As if they'd be a court battle. I'll be thrown back in that fucking testing lab!"

"Don't listen to him, Ralph. The guy's wanted for murder."

"Tch. You think I'm an amateur?" Ralph hefted his harpoon cannon. "Two ways we're doing this. The easy way – where you give up and we go on our way – or the easy way where we beat you unconscious and take you anyway." He grinned. "Your choice."

"You should be fighting Grimm!" Jaune yelled.

"Easy way it is."

The harpoon fired between them and with the distance, not to mention how slow it was, dodging was easy. Jaune realised the mistake a second later – the harpoon had been shot not to hit but to drive them apart. The second he was away from Blake the woman was on him. Far faster than her counterpart, she smashed her baton into his raised arm, cracking bone and sending him spinning away.

His shoulder struck the grass first, arm burning. He scrambled to get his feet under him, but Sarah was faster, streaking forward to slam her foot into his midriff, launching him up into the air. Her baton came down on his spine, driving him back down into the dirt.

All of that had taken mere seconds – with not enough time for him to even draw his knife.

"Jaune!"

"Not so fast, missy." The burly man came charging in toward her, far slower than his partner but still a problem. Blake flipped back and opened fire, but he raised his cannon to block the shots, planted one foot down and whipped the weapon to the right.

The solid metal cannon missed her as she bent back, but the chain attached to it whistled and snagged her leg, ripping Blake off her feet and sending her twirling into a tree nearby. It then tightened as he reeled in, clamping down on her ankle and yanking her forward. Turning over onto her back as she was being dragged in, she shot twice at his face with Gambol shroud.

He blocked it with his arm but had to stop reeling, which gave her a chance to pry her weapon into the links and bend one, letting her drag her foot out. The skin was bruised where he'd hit her, but she staggered away, whipping her own blade on its ribbon toward his head.

"A girl after me own heart," he chuckled, ducking under it. "No reward for you but I figure you're guilty by association. I'm sure the authorities would love to take you in for questioning. The less White Fang, the better."

"Leave us alone," she panted. "We're not your enemies."

"Enemies?" He smiled. "Lass, there's nothing personal about this – we're bounty hunters, simple as. And your boyfriend has quite the bounty on his head." He lurched into a run toward her, one shoulder dropped to ram her down. "So be a good girl and stay down!"

Jaune forced his aura to his hands and blocked the next kick. It still hurt a bitch, but the force sent him skidding back and onto his feet. Wrenching his knife free, he held it out in front of him. The fact he was armed didn't impress his opponent much, who tossed her head back and flicked a throwing knife out toward him.

He tried to parry it away, but it was too fast – the metal speared into his shoulder, sparking off aura but still sending a lance of pain through his tired muscles.

"Are you even trained?" she mused. "This isn't as much of a challenge as I thought it would be. Five million for someone that can't even fight back."

"I'm not a murderer! It's Atlas. They killed my dad and they're trying to-"

"Save it. You think you're the first bounty to make up some cock n' bull story to try and convince us to let 'em go? Don't make me laugh." Striding forward, she ignored the threat of the knife. "The courts will decide whether you're innocent or not. Running away from that just makes you look even more guilty!"

He gritted his teeth together. "That's because Atlas has bought them out!"

"Likely story."

They weren't listening. No one was listening. Fury burned under his skin like fire and he charged in, roaring at the top of his lungs as his knife stabbed forward.

Her hand gripped his wrist as she side-stepped the thrust, twisted, disarmed him and then yanked him off balance before driving a knee up into his gut. Spit and blood spat from his lips, eyes bulging out as the force of it eclipsed even the worst blow from Adam's training sword.

So this is the difference between a huntsman and a normal person, he thought. They're on another level.

Before his dagger even hit the floor, she'd dragged him up over one shoulder and hurled him away. Jaune landed hard and rolled onto his back. Breathing was difficult, his diaphragm shaking with every motion. Bile rose up his throat, hot and bitter.

