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“Are you hurt?” he asks.
And just like that, I can’t breathe again. I’m staring at the muscles in his abdomen, the way they ripple with his exerted breaths, the way the flames send shadowy light across them.
I am on the verge of hysteria, and I need him to give me some space. I don’t want to be rude by shoving him away. Words. I need words.
“My shoulders,” I manage to get out. I can tell the wounds aren’t deep, but they’ll need to be cleaned.
He puts his hands under my arms, helps me to stand as though I were a child, but right now I think I need it.
“I said to stay in the tent!” he suddenly yells at me once I’m upright. “You could have died!”
“I only left because Temra did! Why aren’t you screaming at her?”
“Because she can defend herself. You cannot!”
At that reminder, I round on Temra.
“How can you fight like that?”
She swallows and has the common sense to look guilty. “Just came naturally?” she tries.
Unimpressed with the answer, I cross my arms and wait.
“You know Ankon and Ceren.”
“Yes, you’ve snuck out many times to meet up with them.”
“Right, and you always thought it was for romantic reasons? They’re actually training to be part of the city guard, and I’ve been learning from them… for a few years now.”
My mouth drops open. “But you didn’t say—you let me believe—”
“I didn’t think you’d approve, and I didn’t want you to worry about me.”
She’s been… scuffling with city guards? Honing these skills. “Why?” I ask. “Why did you want to learn to fight?”
She shrugs. “I’m good at it, and I really love it. I thought I might want to be a guard someday.”
“But that’s dangerous!”
“And that’s why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d react like this.”
I stare openmouthed at her. All the sneaking out. It was so she could practice fighting in secret?
“You should be glad,” Kellyn says. “She was a big help just now. Especially since you divided their numbers by coming out of your tent.”
“You stay out of this!” I hiss. Then I turn back to Temra. “I can’t believe you didn’t think you could tell me about this.”
“Because you would have forbidden it! It’s my choice what I do with my life.”
“You’re damned right I would have! It’s my job to look after you.” Mother and Father would be so disappointed if they knew. Not just about this, but how I failed to protect Temra. From this blasted sword and the warlord and everything else that threatens us.
Petrik crawls out of his tent. He’s fully dressed in his scholarrobes. He takes in the dead beasts first, then looks over Temra and me—for any wounds, presumably. Then his eyes land on Kellyn.
“You just had to use your shirt, huh?” Petrik says, looking distastefully at Kellyn’s torso.
“I didn’t have time to ask to borrow your dress.”
Petrik shakes his head, like he can’t even bother. “I’ll make some tea.”
