Chapter 2

II

Birds of a Feather

Mira Solice

Mira was about to open the double doors to Amora’s bed chambers when they suddenly cracked open, revealing a sphinx-like face and bright amber eyes. 

“There you are,” Nadine’s voice was eloquent and regal, befitting a noble lady; she spoke as if she were pleasantly delighted. “We were about to go out looking for you,” Nadine added. She took a moment to peer down and up at Mira’s outfit. “Amora wants to go out for a ride with us.”

Mira stepped into the room and was almost tackled by two maids rushing over to change her into riding gear. All three girls had different proportions, although Nadine and Mira were frequent guests at the Lee estate, whose seamstresses often mailed some custom clothing for any event. The maids worked quickly and efficiently, moving her to one of the chairs by the window. 

“I met your cousin Kyro a few hours ago when I went out to the garden,” Mira stated, sneezing a bit as one of the maids dusted her nose with a powder puff. 

“Did you?” Amora sat on the opposite chair, her monolid eyes closed as another maid carefully worked on her makeup. “He’s not very chatty, but hopefully, he was friendly.”

“Well, I heard that he’s a phenomenal weaponsman,” Nadine boasted, picking up a champagne flute, “My mother adores that man and wants to appoint him as a knight for us, although he’ll probably be with Prince Eden. Either way, I’d have him as a guard.”

Mira’s ears perked up. “Your bethroled?” She didn’t bother hiding her shock. “Why Prince Eden instead of the Crown Prince if he’s such an accomplished fighter?” 

Nadine sipped on her glass. “You don’t know? He’s Prince Eden’s closest friend, besides, the Crown Prince already has a plethora of guards at his side at all times.”

Of course, Mira didn’t know. In fact, given that she was only adopted into high society a few years prior, she had never encountered a single royal member. Lady Zenovia had only made her read through the academic and fighting records of families who sent their members out to learn how to fight the Tainted. Friendships, romances, and things of that nature weren’t ever touched upon, mainly because Solice members were hardly ever invited to high society events. 

“Mira? You alright? You’ve grown quiet.” Amora commented. 

“Oh- Sorry,” she responded, feeling flush with embarrassment. “I guess I was just thinking about how much training a man has to endure to become so skilled.”

Nadine let out an airy laugh. “We should invite him to join us! Amora, invite your brother as well. Perhaps we can get them to have an archery competition on horseback.”

“Oh, splendid idea!” Amora made a motion so a few maids could search for the men and meet up with their trio. 

***

The sounds of light trotting against the ground rallied around their group. They had entered a forest path wide enough to fit two riders side to side, but Mira had found herself at the front as they had an odd number of people in their party. She was admiring the green foliage when the sound of another horse joined her side. 

“So... We meet again. Mary, is it?”  

“Mira.” She corrected in a cool voice, practically refusing to turn her head at that question.

“Ah, right.” Kyro didn’t sound like he cared all that much anyway. “What’s your relationship with Lady Veleno? Earlier, you had other prior engagements to attend, but now were sort of in a unique position to converse freely.”

Mira seemed to ponder his words for a moment. “I think you and possibly others view her too unfavorably. To you, Lady Veleno may look like an evil stepmother since your late mother was such an amazing woman, and I sympathize.” Mira met his eyes and offered him a smile. 

“Your words are empty, my lady,” he replied. “I doubt you even met her.”

“I’ve heard a great many things,” Mira bit back. “I can understand your loss, my parents passed some years ago before my aunt Lady Zenovia adopted me, but I have learned, my mother and Lady Reyna are somewhat outcasts for different circumstances. So, I ask, what’s the harm in being friendly to someone to a noblewoman that's hardly spoken to at events? She and her son are quite lovely.”

Kyro had inched closer to listen and was studying her features. It was apparent that he was trying to keep a straight face but conceal what she did not know. “You’re acquainted with Adam?” 

“Yes. Although he’s a bit of a flirt. He’s good at reading people.”

Kyro snickered. “Of course he is,” he said dryly. “You ought to be careful.”

“I’ll manage.” 

As the path grew wider, the group moved into a large clearing, and that's when a loud trembling noise came from the ground. The horses began to shift and neigh nervously before the earth began to shake furiously. 