This wasn't a fight. It was a massacre. He looked to Blake, hoping she might be having a better time, only to see her foot caught by the man's hand as she tried to vault over him. She hung in the air, eyes wide, before he grinned and dragged her down, slamming her to the floor so hard she bounced, back arching and a pained scream escaping her. Her weapon flew away, landing near him.

"Blake!"

"Oi, Sarah." The man drew his partner's attention, stamping a foot down on Blake's spine to keep her in place. "This one doesn't have a bounty. I figure she's still White Fang. We bringing her back as well?"

The woman sighed. "No bounty, Ralph. Just kill her."

"Hey…" The muscular man frowned. "You know Samsara won't like that. We're bounty hunters, not killers."

"Do you see that uptight bitch here? No. That means I'm in charge." Shaking her head, she muttered, "She's White Fang. They're hardly innocent, and she fought back so you know she's not some unlucky bystander. We'll just say we couldn't take her alive."

"Sarah. I don't like this…"

Jaune's hand found the grip of Gambol Shroud. Ignoring the ribbon and the blade on the end of it, he stood up, one shoulder lower than the other, gun gripped in both hands and pointed toward the woman. She wasn't twenty feet away, so hitting her wouldn't be a problem. With blood dribbling down his chin, he barked out, "Let her go!"

The man didn't make to do so, nor did he look overly concerned with the fact Jaune was armed. The huntress wasn't either, rolling her eyes at him and looking back to her partner.

"Fuck's sake, Ralph. See where your bleeding heart gets us?"

"Least I have a heart."

"Yeah, and it'll be the end of you one day." The huntress turned back to him with a sneer. "That's not going to do you any good, kid. Put it down before I put you down."

His hands shook but he kept it locked on her. "They never told you why they wanted me."

"Right. Guess I'm putting you down."

"My Semblance!" he blurted. "It cancels-"

Sarah charged in, covering the distance in a fraction of a second. Her face was twisted in glee, no hesitation there as she swung her baton for his neck. "Nobody cares!"

Bang

The sound echoed in the forest. Those birds that hadn't fled even during the fight did so now, taking off in a loud flutter of feathers and leaves. The silence that hung after was still and ominous, made more so by how everyone in the clearing froze. Blake because she was pinned and Ralph as the one to hold her down, but the huntress also came to a slow stop.

"Sarah?" Ralph chuckled, unable to see what Jaune could. Unable even to see the distorted colours in Jaune's eyes. "What are you waitin' for? Don't tell me you've developed a heart now?"

It was a poor choice of words.

Jaune's hands trembled as he stared into the woman's green eyes, watching them dip down to the small hole in her left breast and the blood spilling from it. He'd aimed anywhere but with her charging in like that, he'd struck her heart. Her aura had done nothing. She'd closed the distance and run straight into his Null Zone.

Her eyes rose to his again, confused and oddly calm, like she wanted to ask a question.

"I-I tried to tell you!" he whispered. It was justification, and at the worst of times. "I tried! You wouldn't listen! You just kept coming!"

There was no forgiveness or acknowledgement for his words. She gurgled once and toppled forward, slamming down face first on the ground in an expanding puddle of blood.

"Sarah…?" Ralph pushed off Blake, eyes wide. "S-Sarah, this ain't funny! Sarah?"

Jaune swallowed. Gambol Shroud dipped down as he stared at the body of a woman he'd just killed. "I'm sorry. I tried to stop her-"

"SARAH!" The huntsman charged toward Jaune, lips peeled back and teeth gritted together. It was a berserker straight out the legends, eyes burning with naught but rage, determined to rip him to pieces with his bare hands. "I'll kill you! Rarghh!"

Gold, purple and white swam in Jaune's eyes as he pulled the trigger.

The first shot struck the man under his neck and he paused, touching a hand to the fatal wound and bringing it away bloody. That hand shook and clenched into a trembling fist. He kept coming, slower now, one foot before the other.

