As soon as we stepped out onto the street, I regretted saying I would go. The warm, dark, dusty house was comforting compared to the open, bight street. I had been out of the house twice before: once when I first got to Raven's Burrow and once to get sets of clothes for myself.

There were people out today. A lot of people. They were all heading down the street in the same direction. Those who passed stared at me like I looked strange. I was hoping we would be heading in the opposite direction. Wishful thinking.

"Come on Violet," Lecia said softly, pulling me by the hand.

"We have to hurry. Looks like the game will start soon and our team doesn't have a chance without us," Royce said. "I can't wait to see the look on Reid's face when we beat him for the third time in a row."

"Technically speaking, Royce, his team would have won last time if we didn't have to stop short," Varius said, casting a dark look at me.

"Violet is truly a blessing. She's keeping our winning streak alive," said Royce with a wicked smile.

"Don't mind them," Lecia said, rolling her eyes as we fell behind the boys.

Varius and Royce led the way, talking about game strategy and weaving between families. Lecia pulled me along by my wrist, telling me how the game was played.

"There are two teams. Each has nine players. Varius, Royce, and I are all on the same team, along with six of our friends.

"Royce is our team captain, obviously. There's Sebastian and Elijah Irving—they're brothers. Noella Emerson—she's my best friend. Then there's Athena Kynaston, Ian Marlowe, and Charlie Cairbre. Charlie is our eldest player but he's invaluable. He's already a father so his wife and baby come to see him and cheer our team on every time. Who knows when he'll leave? Maybe you could take his place! You'd be the first Lark to ever make our team!"

"What's a Lark?" I asked.

"It's the name we give to everyone who is without a surname of their own," Lecia explained carefully. "You would be a Lark because you don't know who you belong to but there are a lot of bad reasons people are Larks. Some are bastards and others have been cast out by their real families. One thing you'll learn is in this village, family pride is everything. Royce and I work hard to keep up our family names but as you'll learn, many families can't keep things together. That's why you often see siblings on opposing teams.

"The other team is made up of the worst people you can find in this town. Kieran is obviously on that team. They're four Larks on the team too: Jackson and Lena are siblings, orphaned. They're perhaps the nicest on that side. Then there's Mervin and Myles Lark. They're not related but they act like it; they're not bad either. They play dirty though. Rosheen Winthrop is a young mother with quite and attitude and Sierra Irving is one of my brother's worst enemies. It takes a lot to get on his bad side. But the worst of the worst on that team are Reid Kynaston and Evelyn Daly. I'm not sure which is worse. I'm sure you'll recognize them when we start playing. They share captain-hood of the team."

"Is that the Reid Royce and Varius were talking about?" I asked.

"The one and only," Lecia grumbled. "Don't be caught off guard by his charm. He's quite the demon.

"So here's how the game works: there's a bag of rice that we play with. The object of the game is to get that bag of rice into the other team's designated area and to stop the other team from getting it into our team's."

"That seems fairly easy," I said. "Where's the fun in that?"

"It's not simple, Violet!" Lecia said with a laugh as we entered a field on the outskirts of town, shielded by a forest. Crowds of citizens were grouped in an oval shape and chalk lines had been drawn for the arena. "You see, there aren’t any real rules to the game."

I did see. Not five minutes into the game and Royce had a bloody lip. Ten minutes passed and two members of the opposing team were bleeding from their heads.

It quickly became clear who Reid and Evelyn were. They were perhaps the most vicious players of the game. During the first goal that Royce's team scored, Evelyn, a tall redhead with piercing green eyes, tackled Lecia to the ground and began pummeling her with her fists. Reid was a tall, gangly boy whose sunken eyes were threatening. He was very good at grabbing the boys from the other team around the waist and yanking them to the ground.

The game consisted of hand-to-hand fighting combined with doing anything to get the sack of rice into the other team's area. It all went by in a blur. The boys played shirtless and the girls all wore oversized shirts and pants. Fresh mud and grass stains coated their bodies and clothes as they ran across the field, passing the bag of rice between players and dodging the other team. The crowds watching were almost as wild as the players. I found Charlene and William Channing cheering for their children with fervor I had never seen in them.

"Violet!" Charlene said when she saw me. "It's good that you made it. Mr. Channing and I are taking time off work to come see the game. Isn't it exciting?"

I looked out to the field where Royce and Lecia were sprinting, blood streaming down their faces. Their parents looked on, pride and excitement in their eyes.

