worried this time.
“I’m fine,” she replied briskly, pulling the glove back on and hiding the flash of silver tattoos.
“Phew. I thought I was going to have to make some kind of rubbish joke about how the gloves were coming off for the next round.”
Donna laughed. “When the gloves come off, Adept Lee, you’ll know about it.”
Robert nodded approvingly as he sat beside her, crossing his long legs. “I like this new Donna Underwood.”
“‘New’? What’s so new about me?” She searched his face to see if he was teasing her, but he looked completely serious.
“Ever since you came here—to the Order of the Crow, I mean—you’ve seemed different. More self-assured than in Ironbridge. It’s good to see.”
Donna half smiled, feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny. “I don’t feel more self-assured.”
He laughed. “Trust me. I can see it in your eyes. In the way you carry yourself.”
“You’d think I’d be less confident, given my release of the demon hordes.”
“Why is it so hard for you to believe in yourself?” Robert touched her shoulder, taking her by surprise. “You were brave, and you did your best under the worst possible circumstances. Seriously, you’re way too hard on yourself.”
She let out a long breath and met his dark eyes. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For being the only person—apart from my mom—who hasn’t rubbed my nose in what I did.”
“What would be the point in that? What’s done is done. It’s how we react to the new status quo that counts.”
“Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me to trust my feelings … ”
Robert smiled a confused sort of smile. “Okay, now what film are you referencing?”
She grinned. “Please don’t tell me you don’t recognize it.”
“I was never allowed to watch movies as a kid. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do, now that my dad’s gone back to China.”
“Dude. We’re totally watching Star Wars together.”
“Okay. Only if you’ll watch my favorite Bruce Lee film afterwards.”
“I thought you said I was bowing to stereotypes, making that Bruce Lee reference last week?” She mock-glared at him.
Robert’s lips quirked. “I didn’t say I wasn’t a fan now, did I?”
“Oh, you’re good … ”
“I know,” he replied, nodding emphatically.
Donna laughed, wondering that she could still do something so … frivolous. Laughter seemed a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away—or at least as far away as Ironbridge, with Nav). Having fun seemed wrong, somehow, what with everything that was threatening on the horizon.
“You must miss them,” Robert said, breaking into her thoughts. Almost reading her mind, it seemed.
“Who?” she asked, just to make sure.
“Navin and Xan.” He rolled his eyes. “Who did you think I was talking about? Simon and your aunt?
“Yeah, right.” She shrugged. “I’ve been staying in contact with Nav pretty much all the time.”
“And Xan?”
She shrugged, uncomfortable as to how to address that particular situation. “Off and on, you know? What about you—do you have anyone special? You were pretty dressed up last night. For you.”
He smiled, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “I did at one time. Or at least, I thought I did. It was years ago, back when I was at school.”
“How old?”
“Sixteen,” he replied. His eyes had gone somewhere else.
“It wasn’t that long ago. You make it sound like you’re ancient.”
“Five years feels like a lifetime.”
“You wanna share?” Donna smiled encouragingly at him, trying to shake him out of the suddenly serious mood that had taken hold. She was genuinely interested—she really was—but she was also glad of the chance to take a breather.
Robert shrugged. “Things didn’t end well.”
“So tell me how they began.”
“With a kiss,” he replied, a faint smile appearing and disappearing, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fast.
Donna grinned. “Was he hot?”
This time
“I’m fine,” she replied briskly, pulling the glove back on and hiding the flash of silver tattoos.
“Phew. I thought I was going to have to make some kind of rubbish joke about how the gloves were coming off for the next round.”
Donna laughed. “When the gloves come off, Adept Lee, you’ll know about it.”
Robert nodded approvingly as he sat beside her, crossing his long legs. “I like this new Donna Underwood.”
“‘New’? What’s so new about me?” She searched his face to see if he was teasing her, but he looked completely serious.
“Ever since you came here—to the Order of the Crow, I mean—you’ve seemed different. More self-assured than in Ironbridge. It’s good to see.”
Donna half smiled, feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny. “I don’t feel more self-assured.”
He laughed. “Trust me. I can see it in your eyes. In the way you carry yourself.”
“You’d think I’d be less confident, given my release of the demon hordes.”
“Why is it so hard for you to believe in yourself?” Robert touched her shoulder, taking her by surprise. “You were brave, and you did your best under the worst possible circumstances. Seriously, you’re way too hard on yourself.”
She let out a long breath and met his dark eyes. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For being the only person—apart from my mom—who hasn’t rubbed my nose in what I did.”
“What would be the point in that? What’s done is done. It’s how we react to the new status quo that counts.”
“Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me to trust my feelings … ”
Robert smiled a confused sort of smile. “Okay, now what film are you referencing?”
She grinned. “Please don’t tell me you don’t recognize it.”
“I was never allowed to watch movies as a kid. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do, now that my dad’s gone back to China.”
“Dude. We’re totally watching Star Wars together.”
“Okay. Only if you’ll watch my favorite Bruce Lee film afterwards.”
“I thought you said I was bowing to stereotypes, making that Bruce Lee reference last week?” She mock-glared at him.
Robert’s lips quirked. “I didn’t say I wasn’t a fan now, did I?”
“Oh, you’re good … ”
“I know,” he replied, nodding emphatically.
Donna laughed, wondering that she could still do something so … frivolous. Laughter seemed a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away—or at least as far away as Ironbridge, with Nav). Having fun seemed wrong, somehow, what with everything that was threatening on the horizon.
“You must miss them,” Robert said, breaking into her thoughts. Almost reading her mind, it seemed.
“Who?” she asked, just to make sure.
“Navin and Xan.” He rolled his eyes. “Who did you think I was talking about? Simon and your aunt?
“Yeah, right.” She shrugged. “I’ve been staying in contact with Nav pretty much all the time.”
“And Xan?”
She shrugged, uncomfortable as to how to address that particular situation. “Off and on, you know? What about you—do you have anyone special? You were pretty dressed up last night. For you.”
He smiled, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “I did at one time. Or at least, I thought I did. It was years ago, back when I was at school.”
“How old?”
“Sixteen,” he replied. His eyes had gone somewhere else.
“It wasn’t that long ago. You make it sound like you’re ancient.”
“Five years feels like a lifetime.”
“You wanna share?” Donna smiled encouragingly at him, trying to shake him out of the suddenly serious mood that had taken hold. She was genuinely interested—she really was—but she was also glad of the chance to take a breather.
Robert shrugged. “Things didn’t end well.”
“So tell me how they began.”
“With a kiss,” he replied, a faint smile appearing and disappearing, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fast.
Donna grinned. “Was he hot?”
This time
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