A second bullet slammed into his right shoulder and knocked it back. The man grunted and reached out with his left hand, forcing himself forward through sheer force of will. The gun barked again, and a third bullet slammed into his stomach and splashed blood onto the floor.

A fourth followed, striking him in the middle of the chest – and then a fifth into his left arm, piercing through it and coming out below his shoulder. A sixth, a seventh, an eighth. Nine. Ten. Each shot hit its mark and cut through an aura that didn't exist.

By the time the huntsman reached him he was covered in blood and letting out heaving, rattling breaths. A thick trail of blood lay across the grass behind him, but he still reached out one hand to touch Jaune's neck, to wrap around it and squeeze the life from him.

There was no strength left. The fingers touched his neck, the palm pressing flat against it, but then it slid down his chest leaving blood smeared down his front, before the huntsman collapsed at his feet and breathed his last.

"Jaune." Blake limped toward him, eyeing the bodies with obvious fear. "I – You…"

"I had to," he whispered, shaking. This wasn't his first kill but the last had been against someone in the way of his sisters. This was different, and he didn't like it. "T-They were going to kill you. They were going to take me back! I had to, Blake. They forced me! I-"

"I know. Give me Gambol Shroud."

He couldn't hand it over fast enough, almost fumbling it into her hands. "S-Should we bury them?"

"We should… but we can't." Blake appeared as bothered by that as him. "Their teammates will come looking for them once they realise they've lost contact. We need to go." She skirted around the huntsman's body, doing her best not to look at him. When she noticed he wasn't following, she turned back. "Jaune?"

"Y-Yeah." He stooped for his knife, gingerly picking it up from a patch of bloodstained grass. Should he apologise? Say some words? Would it make a difference if he did? No. They were dead. He'd killed them. Huntsmen.

And now they're never going to stop coming for me.

"This is Atlas' fault."

"It is," Blake agreed. "If they'd known what you could do, they wouldn't have attacked us. But we need to keep moving. We need to find Adam and get away from here. Can you walk?"

Badly bruised and aching as he was, he was still in better condition than their pursuers. Blake too, clearly favouring one arm and with her eyes pinched. For my family, he told himself, turning away and biting his lip. I'm only doing this because I have to.

"I'm fine," he lied. "Let's keep going."

/-/

Qrow dropped off the branches and down by the two bodies, scaring away some crows that had come to pick at them. There was blood everywhere, dried now. It looked like the scene was some two or three hours old.

"Fuck me. This is bad."

He knew them. Or had known them. Samsara's teammates – some of the better huntsmen out of Mistral. Not on his level, as evidenced by the fact he'd been able to keep half their team busy to buy Arc and his friend a chance to escape. He'd left Samsara and her partner unconscious by the gates of Mistral, as safe as he could.

Apparently, it hadn't been enough to prevent this.

He waited for his scroll to connect to the CCT, then to Ozpin. When it did, the image of what he'd just found was sent through. The scroll called not two minutes later, Ozpin on the other end.

"Why didn't you prevent this?"

"Teams hunt as four in case you've forgotten. I was distracting the other two."

Ozpin sighed, forced to accept the explanation. "Did you wear a disguise?"

"I wore a mask like Raven's Figure she wouldn't mind the notoriety. I didn't kill them – though after what happened here, I'm not sure they'll be forgiving."

"I expect they won't be. Two huntsmen dead, Qrow. Mistral is short on huntsman as it is, they can't afford to be having more killed. Was it him?"

"Undoubtedly. Gunshot wounds. No other injuries I can see." The kind of death no huntsman expected, which went to explain the shock frozen on their faces. He shivered, imagining himself what it might feel like to have your aura stolen away. Huntsmen relief on it. They had it all their lives and it was something they couldn't imagine living without.

To lose it without warning would be like losing your eyesight.

