Page 29 of Sword & Shadow
“What’s that?” he asked.
“You’re not Waulden either,” she reminded. “You don’t know the customs, nor do you sound like them.”
From her seat against a tree, Ilain waved her hand through the air. Her whole demeanor was far less vibrant than usual, dark circles tracing her eyes. “That’s hardly a problem,” she objected. “We’ll teach him both the customs and the accent.”
Deckard’s brow furrowed. “Why do I need to learn the accent?”
“Ephrians are not common in Wauld,” Auden explained. “Which means sightings of them are memorable. The guards at the gate are sure to remember us. The best way to ensure that wearen’tremembered in the town is to make ourselves as unremarkable as possible.”
“And that,” Ilain added, “can only happen if you speak like all the rest of Wauld.”
Deckard frowned but motioned toward the siblings. “Go on, then,” he said in resignation. “How do I speak like a Wauldener?”
Seeing the decision made, Thom turned to Ethenn. “We’re out of rations after tonight,” he said. “Should we hunt?”
“I doubt we’ll find much,” Ethenn replied. “But it couldn’t hurt to get a better feel for the wildlife in these forests.”
“Raff,” Thom turned to his friend, “care to join?”
“Nighttime hunting?” Rafferty returned. “No, I’d prefer to hear the colonel fumble his way through the Waulden accent over getting shot in the ass by an arrow, thanks.”
Deckard sent the man a long-suffering frown as Thom chuckled. “Evie?” he then offered.
“I’ve had enough traipsing through the trees for one day,” Evylin replied, perched next to Ilain on the roots of a massive elm.
With a shrug, the two men moved to the edge of the camp. Ethenn already had his bow ready despite his doubts about their success. The thick foliage folded around them, and droplets of water flung through the air as they passed into the darkness.
“Speaking of rations,” Rafferty said, stepping back toward the packs. “I’m starving.”
“Don’t take more than your fair share,” Evylin called.
His silver eyes sparkled mischievously. “Would I do a thing like that?” he asked, then sauntered closer to the packs where the rations waited.
Evylin rolled her eyes with a sigh. “I’d better go watch him.”
As she began to rise, Ilain caught her elbow. “Wait.” She fumbled with her collar. “Take this to him while you’re at it, would you?”
The woman retrieved the Night Relic from around her neck, and Evylin suddenly remembered the two she carried. She’d grown so used to their warmth and comfort that she’d forgotten their very presence. Now, she realized that she’d be expected to give them away.
Evylin forced a smile on her face as she replied to Ilain. “Of course.”
Taking a seat on the roots, Deckard ran a hand through his damp reddish-brown curls. “So where do we begin?” he prompted.
Auden and Ilain began to speak, passing sentences back and forth as they explained the lilting Waulden accent. Their rounded tones always sounded melodic to Evylin, but the accent carried a definite edge. While it was not very different from the Ephrian accent, it had a far more nasal and far less refined air. However, she also thought it suited storytelling and dramatics better than an Ephrian’s more controlled tones.
Moving across the small camp, Evylin loosened her jacket and tunic collars. Her fingers brushed the twin chains of the Day and Fire Relics. She should give them back. There was no real reason for her to keep them. They’d served their purpose, and it was best that Rafferty kept them hidden on his person, safe from prying eyes or potential attackers.
But then,Evylin reasoned,amInot the best defense against attackers?She was the Warrior amongst the troop. She could utilize the Relics to their full potential if someone were to find them. Why shouldn’t she keep them?
Rafferty dug through the packs, scrounging up the remaining rations. “Two strips of jerky and four dried apricots apiece,” he lamented when Evylin reached his side. His white-blond eyebrows rose dubiously. “After a day like ours, that hardly seems enough.”
“It’s all we’ve got,” Evylin replied.
“True enough.”
She crouched next to him. “Here,” she said, handing him the Night Relic first, then reaching up to lift the Fire Relic’s chain over her head.
The amethyst and ruby necklaces sat with a dull luster in Rafferty’s hand. He held the hand aloft in expectation. When Evylin didn’t move to add the Day Relic to the stack, he cocked his brow.
