The next morning felt strangely ordinary.
That was what Kaelen found most unsettling.
After everything that had happened—the ceremony, the assignments, Rhess changing his entire dispatch—the Order had simply returned to its usual rhythm.
People trained in the courtyard.
Officers carried reports between buildings.
Recruits argued over breakfast.
Someone was shouting at a stable hand about a missing saddle.
Nothing had changed.
Except everything had.
Kaelen stood in the training courtyard with his sword in hand, watching Maeve and Seralyn spar.
Maeve stepped forward first.
Seralyn moved backward, keeping her distance.
"You know," Maeve said, circling her, "for someone who uses a bow, you spend a lot of time running."
Seralyn smiled.
"That's because people like you keep trying to get close enough to hit me."
"Maybe you're just afraid."
"Maybe."
Maeve lunged.
Seralyn twisted aside and tapped Maeve's shoulder with the wooden end of her practice bow.
"Point."
Maeve stared at her.
"That doesn't count."
"It touched you."
"You weren't supposed to use the bow like a stick."
"Why not?"
"Because it's a bow."
Seralyn shrugged.
"You didn't specify."
Kaelen laughed.
Maeve turned toward him.
"Don't encourage her."
"I didn't say anything."
"You laughed."
"That's different."
"How?"
Kaelen thought for a moment.
"I don't know."
Rhess walked into the courtyard carrying two practice axes.
"You two done?"
Maeve looked at him.
"We're finished."
Rhess tossed one axe toward Kaelen.
Kaelen caught it.
"What are we doing?"
"Testing something."
Rhess picked up the other.
Kaelen raised an eyebrow.
"Already?"
"We leave in two days."
"Greyhaven isn't exactly a battlefield."
"You don't know that."
Rhess stepped into position.
Kaelen sighed.
"Fine."
They began.
The first exchange was quick.
Kaelen blocked the axe, stepped back, and countered.
Rhess caught the strike.
The two moved across the courtyard, neither committing fully.
Maeve and Seralyn watched from the side.
"Do they ever just talk?" Maeve asked.
Seralyn considered it.
"Not when they have weapons."
Kaelen swung.
Rhess ducked and struck toward his ribs.
Kaelen twisted away.
"You're holding back," Rhess said.
"So are you."
"I don't want to hurt you."
"That's insulting."
Rhess grinned.
"Then hit harder."
Kaelen did.
Their weapons collided with a sharp crack.
Rhess was forced backward.
Kaelen followed.
Rhess suddenly changed direction, hooked Kaelen's ankle with his foot, and sent him stumbling.
Kaelen caught himself before falling.
Rhess lowered his axe.
"Better."
Kaelen straightened.
"You're enjoying this."
"Maybe."
Maeve crossed her arms.
"You two are impossible."
Rhess looked at her.
"You're welcome to join."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I have better things to do."
"Such as?"
Maeve glanced at Seralyn.
"Watching you lose."
Rhess laughed.
Kaelen shook his head.
The spar continued for another few minutes before they finally stopped.
Kaelen wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Greyhaven."
Rhess nodded.
"Greyhaven."
"What do you think we'll find?"
"Someone stealing supplies."
"Probably."
Seralyn lowered her bow.
"Then why would three patrols fail to catch them?"
The others became quiet.
Rhess looked toward her.
"Good question."
Kaelen nodded.
"That's what bothered me too."
Maeve picked up her water flask.
"Maybe the patrols were incompetent."
"Three separate patrols?"
"Maybe."
Seralyn shook her head.
"Or whoever is doing it knows how the patrols operate."
Kaelen looked at her.
"You think it's organized?"
"I don't know."
She glanced toward the branch buildings.
"But if supplies are disappearing repeatedly, someone is either very lucky or very careful."
Rhess rested his axe against his shoulder.
"We'll find out."
A voice came from behind them.
"Find out what?"
They turned.
Deren stood at the entrance to the courtyard.
Kaelen's face immediately brightened.
"Deren."
Deren walked toward them carrying a pack.
"Morning."
Maeve looked at the pack.
"You're leaving already?"
"Tomorrow morning."
The four exchanged glances.
Kaelen stepped forward.
"I thought you had another day."
"So did I."
Deren shrugged.
"Orders changed."
Rhess frowned.
"Southern patrol?"
"Yep."
"Where?"
"Somewhere called Redwater."
Maeve smiled.
"Never heard of it."
"Neither had I."
Deren dropped his pack against the wall.
"Apparently that's part of the appeal."
Kaelen laughed.
Deren looked at the axe in Rhess's hand.
"You've already started training without me?"
"We're leaving in two days."
"And?"
"We need to prepare."
Deren put a hand over his chest.
"I can't believe this."
Kaelen smiled.
"You'll survive."
