diff --git a/includes/functions/_helpers-query.php b/includes/functions/_helpers-query.php
index 837b5f5a..06e41209 100644
--- a/includes/functions/_helpers-query.php
+++ b/includes/functions/_helpers-query.php
@@ -867,3 +867,73 @@ if ( ! function_exists( 'fictioneer_sql_get_chapter_story_selection' ) ) {
     );
   }
 }
+
+if ( ! function_exists( 'fictioneer_sql_get_story_chapter_relationship_data' ) ) {
+  /**
+   * Returns chapter objects for a story
+   *
+   * @since 5.26.0
+   *
+   * @global wpdb $wpdb  WordPress database object.
+   *
+   * @param int $story_id  Story ID.
+   *
+   * @return object[] Array of chapter data object similar to WP_Post.
+   */
+
+  function fictioneer_sql_get_story_chapter_relationship_data( $story_id ) {
+    global $wpdb;
+
+    // Setup
+    $chapter_ids = fictioneer_get_story_chapter_ids( $story_id );
+
+    // Empty?
+    if ( empty( $chapter_ids ) ) {
+      return [];
+    }
+
+    // Prepare SQL query
+    $placeholders = implode( ',', array_fill( 0, count( $chapter_ids ), '%d' ) );
+    $values = array_merge( $chapter_ids, [ $story_id ] );
+
+    $sql = $wpdb->prepare(
+      "SELECT p.ID as ID, p.post_title as post_title, p.post_status as post_status, p.post_date_gmt as post_date_gmt,
+        pm_text_icon.meta_value as fictioneer_chapter_text_icon,
+        pm_icon.meta_value as fictioneer_chapter_icon,
+        pm_rating.meta_value as fictioneer_chapter_rating,
+        pm_warning.meta_value as fictioneer_chapter_warning,
+        pm_group.meta_value as fictioneer_chapter_group,
+        pm_hidden.meta_value as fictioneer_chapter_hidden,
+        pm_no_chapter.meta_value as fictioneer_chapter_no_chapter
+      FROM {$wpdb->posts} p
+      LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->postmeta} pm_text_icon ON (p.ID = pm_text_icon.post_id AND pm_text_icon.meta_key = 'fictioneer_chapter_text_icon')
+      LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->postmeta} pm_icon ON (p.ID = pm_icon.post_id AND pm_icon.meta_key = 'fictioneer_chapter_icon')
+      LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->postmeta} pm_rating ON (p.ID = pm_rating.post_id AND pm_rating.meta_key = 'fictioneer_chapter_rating')
+      LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->postmeta} pm_warning ON (p.ID = pm_warning.post_id AND pm_warning.meta_key = 'fictioneer_chapter_warning')
+      LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->postmeta} pm_group ON (p.ID = pm_group.post_id AND pm_group.meta_key = 'fictioneer_chapter_group')
+      LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->postmeta} pm_hidden ON (p.ID = pm_hidden.post_id AND pm_hidden.meta_key = 'fictioneer_chapter_hidden')
+      LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->postmeta} pm_no_chapter ON (p.ID = pm_no_chapter.post_id AND pm_no_chapter.meta_key = 'fictioneer_chapter_no_chapter')
+      WHERE p.post_type = 'fcn_chapter'
+        AND p.ID IN ($placeholders)
+        AND EXISTS (
+          SELECT 1
+          FROM {$wpdb->postmeta} pm
+          WHERE pm.post_id = p.ID AND pm.meta_key = 'fictioneer_chapter_story' AND pm.meta_value = %d
+        )
+      ",
+      ...$values
+    );
+
+    // Execute
+    $results = $wpdb->get_results( $sql );
+
+    // Restore order and return
+    $chapter_map = array_flip( $chapter_ids );
+
+    usort( $results, function( $a, $b ) use ( $chapter_map ) {
+      return $chapter_map[ $a->ID ] <=> $chapter_map[ $b->ID ];
+    });
+
+    return $results;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/includes/functions/_setup-meta-fields.php b/includes/functions/_setup-meta-fields.php
index cfa8a453..385249c3 100644
--- a/includes/functions/_setup-meta-fields.php
+++ b/includes/functions/_setup-meta-fields.php
@@ -1128,6 +1128,7 @@ add_action( 'wp_ajax_fictioneer_ajax_query_relationship_posts', 'fictioneer_ajax
  * Render HTML for selected story chapters
  *
  * @since 5.8.0
+ * @since 5.26.0 - Use custom chapter objects.
  *
  * @param array  $selected  Currently selected chapters.
  * @param string $meta_key  The meta key.
@@ -1137,11 +1138,15 @@ add_action( 'wp_ajax_fictioneer_ajax_query_relationship_posts', 'fictioneer_ajax
 function fictioneer_callback_relationship_chapters( $selected, $meta_key, $args = [] ) {
   // Build HTML
   foreach ( $selected as $chapter ) {
-    $title = fictioneer_get_safe_title( $chapter, 'admin-callback-relationship-chapters' );
+    $title = fictioneer_sanitize_safe_title(
+      $chapter->post_title,
+      get_date_from_gmt( $chapter->post_date_gmt, get_option( 'date_format' ) ),
+      get_date_from_gmt( $chapter->post_date_gmt, get_option( 'time_format' ) )
+    );
     $classes = ['fictioneer-meta-field__relationships-item', 'fictioneer-meta-field__relationships-values-item'];
     $label = fictioneer_get_post_status_label( $chapter->post_status );
 
