Back at the inn, sleeping arrangements were finally being made.

“Macy’s got her own room,” Lester said.

“Why does she get her own room?” Tallow asked. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“Deal with it,” Macy said. “Unless you want to fight me for it.”

She stood up and went upstairs.

“She snores incredibly loudly,” Lester said. “And sometimes, she sleep-fights.”

“Sleep-fight?” Tallow asked. “What the hell is that?”

“She sleepwalks,” Amalia explained, “but then she starts fighting. And she uses mana while she does it too. But it only happens when she’s indoors. Only Luther and Hector can sleep in the same room with her without issues.”

“Fine,” Tallow shrugged. “What’s left?”

“I’m going to stay in the room with the girl,” Amalia said. “See what I can get out of her. I convinced Ray that she should be in the room with another woman. And he’ll be next door.”

“So, that’s Jon, me, and Lester,” Tallow said.

“And two beds,” Lester said. “If you want-”

“No!” Tallow said.

“I wasn’t-”

“Don’t lie!”

“So you and me have a bed each,” Lester said. “That leaves Jon.”

“Jon can stay with me,” Tallow said.

“No way, he can stay with me,” Lester said. “You and him can't stay in the same bed."

“Grow, up!” Tallow exclaimed. “Is that all you think about?”

“Why doesn’t Jon decide?” Amalia asked.

“...Fine," Tallow said. "Jon, where are you sleeping?”

“Yeah, Jon,” Lester said. “Where are you sleeping?”

Jon had chosen to stay with Tallow since he knew her the best, so that was where he found himself that night.

He had trouble sleeping. Partly, it was because Tallow was the noisiest sleeper he had ever seen. She would sometimes snore, sometimes speak, or even toss and turn. Occasionally, he would receive a good hit in the face from her swinging arm.

How did Sabez deal with this? Jon wondered.

He used his insomnia to think about other ways they could have answered the question. Maybe he could have taken turns and slept in Macy's bed while she was at watch, then Lester could have taken her bed when it was his turn. But then Macy would be sharing with Tallow, and that was bad, wasn't it?

Jon decided that it wasn't worth thinking about it anymore. Everyone seemed happy with the outcome. And he had been around noisy sleepers before. Ben's snoring was extremely loud, and the top bunk would even creak while he was laying in it, but the bed never broke, and Jon decided that his brother falling on him wasn't the worst thing that could happen while he was asleep.

Also, Tallow's arm was warm, so he felt reassured when it was close to him. What Jon was mostly worried about was being attacked at night.

Macy was outside right now, making sure that there wouldn't be an attack at night, but Jon just hated the idea of that being a thing. Were those people going to wait until the middle of the night to strike? Didn't they want to sleep as well? What were they doing?

He had also never fought that many people before. How would he know what to do in battle?

In fact, Jon started to realize the truth that he rarely fought at all. His friends all fought for him. He stayed in the back and helped his friends fight. He looked over their shoulder, he aided their attacks, he gave them time to rest. He wasn’t one to land the finishing blow.

He looked at Tallow. She was incredibly strong, and he had seen it firsthand. Lester was probably strong as well. He had to be because Lana sent him here, and he also had Hector's respect. If anyone knew who was strong, it was probably Hector.

And now, Jon started to understand the feeling of powerlessness. How Hector felt. Weak. Useless. Not strong enough to protect his friends.

In the port town, he and Tallow had worked together to fight off those three headhunters. But there was a moment when Tallow was trapped by a net, and he was confronted by all three of them. If he hadn't remembered about the golden claws nearby, he would have been trapped in a net himself. Then maybe they would have gone outside and trapped the others as well.

Jon knew that his friends were strong, but he was also starting to realize that there was strength in big numbers.

It was true on the farm when the Farmers worked together to take down the monster, and it was true when he and the others were surrounded by those men today.

He suddenly heard a noise outside of the window followed by a quick flash of light. He slowly moved from the bed so as not to wake Tallow, then made his way to look outside.

Below him, he could see Macy practicing her strikes. She moved around, not using any weapons, but instead swinging her fists and making kicks that were sometimes aided by fire. She would even take time to make shots of fire towards three wooden boards she had set up in front of her.

Eventually, she stopped.

“Are you gonna stare at me from there like a creeper?” she asked, not even looking in his direction. “Or are you gonna come down and keep me company?”

Jon decided not to keep being a creeper, so he came downstairs and went around the back of the building.

There was a log on its side nearby, so he took a seat.

