Blade of Secrets (Bladesmith #1)(23)

“No. Well, he was an option.” Kellyn nods at the passed-out man on the floor. “But since you just got a good look at his fighting skills, I doubt you’d want to hire him. But none of that! We have an arrangement, and I will be ready to leave posthaste!”

Kellyn stands with his empty mug, takes one step toward the stairs, which likely lead up to his room, then tips forward. He catches himself on a wooden beam holding up the ceiling, before lowering himself to the ground.

“Actually, I think I’ll have a little lie-down first.”

And then he’s out.

Temra raises from her chair, leans down, and slaps him across the face.

He doesn’t budge.

“What now?” I ask.

“Go get the horse, and I’ll meet you outside.”

“What are you doing?”

“Just trust me, okay?”

Gathering my cloak about me more tightly, I stride outside and pay the stable boy to bring Reya around. I reattach Secret Eater to the weapon’s bundle.

Then we wait. I’m unsure what for, and every passing second makes me more and more anxious. What if something happened to Temra? What if she’s been caught by the warlord’s men? What if—

The doors open, and Temra comes outside, followed by four big men, carrying something.

No, someone.

Kellyn.

Temra directs them to lay him atop the horse and pays each of the men a coin.

I turn to her in horror. “This is your plan!”

She smiles. “What choice do we have?”

“We can’t just take him!”

“Not like this. Help me strap him down.”

“Temra!”

“Ziva, you got us into this mess. I’m getting us out. Now, are you going to help me or not?”

There it is. The anger I’ve been looking for. The outburst.

“Just what exactly are you two doing?”

I hadn’t realized that one of the men didn’t return inside with the others. I do a double take when I recognize him and his blue robes.

It’s that scholar from the restaurant. What was his name?

“Petrik,” I say.

“Hello again!”

“None of your business,” Temra says in answer to his question.

“Can I be of further assistance?” he asks, undaunted by her tone.

“We’re fine.” Temra finds some rope from the stables and starts attaching Kellyn to the saddle. Wordlessly, I assist.

Petrik disappears back into the tavern at a run, but I don’t spare him another glance.

It’s only when Kellyn’s secure and we’re headed out of town that I say, “I’m sorry. For everything. For—”

“No. I used your own insecurities against you. I’m sorry. I needed you to go along with the plan. We’re taking Kellyn. And you have nothing to be worried about between us. I love you. This isn’t your fault. But we have to go, and we have to take him. Now let’s be off.”

She can be quite bossy.

Sometimes I forget who’s the older sister.





CHAPTER

SEVEN



The irony of the situation is not lost on me. We carry an all-powerful weapon, yet we’re running for our lives.

The broadsword might as well be useless to us. What are we supposed to do? Use it against Kymora before she’s committed any crimes?

And with my sister and me traveling together, we can’t even wield it in our defense. The sword has too long of a reach. It would be far too easy for me to slice Temra by mistake while I was trying to protect her. Such a weapon takes practice to master.

Not to mention the fact that I don’t want to kill anyone.

And Secret Eater is not the kind of weapon that injures only.

It’s a killer. Plain and simple.

Of course, all my weapons have the potential to kill. I knew this as I was making them. But how could I have foreseen that someone would want to use one for world dominance? Kymora is well-respected. She and the late king parted on good terms. There’s no way I could have predicted this would happen when I agreed to make her weapon.

These thoughts buzz in my mind as we lead Reya down the road at a trot, Temra and I jogging beside her. It’s a good thing we’re both in good physical condition, else I don’t know how we’d manage to escape. We try to be as silent as possible, but the road consists of dirt and rock, and Reya’s shoes clap against the stones.

Fir trees line the road, and I imagine large eyes staring at us, just waiting to pounce.

As if I needed that on top of worrying about whether or not we’re sufficiently outdistancing Kymora.

Oh, and her personal army.

“Wait up!” a voice calls out, and I nearly jump out of my skin. A single figure strides down the road. Both moons are out tonight, and they shine on the swishing dark robes.

Reya throws back her head at the unexpected newcomer, and Temra is all forced smiles.

“Petrik,” she says. “What are you doing here? And why do you look like you’re ready to go on a long journey?”

He hoists the backpack higher up on his shoulders. “I happened upon two girls fleeing in the dead of night. I can’t, in good conscience, let you go off alone. Let me escort you, whatever your destination.”