SELECT

They both reached for a blade with a scrimshaw handle belonging to Mara, one she’d purchased back when they were infants. Its balance was perfect, as their Oathtaker had noted many times over the years.

“You take it,” Reigna said.

“No, you.”

They laughed nervously.

“Really,” Reigna said, “I want you to have it. Also, you’re the better archer. So, which of the bows do you want?”

Eden chose a perfectly balanced, lightweight bow. Then her twin picked one of the remaining two.

“How many arrows?” Eden asked.

“The quivers hold twenty each.”

They dumped all the arrows out, sorted through them for the best ones, then re-filled four quivers—two for each.

Reigna looked at the remaining supplies. “When we split things up like this, it doesn’t seem like there’s all that much here.”

“No, but we haven’t any foodstuffs yet.”

“Yes, that’s right.” Grabbing two saddlebags, Reigna put one in her lap and handed the other over. Then, “Start packing,” she said.

They found that all the materials they’d collected fit comfortably with room leftover.

“There’s just one extra bow, and a few extra arrows,” Eden said.

“We’ll leave them behind.”

“Now, for food. What’s the plan?”

“We’ll hunt for it,” Reigna said.

Her sister bit the inside of her cheek, thinking. “But we should take some dried meats, berries, and nuts. Even a fortnight’s supply wouldn’t take all that much room, or weigh too much. I suggest an extra bag just for those things.”

“Agreed.”

“We can raid the kitchens after dinner then,” Eden said. “With that done, I guess we’ll be ready to leave at any time.”