She continued to fight, spinning around and making different strikes and poses. Her fighting style was definitely reminiscent of Hector's but Jon could feel the difference. There was no hesitation with Macy. Every strike was always preemptively followed by another. Hector seemed to be taking his attacks step by step, where everything Macy did was premeditated to several steps ahead.

She was also much more agile, leaping and spinning around the entire field as she did so, changing direction, ready to deflect an attack at a dime.

Mercy spun around the entire field. She was always ready for another strike, for a hit to come from another direction.

She stopped in the middle of a movement.

"Like what you see?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jon answered. "Cool."

She slowly began to move again.

“Do me a favor…” she suddenly stopped and tossed Jon a red gem. He caught it.

“Can you call my sister?” she asked, already continuing into her movements. “You should be able to do it.”

Lana? Jon felt weird calling someone he hadn’t met in person yet. Still, he supposed it was normal.

He focused on the gem, just like earlier.

This time, a figure of Lana projected from the gem, much like she did the first time Jon met her.

She was sitting at a table, wearing the same type of billowy shirt Hector wore, except that it was a bright shade of lavender.

She had several papers sitting across the desk and was writing very slowly with a quill, her attention entirely focused on it. Jon was surprised that she was still so busy at such a late time.

“Macy! Why don’t you- oh!” Lana looked up and noticed Jon in surprise. “Jon! I didn’t expect you…”

Unlike Hector, she retained much of her structure and presence without her armor.

“I told him to make the call!” Macy yelled from the field. She hadn’t turned away from her training.

“Macy?" Lana looked left and right and even tried to look past Jon's shoulder. "Hey Jon, could you-”

“No! Don’t look at me!” Macy continued to flip through her movements.

Lana's face was full of bemusement.

“Why would you call?" she asked. "You’ve done so much traveling since you’ve gotten home, I’ve doubt you’ve had enough energy stored up to even make one more call.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Macy answered nonchalantly.

“I’m serious!” Lana said, her face becoming stern again and shaking Jon. “What if something happens to Hector, and-”

“There it goes,” Macy said. “Why did Hector have to come up?”

She continued through her movements, not missing a beat.

“Hector this, Hector that." Macy continued, "Is that all you think about? But I was the last one from the womb, after all, so I guess I matter the least.”

“Macy…” Lana frowned. Jon saw that Lana was looking in a different direction, not at him., but towards Macy's voice, and yet, it was like she wasn't fully looking. He wondered how these gems worked, but he figured it would be better to ask Mallory since trying to figure it out himself would probably give him a headache.

“I know Hector’s your favorite,” Macy said. She was bracing herself for a wide kick. “All you ever do is baby him.”

“I-”

Macy let go, a large crescent of fire lighting up the night sky for its duration. She continued to speak as soon as her foot was back on the ground.

“I mean, I guess I get it. It’s ‘cause you feel abandoned by Charlotte, right? Her and Major left you behind to deal with Dad by yourself. So, now you gotta take care of Hector so he doesn't leave you behind too.”

“It’s not like that!" Lana pleaded, her hands both coming down on the table. "And not in front of Jon. We can talk this-”

“You’re gonna listen!” Macy said this time as she made her second fire kick. “Or I’m gonna break the damn gem.”

“Don’t do that…. I’ll listen…” Lana had immediately changed her tune. She looked so defeated. It almost made Jon sad to see it.

And yet, Jon was impressed Macy was able to wrestle her sister to a standstill. He also wondered what it meant that Hector had broken his gem.

Macy, however, didn't seem surprised in the slightest.

“I know I don’t have much energy left in that piece of crap gem,” Macy explained, “but I just wanted to know how it felt."

“How what felt?” Lana asked, her voice becoming calm again.

“To have Hector blow up everything in your face,” she responded.

Lana sighed.

“I… Hector… Macy, we can’t talk about this now…”

“Talk about it!” Macy yelled. She was about to go for a third kick.

Lana grimaced. “Hector... Hector is.... he always was-"

“An idiot.” Macy let her third kick swing.

“Brash!” Lana urgently. “He’s brash!”

“He’s an idiot…”

“He’s your brother!” Lana stood up. Jon straightened his shoulders in response.

“And I'm your sister. But I don’t see you crying over my dumb decisions.”

“Macy, that’s because you’re-”

“Not special?” Macy gave the fourth kick, but let her momentum continue her into a combo of several more kicks and flips.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

She stopped.

“You don’t have a lot of the pressure,” Lana said.