The kid didn't look that intimidating but he really is terrifying. I could probably take him if I got the drop, but mess that up even slightly and I'd be killed. There was just no one you faced those kinds of odds with. Mistakes were acceptable because aura protected you. As did skill, training and form. And yet these two experienced and grown huntsmen had been killed by a single boy not even old enough to attend Beacon.

"Qrow…?"

"Sorry. I… This is hard to take in, Oz. I was fine with it before because I was sure he was in over his head-"

"He is, Qrow. Don't mistake what happened here for proof of a stone-cold killer."

"I know. I get it. it's just…" He was looking at two dead teammates, and those could have easily been his own. Or his nieces. "I know what it's like to lose a teammate, Oz. Samsara is going to take this hard. She'll blame herself."

"This is a tragedy, I agree, but it will only become more of one if Mr Arc continues on this path. We must sway him to our side. His Semblance can be used for good just as much as evil."

"It's a killing Semblance, Ozpin. That's all it's good for!"

But then, that was what Oz meant, wasn't it? Used for good still meant killing, just killing aimed at people on the other side of the fence. At the end of the day, Ozpin wanted another tool. Another Summer. Another Qrow.

Raven always said he was Ozpin's tool and she was right, he accepted that. Why wouldn't he? There was nothing wrong with being used by someone, especially when that someone was trying to save the world from the Grimm and Salem. He and Summer hadn't been tricked into serving Ozpin; they'd volunteered.

This kid hadn't been given a choice.

"What's going to happen now?" he asked.

"Ironwood has decided to leave them be in Mistral. His reach there is limited, but we know he will be coming to Vale once he is done. Three of his family are hidden here somewhere."

"Any luck on that front?"

"No. Peter and Bart have found Merlot's old labs, but they remain infested with Grimm. Wherever these people are keeping them, it's not in Mountain Glenn." Ozpin paused for a long moment, Qrow standing still by the dead bodies with the scroll to his ear. "I want you to contact Raven. Explain to her what this Semblance is."

"Why?"

"So she does not get herself killed for what she sees as an easy bounty."

He sucked in a breath. That was something Raven would be all too eager to get involved in, especially with now vulnerable the kid appeared. Cocky as she was, she'd get herself killed trying to fight the guy one on one. He hated her, but he didn't want her dead.

"I'll talk to her. I'll tell her we're involved, and that Salem is too – that should keep her out." Raven wanted nothing to do with their war. "I'll also scout her camp and make sure none of his family are there. I doubt they will be but it's worth a shot. Wouldn't be the first time Ray has shot down a Bullhead and taken its passengers hostage."

"If she has, contact me. We shall pay whatever she demands."

"Understood. I'll get on that now."

Qrow hung up and put his scroll away, then transformed and wheeled up toward the canopy. The bodies lay where they had fallen, food for the carrion.

/-/

"Specialist."

Winter saluted. "Sir."

General Ironwood sat behind his desk with a punishing frown on his face, brows heavy and hands linked before him. In all her time serving, she wasn't sure she had ever seen a worse scowl on the man's face.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

"The Council has seen fit to end our investigation into Arc and those behind his abduction."

Winter was not normally one to swear and didn't do so now, but she was sorely tempted. Saphron and her wife would be furious at the news, to say nothing of the Ace-Ops who had put so much effort in. "Might I ask why, sir? Aside from the obvious answer of not wishing to draw attention to how badly Atlas has handled this?"

"You want the official lies?" he asked tiredly. "Very well. A new school year is beginning, and they wish me to focus more on that to ready our students for the Vytal Festival taking place later this year. Given the importance of the festival and its international connotations, they don't want me distracted chasing after what they call a simple murderer."

Reasonable, or so she might have thought were she not involved personally. People had died on her watch, some even trusted by her and Ironwood. This had all the marks of a cover up and she was sure no one had missed the fact. The worst part was that only a few of those involved might actually be guilty of working with those behind this. The others would just be agreeing because they wanted to re-write history and sweep Atlas' crimes under the rug.

