Phoenix and Noelle left as soon as the latter was packed. Noelle added urgency to Phoenix's mission, as she needed to get the girl out of the village before Aundreya or her parents came for her. Whatever lies Aundreya would tell would have them hot on her tail if they didn't get out soon.

The young lady walked with an open mouth and wide eyes. Despite her similar appearance to her sister, Noelle couldn't have approached the world more differently. She marveled at the trees, squealed when a flock of birds flew over head, and clapped her hands in delight when a fierce wind blew about them.

An hour outside of town, Noelle cleared her throat.

"Um, I'm really grateful for all of this. But, uh...could you maybe tell me who you are?"

Phoenix frowned down at her. "Huh?"

"I mean - is this what you do? Do you just go from town to town rescuing people?"

"No. I - I live here. There. I'm from Treywick." She arched a brow. "Don't you remember me telling you I'd help you?"

"I've never met you," Noelle said, eyes wide.

Phoenix stopped dead in her tracks, staring at her. "Yes you have. We met when you found me in your father's cellar. You lied for me. Then I came in through your window and told you I'd get you out of there."

Noelle let out a choked laugh. "What? No. That was a different girl. She didn't look anything like you."

Phoenix opened her mouth, paused, closed it again, and then laughed. "I guess that's true. I keep forgetting." She placed a hand on her forehead, eyes closed. "I'm the same girl. It's just...I'm a Guardian and this is my true form."

When she opened her eyes, she saw Noelle side eyeing her, a doubtful twist in her mouth. "Really?"

"Really."

"Why have another form?"

Phoenix started walking again and Noelle fell into step beside her. She had to slow her gait for the shorter girl, who had to take a step and a half to every one of Phoenix's strides.

"To keep me safe. My parents gave me to the Knights when I was a baby. When Bainon took the throne and most the Guardians were killed."

Noelle fell silent for a few moments. "Your parents gave you to mortals."

"Yes."

"No offense, but, uh, why didn't they just raise you themselves?"

Blinking, Phoenix frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if you're a Guardian, that makes them..."

"Ancients."

"Right. Ancients live above. From what I read in those books you brought back--"

"You read them?"

"I had to know why you wanted them."

Phoenix let out a snort of laughter. "Wow. That's clever."

"I try." Noelle shrugged. "From what I read, Guardians can live up in there, too. In fact, if they don't go back from time to time, they grow old. So couldn't they have just raised you up there? Or would you never have grown up?"

Phoenix gaped at her. "I have no idea."

"It just seems to me that if they had to disguise you to leave you on earth, maybe you'd have been safer with them."

They walked in silence for some time while Phoenix mulled this over. Could they have kept her? If not, why wasn't she safe with her own parents? Did it really have nothing to do with her and everything to do with keeping Maverick safe? After all, what could unite a Guardian and a royal more than growing up as brother and sister?

Until the royal abandons his Guardian to set out on his own.

"How do we find the Militia?" Noelle asked, her eyes skyward as she basked in the light of day. She shivered, and Phoenix realized she hadn't felt cold since her transformation.

"We have to go through Tranchet's Pass, and we have to go quickly. I need to, uh, catch up with my brother."

"You have a brother? There's more like you?"

"Not quite. My adoptive brother. He left before I did."

"Oh. And he's going to the Militia, too?"

"Mmhmm." Phoenix squinted at Noelle, who positively skipped down the path now. A buoyant light had filled her now she was free from Aundreya's grasp. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Noelle turned her heart-shaped face toward Phoenix, her golden brown eyes bright and friendly.

"Why does Aundreya hurt you?"

Noelle's lashes fluttered, and she dropped her gaze, her lips pursing. "I used to ask her the same thing." For a moment, Noelle remained silent, her steps weighed down by her past. "Everyone thinks I died, right?" Phoenix nodded. "It's not clear - I mean, it's hard to really remember. I can't sort what really happened from what Aundreya said happened."

"I might be able to," Phoenix said. "It'll be harder if you believe the lies, but if you aren't sure, I might be able to sort through them."

Noelle frowned, her brows furrowing. "She tried to kill me, once."

"What!"

"With her own two hands. She put them around my throat and squeezed, but my neck just expanded - I guess Adonai made me flexible to save me from my sister. After that, she tried to convince my parents I was dead, but that was the one lie they never seemed to believe. I think believing that lie was too painful for them, and their denial kept them from forgetting me."

"But why would she hate you so much she'd try to kill you?"

"I have this one memory. One from when I was very young. I can remember my father hugging me close and telling me he loved me more than anything in the world." Noelle sighed. "I don't think he meant more than Aundreya, but I saw her over his shoulder. I'll never forget the blackness in her eyes as she clenched her fists at her sides."

"She hates you because your parents love you?"

"Aundreya doesn't like to share."

Phoenix shook her head. "Claire and Norman loved Mav and I both. Having two of us didn't mean they had less love to go around."

"Mav - Maverick? That's your brother?"

"You know his name?"

"Of course. Aundreya's obsessed with him." Noelle shivered. "I counted my blessings I'd never met him. If she thought I'd so much as looked at him...well, she might have actually tried to lay her hands on me."

"But she didn't? Not after the one time when you were kids?"

"No." Noelle splayed her hands out in front of her. "My sister is weak. She grew dependent on her words, and the one time she wasn't paying attention, I fought back physically and almost overpowered her."

"How?"

"I covered her mouth so she couldn't speak." Noelle grinned at the memory. "If she hadn't bit me, I think I could have won." Noelle sighed. "But that's all behind me now. I'm off to join the Militia." She shot a shy smile at Phoenix. "You'll still let me come, right?"

