Pragmatic. I loosen my grip, trying to eat my soup with loose fingers. Can’t believe I’m being lectured about pragmatism byBones. “Are you nervous at all?” I ask.
He cants his head to the side. “No point in being nervous. I’ll either live, or I’ll die.” He seems to consider something else, sucking on a thumb. “Really, it’s mostly Kathleen I worry about. I’ve stashed her away pretty good, but I really don’t like not being able to tell what’s happening on an hour-to-hour basis.”
It’s hard not to laugh like he’s a squirrel stashing away his nuts. I don’t reply as I scarf the meal down. The savory onions are so perfectly delicious after all that exertion today, even through my anxious nausea. And honestly, there’s something that actually makes me feel a little better about Bones with his statement.
Maybe I can let go of my worry for Kathleen, for now. Just focus on training. On how to fight agod.
No fucking pressure.
“I’m getting stiff again,” I say, starting to feel the beating of our sessions settle in my muscles. “You can hold back a little, you know, and I’ll still get the same message.”
“Try saying that to the enemy,” he says, pretending to be looking at someone. “Yes, sir, please wait a moment while I stretch before you stab me. Oh, and I need this splinter removed. Maybe grab a drink while we wait, and some tweezers.”
I quirk a smile, shoving my mouth with more soup before I can’t hold back a laugh. He’s so damn annoying, especially when he’s right. Then I point my empty spoon at him. “You know you mock that, but I bet it would work for asecond. Like you said,element of surprise. Think about it, they’re going to hear the question and wonder what’s going on, andthat’swhen you stab.”
He shrugs, although his smile shows he’s alittleapproving. “You know what, I’ll give it a try next time I’m about to gut someone.” He downs his water, setting the cup down with a heavy sigh. “How is Soren healing, by the way? Looks really good today.”
“Mostly just sleeping. The tonics will do that. Today is the first day he has real color in his face, as you’ve noticed. He’ll befeelingback to normal in a few days, although I wouldn’t recommend him to get stabbed again. The tonics replace thesensationof being drained, but he’s still low on blood.”
He shakes his head. “Must be odd to see that man sleep so much when he basically never does.”
Huh.
Come to think of it, Soren is always up before I wake, and I never bothered to askwhenhe left the bed. He just always seemed busy. “He really does run on very little sleep, doesn’t he?”
“Wait, you don’t—Oh, then maybe I shouldn’t say more.”
I frown, tilting my head. “Say more about what?”
“If you don’t know, I’m not telling you.”
I growl with exasperation, glaring at him. “This must be what it’s like to have siblings.”
“I’m the middle child, myself.”
I grunt, shaking my head, although that just brings to life the stiffness in my neck—I need a massage from a healer, like the ones I give to Soren, where I can channel magic into his muscles.
It's hard to be completely mad at Bones, especially since I can’t deny he’s actually helped animmenseamount with my fighting style?—
The sonance of shifting chairs makes me look up.There’s a sudden shift in the room’s energy, and I glance at the main entry to the room to see my father standing in the threshold.
The air is stolen from my lungs to see him without warning, still absolutely not used to the Scorpion making random appearances like this, especially when he’s been gone for the last three days. He’s a man that might make the room quiet, but I have the fondest memories from a childhood with a warm father, even if I feel so confused about him now. I want so badly to demand to know why he’s as distant as ever, but my heart is simply too exhausted to ask further.
He silently surveys the room, and maybe I also feel different since he looks soalteredwith the shorter hair and tattoos.
It’s not clear who he’s motioning to when his hand moves, until a few people walk in behind him, one of them guiding Anya with a blade at her neck.
What the hells?
In true Anya fashion, she doesn’t even seem bothered.
Bones slightly scoots back in his chair, his demeanor mirroring the alleyway. I nearly do the same, feeling like I actually can contributesomethingnow—wait, he would be attacking mydad.
“You said we were possibly allies,” my father states, addressing someone across the room. Sharply turning my head, my breathing quickens as Soren is intently watching the Scorpion.
Oh no, what the fuck is happening?
What are they doing?
