“Just Bastion,” he said.“I’m not a–”
Nesrin cut him off.“He’s being modest.Sir Bastion just recently completed his Trial.The title hasn’t sunk in yet.”
She gave him a look, her upper lip twitching.
Hywell’s eyes darted between them, a measure of discomfort plain on his tawny face.He cleared his throat.“I’ll leave you to make the preparations we discussed.”
He saluted them and walked away.
When he was out of earshot, Nesrin returned her attention to the sea of grass before them.A muscle ticked in her jaw.
“I counted more gulls than guards,” Bastion said.“By my calculations, it looks like we only have a hundred men.”
Nesrin frowned, eyes still straight ahead.“Two platoons.Not even a hundred,” she confirmed.“The best we can do is barricade the gate.”
They stood in silence, listening to the wind weave invisible fingers through the tall grass.To the west, the ocean beat the cliffs with a dull, persistent thrum.
“Did Lawrence find anything in the library?”
Nesrin shook her head.“I would be surprised if he had.Father is not much of a collector.”
Bastion grunted knowingly.Lord Kyrith was a man of action, not a scholar.
“Have you heard from him?”
“No.”
“How’s morale?”
“Poor.”Nesrin pushed the word through her teeth.
Resigned, Bastion quit trying to change the subject.
“Say whatever you have to say,” he said, “or do we need to take this down to the yard?”
Nesrin exhaled and lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose.
“You are the dumbest man I’ve ever met.And you’ve met mybetrothed.”She said the word like it tasted bad, her teeth showing in a sneer.“I may command Moonwatch, Bastion, but you’re a knight–”
“I’m not a knight,” he snapped.
“Yes!You are!”Nesrin turned to face him.“You’ve been a knight since the moment you entered Hanniel’s training yard!”
It was Bastion’s turn to shake his head and sigh, eyes downcast.She stepped up to him and stabbed him in the chest with a finger.
“You are blooded.You have influence.I may be practiced in combat, but to the men, I’m basically a princess waving a sword.I need a knight toback me up!”
“Nesrin,” Bastion huffed.“Ifailed.”
“No,” she insisted.“You didn’t meet a god.It’s not the same thing.”
“Yes, they are!”he barked.He paced away, running a hand across the ridges beneath his hair.“You and Endre don’t get it!I have nothing.Nothing, Nesrin!I was supposed to earn this, not have it given to me like a handout!”
“So you will ignore all you’ve accomplished and fade into obscurity?”she retorted.“You said it last night–no one before you has left the island without a Godmark, madness, or death.That means something!”
“And what if it doesn’t?”He spun to face her.“What if I truly am unworthy?”
Nesrin stared.He was so unaccustomed to seeing shock on her face that the sight of it stopped him in his tracks.