"That's what you said yesterday."
"And you did."
"Unfortunately."
They all laughed.
For a while, it felt like the old days again.
No assignments.
No distant roads.
No officers deciding where they belonged.
Just the five of them standing in the training courtyard.
Deren eventually picked up a wooden practice sword.
"Come on."
Kaelen raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"One last fight."
Rhess smiled.
"With you?"
"Who else?"
"You'll lose."
"I might."
Deren pointed the wooden sword at him.
"But I'm willing to embarrass myself."
Rhess handed his axe to Kaelen.
"Fine."
Deren stepped into the center.
Kaelen moved aside.
Maeve leaned toward Seralyn.
"This should be interesting."
Deren attacked first.
Rhess blocked.
Deren immediately changed direction and swung again.
Rhess caught it.
"You're slower."
"I just woke up."
"You've been awake for hours."
"Then I'm tired."
Rhess pushed him back.
Deren stumbled, recovered, and laughed.
"Okay. You're stronger."
"I know."
"Don't enjoy that too much."
They continued.
Deren wasn't as physically powerful as Rhess, but he was quick.
He relied on movement, feints, and unpredictability.
At one point, he slipped around Rhess and managed to tap him on the back.
Deren raised both hands.
"Point."
Rhess turned slowly.
"You cheated."
"I improvised."
"You ran behind me."
"Strategic repositioning."
Kaelen laughed.
Rhess shook his head.
"Again."
They fought for several minutes.
Eventually, Rhess caught Deren's wrist and disarmed him.
Deren stared at the sword on the ground.
"Fine."
Rhess released him.
"You're improving."
Deren smiled.
"That almost sounded like a compliment."
"It wasn't."
"Close enough."
He picked up his sword.
Then he looked at Kaelen.
"Your turn."
Kaelen blinked.
"Mine?"
"You've been watching."
"I wasn't planning on fighting."
"That's exactly why you should."
Maeve laughed.
"He's got you."
Kaelen sighed.
"Fine."
Deren grinned.
The two stepped into the center.
They had fought each other countless times over the years.
Sometimes seriously.
Sometimes not.
This time was different.
Neither said why.
Kaelen raised his practice sword.
Deren raised his.
They moved.
Their blades met.
Deren attacked quickly, forcing Kaelen backward.
Kaelen blocked.
Deren struck again.
Kaelen sidestepped.
Deren smiled.
"You've gotten faster."
"So have you."
"Not enough."
Deren feinted left.
Kaelen reacted.
Deren immediately switched directions.
Kaelen caught the strike at the last moment.
They separated.
For several seconds, they simply looked at one another.
Then Deren lowered his sword.
"That's enough."
Kaelen lowered his as well.
"You gave up."
"I prefer to call it tactical preservation."
"You were losing."
"I was considering my options."
"You were losing."
Deren laughed.
"Fine."
He offered his hand.
Kaelen shook it.
Deren held on for a second longer than necessary.
"Don't get yourself killed."
Kaelen looked at him.
"You too."
"I wasn't joking."
"Neither was I."
Deren smiled.
"I know."
They released hands.
Maeve looked away.
Seralyn quietly gathered the practice weapons.
Rhess picked up his axe.
Nobody said anything about how this might be their last time training together.
Nobody needed to.
The day continued.
They ate lunch together.
They argued over whose turn it was to pay for food.
Deren complained about his departure time.
Rhess insisted the southern roads would be worse than Greyhaven.
Maeve told them both they were being dramatic.
Seralyn mostly listened, occasionally adding a comment that made everyone laugh.
It was an ordinary afternoon.
And that was exactly how they wanted it.
Later, as the sun began to set, the five of them stood near the Order's outer gate.
Deren's pack was over his shoulder.
Kaelen looked at him.
"So tomorrow."
"Tomorrow."
"Write."
Deren nodded.
"I will."
Maeve stepped forward.
"Don't disappear for months."
"I won't."
Seralyn smiled.
"Take care."
Deren looked at her.
"You too."
Rhess held out his hand.
Deren shook it.
Then Rhess pulled him into a brief embrace.
Deren laughed.
"Didn't know you had that in you."
"Don't tell anyone."
"I'll tell everyone."
Rhess stepped back.
Deren looked at all four of them.
"I'll see you soon."
Kaelen nodded.
"Definitely."
Deren turned and walked through the gate.
He didn't look back immediately.
Then, just before disappearing down the road, he raised one hand.
Kaelen raised his in return.
The others did the same.
Then Deren continued on.
Kaelen watched until he disappeared from sight.
Maeve stood beside him.
"He'll be back."
Kaelen nodded.
"I know."
They turned away from the gate.
Tomorrow would be Deren's road.
The day after that would be theirs.
And for now, neither road seemed particularly far away.