Soon it was only the ones of the Prophecy, Sloane and Garrick who remained in the hall, along with the Three.
“That was quite the showstopper,” Cord said to the Sisters offhandedly.
“We did not know that it would be that.”
“Well, thank the Ancients for that,” Cord muttered as he brushed his hair from his eyes. “He’s really been working with the Drakhyn?” he said in disbelief. “I…” He shook his head. “I cannot.”
“Hey,” Sloane said, coming to stand beside his brother, “at least you aren’t actually related to him,” he joked half-heartedly.
“Oh, brother.” Cord looked at his little brother and reached out to clasp his arm. “We will get through this.”
“I know.” Sloane smiled sadly before he looked towards the Sisters. “A warning would have been nice.”
“The warning was given,” Agatha said sadly.
“How did you know the Drakhyn?” Salem asked Tegan as he walked over to her. “How did you know who it was?”
“It’s the same one,” she answered him. “I recognised its voice.”
“The one from the cell? The one from the forest?” Salem demanded as he looked at Tegan with concern.
“Yes, it’s always been him.” Tegan looked at the others in surprise. “Did you truly not know that?”
“What in shade’s name are we dealing with?” Michael asked fearfully as he looked around the hall. “How do we defeatthis? If it has Akrhyn working with themagainstus, how do we even know where to start?”
Silence was his only answer.
* * *
The arrow struck the target, dead centre, precise and accurate. Kallie drew back on the bow and released another arrow. The arrow landed beside the first one, and adjusting her stance slightly, she released the third arrow.
“Got them all pretty, lined up like that.”
Kallie turned to see Zahra watching her. A thick padded coat kept her warm with a fur-lined hood. Winter was nearing the end, but it would be a while before the sun above gave them any heat.
“Can I help you?” Kallie asked as she lowered her bow. She had come around to the back of the Headquarters to practice in peace. The Elite passed on their patrols, but none of them disturbed her, recognising the need to focus and concentrate. To train.
“Sloane was teaching me throwing knives.” Zahra pulled out a roll of cloth, and as she unfurled it, Kallie saw it was a knife sheath. “He left and no one else has asked if I wanted to learn.” Zahra looked at Kallie quickly. “My father, Michael and her—” Zahra grimaced as she sighed. “Tegan, I mean, are training all the time. Marcus left. I don’t have anyone to train me.”
“You want me to?” Kallie asked disbelievingly. “You don’t even like me.”
“I could say the same thing to you.” Zahra gestured to the knives. “Sloane said you don’t miss.”
“You’ve spoken to him?” Kallie asked casually as she scanned the perimeter.
“He spoke to me before he left, and he has answered a few of my fire messages.”
“How many is a few?”
Zahra considered her, understanding the tension. “You like him?” Zahra tucked the knife roll under her arm. “I didn’t know, and I didn’t tell you what I did for spite. I didn’t know you were together.” She turned to walk away, but Kallie reached out to stop her.
“I do like him, we aren’t together.” Kallie gave a half shrug. “Of course he would answer you, you were his betrothed.” Kallie chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought about it. “I genuinely can hit almost anything, stationary anyway. I can train you.”
“Why?”
“Because war could be at our gates tomorrow, and knowing that you can’t defend yourself?” Kallie looked out again over the grounds. “I don’t think I could sleep at night knowing I could have helped you.” She pointed to the knife roll. “There’s some serious hardware in there, I think we need to work on seeing just what you can do.”
“Thank you,” Zahra said to her as she came forward. “I do appreciate the help.”