"Yes, thrilling," I lied and bit my lip. I had never seen something so violent. "What's the score? I haven't been able to keep track."

"Royce's team is tied with Evelyn's, twelve points to twelve," William said. I could have never imagined his face excited until then.

"What are you saying 'Evelyn's team' for?" Charlene asked her husband. "Reid clearly has control of his team. He has always been their captain."

I swallowed hard and drowned out their bickering over who was the leader of the other team. Varius had the sack of rice firmly against his chest. He was clutching it as if it were a part of him.

Suddenly, out of no where, his brother came sprinting up beside him. His long, black hair was flying behind him and the muscles in his legs were rippling as he ran. His arms wrapped around his brother's shoulders, dragging him down.

Varius hit the ground, face first. A muffled howl of pain emitted from where he fell. Kieran straddled his brother's back and tightened his hands into tight fists. They came down like thunder on Varius' head, coming away with blood lining the knuckles.

My hand flew to my mouth as I watched in horror. The crowds watching the game got louder and louder as the beating continued. They seemed to be cheering Kieran on.

A man with orange hair and short beard jumped on Kieran's back and grabbed him around the throat, stopping his punches. I imagined it was Charlie because a pretty woman holding a red-haired baby in the crowd got a worried look on her face and held the baby closer. Lecia came next, yanking up at Varius' hands to get him out from under Kieran. The other players came like bees to honey, piling around the tussle. Before I knew what was happening, every player was on top of each other.

After a few minutes of confusion, Varius slipped out between the players and made a mad sprint to the other team's area. Blood was running down his face but a large smile was spread across it. He reached the area untouched and cheers rose madly from the clearing. He collapsed there, laughing and yelling triumphantly.

"Game over!" Royce cried, running with a limp to Varius. He fell beside him and they embraced, thumping each other's backs.

Lecia screamed, jumping up and down. She ran to me and threw her arms around me, mud, blood, and all. I couldn't understand what she was saying but she was yelling happily in my ear.

"We won!" Charlie yelled and the team grouped and hugged.

Suddenly, Reid ran at Royce and threw his fist at his face. Royce went reeling backwards, blood erupting from his nose. Some of the girls screamed. The Warrick brothers each grabbed one of Reid's wrists and held him back. It was evident that Reid was overstepping the bounds of the game.

I ran forward and helped Royce up from the grass. His face was covered in blood but his white teeth were shining through in a smile.

"What is your problem?" I screamed at Reid. "Are you insane?"

Silence fell and all eyes were on me. I stepped back to Royce's elbow and cowered in his shadow.

"Will you look at this," Reid said darkly. "Little Roy has the stranger under his spell."

"Reid, let us celebrate in peace," Royce said. His words sent Reid off but something told me it wouldn't last long.

Varius, the Channings, and I walked back to the house together. The youth walked in a line, chained together with our arms around each other's waists as William and Charlene walked behind. Royce, Lecia, and Varius sung a victory chant through the crooked streets as passersby sung their praises and clapped their hands in reply. The three of them were bloody and bruised, Royce and Lecia to my left and Varius hooked to my right. Their victories shown through their black eyes and split lips so everyone knew they had won.

"What a game," Varius said over Royce and Lecia's song.

We all stopped in front of the Channing's place and Varius leapt upon the wall of a planter box before all the citizens in the street.

"I said what a game!" Varius roared and the cries from the street were triumphant returns as the citizens pooled in crowds. "Ladies and gentlemen, noble families and Larks alike," he continued in a booming voice, "we gathered today to beat Reid and his minions in a fair, diplomatic battle. Let it be heard throughout the mangled streets and among out prideful people that Reid Kynaston has fallen to the might will of Sir Royce Channing!"

Screams and whistles poured over the streets as Varius pulled Royce up beside him on the planter box. The crowds feel silent when the tall, lanky man stepped forward.

"And let it be known, ladies and gentlemen," Reid said, wiping dried blood from his chin, "that Reid Kynaston shall fall no more. Royce has risen, yes. But the only way he can go from here is down, and I up." He snapped his head up at Royce and Varius with a dark look. "I may have fallen this time but I have not lost my grip and I will take you down to a place you cannot rise from. When you try to strike me down again, I will be ready."

"A bold threat coming from the loser," Royce said, a smile playing on his lips.

"If only it were just a threat, Channing," Reid replied. "No, my words are a promise."

At that, he disappeared back into the crowds, which dispersed quickly afterwards. Soon the streets were empty and the sun was setting behind the tall buildings.

