Jack didn’t answer right away. If they leave the city, my problems are solved. For a moment, he was tempted to pay for passage to the nearest city, but that would at best appear weird and at worst suspicious. “Yes,” he said. “If someone really is hunting you, staying here just makes it easier for them. They could be waiting for you at your home… right now!”

  Linda looked scared at the thought.

  “Is your home at least protected with some enchantments?” Jack asked.

  Sam shook her head. “We’re staying at Madam Lou’s… it’s cheap.”

  Jack smiled behind the mask. “You should do whatever it takes to leave the city. It’s not safe here.”

  Both women nodded in agreement.

  “I need to get some archery practice in,” Jack said. “There’s not much more I can teach you until you’ve spent at least a week or two practising your form.”

  The two women looked disappointed.

  “Archery isn’t something you can learn in five minutes,” he said, before returning to his own practice. What a pair of idiots. He couldn’t believe two young adults thought they could learn enough about archery in one session to defend themselves against an assassin.

  Jack had wasted most of the first fifteen minutes helping others. He spent the next fifteen performing like a Novice Scribe who’d never held a bow before. His mind kept going over what he should do next. His thoughts went back and forth between: If only they’d leave the city, and he knew where they were staying, he could hunt them down before the weekend.

  Less than halfway into the session, the two women gave up. It started with Sam. She was messing up most shots. She tossed the training bow onto one of the tables at the back. “I’m done!” Sam yelled. “I’m not a fucking archer!” She sat on the table, moping. “It’s not fair… why’s he hunting us?” she muttered. “We didn’t do anything to him.”

  Jack could hear the Novice Mage mumbling behind him. You didn’t complain when your rogue went to kill me. He wanted to tell her she’d brought it on herself by going along with the others, but kept quiet. You didn’t think twice before chasing me through the city.

  A minute later, Linda joined her. “Me too,” she said. “This was a long shot at best.” She gave Sam a hug. “Maybe we can hide for a few weeks and pray to the Gods he gives up on us.”

  “You should join a caravan,” Sam said. “You’re a healer… It’s easier for you to find a new party.” Tears welled in her eyes.

  Linda shook her head. “I’m not leaving you here… alone!” She gave her friend another hug. “We’ll get through this together… like we always have.”

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  Jack felt a twinge of guilt and sympathy for their situation. He reminded himself of who they are and what they’d done. They laughed about me being killed by their rogue. They’ve probably killed other adventurers.

  Sam wiped her tears. “I know someone in Grime City… a slaver. Maybe we can hide there for a few weeks?”

  “Maybe,” Linda replied. “Let’s get out of here.”

  The pair headed towards the door.

  As they left, Sam called back. “Thanks for the archery tips, Jack. I hope we see you around.”

  Under the mask, Jack’s mouth had dropped open again. “No problem,” he replied. I hope you die in a ditch.

  After Linda and Sam left, Nessa sighed. “Thank the Gods they’ve gone. What a pair of fantasists… who’s ever heard of a changeling Apprentice Mage who’s also an Expert Assassin?” She broke into heavy laughter.

  Ella laughed too. “They’d have to be ancient to achieve that powerful build, and changelings don’t live much longer than us. Pair of deluded fools. Probably making it all up… another one of their schemes.”

  “You should keep away from that pair, Jack,” Nessa warned. “Nothing but trouble. If someone is hunting them, they probably deserve it.”

  Ella nodded in agreement. “They’re bad news, Jack.”

  Jack grinned. “I’ll do my best.” He took a deep breath to relax. Forget about them. I’m here to practice, he told himself. I still have half the session left. He glanced across at Toma, who was concentrating on practice. His forms improved a lot.

  Jack spent the next fifteen minutes concentrating on archery. Every time his mind wandered back to the two women, he took a moment to think of something else. Something important. His mom’s cooking. His baby brother growing up. One of Arman’s wraps, he missed a shot after deciding he’d grab one on the way back home. Spending more time with his dad. Getting Polly back for drenching him. He missed another shot when he remembered about the spider eggs he’d forgotten to throw away. Little Zia and how she was fitting into his family.

  It helped. By the time the Guild system announced the end of the round and Ella suggested they move to having some fun, Jack was back to normal.

  “System,” Ella shouted. “Group training, Novice Archer, level zero, beginner level ten.”

  “Awesome!” Toma shouted.

  Jack, Toma, Nessa, and Ella took a moment’s rest while Training Room 13 changed settings.

  The soft mechanical voice acknowledged Ella’s command.

  Novice Archer, level zero. Beginner level ten activated.

  The room stirred to life.

  “Awesome!” Toma shouted while bouncing on his heels. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”

  The breeze near Jack and Toma flared into sharp gusts that tugged at their clothes. The overhead lights dimmed, casting the chamber in a twilight haze. From hidden speakers, distant screams, panicked shouts, and clashing weapons echoed a battlefield illusion woven from sound.

  Toma’s head whipped around, trying to find the source of the chaos.

  Jack laughed. “It got you again.”

  Toma turned a light shade of pink. “I was just caught off guard, that’s all.”

  “Sure you were,” Jack said, patting the boy on the shoulder.

  At the far end, the stationary targets gave a mechanical whine and slid aside, vanishing into the walls with a series of sharp clicks. In their place, new constructs emerged; clockwork mannequins armed with shields, gears clicking as they moved. Some lunged forward on piston-driven legs, while others raised their shield-carrying arms in defence. Above, runes flickered to life, casting flickering light across the room like a dying sun.

  The group of four each grabbed a fresh quiver of training arrows and prepared for the chaos to begin.