"I don't see how I could stop you." Phoenix squared her shoulders. "Think you're up for sleeping on the ground and keeping a low profile?"

"You just described most of my life."

Phoenix laughed and they fell into silence again.

###

Two days into their travels, Noelle gestured to Phoenix's arms. "Are they tattoos? Do they mean something?"

Phoenix glanced down, still unaccustomed to the markings on her skin. "They're...mine? I guess I was born this way. Finny says they're a sign of my power and that I have a mirror or something."

"A mirror?"

"Like another half?"

Noelle folded her hands up under her chin. "Oh how romantic!"

Phoenix snorted. "I don't think that's what she meant."

"Oh come on! Another half? Your soul mate?" Noelle spread her arms wide. "It's like all the histories."

"You seem to know a lot of stories."

"Of course. All I had time to do my entire life was read." She puckered her lips. "Anytime I read anything about two halves it was usually a romance."

"Finny said that whoever it is could be my enemy."

"Enemies can make great romances."

"For someone so short you certainly have your head in the clouds."

Noelle laughed. "Let me dream. Just think, some fantastic, strong male Guardian who is your opposite. Like your parents - they're literally night and day. Maybe he's water to your fire? We need to find a Guardian who has that affinity."

"No. We don't."

###

They arrived in Achal later in the week. Phoenix had never seen so many people or buildings so tall. And if she felt overwhelmed, it was nothing compared to what Noelle experienced. As they walked, Phoenix had to keep a hand on Noelle's elbow to keep her from disappearing into the masses. Not only that, but Noelle stared up, mouth agape, far more often than she looked where she was going.

A carriage burst onto the street they walked down, forcing Phoenix to shove Noelle out of the way. Just before she was trampled herself, an body slammed into hers, knocking them both to the ground. Phoenix didn't even get a chance to address her savior before the person disappeared.

"Did you see who did that?" she asked as Noelle helped her up.

"Nope. I was too busy lying flat on the ground after you pushed me. Whoever it was moves fast."

"Let's just find an inn so we can get some rest. A bed would be nice right about now."

As they walked, jostled by those around them, Phoenix spotted something that pulled her that direction.

"Do you see that?" She pointed at a large building near the center of the city. Noelle gave her a look from below that said 'you're kidding, right?' "Oh, right. Short. Hang on." Phoenix led her to a space where the crowd wasn't so thick and Noelle could see through. "That."

"What is it?" Noelle stretched up on tiptoes, squinting at the building.

"I-I hope it's not what I think it is." Phoenix stomach flipped, and she thought she'd be sick.

"Let's get closer."

"Noelle. Wait!"

The shorter girl already darted through the people, and Phoenix had no choice but to follow, knowing what they found wouldn't be pleasant. Noelle moved easier through the crowd, short and petite as she was. Phoenix's broad shoulders and height made it harder for her to squeeze past.

By the time she reached Noelle, the other girl stood pale faced, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. Phoenix hadn't been wrong - it was exactly what she thought it was.

"They're sick," Noelle whispered, turning away. "Sick."

In the small square in front of the massive building, bodies rotted on stakes. They'd been hung upon them, signs pinned to their chests.

Traitor.

"Who would do this?" Phoenix asked, fury rising inside her. "Who in the hells would do this?"

Without waiting for any reply, Phoenix marched forward, intent on taking the signs down, or even the bodies down to give a proper pyre.

Before reaching the first sign, someone grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the area and down a side alley. She couldn't see who had her, as whoever it was dragged her backwards, but she saw Noelle chasing them down.

"What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" A masculine voice asked her once they stopped in the dark side street.

"Those people are being disrespected!" Phoenix pulled away from him, blinking as she adjusted to the dark. The man turned out to be not much older than she was, with long dark brown hair tied back. Despite his square face, he had a lean body - wiry but muscular.

"This is Achal. You can't go messing with things." He ran a hand through his hair, pulling a few strands loose from its tie.

"Hi-ya!" Noelle appeared at Phoenix's side and kicked the young man in the shin. He swore, hopping up on one foot. Noelle grabbed Phoenix's arm and the two of them took off back into the street.

"Who was that?" Noelle asked as they jogged down a new street, completely lost.

"No idea, but I think we should definitely steer clear of-" a whooshing noise nearly knocked both of them over. When they righted themselves, the young man was in front of them again.

"You're drawing too much attention to yourselves. Come with me." His thick brows hunched low over his deep brown eyes, and his mouth seemed pressed in a permanent frown at the moment. Still, Phoenix had a strange sensation of a jovial spirit.

"He's telling the truth," she said to Noelle. "I think we can trust him."

They followed him through town, drawing stares as Phoenix's size and appearance caught the locals' attention. When they finally stopped, their guide ducked down through a half door that led to, as far as Phoenix could guess, a makeshift shelter.

The young man squatted over a pitiful fireplace, trying to spark two pieces of flint together. Phoenix glanced at Noelle and saw she shivered now they were in this new, damp space. With a roll of her eyes, Phoenix marched over to the hearth and gently shoved the stranger aside. A fireball formed in her hand and she dropped it in. As she drew back, both Noelle and the young man gaped at her.

"What the hells?" the man pointed at the fireplace.

"Not now. You dragged us here. It's time you started talking."

New person! New person!

Who's excited to learn more about this young man and why he stopped Phoenix? Who loves Noelle and wants to high five her for kicking him?

Talk to me, peeps. Love you all!