“Cause he doesn’t think I can handle it-"

“'Cause we make sure he doesn’t!” Lana reassured. “Please, Macy, your gem-”

“You should be here to protect him,” Macy said. “Cause if not, Daddy’s gonna make me hurt him. And if I don’t do it, he’s gonna do it.”

Jon saw Lana tearing up. “Why now? Why with Jon-”

“You might as well get used to Jon,” Macy continued. “I already see it. Once Mallory leaves Hector behind, he’ll have a new boyfriend in Jon.”

“Mallory isn’t going to leave Hector," Jon agreed with Lana on that point.

“Not by choice,” Macy said.

Jon agreed with that too. Of course, he knew it wasn't his place to step in and say so.

“I know how you people work," Macy said assuredly. "If Mallory really is as part of the family as it seems, you’ll find a way to use him too. More than you are now, anyways.”

“Macy, what’s wrong…” Lana still handn't let any tears down her face, but her voice was slightly hoarse.

“Are you coming?” Macy asked, ignoring Lana's question.

“I can’t… I’m busy… I…” Lana turned to the papers on her desk.

“Figured. That’s it.”

“I-”

“Good night.”

“Macy, I-”

“Good night.”

Lana stood still for a while. She then finally faced Jon.

"Jon… I'm sorry for this display of... I'm sorry."

Jon tried to say it was okay, but she continued.

"Please, watch over them please… until I get back…”

Jon nodded. “Okay.”

“I'm sorry. I-”

The image fizzled out of existence.

“Whoo!” Macy's shoulders dropped, and she turned back around to Jon. “That was frightening.”

Macy thought that was frightening? Jon would have never known.

“I’m glad you came down when you did,” Macy said. “Lana always likes to keep up an impression in front of others. But when it’s just us, she’s a total monster. So, with you, she had to keep her cool."

She walked up to Jon. “Thanks, Jon. You are useful for something.”

“You're... welcome...”

“I’m sorry. I mean," She looked on with consideration. "Thank you. I wouldn't have been able to do this without you.”

Jon was going to respond with something but forgot as she leaned over to him and began to press her lips against his.

Jon wasn’t prepared. She grabbed his head and held on.

Jon was so close to her he decided just to let it ride.

Eventually, she let go and put her finger on her cheek in consideration.

“Huh. I always thought my first real one would be with Mallory. Odd."

Jon felt his cheeks turning red. He had never kissed anyone before. In fact, his mom barely kissed his father. He had kissed his mother on the cheek, and the same with his sister occasionally, but that was it.

Jon had never seen anyone kiss him like how Macy had just done.

He was curious.

“I… I… Why?” He asked.

“Why not?” Macy responded. “I’m not kissing Lester. That would be like kissing every girl he’s been with. And I can’t believe there’s that amount of stupid people in the world. I'm sure if Hector was a girl he would have kissed him too.”

Jon was still too stunned to comprehend everything that just happened. It was like trying to do a puzzle in his head, and he hated puzzles.

“Anyways, I’ve been really bored,” she continued. “I’ve been with my father recently, and it’s hard to get any action with him around. Then again, I guess it's more loneliness than boredom, right?

She shook her head. “Too much talking.”

She reached for Jon again, but he stood up quickly, escaping her grasp.

“Oh, you're not a kisser, are you?”

Jon didn’t know what he was. He was scared. He didn’t know what any of it meant, or what it should mean. Was this right? Was it even wrong?

He was becoming accustomed to Macy, but he still didn't want to make any mistakes around her, especially because he had the attention of both Lana and Hector.

He trusted Macy, but he didn't trust himself.

“Huh, shame." Macy shrugged. Jon was glad she didn't seem too disappointed. "I was hoping you could finally show me around the bends...” She stretched as she spoke. "But, I guess someone has to show you first.

She grabbed Jon by the arm.

“Whatever. Come with me.”

She tugged him, and after some consideration, Jon decided to let himself be tugged away. As they went around to the front of the inn and the inside, Jon's hand slowly began to reach for Macy's.

She had pulled away suddenly, but then quickly grabbed back. This was all while they were silently walking.

Finally, they were in front of her room.

"Here we are," she muttered.

She opened the door and took Jon inside, pushing the door shut after. She then let go of him and began taking off pieces of her armor, starting with her gauntlets.

“It’s been so boring recently,” she said. “I mean, drama’s fun and all, but even that gets kinda monotonous.”

She tossed her pieces of armor off to one of the beds. She knelt down and began working on her boots, which rose high up to her shins.

“I mean, sure, I get to crack a couple of heads, but that’s not all I wanna do.”

