Page 3 of Sword & Shadow
“Mm.” Evylin felt her mouth turn upward in humor even as she addressed Norhels’s smith to determine the price of the labor.
With Ethenn’s help, the smith and his son, a strapping lad of seventeen, completed their work within two hours. Every blade was sharpened to deadly precision, all nicks mended, and scrapes polished. When the rest of their troop arrived, they practically bought out the smith’s stores. Ethenn was loaded with a full quiver and an extra bundle of arrows. He looked particularly fearsome with his sword hanging on his right hip, his hatchet and a large hunting knife on the left, and a leather band across his chest with a dozen small throwing knives.
“Look at you, kid,” Thom said, straightening Ethenn’s collar in jest, then fluffing up the front of his shaggy brown hair. “You’re practically the whole Ephrian Army in one.”
Brushing down his hair, Ethenn scowled at Thom. “Your things are over there,” he grumbled, gesturing to the far bench.
Once they were all fully equipped, most looked as stocked as Ethenn. Rafferty carried a short sword on each hip along with his own bandolier of daggers. Evylin, Deckard, and Thom all wore broadswords and several knives. She’d had to purchase a new sword, having lost the one Hewitt made for her in the Water Keep. Her sensibilities grated at having to use a weapon forged by anyone else, but after the smith refined the weight and flex for her, she slid the blade into a scabbard at her side.
Only the Calders were weapon-free, though their bright green gazes held a dangerous glint. Ilain’s rings glittered in the forge light anytime she moved, reminding them of the Elemental resources she wielded.
After paying a fair sum to the smith, they departed for the nearby tavern. “Auden suggested we eat before entering the Keep,” Deckard explained. “We’re not sure when our next meal will be.”
“I didn’t think it was wise to eat before a fight,” Rafferty commented. “You know—stomach cramps and the like. Can’t have Thommy here losing his lunch on his fair highlady’s skirts.”
Thom whacked the back of Rafferty’s head, and Ilain chortled.
“Better that than any of us fainting due to hunger,” Deckard said, ignoring their antics.
Over lunch, they reviewed all their supplies. They’d procured three packs full of dry goods and the barest necessities. They wouldn’t even have bedrolls for the first several days of their journey. But Deckard insisted they replace any clothing with worn holes or fraying edges. “We need everything we carry with us to last the rest of the way through Wauld,” he said.
“What about our coats?” Ethenn asked, then gestured to the insignia of the king’s Order.
“I’m afraid we’ll have to leave them behind,” Deckard said. “We can’t very well journey through the country wearing the sigil of their enemy.”
Rafferty frowned down at the coat. “I suppose they’d fetch a pretty penny.”
“I don’t think the king would want other people having them.” Thom tapped his patch. “Can’t say I’m keen on some fisherman earning the rank of captain all at the cost of a coat either.”
“We’ll leave them with the farrier,” Deckard said. “I’ve already arranged it with her.”
“You have?” Evylin asked, surprised.
“Farriers board horses, Colonel,” Rafferty mocked. “Not coats.”
Deckard leveled a dry stare at him. “Yes, and she’s boarding my horse,” he explained. “She’ll keep the coats in a small trunk in the stall with her.”
“You’re keeping your horse?” Thom asked with a somewhat incredulous air.
Evylin shared the sentiment. “Won’t that cost a large sum?”
Deckard shook his head. “I worked out a deal with the farrier. In exchange for her board, she’s allowed to rent her out for labor around the town. She readily agreed, as my mare is of strong, well-bred stock.”
“You’rekeepingyour horse?” Thom repeated.
Deckard shrugged. “She was gifted to me when I earned my captaincy, and I’ve gotten attached to her.”
Once, Evylin would have teased Deckard about his attachment to a horse, but she merely smiled wryly. No matter how much she relied on him, she was struggling to return to their old banter. The schism in her mind between fear and reliance kept her from finding that middle ground of companionship with him. Sarcasm couldn’t find a place amidsther unsteady feelings. Instead, she often found herself silent in his presence, simultaneously fearful of drawing him near and driving him away.
After changing into their new clothes and dropping off their coats, the troop made their way to the back gate of Norhels. Auden and Deckard took the lead. Their band, heavily armed and dressed primarily in black, garnered the stares of the citizens as they passed. They resembled mercenaries, Evylin thought. Or, with the Calders present, perhaps they appeared more like a noble escort.
The noontime sun cut through the dissipating fog, glinting off the sea. The waves lapped at the shore as they walked toward the beach. They climbed over the rocks, traversing the rugged terrain all the way back to the Day Keep, well out of sight of the city.
Rafferty turned to Ilain, who lingered near his and Evylin’s side as they walked. “Last time we were here,” he said, “Blount took the Relic, and the Keep went dark. What are we expecting this time?”
“I couldn’t say for sure,” Ilain admitted. “With the Relic returned, I’d imagine the magic will come to life again. And that may mean the Shades will fight to get it back.”
“Does that mean we’ll have to fight the Guardian too?” Ethenn asked on her other side.