"Specialist, I want you to take leave. There's time before the school year begins, so it's an obvious period for you to take time off. And because we have no standing assignments now that this one is closed, no one can complain."

"Understood, sir. I've been thinking of visiting Mistral of late."

Ironwood nodded, pleased she understood his intent. "I do hear it's nice around now. Naturally, as an important VIP you should take bodyguards with you. Choose two whom you trust and enjoy your holiday. Should you need to reach me, you know how."

"Sir." Winter saluted again, this time with a smile. R&R was not something she often made use of so she had plenty available, enough to locate Arc and make contact, she hoped. Enough to try and make him understand that the General was not like those who would kidnap and experiment on him.

"And Winter."

"Yes sir?"

"Do be careful. As much of a victim as he is, he is still dangerous, and more than capable of killing you if startled."

"I understand, sir. With your permission I shall explain to Mrs Cotta-Arc my intention."

"I would appreciate it if you did. It should soften the blow that is the Council's decision. Did you know they tried to organise a court case for her against Atlas?" He snorted. "Not that I would allow it. They wanted to make a show of it, drag her through the mud and discredit her in front of national television."

I can well believe it, Winter thought with a scowl. They'd make her seem untrustworthy and sympathetic to her brother, then portray him a terrorist and ultimately condemn her. They would then sue, swallow her in legal bills and either force her silence or perhaps even use it as an excuse to have her arrested, where she would no doubt vanish or `commit suicide` and be spirited away as a new test subject.

These people had to be stopped before Atlas tore itself in two. The first step would be clearing Arc's name, and that was only going to happen if she could convince him to co-operate. Given everything that had happened to him, she had a feeling such a task would be anything but simple.

"I may take a day to visit my sister before I leave," she said. "Weiss will be attending Beacon rather than Atlas, so it will be my last chance."

"I'm aware. I signed her papers over to Ozpin myself. She will be happy there, Winter, but by all means take the time to wish her good luck."

"Thank you, sir. I shall contact you once I reach Mistral."

"No. I believe my calls are being monitored. I trust you, Winter, so proceed as you believe you should. We know where he will be headed – Mistral, Vale and finally back here to take the family members we have. He will prioritise those most in danger first. The Council are worried he may make a show at the Vytal Festival. This must be prevented."

"Why would he?" she asked. "If he wants to stay hidden, coming to the city would be the worst decision he could make. I imagine he's going to avoid the capital cities entirely."

"My thoughts as well. However, that the Council fears such a thing implies something…"

"That they believe it possible," she whispered, eyes growing wide. "Which means at least one of his siblings may well be in the city of Vale?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Have you told Ozpin?" she asked quickly. "If he can locate hr quickly-"

"I have told him, and he has promised to investigate. Vale is going through difficult times. Torchwick has expanded his criminal empire, the White Fang are active, and things will only get more complicated with the Vytal Festival approaching. Like myself, Ozpin is being dragged in multiple directions at once."

"I will make to stop him in Mistral, sir!"

"Do your best, Winter. Because if he does come to Vale and threaten the city during the Festival, I'm concerned to what lengths that will be – or what we shall be expected to do in the interests of public safety."

At that point, Jaune Arc would need to be killed. Both to protect the huntsmen of Vale, but also to avoid an international scandal that could implicate Atlas. With the best huntsmen and huntresses of the next generation attending from all four Kingdoms at once, it was a recipe for disaster.

Winter nodded, understanding the implication.

In that case, she would just need to ensure he was captured before he could leave Mistral.


Happy Easter to everyone! I hope you all stayed safe and at home for it.

I didn't have any easter eggs for obvious reasons, but I made my dogs some scrambled egg treats which they enjoyed, so that's sort of topical? Kinda?

Who knows? xD


Next Chapter: 20th April

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur