Chapter 7

Zee hadn't expected much from today—just a bit of thieving, a few easy marks, then back to the usual routine. But now she stood frozen, staring at someone she never thought she'd see again anytime soon: her twin sister.

Mae Eirina Qinra.

They were nearly identical, a perfect reflection split only by a few key differences. Where Zee wore practical leather armor, scuffed from use and tailored for quick getaways, Mae's armor was more form-fitting, designed to accentuate rather than conceal. A robe draped over her shoulders, likely to obscure her pointed elven ears. Her hair was shorter, stopping at just above her shoulders, while Zee's cascaded down past her waist.

But the rest? The same. The same striking emerald eyes, sharp and vivid. The same lithe, agile figure. The same ethereal beauty that marked them unmistakably as elves.

Mae tilted her head, a smug glint in her gaze. "What's wrong? You're staring an awful lot. If you really wanted to see your big sister, you could've just looked in a mirror, you know?"

Zee blinked, snapping out of her daze, her shock bubbling over into a flustered mess of words. "Wha—what are you doing here, Mae?" she blurted, jabbing an accusatory finger at her sister. "Shouldn't you be at the village?"

Mae raised a brow, crossing her arms with casual ease. "First thing you do is start with questions? No 'I'm so glad to see you!' or 'How have you been? How's everyone?'" She let out an amused exhale, shaking her head with a knowing smile. "Though… this is exactly what I expected."

"Of—of course I'm going to ask you those things!" Zee shot back, stepping closer, her hands flying up in that familiar, frantic way—like a child trying to justify themselves to an older sibling. "But we can talk about that stuff later, at the inn I'm staying at. For now, why are you here, Mae?"

Mae rolled her eyes, her smirk never fading. "What? You can leave the village after pulling off that little stunt of yours, but I can't?"

Zee's panic flared, her hands waving defensively. "No, no, no! Obviously you can! It's just—surprising to see you here, that's all."

Mae chuckled, the sound light and teasing. "Looks like you're still easily flustered. Thought all this time on the road might've changed that." She leaned in slightly, her grin softening just a touch. "But I'm glad it didn't."

Mae leaned back with casual ease, running a hand through her short hair as she spoke. "Anyway, to answer your question—we're here for two things." She held up two fingers, a sly glint in her eyes. "Though one of those things was a more... recent interest."

Zee blinked, her confusion evident. "We? You mean you're not here alone?" She glanced around the crowd, half-expecting to spot another one of their siblings lurking nearby.

Mae chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Don't worry, none of our other siblings tagged along. It's just me—and the person I came with. A half-orc named Drack."

Zee's brow furrowed. "Drack?"

"Yeah," Mae said, casually glancing toward one of the tournament registration stalls. "He's over there filling out my admission for the tournament."

Zee's eyes went impossibly wide. "You're participating in the tournament!?"

Mae nodded with a grin. "Yep. It sounded fun. Plus, I figured it'd be a perfect way to reveal myself in front of a crowd—give them a real scare, you know?"

Zee stared at her, mouth agape. "You—you can't do that! That's too dangerous!"

Mae simply shrugged. "I like danger. You know that."

She let her gaze drift lazily around the square before adding, "By the way, where are your two friends? The old man and the blue-haired boy. Larkin and Xain, right?"

Zee froze, her heart skipping a beat. "H-how do you know about them?"

Mae's smirk widened. "I have my ways. I even know the boy's a thief like you. Maybe you two were having a little competition to see who could steal more, huh?"

Zee quickly shook her head. "No! We don't just steal for fun! We're stealing because we have to!" She crossed her arms, looking away with a stubborn huff. "Don't misunderstand Xain. He takes these things very seriously—and he even has a moral code."

Mae's amusement didn't fade. In fact, her eyes lit up with curiosity as she suddenly pointed toward something—or someone—in the crowd. "Is that him?"

Zee uncrossed her arms, hesitating for a beat before following Mae's finger. Her eyes landed on Xain standing beside a man she didn't recognize… and two women she definitely didn't recognize.

"Looks like he's taking it very seriously, huh, Zee?" Mae mused, clearly amused.

But Zee didn't respond.

"Zee?" Mae glanced at her, only to see her twin locked in an intense glare aimed straight at the two unfamiliar women. A bead of sweat formed on Mae's temple as she took in Zee's expression.

"Oh boy," she muttered.

Zee continued to glare, thoughts racing. *Not again!*