-    if ( get_post_meta( $chapter->ID, 'fictioneer_chapter_hidden', true ) ) {
+    if ( $chapter->fictioneer_chapter_hidden ) {
       $title = "{$title} (" . _x( 'Unlisted', 'Chapter assignment flag.', 'fictioneer' ) . ")";
     }
 
@@ -1274,29 +1279,31 @@ function fictioneer_ajax_get_relationship_chapters( $post_id, $meta_key ) {
  *
  * @since 5.8.0
  *
- * @param WP_Post $chapter  The chapter post.
+ * @param WP_Post|object $chapter  The chapter post or similar object.
  *
  * @return string HTML for the chapter info.
  */
 
 function fictioneer_get_relationship_chapter_details( $chapter ) {
   // Setup
-  $text_icon = get_post_meta( $chapter->ID, 'fictioneer_chapter_text_icon', true );
-  $icon = fictioneer_get_icon_field( 'fictioneer_chapter_icon', $chapter->ID );
-  $rating = get_post_meta( $chapter->ID, 'fictioneer_chapter_rating', true );
-  $warning = get_post_meta( $chapter->ID, 'fictioneer_chapter_warning', true );
-  $group = get_post_meta( $chapter->ID, 'fictioneer_chapter_group', true );
+  $text_icon = $chapter->fictioneer_chapter_text_icon ?? '';
+  $icon = fictioneer_get_icon_field( 'fictioneer_chapter_icon', null, $chapter->fictioneer_chapter_icon ?? '' );
+  $rating = $chapter->fictioneer_chapter_rating ?? '';
+  $warning = $chapter->fictioneer_chapter_warning ?? '';
+  $group = $chapter->fictioneer_chapter_group ?? '';
+  $date_local = get_date_from_gmt( $chapter->post_date_gmt, get_option( 'date_format' ) );
+  $time_local = get_date_from_gmt( $chapter->post_date_gmt, get_option( 'time_format' ) );
   $flags = [];
   $info = [];
 
   // Build
   $info[] = empty( $text_icon ) ? sprintf( '<i class="%s"></i>', $icon ) : "<strong>{$text_icon}</strong>";
 
-  if ( get_post_meta( $chapter->ID, 'fictioneer_chapter_hidden', true ) ) {
+  if ( $chapter->fictioneer_chapter_hidden ?? 0 ) {
     $flags[] = _x( 'Unlisted', 'Chapter assignment flag.', 'fictioneer' );
   }
 
-  if ( get_post_meta( $chapter->ID, 'fictioneer_chapter_no_chapter', true ) ) {
+  if ( $chapter->fictioneer_chapter_no_chapter ?? 0 ) {
     $flags[] = _x( 'No Chapter', 'Chapter assignment flag.', 'fictioneer' );
   }
 
@@ -1307,8 +1314,8 @@ function fictioneer_get_relationship_chapter_details( $chapter ) {
 
   $info[] = sprintf(
     _x( '<strong>Date:</strong>&nbsp;%1$s at %2$s', 'Chapter assignment info.', 'fictioneer' ),
-    get_the_date( '', $chapter->ID ),
-    get_the_time( '', $chapter->ID )
+    $date_local,
+    $time_local
   );
 
   if ( ! empty( $group ) ) {
@@ -2044,23 +2051,6 @@ function fictioneer_render_story_data_metabox( $post ) {
   );
 
   // Chapters
-  $chapter_ids = fictioneer_get_story_chapter_ids( $post->ID );
-
-  $chapters = empty( $chapter_ids ) ? [] : get_posts(
-    array(
-      'post_type' => 'fcn_chapter',
-      'post_status' => 'any',
-      'post__in' => $chapter_ids ?: [0], // Must not be empty!
-      'orderby' => 'post__in',
-      'posts_per_page' => -1,
-      'meta_key' => 'fictioneer_chapter_story',
-      'meta_value' => $post->ID,
-      'update_post_meta_cache' => true,
-      'update_post_term_cache' => false, // Improve performance
-      'no_found_rows' => true // Improve performance
-    )
-  );
-
   $description = get_option( 'fictioneer_limit_chapter_stories_by_author' ) ?
     __( 'Select and order chapters assigned to the story (set in the chapter). The author (or co-author) of the chapter and the story must match.', 'fictioneer' ) :
     __( 'Select and order chapters assigned to the story (set in the chapter).', 'fictioneer' );
@@ -2068,7 +2058,7 @@ function fictioneer_render_story_data_metabox( $post ) {
   $output['fictioneer_story_chapters'] = fictioneer_get_metabox_relationships(
     $post,
     'fictioneer_story_chapters',
-    $chapters,
+    fictioneer_sql_get_story_chapter_relationship_data( $post->ID ),
     'fictioneer_callback_relationship_chapters',
     array(
       'label' => _x( 'Chapters', 'Story chapters meta field label.', 'fictioneer' ),