Once both shoes had been tossed to the corner of the room, she reached over her head and pulled off her chest plate.

Jon had expected the usual billowy blouse he had seen from her siblings, but instead, she was wearing a pink sports bra underneath.

Jon was slightly taken back. Why was that what she wore underneath instead?

He noticed that she had stopped moving, and he looked up at her to see a smile on her face.

"You do like what you see," she said.

He blushed and looked away. He didn't know why.

"I do a lot of training, so this way, I don't have to change too much when I get inside."

Jon assumed she was talking about what she was wearing. He was fine with it. It reminded him of what Mercy wore outside.

"Can you help me?"

He turned around. She was reaching to her lower back.

"Okay," Jon whispered.

She looked the other way and Jon worked at the knots keeping the armor over her abdomen.

"Finally," she said with relief once it was done. Now that the armor was relaxed, she also took it off over her head and tossed it on the bed.

Jon was intrigued by the fact that Macy's armor had to be taken off piece by piece, and wasn't simple like Hector's. Maybe it was because Macy's fighting style was different.

“I mean, my siblings, they can be assholes,” she continued as if she had never stopped... “I know they don’t mean it, but… they are. It's not their fault. It's Daddy's fault. He rubs off on them."

She tried to take off the armor around her legs and thighs but failed.

"Ugh, forget it!" She went to the armorless bed and sat down in a huff. "Why does Hector get to have all the nice armor..."

Her demeanor then changed. "That's right, cause he's a pussy!"

She turned to Jon and patted the side of the bed.

"Come on, take a seat," she said.

Jon sat at the bed with all of the armor so he could look at her properly as she spoke.

“The thing to understand is, Lana’s always been Daddy’s favorite,” she continued. “But she’s so close to it, she doesn’t understand that it’s happening. She thinks she’s the same as everyone else.”

“Hmmm…” Jon didn’t know how to deal with that. Did his father have a favorite? Maybe Jason. Jon never knew which one he liked best, but he always felt like he was the least liked. He now knew that it was a misunderstanding. So, maybe that’s what it was with Hector’s family too. A misunderstanding.

“Maybe… he doesn’t…” Jon said.

“What? He doesn’t like Lana best?” Macy asked.

Jon nodded.

“Aw, Jon. You’re so sweet.” She put her head in her hands. “I could break you in two right now. Although it would probably make too much noise.”

Jon wasn’t sure he wanted to get in a sparring match with Macy right now.

“I mean, if you really want to…” she brushed her hair aside. “You could stay with me. We could do some more kissing… and other stuff.”

"Other stuff..." Jon blushed really hard. He wanted to assume that it was sparring, but it didn't seem as straightforward as that. He decided that today was complicated enough. He didn't want to know what was behind the corner.

"I'm... fine..."

"Aw, that's too bad." Macy had begun leaning back on the bed, but she sat back up. "To get back to your earlier point, you're probably right. I don't think my father knows he's rubbing off on them.

She leaned on her legs. "But even if you told him, I don't think he would stop. You've seen my father."

Jon nodded. He remembered.

"Nothing stops him from getting what he wants. Even his children..."

Jon watched Macy. He couldn't imagine what burdens she or the others had to deal with.

She sighed and looked towards the door. "It's about Lester's turn to take over now."

She looked back at him.

"Last chance," she said.

Maybe I should help her... If Macy was that stressed, maybe there was something Jon could do to help. He had opened his mouth to offer to spar when she interrupted him.

"Nah, I know now you're not the type," she said. "But next time we talk, maybe we can have some fun while we do it."

"Sure," Jon said.

"Good. I guess... I should get some rest." She began to climb into the covers but paused.

"Can you tuck me in?" she asked.

"Sure," he said.

He got the covers and held them open while she climbed under. He didn't know how she would sleep with the rest of the armor on, but she turned over without a worry.

"Good night," he said after he brought the covers over. He began to leave.

"Jon!" He stopped.

“Hector and that ninja chick?" Macy asked. "Are they really… breaking backs together?”

Jon didn't answer.

Macy sighed. “Right… do they really like each other?”

“Yeah,” Jon said.

“Alright. I’ll take your word for it for now. I don't believe it... but whatever..."

He started to leave again.

"One more thing!"

Jon stopped once more.

"Can you give me a good night kiss?" she asked.

Jon walked over to her, leaned over, and kissed her on the forehead.

"That's sweet, Jon. Thanks."

Jon thought about why he kissed her on the head. All he could think of was why he kissed her on the forehead.

