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He looks appalled. “No! I want to hit the target.”
I nod, and we go over everything again.
The boys spill into the room, full of excitement and wonder, and I notice two of the five are actually girls. I smile back at them all as they bombard me with questions until Yvette shoos them away.
Three shots later and Rionnon finally hits the target. The crowd that’s gathered in the courtyard sends up a cheer and the boy preens. “Now the princess,” someone yells and Rionnon gladly hands over the bow, stretching out his tired arms.
I consider refusing the request. Everyone below is more than likely expecting me to fail . . . which of course pushes me to do it. I hit the center of the target this time and a cheer goes up. Pride fills me. “Make it harder,” the same voice yells and a man pulls the target back by ten feet.
I hit that one too and I get another round of cheers. The quality of this bow is quite extraordinary.
“One more,” a woman calls as the man again moves the target back.
Laughter in my voice, I yell down, “You’ll keep pulling it back until I fail.”
The same woman cups her hands to her mouth. “You can do it!”
I’m about to nock the next arrow when a group of riders comes in through the gates. I recognize Luka right away and my enthusiasm wavers. But maybelivingdoesn’t mean retreating every time there may be consequences for my actions.
I pull the string back, take aim, and let the arrow fly. A huge cheer rings out when I hit the bull’s eye. Luka doesn’t have much reaction, but beside him, Eldon is clearly entertained.
The ruckus lasts longer this time before the same man pulls the target back again, almost to the far wall now, and the woman calls out, “Again!”
So there’slivingand then there’s being stupid, I think to myself. “Only with the deve’s permission,” I call down and half the crowd starts petitioning him for just that.
“By all means,” he bellows. “I need to see this.”
His tone isn’t angry, is it?I don’t think so. Slightly mocking maybe, but there’s a touch of amusement too. An unexpected case of nerves assaults me.What if I miss?I’ll look like a fool.But does that really matter?
As soon as I aim, the usual sense of calm steadies me. The arrow flies and lands true, hitting the target right next to my last shot. Jubilation surges through me, especially when Eldon puts his fingers to his mouth and lets out a loud whistle that sounds over the cheers.
I sketch a self-mocking bow and the crowd gets louder.
A knock sounds at my open door and I turn to see Bron standing there, grinning. “The deve wishes to see you downstairs, my a’deve.”
“Pardon?”
“Downstairs.” He gestures to the hall. “He wants to see you.”
“I can show you the way,” Rionnon says eagerly. “I have to collect my arrows.”
With a touch of trepidation, I follow Bron down the stairs, while Rionnon races ahead. I envy his unending energy. “Is he angry?” I ask Bron softly as we come out into the Great Hall. The few people milling about turn to stare and I suddenly feel as naked without Luka by my side as I did walking around in only his thin shirt.
“I don’t think so, but I’m still not able to gauge his moods very well. I only became his aide a few months ago.”
“Aide?” I quicken my steps to keep up with Bron’s long strides.
Glancing back, he gives me a wry look. “Yes, my job involves being constantly at his beck and call. And you should have told me to slow down, Rina.” Waiting for me, he offers me his arm. “I didn’t mean to tire you, only to avoid his accusations of my loafing about.”
How like Luka. “Do you loaf about often?”
He laughs and I feel my apprehension lift. Bron has always been good to me. But as we come to the open main doors, I remember how many people were in the courtyard. Passing a self-conscious hand over the long mass of my unbraided hair, I swallow hard. “I’ll walk on my own from here,” I tell Bron, slipping my hand from his elbow.
He gives me an approving nod. “Of course.”
We step out and everyone turns. I do my best to pretend their stares don’t weigh on me, but when I’m halfway across the seemingly vast distance to the gate, the first of a series of insults is hurled at me. I flinch slightly, but keep my head held high, focusing on Luka sitting tall atop his horse. I take heart that interspersed with the slurs, I hear support as well.
Luka remains carefully blank, so I follow suit. “You asked for me, my deve?”
