Haco didn't miss a beat. "Vace told me."

"He didn't," I said, "You haven't been talking much lately. And still, even if he did he couldn't be sure that was his name. For all he knows it's a place. Hell, it could even be a curse word."

I'd only dropped his name once—back when we were in the training room, and I beat him with shooting a crossbow. We had been alone.

"Okay, fine," Haco said, "I've probably heard it somewhere."

"Not from me. Not from Vace," I said. I curled my fingers around the hilt of the dagger. "How do you know?"

Haco held up his hands. "Woah, kiddo, chill. No need to bring out the heavy armoury."

"How do you know his name," I repeated through gritted teeth, still holding the hilt tight in my fist. My mind was racing—but in circles. How did he know? What did he know? What haven't they told me?

Can I trust them?

"Tenna, calm down," Haco said. "Put the knife down, okay? I'd rather stay in once piece." He bent down, slipping his own daggers in his boots, without losing sight of the knife I had in my hands. He got back up, his palms raised.

I exhaled. I wanted to trust him. But I didn't know if I could.

I held on to the dagger.

"I'll tell you," Haco said once he saw I wasn't going to let go. "But don't stab me just yet, okay?"

I nodded.

Haco sunk down, sitting on the floor and crossing his legs. "Sit with me," he said, patting the floor next to him.

Without saying a word I sank down as well, one knee up, my hand with the dagger resting on it.

"I understand you aren't trusting me right now, but I swear, there's no reason to," Haco started. "It slipped. I didn't want to tell you until I was sure you were with us all the way."

I blinked. "Well, too bad your little plan didn't work out so well," I said with a grim smirk, keeping my eyes locked with Haco's.

"No it didn't. But you're totally overreacting. I actually did hear it from someone. Well—" he said, glancing away, "—technically not someone. Or directly hear it. Also it wasn't technically I who–"

"Haco, stop babbling and spit it out."

"Mot decrypted and broke into the Stripes' communicational frequency," Haco said, like that would explain everything.

I frowned. "What?"

A twinkle appeared in Haco's eyes. "The Stripes were talking about this Kael over the radio—you know what a radio is, right?"

"Of course I know what a radio is," I snapped. Little did I tell him I found that out only a little while ago. I regarded Haco warily. "What did the radio say?" I asked, unable to help myself.

A corner of Haco's mouth twitched up. "Well, the radio didn't, but the Stripes that were talking through it did."

I shifted, angling the dagger so the point was aligned with Haco's face. I glanced at the dagger, and then back at Haco's face, cocking my head slightly. That was enough for Haco to start talking again.

He continued quickly, "Okay, okay, I believe they said something among the lines of..." he faltered a bit, as of recalling a memory. He bit his lip, his eyes darting across the room. They froze. "'Tell Fairlands we have the son, Kael Jonah.'" he said carefully, "'We have orders to deliver the Outlaw as soon as we arrive,'" he said.

I frowned. Fairlands? Son? What the hell was all of this?

Haco kept silent. He was looking at me like I could explain any of it.

Truth was, I wasn't much wiser than he was—I maybe even knew less.

But this could impossibly be Kael's father they were talking about, this Fairlands person. I knew for sure.

Kael's father died over ten years ago.

The only family he's got left was his mother, Laika. A woman as thin as a twig and even smaller than I was, but kind at heart.

She didn't say much and tended to stay in their tent, where she would often be found repairing or making clothes. I remember her knitting a hat for me once. That grey thing had probably been the main reason my ears hadn't frozen off past winter. She had only smiled a little after she had given it to me.

Apart from their matching ash blonde hair—from which Laika's had grown grey streaks over the years—Kael and his mother were nothing alike, part from their kindness. She was a shy woman, so I guessed Kael had got his sarcasm and wit from his father.

Kael used to walk into the woods from time to time, to clear his head and visit his father's memorial. It would only be a subtle carving in a tree or rock—the ashes or bodies were too well-hidden to visit, only known to the patrollers—but it comforted him. I had accompanied him once.

One time Kael had been exceptionally sombre, and he asked if I could come with him. He had taken me to a twin bailas tree, twisted in each other near the creek. It had been autumn, and its dark purple leaves fell off with every gust of wind shaking up its branches. The leaves got carried away by the wind, making a few swirls before falling in the creek and being carried away by the silver ribbons of the current. The tree hung over the water, its branches almost touching it but never succeeding. The carving in its bark was only as big as the palm of my hand, but I could see the care with which it had been made.

The tradition is that the remaining family and loved ones each carve a part of the memorial. While they scratch or carve their part they remember the deceased, and pour their hurt in the symbol, which was unique per person. Often, their duties were incorporated in it—a lumberman would often have a tree, and a healer a mended heart. You would carve, and once the knife let go of the surface you should let go of your grief, and your sadness would then be passed onto the carving. It's our way of letting go and moving on. I had been to multiple carvings, but only carved twice. I hoped I wouldn't have to do so anymore any time soon.

All Kael had done was stare at the symbol. I'd held his hand, at loss of words.

The place was beautiful, but all the emotions that had been released there made it dark. That funeral had been a hard one. I still remembered it. Laika had cried silently as she put her knife to the wood, and when Kael did he had only stared blankly ahead. He had only been seven or so, but the look in his eyes I could never forget.

The worst part was that they weren't even sure what had happened to him. One day Kael's father was fine, and then the other he was gone. It was most probably that he had been killed during his patrol. Still, it had been a mystery to all of us—they had found his body at the stream, broken and mutilated. They weren't able to recognize him, part from the weapons he was carrying, which he had engraved himself. Laika still keeps them in a box hidden under her bed.