“What's going on?” Nadine shrieked. 

Mira could hardly hear her friend's words, too consumed by the sound of trees splitting apart before them. 

As a fallen branch landed near her horse, the creature reeled back and began to bolt from the scene, unable to be controlled despite Mira’s efforts. Branches of leaves smacked her face as it ran, Mira struggled to keep her eyes open. What felt like minutes were only a few seconds, and the horse ran as far as it could even after the quake had stopped. 

Exacerbated, Mira looked up at the sky, sending a quick prayer to the savior for not sending her off a cliff. The horse had run in a straight line, and once it was safe enough, Mira grabbed hold of one of the reins and circled the horse around back where it came, patting it before moving ahead. 

A dead tree blocked her path back and as Mira began to move around it, she spotted her group surrounding an area and hurried over. Kyro and Damian were both on the ground inspecting while the women appeared shaken and sick to their stomachs. 

“Mira!” Amora exclaimed as she joined them, relief washing over her features. 

“What happened here?” Mira’s voice sounded so loud as her eyes scanned the ground and looked at all the lifeless bodies of at least a few dozen birds before them. It was eerily quiet as if the trees had stopped moving altogether. 

“Tainted,” Damian responded, holding up his wristband. Besides the arrows that worked as a compass, the entire body was a dark gray, almost black color. A single shade’s difference could alert its wearer how far a magic user was by detecting energy omitted from particles in the air, invisible to the eye. 

“Could they have caused the earthquake?” Nadine asked, her voice barely audible. 

Kyro ran a hand through his black hair and shook his head. “We would’ve been able to detect their magic energy around us if it was.” He turned over a bird with one of his arrows, brows scrunching in thought. “These things have been dead for a few days; whoever tested their power on them is far gone.”

Mira swallowed; those detectors, despite their size, were terrifyingly accurate, able to detect Tainted up to two days of travel on horseback. Since their bands weren’t glowing a bright white, it meant she had been suppressing her energy at an impalpable level. 

Damian hoisted himself back on his horse. “Let’s head back,” he announced. “I’ll lead.” 

***

As they returned to the estate, Amora and Nadine called for a butler to bring them some tea to still their nerves, colligating themselves in the manor's annex. 

“Does that often happen around here? I’ve never experienced an earthquake out in the open before,” Nadine said, her hand quivering as she brought her teacup to her lips. 

Amora nodded. “Our home has a solid foundation since these quakes happen once every few years around here. Today we were just unlucky.” 

Mira peered outside at the stables, watching as the men unsaddled the horses and passed the reins to the stableboys. “What will happen now? Kyro and Damian detected Tainted, even if its a few days' ride. Will they go out on a search?”

“I don’t know,” Amora sighed, looking out at her brother. “If they do, they won’t go alone. Damian has no experience, and the last time Kyro went on a mission, he barely escaped with his life.”

“What kind of Tainted could do that sort of damage?” Mira asked. 

“One that can animate the dead,” a voice interjected. 

Kyro, despite his stature, had very light footsteps. It must’ve been a trained skill. He stood with his arms crossed, his face expressionless yet calm. 

The girls shifted uncomfortably. Mira set down her cup and looked at him. “How do you kill a Tainted person?”

“Trap them. Like a shepherd and the sheep, you must isolate or steer them away from their source.” 

“But,” Mira thought. “A necromancer? I just don’t understand how that's even possible.”

“You fight. Close the gap, stab, and cut anything in your way until you reach the target and incapacitate them.” 

Nadine choked on her tea and scrambled to regain herself. “Sorry, can we change the subject? I have a wedding to plan by the end of the year, and I’d rather not worry about this sort of stuff.”

Kyro nodded. “I’ll make my leave then. Cousin, ladies,” he bowed his head and left as silently as he came in. 

“Right, well,” Amora said, clasping her hands together. “I say we each take a long hot bath and meet in the drawing room to unwind after a hectic afternoon. We can reunite after dusk.”

Mira bowed respectfully and filed out, planning how she would send a letter back home to Zenovia without raising too much suspicion in her words. If the Tainted were animals, she’d be a wolf in disguise.