"... unbelievable. The only witness won't even testify in her favor."

"The boy's scared! He saw what the Balthasars are capable of and is terrified they'll do the same to him."

I awoke in an infirmary room. A very pregnant nurse sat at my bedside while Cassian and Leon argued by the door. They were so caught up in each other, they missed me waking.

"Six Balthasars are dead," Leon snarled. "And you paint them as the villains."

"Of the six Balthasars that went to the mountains, four were not assigned to go, and two checked out a bow and arrow from the weapons department," Cassian replied. "If you can explain how one chops wood with a bow and arrow, I will resign my captaincy on the spot. You know what happened, commander. Furthering an interrogation is just spiteful."

Leon's face tightened, his jaw ticking. "I will not have my character questioned by the likes of you. Do you have any idea the poison you have festering in your ranks? Sleeping in the same tower as my boy?"

I bit the inside of my cheek, wondering what he'd do if he knew I wasn't just sleeping in the same tower as his son. I was sleeping beside his bed. I was entering the arena with him.

"But perhaps the same reason that I cannot tolerate Black is the same reason you insisted on giving her a parlay," Leon hissed.

"And what's that?"

"You prefer a winning squad over an honorable one."

The nurse tapped my shoulder, drawing my attention away from the argument. "Can I check your wounds?" 

Before I could reply, she lifted the hem of my shirt, peering down my back. I frowned at the wall ahead, waiting for the inevitable follow up questions, but she just readjusted the bandages wrapped around my shoulder blade. 

"You don't know who I am, do you?" she asked.

"Should I?"

"Arya Evans, Cassian's wife."

I glanced at Arya's huge belly. I had forgotten Cassian had a wife, much less a baby on the way. Couples married young in the burrow, but it was odd to see a dragon rider settle down so early.

"You haven't broken any bones," Arya continued. "But you almost got yourself killed, bleeding lifeblood all over the place."

I examined the inside of my wrist, where my veins were still more black than blue.

"Next time a dragon attacks, run. Maxing out on the divine is a ten times more painful way to go than a dragon."

"I didn't try to fight the hydra. I knew that was a losing battle."

"What was that?" Leon strode to my bed, his eyes narrow. Cassian was quick to follow. "You did not attack Blacktooth?"

"Sir, she is still recovering," Arya protested. "Give her a few days of rest before the inquisition."

Leon barely twitched. "Step aside, miss. This is an urgent matter." The Evans both protested, but Leon held up a hand. "I am Commander of the Sword Brethren. By order of your king, step aside."

With rigid shoulders, Arya and Cassian parted, letting Leon move directly over my bed. "Did you attack the hydra?"

"No," I said.

"Cassian swears that all you did was run. So if you did not attack the Balthasar pledges or Blacktooth, how did you max out on the divine?"

I drew my locket from my shirt. "I lost my locket, and with the Balthasars hunting me down, I didn't have time to look for it the normal way."

Cassian stared at me, incredulous. "Are you saying you reversed the divine?"

"Ay."

Now they were all staring at me, no one speaking. 

"Without question," Leon said. "That is the stupidest story I have ever heard."

I lifted my hands into an aw-shucks-what-can-you-do shrug. "I mean, I'm not exactly known for my stellar wits. Just ask my instructors."

"Really?" Leon deadpanned, eying my locket. "You'd have me believe you are so stupid that you'd willing risk your life for that thing? That beat-up, broke-in-half, piece of crap?"

My face dropped. "Who are you to talk?" I snapped. "You're not worth a single link in its–"

"Black," Cassian cut in through a gritted smile. "You have a sentimental attachment to the locket, don't you? Perhaps if you explain why you care for the locket, Leon can better understand your decision."

I frowned at Cassian. Surely revealing the locket's connection to Sammy would only further alienate me from the commander. I was supposed to sever my connection to the raiders, not cling to it by life and limb.

"Remember, Raven?" Cassian pushed. "That story you once told me about it belonging to your mother?"

"Ay," I said brightly, snapping my fingers. "That's the thing about us orphans, commander. We never shut up about our sad little —"

Cassian coughed loudly. "Satisfied?"

"Hardly," Leon said. "Clearly, no justice will be found here. But the Blood Moon Festival fast approaches. We shall all get what is due, one way or the other."

I stilled, my body growing cold. After the death of six of his pledges, Edmond would want revenge, now more than ever. And the arena — where injury was likely and death was inevitable — gave him the perfect opportunity to settle the score.

As soon as the door shut behind Leon, Cassian turned to me, hands on his hips. 

"I am sorry," he said, his tone the furthest thing from apologetic. "Three words, and you could have avoided the mountain – three words you could have taken back the second Austen was out of sight."

Arya smacked the back of her husband's head. "Obviously she would have apologised if she knew the Balthasars would attack! Hindsight makes a fool of all of us."

Cassian turned me. "Promise me you will stop acting in Crenshaw's name."

I looked down, pretending to adjust my bed sheets.

"Argh," Cassian groaned. "How many times will you make the same mistake? I ought to petition the king to extend your sentence. Perhaps eight years will afford you some sense of self-preservation."

My head shot up from the bed sheets, my eyes narrowed. "Hey, Cassian? What exactly did Sammy do for Duke Tudor?"