I reached up and helped Royce down and then Varius. Varius held onto my hand until we were inside before letting go and stomping off awkwardly.

I helped Charlene in the kitchen as the men and Lecia tended to injuries and washed up. Before it was time to eat, I changed into a formal silk blouse and skirt.

Lecia and Charlene dressed in the same attire while the men changed into vests and slacks. Bruises were powdered, blood was washed away, and cuts were covered in gauze. By the time we all made it to the table, there were little reminders of the brutal game that had taken place that day. Everyone looks handsome and proper.

Mr. and Mrs. Channing filled the heads of the table and the twins occupied one of the long sides. I was the last to sit, carrying a plate of steamed green beans, and the only chair left was beside Varius.

Of course no amount of food or decorum could keep the topic of conversation off the game for long and soon the boys were analyzing it play-by-play across the table as their wolfed down their steaks.

"Boys," Lecia mouthed from across the table and we broke into a fit of giggles.

After everyone had finished and we were drunk on the last dregs of Autumn's sweet red wine, we all sat back contentedly in our chairs.

"Varius, I don't know how you can stand living with that Kieran," Lecia said, her lips loose from the wine.

"Belive me, Lecia, I asked that question to myself every day were you with him," Varius replied with a deep chuckle.

"And I too every day she was with you, Varius," Royce said merrily and he and Varius began laughing.

"Wait, you were with Varius, too?" I asked Lecia. "How are you friends with him and not Kieran?"

My words cut through the laughter and stopped it short. Charlene and William rose from their chairs.

"If you'll be talking about relationships, we'll be going to bed," Charlene said with a small smile. "Nothing like a bunch of 20-somethings talking about matters like love. Dinner was pleasant."

"Don't stay up too later," William noted as they left for the top floor of the house where their room was.

All eyes fell on me.

"To be sympathetic," Varius said, breaking the silence, "she doesn't know my brother at all."

"It is hard to be friends with Kieran," Lecia said. "Besides, just because I'm friends with Varius doesn't mean my other relationships deserve to be my friend. I mean, I was with Reid at one point."

"Really?" I asked, trying to understand how Lecia went about her relationships.

"Things used to be different around her, Violet," Royce said. "I was in a relationship with Evelyn Daly once." I was dumbfounded. Royce just yawned and stood. "I'm going to sleep. Varius, you can use my bed when you get tired."

He slipped down the spiral stairs. After more silence and glasses of wine, Lecia waved and dragged herself off to go to bed. The house was pitch black except for the two lanterns on the table.

"I'll walk you to your room," Varius offered, pulling my chair out for me.

I felt unstable but my mind was crystal clear. I felt a fondness for Varius, something I couldn't explain—or at least something I couldn't remember.

"I don't like the dark much," I said as he blew out the lanterns. Only a sliver of moon cast silvery light into the house.

"I do," Varius said, wrapped his arm around my shoulder so he could lead me. "All the most wonderful things happen when the sun falls away."

He led me down the stairs, telling me when to step and where the bottom was. In the hallways of the third floor, he quickened his pace, sweeping me to the guestroom. He opened the door and lit a match for the lantern. The honey-golden light drifted over everything, illuminating his tan skin and blue eyes.

Suddenly, he was all over me. His sturdy arms twined around my waist and his face buried in my hair. It was all I could do to keep breathing.

"Violet," He whispered in my hair, just as I heard the click of my door closing. "Are you frightened?"

"No," I answered honestly.

"Do you remember thing from before?" he asked.

"Remember what?" I gasped, fighting for control of myself. A hand slithered behind my neck and he pulled my lips into his, pressing in. His other hand pulled up on the small of my back, holding me tightly against his rigid body.

He walked me back into the wall and with a gentle thud, trapped me against it, his lips still on mine, moving like waves.

My senses were no longer my own. My eyes saw only the dark of my lids. His smoky, rich scent flooded my logic and his taste of blood and honey seeped through my lips.

I felt nothing by skin and pleasure as he stripped me of my formal clothing. My legs wrapped around his stony, slender waist and my hands swept through his hair.

Instinct took over. I couldn't remember but I knew I had done this before. The feeling of his rough hands and wet lips searching my body was familiar. The bed hit my back and I heard his belt rattle to the floor. The rest was rhythmic, like standing in the ocean and letting the waves pulls you up and down.

The ocean. I remembered the ocean. And then it was gone.