Page 137 of Harbinger

Taliesin chokes on his coffee so violently that he coughs it back into his cup. “Stars, Arden …” He sputters, rubbing his chest. “Warn a guy.”

“Love,” Lenora says gently, “there is no need for desperate measures. The garden is coming along …”

A smile tugs at my lips. “I’m not finished yet, but I’ll try to have it done by Twelvetide.” Before the ground freezes and it’s too late to plant spring-blooming flowers.

Lenora’s face brightens, and she slaps a ball of dough on the counter. “Well, that’s quite enough to keep you occupied.”

But I can’t waste away in that garden and pretend I’m preparing myself. I want to plant something real. I need to carve my own place in the world. “I’m sure I can handle both.” I clear my throat. “And I can’t stay here forever.”

I’m tired of standing still while a curse decides what I am. My magic can wake whenever it likes. In the meantime, I want a sword in my hand.

Lenora huffs and begins kneading her dough with unnecessary vigor.

But Bishop takes a sip of his coffee. “No.”

I’m prepared for his objection.

“See?” I hold up my hands to show they’ve healed since I started using the gloves he left for me. “All better.”

“You are not enlisting,” he repeats, his shoulders square as he shifts to full height, as if towering over me will make me change my mind.

But he can’t. Not on this. Whatever magic is inside me, I can’t be helpless any longer. So, I wait for him to explain whatever new bullshit criteria he’s concocted.

“Why not?” I demand when he doesn’t.

He fucking shrugs.

Heat erupts on my cheeks, something familiar stirring deep within my gut. “I’m in one piece now.”

That was his condition.

I glare up at him. He can’t power play his way out of this. Learning to fight was his idea. I’m only following his lead. If he changed his mind, there’s one reason for it. The same reason those men attacked me. The reason that no one’s suggested I go back to Wolf’s Keep. “Is this because of the raven-mark?”

“No, it’s because we don’t make decisions with broken hearts.” His voice drops a shade lower, but it does nothing to soften the impact. “It never ends well.”

“You told me to come back when I was healed,” I snap. He can’t actually stop me. We both know it. “Like you still thought it was a good idea.”

Lenora takes a tiny step as if she’s considering moving physically between us if necessary.

Bishop lifts a hand to stop her, his gaze holding mine. “Learning to fight is a good idea.” The change of heart makes my head spin until he adds, “But you’re not enlisting. I said I would train you.”

But I’ve considered that. It’s the last thing I want. I owe him too much already. And joining would give me a place in the world. “I’ve thought about that. It’s not fair to you.”

He pauses like he’s anticipating my next move before making his own. “I want to do it.”

It’s not even a believable play.

I scowl and reach for the most obvious argument. “Don’t you have better things to do? Like protect an entire kingdom?”

“The last time I checked, you were a citizen of that kingdom,” he says coolly. I swear he’s got a comeback loaded for everything. “A patron, at that. I will train you.”

Translation: end of story.

Taliesin smirks behind the rim of his coffee mug, and I consider throwing mine at him.

“You aren’t joining Marius. You have your own order to consider,” Bishop adds.

Which one? I’m not about to voice that question.