IONEE R. AALAM

A dull thud and a cry from behind her roused Maia from her thoughts. She turned to find a figure clad in black sprawled facedown on the floor of the balcony. The dark-skinned boy was younger than her — in his early twenties.

Zuri's miniature arrow whizzed through the clearing, defying the autumnal breeze and finally, embedded its silver arrowhead into the target.