"It feels better than yours, Zez!" she laughed. "I mean, it's heavier, but like, in a good way."
"Zez?" Tag asked.
I was struggling not to scratch at the back of my neck. "It's Rain's version of dad."
"Oh, now that is cute," Tag crooned. "You are definitely a zez, Bracken. Maybe even a zezzy."
Rain gasped. "That's what I said!"
"Then it's gotta be true," Tag teased. "Hey, Brack, does Liam call you that?"
"I am trying to train my daughter!" Bracken pointed out. "She's supposed to be in a lesson."
So Rain fake-whispered, "That means yes!"
I snorted out a laugh and turned, trying to hide it. "Yeah, so is this why we don't have too many humans here?"
"Exactly why," Tag laughed. But she waved that off. "Brack, did you want a matching blade to go with this one?"
"Nope," he said. "She's going to use oneeltamand one iron."
"What?" I asked.
So Bracken turned to me. "And you are going to get used to it," he said. "That's why I asked Tag to bring it now. She will practice with that in her right and myeltamin her left. You, Keir, will use sticks. If she marks you, I will make sure it's handled, but think of this as incentive to keep your guard up."
"But why?" Rain asked. "Zez, I know this much metal can't feel good. And I think Keir's extra sensitive."
"Not used to it," Bracken countered. "His parents are both fae. He's avoided all human spaces with iron, or put enough between him and it to manage. This? He's adamant he's going to help train you, so that means he gets to learn how to deal with iron."
What he didn't mention was the conversation we'd had right after Rain had found her power. When he'd asked me if I was in love with her and I couldn't make myself deny it. That meant there was some truth there. Maybe not only truth, but enough that my body refused to say the words.
I'd also promised to protect her with my life. This? It was merely a part of that, but possibly one of the least comfortable ones I could imagine.
But Brack was still looking at the sword. "Keir, how good is your healing ability?" he asked out of the blue.
"Not the best," I admitted. "I can reduce a burn, remove iron blisters, but not rejuvenate at all."
"Well, this has to be done," Bracken said - and then the man grabbed the base of the blade, right where it met the hilt.
"Bracken!" Rain gasped, trying to pull the blade away.
Bracken just held on, but even from this far away, I could hear the sizzle of his flesh as the pure metal burned the skin of his palm. What the man didn't do was scream. Instead, green light flared, covering the entire blade, as well as Rain's hand where she held it.
And suddenly, the feel of the iron faded. It didn't vanish, but it softened enough I no longer wanted to scratch at my own skin. Instead, it wasno more annoying than the hum of a fluorescent light. There, quiet, and the sort of thing I could ignore if I tried hard enough.
The moment Bracken pulled his hand back, I rushed in. "What the hell did you do?" I demanded, easing the man down to his knees so I could start to heal him.
Bracken laughed once. "I shielded it," he panted. "A barrier around the blade. Around the iron, but one that will avoid her touch."
"Why?" Tag asked, reaching over to clasp Rain's shoulder, holding the girl in place. "And did you even think to warn your kid? Seriously, Brack?"
The man laughed once more. "I didn't want her to refuse," he muttered, clearly hurting. "The enchantment will keep us from itching when we're around it. Won't stop the thing from being lethal though - or burning us if touched. I also won't turn down some nectar, Tag."
"Oh, I think you need to suffer for this. I'm definitely going to tell Liam what you did while I'm getting that. Then he can give you a little lecture about the responsibilities of parenthood." Tag gently shook Rain with that hand on her shoulder. "This? This is your daughter, and your job is to teach her, not do for her."
"Zez?" Rain asked. "Is it bad?"
"I'm fine," he assured her. "Just a little burn. I've had worse."