It was what his mother used to do when he was tucked in bed. Even his sister had done it a few times when they were younger. It confused Jon that all he could remember from that age was his sister kissing him on the forehead and telling him good night. This was when she would still sleep on the top bunk.

Eventually, she stopped. Jon didn't know why, but he didn’t ask. If she didn’t want to, he wouldn’t have bothered her.

Then there was one time, the night before she left, she brought him to her room.

“Can you tuck me in?” she asked. “We’re like, the same height now, and you've never done it for me.”

“Ahh… okay…”

Susan then climbed into bed and he brought the covers over her.

“Sorry for being weird,” she said.

“It’s fine…” Jon kissed his sister on the forehead. “Good night.”

“Good night, Jon.”

Maybe it was ‘cause Macy said she didn’t have a mother, and obviously, she hadn’t felt like her other siblings were taking care of her as well. Maybe he could help.

"There's a lot of competition for you Jon... but I think I might enter in the running. We'll have to see."

She grabbed his hand.

"Can you go get Lester for me, Jon?" she asked. "I don't want his face to be the last thing I see before I go to sleep?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"Good night, Jon."

"Good night, Macy."

Jon slowly let go of her hand as he left the room and closed the door behind him. He waited for her to call him back, but it never came.

He was stunned to learn that Macy was a lot more vulnerable than he had initially thought. Maybe she could become friends with the others, but now wasn't the time to think about that. He had to wake up Lester and go to sleep, so back to his room he went.

Inside, he went to Lester's bed. He was turned over.

Jon didn't know what to do.

“I’m awake…” Lester suddenly said. He sat up. “I can-”

He saw Jon.

“Oh, it’s you. I heard Macy yelling outside, and I assumed it was her.”

“She’s asleep,” Jon said.

“And she sent you? Lazy beeyatch…”

He groaned as he sat up and stretched. He then winded his shoulders.

It was now Jon who could tell how tall Lester really was. Hector seemed tall, but he wasn't that much bigger than Jon. It was mostly his armor, posture, and presence that gave him the feeling of it. Lester towered over Jon, and this was without any armor.

“Alright. I guess you can take my bed,” he said. “If you would like some space from that girl. Though I won't blame you if you don't.”

He stretched his neck. “I do have one question for you. Are you a farmer?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool, I was a farmer too. Not a farmer like you. A regular one ol' dumb one.”

He pointed with his thumb at the wall behind him.

“I come from one of these places, too,” he said. “I used to be normal and weak. But then, we would get attacked by poachers, much like these guys here. So, you know what I did? I trained. I trained every day. In secret. I found some old servicemen, I trained with them. Anybody that came to the village, they trained me. Then one day… I challenged the poachers.”

“Did you win?” Jon asked. He assumed that was what he was supposed to ask.

“No, I got my ass kicked. But thankfully, Luther and Lana had come by. If it wasn’t for them, I would have been killed. They and everyone else with them helped chase off the poachers, and my village was never bothered again.”

Jon nodded. It was much like his own story. He was glad to hear it from someone else.

"Once Luther came up and congratulated me for being brave I knew it was where I belonged. I’ve been working for the King’s Guard ever since. And it's been the greatest decision ever!"

Lester made a list with his fingers. "I get to travel. The women are great. The money is awesome. And I get to do what I like for a living."

Jon grimaced and nodded. He didn’t know how much he was getting paid, but he did enjoy the travel. The women were pretty cool, but he wondered what Lester thought about the men.

“I don’t go back home now, though,” he said. “After everything’s said and gone, it’s a bit too boring. I send some money home occasionally, make sure things are kept.”

He leaned close to Jon. “But, let me tell you a trick. If I really get desperate, all I have to do is go back there and tell one of the restless souls how much I’ve contributed for them.”

He slapped Jon on the side. “Trust me, you should try it once. Works every time.”

He made his way to the door and pointed to Jon with both hands.

“Good night, Jon.”

He stepped out.

Jon wondered what would happen if he went home and told Rista about his adventures. She'd probably ask him about Hector or something.

Jon sat on Lester’s bed. He still couldn’t go to sleep.

He watched Tallow toss and turn and mumble unintelligible things in her sleep.

Should he go to sleep on Lester's bed? What if he wanted to come back and go to sleep.

He tried to lay down and go to sleep, but it didn’t work. He felt like he was taking up too much space.

He looked back at Tallow.

After enough time had passed he went back to Tallow’s side and laid down before finally going to sleep.