Nessa Rootmark's Arc

Chapter 7 of 9

The clearing looked different on the second day. The target stood where she'd left it, her arrow still lodged in the outer ring with the seventeen others. But the ground near the dwelling showed fresh tracks—boot prints in the soft earth, a broken twig that hadn't been there before. Nessa walked toward the building and stopped. A wooden post now stood at the clearing's edge, wound tight with fresh vines that hadn't grown there naturally. Someone had placed it. Behind it, closer to the dwelling, sat a small table with a single chair, a plate and cup arranged as though waiting for their owner to return. The message was clear: this place belonged to someone, and they'd been here recently. She turned toward the target and saw the sign—a rough plank nailed to a stake, the word NO carved deep into the wood. Flowers had been woven through the vines that wrapped its base, bright against the dark letters. She pulled an arrow from her quiver anyway. The clearing had been abandoned when she found it. These marks were new, placed after she'd left her shot standing with the others. Whoever claimed this space now had done so because she'd made it matter again. She drew her bow, held longer than her hands wanted to allow, and released. The arrow struck two fingers closer to center than yesterday's shot. She left it standing. Footsteps came from the trees behind her. Nessa turned, hand already reaching for another arrow, but stopped when she saw who emerged from the shadows. Her rival walked into the clearing, his gaze moving from the new arrow to her face. He didn't speak. He simply nodded once, then walked past her to the dwelling and sat at the table, as though he'd been coming here all along. The clearing wasn't abandoned—it was his. And now he'd let her see it.