Page 149 of Sword & Shadow
Shuffling, Ethenn took a step back. “Well, thanks,” he said. “Evie and I will take care of it next time.”
Thom looked up at the kid. His jaw tightened inexplicably. Maybe that was why Thom felt suddenly jealous of Ethenn—as a Warrior, he was now Evylin’s equal. Despite the kid’s age and lack of experience, he was suddenly the right hand, all because of his magic. Deckard had even singled him out before they split.
That irked Thom the most. Deckard chose Ethenn over his own brother. What could Deckard have needed from the boy? Had he chosen to impart some knowledge or task upon Ethenn? He’d chosen Rafferty over him too. The thought pricked him with envy like thorns on a bramble. Deckard made a blatant choice when they split, taking Rafferty with his group. Thom had teetered back and forth, wanting to go with Evylin but worried about parting with his brother. It was his responsibility to care for Deckard, to ensure that neither the Deep nor his own guilt overcame him.
And then Deckard had rejected him altogether.
When Ethenn began to leave, Thom found himself speaking. “What did Deckard want with you?” he asked, his voice taut. He attempted to ease his tone, clarifying, “Before they left yesterday.”
Ethenn hesitated. He tightened his grip on whatever he’d retrieved from his pack. Thom’s eyes narrowed on it, but the kid shrugged.
“Oh, he just asked me to keep an eye on you,” Ethenn said casually. His eyes locked with Thom’s, accusatory despite his calm demeanor. “You know, to make sure you don’t steal his wife.”
The blood rushed from Thom’s face.
Ilain burst out laughing. “Why, Ethenn,” she said, amused. “I do believe your quips are growing more cutting.”
Ethenn sketched a bow. “Thank you, Highlady. I’d better get back to Evie.”
With one final damning look at Thom, Ethenn turned and jogged back across the plain.
Ilain continued to chortle, the sound suddenly grating. “What a ridiculous notion. Like Evylin would leave Jonn for anyone.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Thom muttered, too low for her to hear. Then, to distract from the truth, hechanged subjects. “So what’s the plan? You gonna tell the kid how you feel about him?”
That sobered Ilain immediately. “Absolutely not.”
Thom raised his brow. The conversation was no longer a distraction but a source of great intrigue. He sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “No? He’s a Warrior now. I thought that made him everything you want.”
“Do you always make things out to be more serious than they are?” Ilain asked tersely. “I said he was attractive, not that I wanted to marry him.”
“You said...” Thom paused in his correction. “Well, I don’t remember precisely. But you made it perfectly clear that the only reason you wanted to dissuade him was because he wasn’t a Warrior.”
“You misunderstood.”
Thom scoffed. “Like hell. I know what I saw when you healed him.”
“And what is it you think you saw?”
“You lingered,” he accused.
Ilain stiffened. “I did not.”
Thom tossed his hands in the air. He leaned back to rest on his arms again. “What’s the big deal? You had a thing for the boy, but now that he’s available to you, you’ve decided against him?”
She gave him a ferocious glare. “Have you suddenly turned into a schoolgirl, enchanted with fairy stories and romance?”
The insult made Thom smirk. “Deflect all you like,” he taunted. “You’ll only convince me more.”
“Infantile man,” she murmured, then let out a huff. “Yes, his being a Warrior makes our future possible. And yes, I...have certainfeelingsfor him. No, I won’t be saying a word to him about it.”
Thom grimaced at the thought of Ilain and Ethenn as a couple. “Bleh.” He shivered in disgust, then nudged her arm. “Why not?”
Ilain picked at her skirt, removing grass from its folds. “It’s too late.”
Thom furrowed his brow. “Seems like the right time to me.”
“No—” Ilain heaved a sigh. “I’ve been dissuading him, remember? This whole time, I’ve made him think that I like you. Or, at the very least, that I don’t have an interest in him.”
