us will go right after breakfast. Trystian and Gwen can pack up. Rain or no rain, we head out today.”
Alaric watched as Fin eased out of her position on the windowsill. He knew his interest in her was starting to go beyond any sort of promise he made Emile. He wanted to keep her safe now for his own reasons.
Not that she couldn't protect herself. The few times he'd seen her tap into her magic went beyond extraordinary. That he lived through the scorpion's sting still left him in awe. He shuddered to think what Kaerdan would do with her. He'd use her to level entire kingdoms, never caring about the scars or pain it caused her. If his brother ever made a pet of Fin, she'd be dead within a year. Probably less.
And Alaric knew he'd kneel in front of his brother in a heartbeat if it kept her free.
Rising, he casually made his way to his pack. Trystian and Gwen were waking up at Emile's urging. They'd go down as a group, eat. Then he'd lead Emile and Fin the short distance to the shop he'd been told about. He rummaged through his kit, making mental notes about what he needed for himself. Good quality catgut or bowstrings were hard to come by, and expensive, but worth the price. Buy cheap, regret it later when the string breaks when your life depends on it.
"You really think I can shoot a bow?" Fin's voice drifted past his ear.
He turned his head and smiled at her. "Absolutely. It's not that hard. You could even learn how to miss on purpose if you wanted to."
She shrugged, the red hair moving in a way that made him want to reach out and stroke it. "I think I'll be plenty good at missing my target. But you and Emile are right. I need to learn, if for no other reason than to take the attention off of myself." She looked down at her hands. "Any chance I can get some gloves? I've seen the callouses on your hands. They won't happen overnight, and I won't heal myself."
"Why not?" he asked, puzzled. "If I could do what you can, it would make sense to me to do it."
Her mouth turned up slightly, a wistfulness crossing her face. "We can't, Alaric. Amari can do magic, yes. But only to others. Trying to heal myself would be as impossible as it would be for you to shoot yourself in the back. It just can't happen." A small twinkle danced in her green eyes. "And who says you can't do a kind of magic? You may not look like your mother, but your aim is almost inhuman. Surely there's something beyond skill in that."
It was Alaric's turn to shrug. "Who can say, really?
Even if there's a bit more to it than skill, I don't have any of your disadvantages. I can kill without scars."
"You aren't doing the killing. The arrow is. There's a difference." Her tone echoed a despair he couldn't really fathom.
"Fin, you don't have to answer this. But...have you?"
"Have I ever killed someone? No. Not yet. I've come close, but Emile stepped in first. But I do have scars. Some hurt more than others when I got them."
He knew better than to pursue the topic. A sadness radiated from her now, making his heart ache. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her.
The rest of the morning passed in silence. Everyone knew what had to be done before starting to travel again, and each had their own duties. Right after breakfast, Emile nodded to Fin and him and the three headed to the archery place. Trystian and Gwen would either meet them outside, or back here if the pack horse was still being loaded.
The wooden overhang gave them the chance to shake some rain off their cloaks before entering the shop. A steady stream of pale smoke rose from
Alaric watched as Fin eased out of her position on the windowsill. He knew his interest in her was starting to go beyond any sort of promise he made Emile. He wanted to keep her safe now for his own reasons.
Not that she couldn't protect herself. The few times he'd seen her tap into her magic went beyond extraordinary. That he lived through the scorpion's sting still left him in awe. He shuddered to think what Kaerdan would do with her. He'd use her to level entire kingdoms, never caring about the scars or pain it caused her. If his brother ever made a pet of Fin, she'd be dead within a year. Probably less.
And Alaric knew he'd kneel in front of his brother in a heartbeat if it kept her free.
Rising, he casually made his way to his pack. Trystian and Gwen were waking up at Emile's urging. They'd go down as a group, eat. Then he'd lead Emile and Fin the short distance to the shop he'd been told about. He rummaged through his kit, making mental notes about what he needed for himself. Good quality catgut or bowstrings were hard to come by, and expensive, but worth the price. Buy cheap, regret it later when the string breaks when your life depends on it.
"You really think I can shoot a bow?" Fin's voice drifted past his ear.
He turned his head and smiled at her. "Absolutely. It's not that hard. You could even learn how to miss on purpose if you wanted to."
She shrugged, the red hair moving in a way that made him want to reach out and stroke it. "I think I'll be plenty good at missing my target. But you and Emile are right. I need to learn, if for no other reason than to take the attention off of myself." She looked down at her hands. "Any chance I can get some gloves? I've seen the callouses on your hands. They won't happen overnight, and I won't heal myself."
"Why not?" he asked, puzzled. "If I could do what you can, it would make sense to me to do it."
Her mouth turned up slightly, a wistfulness crossing her face. "We can't, Alaric. Amari can do magic, yes. But only to others. Trying to heal myself would be as impossible as it would be for you to shoot yourself in the back. It just can't happen." A small twinkle danced in her green eyes. "And who says you can't do a kind of magic? You may not look like your mother, but your aim is almost inhuman. Surely there's something beyond skill in that."
It was Alaric's turn to shrug. "Who can say, really?
Even if there's a bit more to it than skill, I don't have any of your disadvantages. I can kill without scars."
"You aren't doing the killing. The arrow is. There's a difference." Her tone echoed a despair he couldn't really fathom.
"Fin, you don't have to answer this. But...have you?"
"Have I ever killed someone? No. Not yet. I've come close, but Emile stepped in first. But I do have scars. Some hurt more than others when I got them."
He knew better than to pursue the topic. A sadness radiated from her now, making his heart ache. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her.
The rest of the morning passed in silence. Everyone knew what had to be done before starting to travel again, and each had their own duties. Right after breakfast, Emile nodded to Fin and him and the three headed to the archery place. Trystian and Gwen would either meet them outside, or back here if the pack horse was still being loaded.
The wooden overhang gave them the chance to shake some rain off their cloaks before entering the shop. A steady stream of pale smoke rose from
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