Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2)(68)

I’d hoped for work today. Free time means thinking time, and there is much to fret over.

Like where is Ravis?

What does it mean that he’s taking longer than he should? Did something bad happen? Has disease swept through his camp?

Or maybe something good happened for him? Maybe he’s detoured to meet up with even more forces?

I’m about to enter my shared room in search of Temra but stop outside the door when I hear talking.

“You need to stop it.” Temra’s voice. “I don’t want food or gifts from you. I don’t want to catch you looking at me or thinking about me or anything else where I am concerned. You lost that right.”

“The right to think about you?” Petrik asks sardonically.

“Yes.”

“That’s not— You can’t—” He cuts himself off twice before saying, “I messed up.”

“Twice,” she cuts in.

“I messed up twice. I’m sorry. Please, can you ever forgive me?”

Her voice rises. “You can’t ask for forgiveness. This kind of offense is unforgivable.”

“I only wanted to keep you safe. Please understand—”

There’s a crash, and I think Temra might have thrown something at him.

“No, you understand! You had a choice to make, and you made the one that results in us never being friends again.”

“Friends?” Petrik’s voice takes on a nasty edge I’ve never heard before. “We were never friends.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You used me. Always.”

“What?”

“The playful flirtations. The compliments. The light touches. I was always something you kept around to amuse yourself. You only wanted attention from me.”

“And you always kept yourself away at arm’s length, so whose fault is that?”

Petrik scoffs. “Because the second I showed even a trace of interest in you, you would have become bored and moved on to someone exciting.”

“Are you calling yourself boring? Or are you calling me a flake?”

“Girls like you don’t go for boys like me.”

“Pathological liars? I don’t think that’s anyone’s type.”

“I mean beautiful girls don’t go for smart boys. They go for dangerous ones. Exciting ones. Boys with big arms who can swing swords and bash in heads.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m pretty. How else could you stand to be around someone so stupid!” she growls at him.

“I never said you were stupid.”

“It was implied. Because if all I am is some pretty girl, then clearly I have nothing else going for me. And if all you see in yourself is your ability to read a book, then you need to build your confidence. Being with a pretty girl won’t fix that.”

It goes quiet for a full ten seconds. No one moving. I can barely hear them breathing on the other side. Secondhand embarrassment floods my senses, and I want to flee almost as much as I want to stay and listen.

“I don’t see you as just a pretty girl!” Petrik finally blurts. “You’re protective and talented at everything you do! Almost in an obnoxious way, I might add. You have such empathy for those around you. You are beautiful inside and out!”

I don’t know why he’s still yelling at her, but his voice doesn’t drop.

“And I know I’m more than my books. I am also loyal to my friends. I like to learn how things work. I will fight even when I know I can’t possibly win. I’m kind, generous, and, on occasion, even funny. Material wealth doesn’t matter to me. People matter to me. I have a confidence in what I do. The only thing I’m not confident about is you!”

More silence, then, “You upend me,” Petrik says so quietly I almost can’t hear him. “I can’t think straight around you. I worry over everything I say, convinced that will be the thing that drives you away. Instead, it ended up being my actions. I’m sorry for keeping Ziva’s true whereabouts from you. I’m sorry for lying. I did what I thought was best in the current situation. But I didn’t put your thoughts and feelings first, as I should have. As I will do from now on, should you ever agree to be my friend again.”

“I thought you said we were never friends,” Temra says just as whisper soft.

“You are my friend, even though I never wanted friendship from you.”

“No, you only wanted access to Ziva and her magic.”

“You misunderstand me. I never wanted friendship from you, Temra. I always wanted something more.”

And then I can’t hear any more talking. There are different noises. Noises that I can’t quite make out. And then I realize—

They’re kissing.

I leap away from the door as though I’ve been burned.

I have a million questions. Who started it? And how did it come to that? Weren’t they just arguing? Kellyn and I don’t finish arguments with kissing.

Maybe we should.

Maybe everything should be followed by kissing.

Bells ring from high up on the palace towers. The sound seems to become trapped within the stone walls, echoing down the hallways.

It takes me far too long to realize why they’re going off.

Ravis and his army are finally here.