Page 79 of The Last De Loughrey Dynasty

I moved to the others who had already been on their turn before me and were now training on the bullseyes near the garden.

“You have to focus on a single point instead of the whole target you’re going for,” Nathaniel said after he was done showing Mrs Albury how he was able to hit the bullseye without much effort.

“I’m doing exactly that,” I sighed, aiming the arrow at the unused target before I shot, and the arrow hit barely the edge before falling to the ground.

Nathaniel eyed me, and I stared back. “What?”

“You’re doing everything but focusing on one point, Doe. Besides, you’re holding your bow so tightly that I’m surprised it hasn’t snapped yet. Hold it lazily, relax.”

“Last time I tried that, the string almost snapped me in the face, and sorry to disappoint you, but I like my eye.”

He shook his head, almost tired, before he drew his bow from his back and grabbed an arrow, drawing it back in a slow and gentle gesture. “Look how I’m handling the bowstring. I’m aware of its strength, but I’m handling it slowly. You’re fast, sloppy and tense,” he explained. “One point. Imagine it like a dot you’re seeing in the middle of the target. When you’re aiming, you’re unsure where to point at, almost shaking. But you have to be sure of what you want.” Nathaniel let go of the arrow, and it hit the bullseye with perfection. Lowering his bow, the corners of his mouth twitched to a slight smile. “Now, it’s your turn.” He made way for me, and I sighed dramatically before grabbing an arrow and lifting my bow.

“This won’t work. I’ve been trying for weeks, and it’s like the arrow is working against me.”

“You’re spending too much time with Jesse. His dramatic being rubs off on you.”

I shot him a look. “Don’t call him dramatic.”

Nathaniel just shrugged, moving towards the target to pluck out the arrow. “Don’t give me that look. Jesse is my brother in everything but blood, but you can’t deny that he loves to show off his dramatic side.”

“Yeah, I mean, he is, but to his defence, he’s been in theatre class since he was twelve. You have to be overly dramatic to succeed.”

Nathaniel nodded and pointed towards the target. “Aim, as I told you.” He stopped beside me, eyeing me closely. “While we’re mentioning it, there’s a theatre performance the day before the holidays. Most parents arrive a little sooner to watch the play with their children. I want you to come too.”

I lowered my bow and crooked an eyebrow in confusion. Nathaniel noticed and explained, “they’re performingAMidsummer Night’s Dreamby Shakespeare, and Jesse got one of the leading roles.”

“Jesse didn’t tell me, that’s amazing!” I smiled at how far my friend had made it. I knew how much he loved theatre, and he deserved that role.

“I know, he didn’t tell any of us. Naomi did. She’s helping with the costumes behind the scenes.”

“Why didn’t he tell us? He should be proud.”

“He should be, yeah, but his parents aren’t coming, and neither are his siblings. He’ll be picked up by a carrier at the end of the day as usual. Jesse’s sad, but he wouldn’t show it for the death of him. So, I want all of us to come and support him, to make this day at least slightly more enjoyable for our friend.”

I grinned up at him, “aww, that’s actually so adorable of you.”

Without flexing a muscle in his face, Nathaniel gazed at me. “Don’t make that sound directed towards me ever again. Are you coming or not?”

I slapped his arm playfully at the first comment, “of course I’m coming. Shakespeare was always my favourite writer in theatre anyway.”

“I prefer Oscar Wilde, but everyone’s taste is different,” he muttered as something wet hit my cheek, and I looked up to grey clouds crying down at us. “I guess that’s it for today,” I mumbled, but the boy next to me shook his head.

“Archers in the eighteenth century couldn’t just decline going for a hunt because it started raining. So a few drops of water won’t stop you either.”

Adjusting my bow again, I peeled my upper lip back and side-eyed him. “You should consider becoming a motivational coach.”

“Too bad I hate people,” he replied and watched my every move. I gently pulled the bowstring back, mimicking his method, waited until the head of my arrow no longer shook, andthen firmly placed it against the wood of my bow. “Don’t try to balance through your arms and shoulders. The perfect aim starts with the position of your feet and legs; that’s where you pull your strength from,” Nathaniel said, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed how the other students started to leave as the rain began to pour down stronger.

I adjusted my position and pulled my strength from the balance I had just gained, focusing on the middle of the bullseye. My arm started to scream from how long I pulled on the bowstring, but I waited until I was sure where my arrow would land. Then I let go.

My arrow hit the target only a few millimetres away from the middle. “I almost did it!” I yelped in surprise.

Suddenly, I didn’t care that my hair was now drenched in cold water and how the freezing wind felt against my wet clothes because I finally did it.

“Not almost. You did it. If your target were human, you would have pierced his heart either way. One or two millimetres won’t save him,” he disagreed, pulling my arrow out of the target, and I snorted, “you’re getting psychotic again, Nathaniel.”

At that, he cracked a smile, “sure am.”

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