Page 40 of Savage Throne
There was something about them too—something that caught my attention. It was the blue Chinese characters engraved along the side.
Hmmm.
I picked one of the pistols up. “I think. . .these are the ones.”
“Interesting.” He didn’t even check them out. Instead, he kept his gaze on me. “Why those?”
“They are not too heavy.” I fingered the cold steel. “They fit well in my hands. These also will allow me to move swiftly so I make the time, but. . .I think they will get me to aim accurately too.”
I tested the grip—the balance of weight—and then I aimed at one target and felt confident I was right. Carefully, I opened it.
To my surprise, the inside was intriguing, like a mechanical mystery begging to be unveiled.
Oh wow.
I delicately observed the workings of the gun, familiarizing myself with its structure and gears. There was a special compartment for extra bullets—a small switch that seemed to modify the shooting mode. It was exquisite design and engineering all rolled into one.
Yeah. This is it.
I picked up the identical pistol, now with both weapons in my hands. The balance felt good—just right.
Leo watched me. “They match. Definitely, two identical guns.”
“Dad taught me how to shoot when I was six and he was still into hunting. He always talked about symmetry in movement and symmetry in aim.” I shifted my stance slightly, pointing both pistols at the selected target. “Yeah. I think these two would be easier to handle together.”
Leo remained silent for a moment. His gaze softened yet still intense.
“Alright.” My heart pounded heavier now than before but there was determination steering it on. “I pick these.”
Song began taking the other weapons away.
I placed one of the pistols down. “These also seem to offer more options. . .like quick reloading.”
Leo's eyes sparkled. “I knew you could shoot but I didn’t understand how much you knew guns.”
“They’re dangerous so. . .once I started hunting with Jo, I researched a lot, followed gun podcasts, and would listen to a few on the way to one of my jobs just to stay up with stuff. I didn’t want to mess up or accidentally shoot myself or my sisters.”
“Smart.”
“I like living and not killing people.”
The line of his jaw twitched. “One of those likes will have to change this evening.”
I blinked.
“But that is another lesson for later.”
I pursed my lips.
I will not kill anyone. Leo is scary but. . .that doesn’t mean I have to be bullied into changing the core of who I am.
Stress seeped into my pores.
Okay. Just focus on the game for now. And we’ll deal with anything else when it comes.
I looked down on the pistol in my hand and ran my fingers over the characters. They felt smooth under my touch as if they had been carved with purpose. “What does this say?”
His smile deepened. “That one says Mountain.”
