salve and that should do it.”
“Will it hurt?”
“At the beginning, but it’s made with something that deadens the pain. Just a little bit more.” He picked up the vial of salve. “Ready?”
“Can I say no?” He grinned as she nodded. “Yeah, ready.”
Excruciating fire lit up her arm as soon as he touched the salve to it and she groaned as her jaw tightened until she thought her teeth would crack. She sweated a few moments until the pain dissolved like an artist erasing a pencil drawing. It only twinged a little when Brandon pulled some bandages out of his saddlebags and wrapped her arm snugly. Iliana sagged with relief.
“Feel better?” He smirked at her as he recorked the vial.
“Trick question, right?” She gave him a grateful smile. “Yes, much better.”
“Good.”
He patted her thigh and handed the salve to her. “Keep that. It’ll help it heal along with your lavender oil. You’ll have a scar to tell stories about later, but the salve should keep it clear of infection.”
“Thanks.” She tucked salve away in one of her saddlebags as he returned to oiling his blades.
“You're welcome.”
She watched his sure motions for a short time before she gathered her courage. “Brandon, can I ask you a favor?”
He snorted. “You mean beyond binding your arm? I don’t know. It might cost you extra.”
“Heh. Ever the mercenary.” She smiled to take the sting out of her words. “But I’d figure out a way to pay you for this.”
For a moment his hand and his expression stilled then his gaze skittered from her head to her feet and back. “What did you have in mind?”
“Would you be willing to teach me a few things about sword fighting?”
Whatever he’d been expecting her to say, that wasn’t it because he laughed with relief. “Oh, sword fighting. Yes, I could probably do that.”
“Why? What did you think I meant?” She suspected, but she wanted to hear him say it.
“Well, the way you said it, and…” He waved the cloth at her body. “I thought…”
“What, that I wanted sex from you?”
He grimaced and his cheeks turned rosy. “Yes.”
“Honey, you’re a handsome man and I’m sure you have many skills, but right now survival trumps pleasure.” She hoped her relaxed response would set him at ease. “I’m flattered you thought I wanted sex, but I think we need to know each other better before that happens.”
He rubbed the back of his neck with a surprised smile. “You think I’m handsome?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Yeah. I’m sure you’ve heard it from lots of women.”
“None that I haven’t paid first.”
“Oh.” Iliana let a giddy smile curl her lips. “No payment necessary. Compliments are free.”
His cheeks remained rosy, but he cleared his throat. “So, sword fighting. You said you’d pay me to learn?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Don’t you pay your experts to teach what they know?”
Brandon resumed rubbing the oil on his dagger blade. “Yes, but usually it’s at a school or fellowship. Not an individual.”
“You’re the only one I know right now and I’d like to learn.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't want to repeat the experience I had at the oasis with the Knalish army.” She shuddered. “I know the rudiments of sword fighting, which is why I didn’t die first thing, but I don't know enough to defend myself against a real fighter. If Ahmad hadn’t come along, I’d have been a pin cushion.”
He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that warmed her more than she expected. “Your phrases are unusual, but they invoke great images.”
“Thanks, I think.” She grimaced. “So would you be willing to teach me?”
Brandon finished with his blade and sheathed it, setting the oiling cloth aside. “I’m curious why you don’t have more ability. But I suppose if you’re truly not from here, you wouldn’t.”
“You still don’t believe I’m not Kyram?” Iliana sighed and rubbed her face. “Glory, I don’t think
“Will it hurt?”
“At the beginning, but it’s made with something that deadens the pain. Just a little bit more.” He picked up the vial of salve. “Ready?”
“Can I say no?” He grinned as she nodded. “Yeah, ready.”
Excruciating fire lit up her arm as soon as he touched the salve to it and she groaned as her jaw tightened until she thought her teeth would crack. She sweated a few moments until the pain dissolved like an artist erasing a pencil drawing. It only twinged a little when Brandon pulled some bandages out of his saddlebags and wrapped her arm snugly. Iliana sagged with relief.
“Feel better?” He smirked at her as he recorked the vial.
“Trick question, right?” She gave him a grateful smile. “Yes, much better.”
“Good.”
He patted her thigh and handed the salve to her. “Keep that. It’ll help it heal along with your lavender oil. You’ll have a scar to tell stories about later, but the salve should keep it clear of infection.”
“Thanks.” She tucked salve away in one of her saddlebags as he returned to oiling his blades.
“You're welcome.”
She watched his sure motions for a short time before she gathered her courage. “Brandon, can I ask you a favor?”
He snorted. “You mean beyond binding your arm? I don’t know. It might cost you extra.”
“Heh. Ever the mercenary.” She smiled to take the sting out of her words. “But I’d figure out a way to pay you for this.”
For a moment his hand and his expression stilled then his gaze skittered from her head to her feet and back. “What did you have in mind?”
“Would you be willing to teach me a few things about sword fighting?”
Whatever he’d been expecting her to say, that wasn’t it because he laughed with relief. “Oh, sword fighting. Yes, I could probably do that.”
“Why? What did you think I meant?” She suspected, but she wanted to hear him say it.
“Well, the way you said it, and…” He waved the cloth at her body. “I thought…”
“What, that I wanted sex from you?”
He grimaced and his cheeks turned rosy. “Yes.”
“Honey, you’re a handsome man and I’m sure you have many skills, but right now survival trumps pleasure.” She hoped her relaxed response would set him at ease. “I’m flattered you thought I wanted sex, but I think we need to know each other better before that happens.”
He rubbed the back of his neck with a surprised smile. “You think I’m handsome?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Yeah. I’m sure you’ve heard it from lots of women.”
“None that I haven’t paid first.”
“Oh.” Iliana let a giddy smile curl her lips. “No payment necessary. Compliments are free.”
His cheeks remained rosy, but he cleared his throat. “So, sword fighting. You said you’d pay me to learn?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Don’t you pay your experts to teach what they know?”
Brandon resumed rubbing the oil on his dagger blade. “Yes, but usually it’s at a school or fellowship. Not an individual.”
“You’re the only one I know right now and I’d like to learn.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't want to repeat the experience I had at the oasis with the Knalish army.” She shuddered. “I know the rudiments of sword fighting, which is why I didn’t die first thing, but I don't know enough to defend myself against a real fighter. If Ahmad hadn’t come along, I’d have been a pin cushion.”
He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that warmed her more than she expected. “Your phrases are unusual, but they invoke great images.”
“Thanks, I think.” She grimaced. “So would you be willing to teach me?”
Brandon finished with his blade and sheathed it, setting the oiling cloth aside. “I’m curious why you don’t have more ability. But I suppose if you’re truly not from here, you wouldn’t.”
“You still don’t believe I’m not Kyram?” Iliana sighed and rubbed her face. “Glory, I don’t think
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