They called it a near miss, but I called it a far cry. My shot went far off target, and I could tell Ioan saw it. He strode up to the archer line beside me, smirking, and I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“Away, little bird. I’ll teach you how to shoot.” He purred.

Head held high, I retreated to my few fans.

“Aderyn, you can do this! I’ve seen you shoot much better.”

“Yeah, well, tell my aim that.” I growled back.

There were wild cheers around my group, signaling Ioan had executed his bullseye.

Grumbling under my breath, I stepped up to the line again, choosing the best arrow I had left. Ioan stalked past me, looking smug.

“I hope you can pull this off. If you don’t, I get your family’s land.”

I would have struck him then, had I not that threat to keep from happening. There was no way that insidious Ioan would get hold of the finest farmland in Whales. Under no pressure to win, I notched the shaft to my bowstring, assumed the proper stance, and then drew up the great longbow. Squinting one eye, I aimed and bit my lip until I tasted blood; my oath to win. I pulled back the string to my ear, sighting along the shaft, and waited. The wind whispered in my ear, telling me secrets they told to no one else. Finally, I was ready for my shot. I let the shaft fly and closed my eyes, awaiting the complete silence of failure.

“Alexis? Are you listening to me? Alexis, did you even do the assignment?”

With a jolt, I came back to reality, and found myself in my history class, just in time to hear the teacher’s question. “Assignment? Er, yeah. Aderyn won the shot.”