Page 68 of Forged in Fading

“Are you going to take up space in my kitchen or do something useful?” Isathir’s sharp tone sounded like Alvara’s mother, when she and Eloisa would chase each other around the kitchen.

Boden dipped his head in the direction of the door. “I’ll walk you back.”

At night, Ilmanir basked in the golden glow of the lampposts, cocooning Alvara in a sense of safety she had never expected to feel in this place. The simple beauty of the city and its people had grown on her and wormed its way into a small crevice in her heart.

Though nothing outweighed the unusual silence that hung over them like a cloud as they ambled through the mostly empty streets. No doubt Boden had words sitting on the tip of his tongue that he was holding back for her sake.

“You can say it,” Alvara said. “You know you want to.”

Boden’s lips twitched, and he pressed them into a tight line. “It’s very kind, what you’re doing for her.”

“You sound surprised.”

He nudged her in the direction of her room—she hadn’t even realized she had been veering toward the path that skirted the lake. “I’m not surprised, I’m grateful. Lilja and my mother mean everything to me, and I never feel I’m doing enough for them or for the people we’re helping. To know someone else is there for her, it truly means the world to me.”

Was that really how he saw himself? To Alvara and countless others, he was the glue that held the city and its movement together. “Can you give them to Lilja? And don’t tell her they’re from me.”

He took the packets she offered and frowned. “You’ll never cease to confuse me.”

“I do my best.” Alvara slowed to a stop, her eyes drawn to him.

His chiseled features that softened with warmth and care whenever he spoke; his short, disheveled hair that made her wonder if he even owned a comb; the soft ring of brown in the center of his amber eyes that she had only come to notice as they spent more time together…

She had become undeniably comfortable around him. No, not comfortable, comforted. He brought peace to her disarray each time they spoke, and even the times they didn’t.

In the light of the lampposts, Boden’s eyes had turned to liquid gold. A rare and precious metal resistant to many of the elements that would try to corrode its beauty.

He didn’t look away even as the seconds dragged on. “Lucky for you, I rather enjoy a good puzzle.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Two days passed with no mention of the seeds from Lilja, leaving Alvara confident she had escaped recognition for her gesture. On the third morning, she arrived in the training clearing, where at least twenty elves gathered and milled about, including Pyry.

She only needed one guess as to who was responsible.

“I found more people interested in learning! Isn’t it wonderful?” Lilja practically oozed enthusiasm.

Of course. Alvara loved nothing more than speaking to large groups of people, especially ones made up of mostly strangers. Either Lilja had charmed the newcomers into joining, or the fear of the approaching danger had made them desperate enough to learn any method of defense possible, even if it meant learning to wield weapons. Not that Alvara could blame them.

“Mhmm.” She placed the two wooden staffs she held on the ground. It had been almost a week of teaching Kat and Lilja the basics of the correct footwork and postures for fighting, and she had intended to start today’s training demonstrating how to grip a weapon. Much faster than any beginner should learn, but for all they knew, King Einar could attack tomorrow.

But now, Alvara had to balance elves all coming in with varying levels of knowledge, as well as learning at widely different paces. She should have scrounged up a pathetic excuse for a pastry from the food hall.

“After what you did for me,” Lilja said, “I didn’t know how to thank you. It meant so much, and I thought what better way to show my gratitude than to help you share what you love!” At least Alvara’s actions had reinvigorated Lilja’s passion for…well, just about everything.

“I can tell Alvara is thrilled,” Aurilena said, her face schooled into mock seriousness. Maybe her presence meant she had received word from the Eskenti’s settlement, hopefully arranging for safe passage for Ilmanir’s people. The question must have been evident in Alvara’s face. “They said yes. I made them.” Aurilena’s gaze swept over the training grounds. “You’ve made surprising progress.”

Was that a hint of approval? Alvara couldn’t help herself. “That must have been painful for you to say.”

Aurilena’s lips turned up ever so slightly at the corners. “It only took about a decade off my life.”

“I don’t doubt it. I’m just impressed Lilja was able to convince you to even come to this.”

“I tried to stop her, I really did,” Kat said. She wagged her finger between Aurilena and Alvara. “Wait, are you two friends now?”

“No,” they said in unison.

Kat grinned. “Right. Anyway, I tried to stop Lilja from inviting everyone, but once she sets her mind to something, it’s pretty much impossible to convince her of anything else.”