Callius had lost something.
Aerys saw it clearly while forcing the boy's dislocated shoulder back into place beside the dying fire. The old Callius—the untouchable golden heir who moved through the world as if defeat could never touch him—was gone.
Pain buckled Callius's knees the moment the joint snapped back into place.
He nearly collapsed.
"Thanks… ," he muttered through clenched teeth, gripping the back of Aerys's neck to steady himself.
Aerys said nothing. Callius laughed weakly, though blood still stained his teeth.
"I failed the test," he admitted. "Charged in like a complete idiot. If this wasn't a game, they would've killed me."
"At least you're still alive."
"I only lost my pride."
"Good," Rosis replied with a grin. "You had too much of it anyway."
The smile faded from Cassius's face almost immediately.
"We need to go back," he said quietly. "jinn is still there. We get her before Titos drags her into that tower."
"We'll bring her back," Aerys answered.
Titos could count on that. By midday, Aerys and Cassius headed east across the mountain ridges farther than they had ever traveled before. The peaks of Mars stretched endlessly around them while the lowlands spread far below like another world entirely.
"A rider," Aerys murmured eventually. "South-east."
Callius resisted the urge to look immediately.
They descended into a damp valley where dark water gathered in a narrow lake beneath swarms of insects. Mud clung to their boots while a family of deer drank cautiously from the opposite shore.
Aerys crouched near the water, washing dirt from his hands before tearing into a strip of roasted lamb. The meat badly needed salt.
Too much protein. Not enough else His stomach cramped constantly now.
"How far from the fortress do you think we are?" Aerys asked casually.
Cassius glanced around. "Twenty kilometers maybe. Hard to tell."
Then he finally followed Aerys's gaze.
A girl sat atop a dappled wild horse at the edge of the valley watching them.
A long wrapped spear rested against her saddle.
Aerys recognized her instantly. she was The same girl he had met in the locker room after the selection.
Cassius straightened slightly despite his injuries.
"I want her horse."
Even half-blind and bruised, arrogance returned to him effortlessly.
"Hé, darling!" he called. "Beautiful horse. What House are you from?"
The girl approached carefully until only ten meters separated them. Her insignia had been deliberately covered with strips of cloth, but berry dye and animal grease painted diagonal marks across her face. Clever ,Very clever.
"Hello, celerion " she said smugly.
Cassius bowed dramatically.
"What a fortunate coincidence."
Aerys kicked a stone lazily aside.
"Nice horse," he added flatly.
She smiled immediately,A rare resource.
She understood what his tone meant.
"silver hair and golden eyes," she looked surprise . "it is an honor to be in the presence of the fifth prince, What are His Highness and a pretty boy doing all the way out here?" she asked mockingly .
Aerys tapped his dull sword Blade resting against his shoulder.
"we are enjoying the scenery."
The girl nearly laughed, Cassius stepped forward with a crooked grin.
"I'll be honest," he said. "You're stunning If you take me back to your castle, I'll gladly serve as your personal boytoy as long as I can sleep late and nobody else touches me."
He reached toward her saddle. but The horse backed away instantly.
Cassius sighed theatrically.
"What a shame."
The girl batted her eyelashes mockingly.
"And judging by what's between your legs," she replied sweetly, "I imagine you're a terrifying warrior too."
Cassius puffed up proudly before realizing she was mocking him.
Aerys almost smiled.
The girl leaned lazily against her saddle.
"We did receive weapons in our castle," she explained. "we only find the dull and olds ones scattered throughout the different towers Which means one thing."
Her eyes gleamed with intelligence.
"You don't have anything valuable So you steal from those who do. And if those pathetic weapons are all you carry, then house celerion clearly don't possess better ones."
She tilted her head.
— So, you must be in the forest, right? Or rather in the low mountains to the north. Oh, that's excellent! How useless are your
arms? Do you only have horses? Poor, poor house!
"Bitch."Callius makes a point of emphasizing
Aerys rested the swrod's Blade across his shoulder.
"You seem very pleased with yourself."
"That's because I'm smarter than both of you," she answered instantly.
Her hair—woven into long golden braids—shimmered beneath the sunlight.
"And your House?" Aerys asked calmly.
"Higher ranked than yours during Selection, my prince."
So she remembered him too.
Interesting.
"some the neutral houses wanted you badly," she continued. "But you must have understood, my prince, that this amounts to anger. Some people."
Cassius discreetly scanned the hills around them while Aerys pretended boredom.
Then he stiffened suddenly.
"A snake," he whispered sharply toward Callius.
Callius looked down instinctively.
So did the girl, That single fraction of distraction was enough.
Aerys exploded forward, He crossed the distance between them almost instantly and grabbed a fistful of her golden braids, yanking hard to pull her from the saddle.
She reacted fast—faster than expected—and nearly escaped before the horse slipped violently in the mud.
Then Cassius's pitchfork swept through the animal's legs, Horse and rider crashed hard into the ground.
"Callius!"
"Sorry!"
"You could've killed her!"
"I know!"
Aerys rushed forward, afraid she had broken her neck , The entire plan depended on her surviving. She remained motionless.
Then a knife suddenly pressed against his groin. Aerys caught her wrist immediately and slammed it into the mud before ripping the blade from her fingers.
"I knew you wanted to roll around in the dirt with me my prince," she purred.
Then she whistled sharply.
"Hooves thundered in the distance, Of course everyone else in this cursed académie had horses". Aerys shoot as he tore away the cloth covering her insignia.
house Lunarys.
Seventeen riders descended into the valley carrying spears.
Callius cursed.
"Well," the girl said smugly, "time to run, my prince. My army's here."
Running was impossible.
Callius dove into the lake first.
Aerys shoved the Lunarys girl aside and jumped after him into the freezing black water.
He knew how to swim and he did it quickly