"She thought it was me," he said. "I said it sounded more like you."
"Liam!" Aspen whined. "I almost got away with it!"
"And that," Liam told me, "is what she means. They pride themselves on helping without getting caught. Without making a big deal out of it. If it's merely done, then there's no debt, and no need to explain why there doesn't need to be one. We humans address things more head-on in some ways, and it's almost rude to them. Maybe awkward's a better word?"
"Awkward," Aspen agreed.
"And the same is true for your sword," Liam said. "Brack wanted to get you the best, so he did. Then he made it better. So tomorrow, make sure you are proud of it. Brag about it to Keir, or the others. Let Hawke and Wilder see it, and maybe mention how the spell keeps it from hurting them? That's what Bracken was hoping for."
"So I fucked it up?" I asked meekly.
"You were very human about it," Liam said. "Here's the thing, Rain. Bracken clearly likes humans. I mean, he picked us, right? So he knew what he was getting into."
"Ok," I said, because that did make me feel better.
Liam also had a good point. Bracken had picked a human to spend his life with. Then he and Liam had picked me.
"So does Bracken hate the T-word?" I asked.
Liam gave me a confused look. "Which?"
"Thank you," I clarified.
"Ah." He rocked his head a bit. "He's used to it, because I'm horrible about it, but he doesn't love it."
"So bragging is the way to go," I decided. "Then I'll do that. And make sure he knows I do like the thing? I mean, I'm going to hurt so bad tomorrow, but the weapon is pretty."
"What did you get?" Aspen asked.
So I told her all about this new sword, including the little details I'd noticed as Keir and I worked out. There were little crows along the hilt, carved into the steel. The leather wrapping where I gripped it was very black, but soft. Then there was the basket to protect my hand. It was nothing but vines with snowflake-shaped flowers and even more crows hidden in all the ornate swirls. In other words, fancy.
"Wow," Aspen breathed. "Now I want to see it!"
"You'd have to go to the gym," Liam said. "Oddly, no one said she can't have spectators at her weapons class."
Aspen just groaned. "I can't! We have our course for magical responsibility."
"Ah, right," Liam said. "That's the same time as Rain's combat tutoring, isn't it?"
"Mhm," Aspen mumbled. "And I don't even know why! I mean, it's not like we - "
"Threw magic at students?" Liam offered. "Or as if you have the power to take someone's life with a misdirected or poorly planned enchantment or conjuration?" He lifted a brow. "So what you're saying is your magical training is complete, and you have nothing more you can learn?"
"No, of course not," Aspen grumbled.
"That's all we're trying to do," Liam assured her. "No different than Rain getting classes to help her protect herself from your magic, or you from hers. This is how responsibility works, Aspen. For fae and humans."
"I know," she grumbled.
"However," Liam said, looking over to me, "I did get you excused from your eighth period class tomorrow, Rain."
"Wait, what?" That was not what I'd expected. "Why?"
"I need you to see the nurse."
I quickly glanced over at Aspen, hoping for some hint. But she seemed as confused as I was. "Why?" I asked my dad.
He made a little noise, but paused. "I'm not sure I should say."