After a while of silence Kael had squeezed my hand and pulled me away from the site. The pressing feeling I had ebbed away, and when we left the patch of forest I felt fine again. Still, the eerie feeling hadn't completely left me. There had been something off, something I couldn't put my finger on.

I blinked, returning to reality. "Well?" I asked, "who is this Fairlands person?"

Haco sighed. "I was hoping you could tell me."

I turned the knife in my hands. "It can't be possible. Yeah, the name fits, but..." I hesitated. "His mom is back at home, I presume, so it could only be his father. But that's impossible, since Kael's father is dead."

"Oh," Haco said. "I could've misheard it, but I don't think so."

"You don't understand. It can't be. You must've misheard it." I said.

Haco shrugged. "Okay. Still, I think we should find out who this guy is. Or woman. I don't even know," he said, laughing. "Let's go ask the others."

As we stood up I realised I was glad that the reason for Haco blurting out Kael's name was all just one big misunderstanding. For some reason I think I couldn't have handled it if Haco had confessed to something worse—I didn't even allow myself to think that way.

These people had taken me in and kept me safe. If not for them, my chances of finding Kael would've slimmed drastically. I would've been nowhere without them.

I knew I had to remember that, but still, that didn't have to mean I wasn't allowed to be careful.

* * *

The first stop we made was in front of Allie's green painted door.

Well, stop is a strong word. Haco basically barged in the room, throwing open the door and pulling me along with it.

I heard a rustle and hushed voices behind the screen before we stepped from behind it.

Allie was lying on her bed, graceful as ever as she pulled a hand through her dark brown hair. She had her hand propped under her chin as a small smile creeped on her face. "Ever heard about knocking?" she asked, raising her arched eyebrows ever so slightly.

"Oh. Hi Allie," Haco stumbled, only now realising where he'd walked into. His cheeks turned a scarlet red, and he quickly diverted his eyes as Allie looked at him.

I couldn't help but to mentally give him a pat on the shoulder. He didn't seem to notice that he was just not Allie's 'type'. Poor boy.

My attention was diverted as someone else entered the room.

To my surprise, Jinx stepped in, her hair loose and cascading over her shoulders and back in loose waves. I was surprised by how long it was, as it almost reached the small of her back. She was barefoot and wearing a loose tank top instead of the tight jackets I'd only seen her in—I hardly recognised her.

She stepped into the room, her eyes focussed on Allie. "Hey, I just wanted to say that–" she started slowly, but as soon as she saw us she halted. Her eyes shot open and she immediately stood straight up.

"I–" she stuttered, "I wanted to say that I fixed the vent. There was a loose bolt so it rattled. It should be back to normal now because I fixed it. It shouldn't rattle anymore. Because I fixed..." She straightened her shoulders. "I'll—uh—what are you guys doing here?" she asked suddenly, changing the subject.

She grabbed a hair tie out of her pocket, quickly tying her hair in her usual slick ponytail. "Is there something wrong?" she asked again, the tie in her mouth as she was pulling her hair back tightly.

I was the first who was able to regain my wits. "Uh, yeah," I said, blinking before I continued. "Does by chance the name Fairlands mean anything to you?"

Allie was still splayed on the bed, but now pushed herself up. Her sheets crumpled even more under her movement as she sat up and crossed her legs under her thin dress. "It sounds vaguely familiar. I assume it's an upper—they all have compound names."

"Compound names?" I asked, not sure by what she meant.

"Oh, you know, Whitelock, Diyawood... Casaverde," she added as well, gesturing to herself. "But no, I don't know this Fairlands you are talking about. Jinx, maybe?"

I focussed on Jinx instead, who now had a shade of red cast over her dark features. "I know that name. It's from the Fairlands Family, one of the middle class uppers in the Higher District," she explained, "They don't have much influence, although the head of the Family is assumed to have many alliances up top. Some even debate about him being one of the Masters—which I think is absolute rubbish."

"How do you know this?" I asked.

Jinx shrugged and composed herself. "I once had a few... special encounters with a low class upper who was obsessed with uncovering the Masters. I posed as a courtesan—afterwards, he always became incredibly chatty. Later, he got killed for digging too much, but at least I learned a bit from his endless rambles and theories." she said, almost completely back to her cold and calculating demeanour. "I needed information. He had it, so I did what had to be done to retrieve it. "

If it was possible, Haco's eyes would have popped out of his head by now. I ignored him.

"Do you maybe know his full name?" I asked Jinx.

"Why, of course," she said, "Jonah Fairlands, head of the Family."

"It can't be. It has to be a coincidence," I mumbled, "Kael Jonah."

There has to be a reason.

Otherwise he has some damn good explaining to do.

______________________________

Hi! Thanks for reading!

Phew, I'm glad Haco wasn't harbouring a dramatic secret. I read some of your theories, and I absolutely loved them!

So, what are your ideas on Fairchild and Kael? Something's fishy going on...

And another little question...
#TeamVace (aka Venna ;))
Or
#TeamKael ?
Or #Team....

Any other ships? Other things you noticed?

If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider pressing that cute little star or tell me what your thoughts are! Thanks a lot :)

xoxo Vivian

PS: I'm going to try something out, so bare with me. I am going to try to update every other Friday! Let's see how a schedule will work out for me. Wish me luck! (I'm a horrible procrastinator, help! xD)