Cane woke a few hours later to the scent of flowers drifting through the room. It was quiet, peaceful—empty. He glanced down and froze. The star on his chest—the one that had appeared after embedding the starmetal—had changed. It had shrunk, split into two smaller images, each pulsing gently. One glowed white. The other, a soft blue.
He dressed quietly, intending to leave a note, when the door opened.
Sophie stepped in, breathless and slightly disheveled, balancing a tray loaded with food.
"You okay, Sophie?"
She huffed and smoothed her hair. "Those dang gryphons ambushed me the moment I stepped outside. Then they ate the first tray I brought. I had to sneak past them to get this one."
Cane chuckled, settling on the edge of the bed. "They like you. Can't say I blame them."
Her fluster faded beneath a smile. "Charmer. I brought us some food."
He gestured for her to sit. "Want some advice on the gryphons?"
Sophie nodded as she picked up a pastry.
"For whatever reason, they've taken to you. Embrace it. Organize it. Turn the chaos into something useful—they're smart beasts."
"Maybe it's something I'm wearing?" she asked, glancing down at herself. "Like my perfume?"
"Or maybe it's something in here," Cane said, resting a flat hand on her shoulder. "You might have an inborn affinity with gryphons."
She tilted her head. "The Senior Staff seems really excited about them…"
"Then maybe check the library. See what Vel knows."
Sophie wrinkled her nose. "Vel? She seems a bit… what's the word?"
"Odd," Cane laughed. "Shapeshifting librarians usually are."
He paused, then added, "The star on my chest changed."
"Is it going away?"
"Definitely not." He unbuttoned his shirt, just enough to reveal the glowing sigils.
"Two?" Sophie reached out, fingers brushing the pulsing blue. "What do you think it means?"
"No idea," he said, rebuttoning his shirt and slipping on his boots. "Thanks for taking care of me."
"I like having you here," she said softly, rising on tiptoes for a quick kiss.
"How far do you think my parents are?" she asked.
"End of their first day. Should be halfway there, unless they've had wagon trouble. Broken wheel or something."
"So… they'll arrive tomorrow night?" Sophie followed him to the door.
"If they're on schedule, yeah. Just in time—night before we rift in. Grab a pint with us later?"
Sophie nodded. "Wouldn't miss it."
Cane bent for a longer kiss. "I'll stop by your dorm."
**
Cane's dorm room floor was buried beneath maps—layers of parchment marked with chalk lines and Xs. He crouched low, eyes narrowed, scanning terrain around Bluestone Village. "There's still a lot of ground to cover…"
Fergis reread the assignment scroll, squinting at the bottom. "Wait—this says the quest was upgraded."
Clara, locked in a silent staring match with Pudding, didn't blink. "What's that mean?"
"Started out as a lower-level threat. Someone must've tried and failed." Fergis leaned over the mess of maps. "The original target was a farm near Turo's Pond."
"That's it!" Cane grabbed the corresponding map. "How does a predator hunt? It goes after the closest prey first, then expands the range when food gets scarce."
Dhalia leaned in, pointing near a faded marking. "That symbol—an iron mine, right? When Elohan scouted the area, he came back caked in red mud and dust."
Cane's finger traced north of the mine, just past the pond. "Here. Cave, tucked below the plateau."
Clara blinked.
HOOACH.
Pudding crowed in victory and launched out the open window.
Clara turned back to the maps, unbothered. "What does red dust mean?"
"Iron content in the soil oxidizing." Cane flicked a piece of chalk at her—it bounced off her forehead. "You should pay attention."
"I know, I know," Clara rubbed her head, grinning. "I found a little on manticores in the library. Vel says they always have at least two exits."
"Makes sense," Fergis said, nodding. "We find those first. Block them off—rocks, runes, whatever we've got."
Clara plopped down next to Dhalia, legs crossed. "They're nocturnal. Means we hit them during the day."
All three turned to Cane.
He exhaled. "We'll need rune traps. Something that hurts. What do you have, Fergis?"
"Spike runes for damage, ice runes to slow it down."
"Good. We block exits, trap the main one, then wait," Cane said. "Assuming we find any exits at all."
"Bait might help," Clara offered. "Something with a strong smell—bacon or salted meat."
"Not bad." Cane retrieved his chalk from where it had landed. "We rift into the capital at dawn, day after tomorrow. We leave immediately after."
He glanced toward the desk. "I sent a letter to Relen. Asked him to contact Nina and line up some horses."
After laying out the groundwork for the manticore mission, the group exited Tower Seven and made their way into town, pausing just long enough to contact Sofie.
"I rushed over," she said, breathless but smiling as she joined them. "I had to sneak out a window—those gryphons have staked out the entrance to Sun Tower."
Clara wrinkled her nose, not bothering to hide the jealousy. "Lucky."
Sofie caught Cane's hand and kissed his cheek before falling into step. "The new point standings were just released. Among the fifteen active Tier Two teams… you're ranked sixth."
Cane and Fergis exchanged quiet grins while Clara pumped her fist.
Dhalia rolled her eyes. "The top Tier One team is still thousands of points ahead."
"Maybe," Clara said, undeterred. "But they know we're coming!"
"They're probably staying up late, worrying about us," Dhalia muttered.
Clara nodded, missing the sarcasm entirely. "Right? We're so awesome."
A short walk later, Cane held the door open as the group filed into the pub.
"Cane!" Bella, the barmaid, waved from across the room. "Only one booth left—yours if you want it. Be with you in a moment!"
Cane slid in beside Fergis, across from the three girls.
"What's Mira up to?" he asked. "I heard she wanted to go to the capital with your parents' caravan."
Sofie nodded. "She was really disappointed. Her parents were okay with it, but her grandfather put his foot down. Said it was too dangerous."
"Can't keep her locked up here forever." Cane leaned back. "She'd do well in the capital."
"Doing what?" Sofie raised an eyebrow. "I love Mira, but she's never had a job. They've never let her train anything."
"She's great with people," Cane said. "I bet Nina could find her a spot at the Olivara Auction House."
"Hey, Brighteyes." Bella reappeared, smiling warmly at Cane. She wiped her hands on her apron. "Food or drink?"
"Just ale for me," Cane said, pointing toward Clara. "She'll have the special. It's on me."
Clara beamed, her freckled face glowing. "You're my best friend."
Dhalia snorted. "You say that to everyone."
Clara nodded seriously. "It's an ever-changing position. Merit-based."
The table burst into laughter—except for Clara, who kept her expression completely straight.
Bella took the rest of the orders—just drinks—and moved off as more people began filling the pub.
"She was a bit friendly with you," Sofie deadpanned once Bella was gone.
Dhalia threw an arm around her. "You know they hear the Academy announcements out here. He and Fergis are basically town heroes."
Fergis grinned. "Think town heroes drink for free?"
"Or their best friend?" Clara added with a hopeful glance toward her plate.
Bella returned with their drinks, darting between tables.
"Busy night," Cane said, sipping his ale.
Sofie squinted at him, then leaned closer. "Um… Cane, your eyes are glowing again."
"I know. They haven't stopped since that night we went walking."
She tilted her head, frowning slightly. "The left one's the same, but the right… it's pulsing blue now."
Dhalia leaned in. "Two colors—white and blue. I kind of like the blue one."
"Lemme see," Clara said, staring at Cane. "Can you still see?"
"Yeah."
"Then who cares?" Clara waved enthusiastically as Bella emerged from the kitchen with a steaming plate. "Keep talking, I'm dying from hunger."
Fergis chuckled. "Wasting away to nothing."