Cassian frowned, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. "What do you mean?"

"Well, at first I thought you only gave me the parlay to repay Sammy. But after I over performed in the sparring tournament, I began wondering if you – knowing how much I value Sammy's opinion – made the whole 'favor' up to convince me and my strong divine to join your squad. I bloody hope not. As friendly as he seems, I don't think Duke Tudor would take kindly to slander."

Arya's mouth dropped open. "Cassian, is that true?"

Cassian blinked several times. "Seven years it is."

"Good gods," Arya said, pinching her brow.

I smiled thinly, shucking off my bed sheets to disentangle my legs.

"Hey!" Arya cried. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Leon is right. Blood Fest is fast approaching. I can't waste time lying around."

"What part of 'you almost died' do you not understand?" Arya said.

"There is no almost dead," I said. "You either are or you aren't. I am not dead. Hence, I am fine."

Arya swivelled to Cassian, realising there was no reasoning with me. "Please tell your pledge to settle down. She needs three weeks of bed rest, and no more divine until Blood Fest. If she keeps pushing herself in this state, death is a real possibility."

"If I'm weak in the arena, death is a certainty," I said.

Cassian looked between us, rubbing his temples. "No divine until Blood Fest. But you can leave in one week, not three. I'll have someone bring the class texts you miss while on bed rest."

My eyes dimmed. "You're killing me, Cassian."

"I am doing precisely the opposite."

Arya snorted. "Are you now?"

Cassian ignored her, turning back to me. "Rest well, Black. You too, Evans." He kissed his wife on the cheek and strode for the door. I watched him leave, twisting the bed sheet to ribbons between my fingers.

Arya swatted my hands. "Don't let Leon's words get to you. He has no right to treat you as he does."

"That's kind," I said. "But I wouldn't say he has no reason." 

As much as I tried to defy Drax's orders, my hands weren't clean. I may not be decent enough to take punishment willingly, but I can at least acknowledge I deserved it.

"Some have a fair reason to dislike you," Arya hedged. "But some use your past as an excuse to get rid of you, to cover up the real reason they dislike your presence at Skydescent. Cassian dealt with so much crap just because he came from a poor family. I can only imagine what it's like for you."

I spent the next six days resting and celebrated New Year's Day with the hospital staff. While family and friends visted the other patients, Arya gave me a pity cake, probably because all my loved ones were either missing, dead, or a bit of both. On the seventh day, Cassian sent a note summoning me and my roommates to discuss traveling routes for Blood Fest. 

When I opened the door to Cassian's private chambers, Gordo looked up from a map of the arena, his face souring like spoiled milk. Elio stood at his side, regarding me cooly, and Bianca managed a strained smile.

"Where's Cassian?" I said.

There was a heavy beat of silence. You'd need an axe to cut all this tension. A bloody war hammer.

"The privy," Bianca said. "He said he would be back in fifteen–"

"In case it has escaped your notice," Elio cut in dully. "Blood Fest hasn't started yet. Perhaps take heed of your kill count."

"You heard about the mountains?" I said.

"It's all anyone can talk about!" Gordo burst out. "You lured six pledges into Blacktooth's path, then hid in the bushes while they were slaughtered!"

"That's their side of the story," Bianca said. "You haven't heard Raven's."

"What?" Gordo cried, flapping his arms about. "She's not misunderstood! She's just completely unhinged!"

"I didn't lure anyone," I cut in. "The Balthasars chased me. Edmond Balthasar has a vendetta against me for looting his manor. This was his revenge. They shot arrows at me, then I fell down a mountainside and crawled into some bushes – not to lead them into the hydra's path, but to bleed out in peace. The hydra arrived long after I did."

"That's true," Bianca jumped in. "Edmond despises her! He called her a goblin on the boat ride to Skydescent, among other threats."

"Well, I don't care whose fault it was!" Gordo snapped. "It doesn't change the fact that Raven has drawn the wroth of Balthasar, and I – for one – am not interested in entering the arena hitched to a hydra-size target!"

"But what can we do?" Elio said. "We cannot select our own roommates. Believe me, I tried."

"You tried by yourself. Lets petition Cassian for a trade together; he can't say no to all three of us. He will arrive for the strategy meeting soon, we can ask him then." 

Gordo glanced at me, his lips curling. "If you want to make a case to stay, make it now. I will hear you out, but I cannot promise any results."

My eyes narrowed. If Gordo kicks me out of the group, so be it. The last time I trusted someone, it blew up in my face. Worst come to worst, I'd take a knife to the chest over the back any day. 

 "Please don't kick me out," I deadpanned. "If you are not by my side in the arena, how will I remember what raider scum I am?"

"No one is kicking you out," Bianca said, at the same time Gordo advised me to carry a mirror.

"That's enough," Bianca snapped. "It sounds to me that Raven was the victim, but you don't care about the truth, you just want her gone. You would abandon her just because it's the easy thing to do!"

There was a beat of silence. Then Gordo rolled his eyes. "Bianca, please. The adults are talking."

She turned red as an apple. "Shut your mouth."

"Or what?" Gordo snickered. "Going to take a swing me?"

He was still smirking, right until Bianca shot at him, claws first.