Hani and Sera

The wagon jolted forward, creaking over uneven ground. It was just after sunrise, and a light mist slowly evaporated off the tall grass, drifting upward toward the clouds.

Tied up, my sister still managed to sleep. Aside of short breaks our captors hadn’t stopped — they had ridden for close to two days, rushing toward the capital. They were too efficient. They knew exactly where to find us, when to strike. The thought coiled in my gut like a serpent: Someone turned on us.

The villagers had been kind to us when we arrived. Before that, we’d been kicked out of every town we tried to settle in. The color of our hair and eyes had marked Sera and me. For three years, we were fortunate to be taken in by a warm community. All they asked of us was to help with the other children and lend a hand when we could.

We spent most of our time helping Mr. Araki at the schoolhouse. He had once been a mage in the employ of a noble house in Nala. He finally settled in Tamuri and founded the school where we spent most of our time.

He gave us transformation stones to dull the red in our hair and mute the strange hue of our eyes. The village was small, and fewer than a handful of children visited the schoolhouse for lessons.

There were two kids a few years younger than us who always came — Yun and Minah. Sera adored the two of them. Yun was surprisingly athletic with a big appetite to match. Minah… well, she was stubborn. But somehow, that just made her all the more lovable.

The wagon came to a stop.

“Cavalry, ride down the line!” The order came abruptly. The drumming of hooves jolted my sister awake.

The two guards in the wagon watching over us gripped their polearms, focused on the chaos outside.

This was the moment. I looked at Sera, who gave a single nod. In unison, we surged with oud and snapped our restraints, then struck the guards clean across the neck.

The two of us grabbed the discarded polearms and rushed outside, away from the approaching beasts. With the cavalry occupied, the oncoming guards fell before us, their steel parries useless against the oud-infused force of our blows.

“Quick, Sera — that horse!” I shouted. We ran as fast as we could. Behind us, the ground shook with the groans of thornback turtles—massive beasts armored in jagged shells, their feet pounding like drums. A rider broke off from the group and charged toward us.

This rider was different. I felt the air heat up, and above him, a pair of fireballs began to form.

I hurled Sera into the saddle. Heat bloomed behind me—and then everything went white.