Blade of Secrets (Bladesmith #1)(29)

“If it’s a boy I’ve got my sights set on? Always.”

“I don’t have my sights set on him! I was just admiring him—and it was only for about two seconds!”

“Never mind that. Now we will both have something to occupy ourselves tomorrow.”

“What do you mean? What are you going to be doing?”

“Flirting with Petrik, of course.”

I brush the dirt from my hands. “I didn’t think he was your type.”

“He’s not, but he’s not showing the slightest interest in me, and I’m taking that as a challenge. Besides, you should be thanking me. I’m distracting him from asking you questions about his book.”

“I should be questioning Petrik about magic to figure out ways to destroy the sword. Not flirting with the mercenary!”

“I’ve got it covered. I’ll ask him about it in between my longing looks and comments about his strong arms.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is amazing.”





CHAPTER

NINE



The evenings are mild, just cold enough to need a single blanket. Temra and I sleep under our own tent. Petrik has a tent. Kellyn prefers to sleep by the fire, the tall trees keeping the rain off him.

I’ve always been a poor sleeper. It often takes me hours to find oblivion, my mind unable to stop thinking about all the things that are troubling me. And now that I’m on the ground, with only a thin bedroll between me and the dirt, it’s even more difficult. I toss and turn, unable to get comfortable.

The nights are really getting to me, and this morning, a sleep-deprivation-induced headache pounds at my temples. All I want is my house. My bed. My forge. My blankets. My room.

But I can never return to any of it.

Temra and the mercenary appear perfectly rested. Petrik and I seem to be the only ones affected by sleeping outdoors.

“I could carry your pack for you today,” Temra offers to Petrik.

“No, thank you,” he says simply.

“What do you have in there anyway?”

“Aside from the necessary traveling supplies, books.”

“Those must be heavy.”

He hoists the pack higher on his shoulders. “They’re a comforting weight.”

She keeps up a steady stream of conversation. Occasionally, she throws in a comment about how smart he is or how strong he must be to carry so much over so long a distance. The flirtations are subtle, an art all their own.

The familiar well of envy takes me over, but I’m brought up short by Temra’s meaningful glance between me and the mercenary, who takes the lead of our party several feet ahead.

Go, she mouths.

I shoot her a dirty look in response, but she ignores that, going back to talking to Petrik. She’s holding Reya’s lead, which leaves me and my hands free.

I stare at the mercenary’s back, willing him to vanish into thin air.

Temra nudges me with her arms and mouths, Ogling.

She’s threatening me again.

My hands tighten into fists, and Temra shoves me a few feet ahead, nearly causing me to collide with Kellyn.

The mercenary turns his head in my direction, and I could strangle my sister as I now keep pace with him.

Oh, damn it all.

“Kellyn, tell me about yourself,” I say. As soon as the words are out, I feel goosebumps rise on my skin. My mind panics and my body sizzles like a lightning bolt has struck just under my skin.

This is horrible. Why is this happening? I hate her. I hate this. I hate everything.

After the initial surprise on his face, Kellyn says, “What do you want to know?”

“Where are you from?” I spit out, remembering the words Temra forced me to rehearse last night.

“A small village called Amanor in Prince Skiro’s Territory. I grew up on a farm with my family.”

Okay. I can do this. Follow-up questions. What do I want to know?

“Does your family still live there?”

“Yes, I am the oldest of my siblings, and the only one who is away from home. Everyone else still tends to the farm. Sometimes I return for the harvest to help out.”

Really? “Do you make them pay you?”

He laughs. “No. I’m a sellsword. That is all. Besides, you don’t charge family.”

Hmm. That’s a kind thing: helping family out. I hadn’t expected it of him.

“What did you do before you were a smithy?” He surprises me by asking a question of his own. Does he actually want to know? Or is he just being polite by continuing the conversation?

And then I can all but hear Temra’s voice in my head: You can fixate later. Just talk to him.

I want to growl in frustration. Instead, I paste a smile on my face. “Well, first I had to train. So before I was a smithy, I was an apprentice to one. My gift manifested when I was nine. Before that, Temra and I were at the orphanage in Lirasu.” My thoughts jumble together, and I don’t know where to start. I take a breath and try again. “One day the priestesses took all the orphans for a walk through the city to get some of the energy out of our legs. We passed by a smithy.”

I look up briefly to gauge Kellyn’s mood, but he seems perfectly interested in the conversation.