“Aqua! Juli! Jen!”

I smiled brightly as I heard my best friend’s yell. “Morning, Pyri!” I called back. She sprinted up to me and wrapped me in the biggest hug she can give me, followed moments later by Julia and Jenna. I found myself in the middle of a giant embrace, all of us laughing loudly, much to the consternation of passing ladies. We ignored them; we’re used to it.

When we separated, I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. Julia grabbed my hand and started tugging me. “Dad cooked something really sweet and I can’t wait to show you!”

We ignored the disapproving looks sent our way and ran down the central boulevard. We’d long known that our relationship was frowned upon; those of ‘higher status’, such as the titled or merchant nobility, weren’t supposed to hang around commoners or those ‘below’ them. Therefore, our notorious friendship with not only Julia (the daughter of a tavern owner) and Jenna (whose father is second-in-command of the Ardellian army) but also with Kyjinn (the second prince), was both well-known and scandalous. We’d had everyone in absolute shock the first time we brought Jenna and Julia to a ball; thankfully their conduct was so graceful and respectful that they didn’t offend anyone or bring any trouble, despite our parents’ scolding upon our return from the ball.

I reached out and ruffled Julia’s hair. “You’re excited today,” I noted. She laughed and pressed her left palm against mine. “I am! I can’t wait for Saturday!” Saturday was the day Pyri’s parents left and she could wander freely again.

As we ran down the street, I lifted my left hand and stared at it for a moment. Even now, I have never regretted my decision, not once, but my parents despised the scar adorning my left palm. We each have one: I have Water, Jen has Earth, Pyri has Fire, Juli has Air, and Ky claims Spirit. Our marks link us, not just because we each have a scar corresponding to an element but also because of the blood-and-tears bond we’ve shared ever since. On that day, we each shed blood and tears (even those of us who do not usually cry), which mixed together on the log we were sitting on. Since then, we’ve been bound together tighter than friends, siblings, or lovers.

Julia dragged us down the street. She’d lived here her entire life, and though the nobility and the aristocrats despised our friendship, the commoners loved it. Most of them did everything they could to support us, up to and including free food, which we usually turned down; our parents would’ve killed us if they’d seen us taking handouts. They would also warn us if there were suspicious people hanging around or palace guards searching for us. Sometimes we weren’t sure which would be worse, being attacked by thieves or being found by the (well-meaning, but strict) palace guards. Unfortunately, the guards weren’t officially part of the army, so they owed no allegiance to Jenna’s father; they consistently dragged us back to wherever our parents were stationed. The guards meant well, but sometimes I wondered how they couldn’t tell that our families’ worry was almost entirely falsified for the sake of the townspeople and the guards.

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She tugged us into a well-worn side alley that we’d used countless times as a shortcut to her father’s tavern. As we turned to go between the buildings, I heard the grocer call, “Mind there’s dark people ‘round here, watch your backs,” with a concerned expression. I lifted my free hand and waved to tell him I’d heard before gesturing to Julia with a shrug. He smiled and nodded, completely understanding that I probably couldn’t have changed our course even if I’d wanted to. “I’ll send word to watch for you out t’other side,” he said. “We’ll come find you if you don’t show soon.” I smiled at him with gratitude, relieved to know that someone would look for us if something happened. I waved once more as we slipped out of sight.

Truth be told, I wasn’t particularly worried. We’d run this path more times than any of us could count, and we weren’t exactly a tempting target - four dirty, rough-looking little girls with an entire town watching would seem to be more trouble than they’re worth, and we didn’t even have Kyjinn with us to provide incentive for our capture. Someone attacked us anyway.

In our defense, they caught us by surprise; with our rudimentary fighting skills and the narrow alleyway, we never stood a chance. Jenna noticed them first and pushed Julia out of the way, taking the brunt of the attack herself. Looking back, I’ve never quite been able to remember exactly what happened, only that it was bad. The next thing I remember was the grocer and some other townspeople rushing in and beating off our attackers before lifting us up. They carried us to the nearest hospital, alerting the guards on the way. I could hear the guards running toward the alleyway where we’d been attacked. The grocer looked down at me. “Sleep, little one,” he said kindly. “I promise you’re safe now. No harm will come to you during your rest.”

When I next woke, I was flat on my back, staring at a blank white expanse that I soon recognized as the ceiling. As I sat up and looked around, I noticed Julia and Pyrenna sleeping on beds right next to mine and Kyjinn asleep in a chair nearby (much to the displeasure of his royal guards), but I couldn’t see Jenna. “Ky,” I called softly. He looked up. “What happened? Where’s Jenna?” My voice woke the others, who glanced at him anxiously for the answer.

His face twisted in sadness. “How much do you remember?”

“Not much,” I said quietly. “Just say it, Ky. We can handle the truth; please don’t sugarcoat it, whatever it is.”

His eyes widened. “I know you can. It’s probably better for you to see for yourself, though. Are you all well enough to stand?”

We nodded and climbed out of our beds. He led us to another room where Jenna lay as if sleeping, but we knew better. We could feel the emptiness in our bonds, the gap she had occupied for so long now just an empty void. We’d felt it as soon as we’d woken, but we’d been ignoring it in hopes that we were wrong. Sadly, it was true: Jenna, our best friend, grounding force, and careful defender, had been killed by injuries sustained while defending us from attackers in an alleyway we should’ve known better than to use. The guilt hit all three of us simultaneously; even Ky felt guilty, thinking that his presence might’ve served as a deterrent, or better yet, that he could’ve fought them off himself.

All three of us collapsed.