Page 23 of Forged in Fading

“So, you operate out of the capital?” Alvara asked.

Kat swiped a bowl of stew from the counter and led her to a table that mirrored the outside of the food hall, functional and plain. “We do, mostly because the king’s seluri is a demi-elf himself. They offered the Silver Blight refuge almost a hundred years back and have become more involved over time. Ilmanir’s strong borders and defenses help keep us safe, or at least safer, from crazy King Einar.”

Alvara forced a spoonful of what looked like lamb into her mouth and focused on fighting her stomach’s plea to leave the food alone.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

Alvara hadn’t even realized she was grimacing. “I should be.”

The uneasy silence only lasted a moment before Kat filled it with her cheerful voice. “King Ulivar opened the food hall soon after letting us in. It’s a place where anyone who needs refuge can get a somewhat decent meal, though it can be hit or miss.” She leaned forward and sniffed Alvara’s food. “Not bad today.”

Kat slid her elbows onto the table and propped her face in her hands. “We try to pay them when we can, but saving lives doesn’t exactly make much money. The king did away with as many luxuries as he could to help pay for things here. Malva is lucky to have someone as kind as him as their ruler. He tries to live simply, like his people, and you’ll even see him strolling around the city.” She chewed on her lip. “Though we’ll have to figure out the best way for you to contribute. Some elves here can get their braids all tied in knots when they see someone not working their fingers to the bone to help.”

“You mean Aurilena.”

Kat settled back into the bench and munched on a dark piece of bread she pulled from her pocket. “She’s not so bad once you get to know her. Lena—well, you should probably call her Aurilena if you want to keep your head—has been a part of all this since she escaped the Valonian palace when she was young and hasn’t stopped working to help us since. The Eskenti were the ones who found her and took her in.”

“Escaped the palace? As in…”

“Thirty years ago, when the king of Valo was murdered in his own bed, along with his seluri, daughter, and, from what I’ve heard, even their personal servants. As far as we know, Aurilena was the princess’s closest attendant since she was very young and somehow made it out. Why she hasn’t returned home is anyone’s guess—it’s been peaceful since the king’s brother took the throne.”

Alvara swallowed another spoonful of food. “But I thought demi-elves had killed them? Why would she fight for them?”

Kat leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. “She won’t talk about it much, but from what she’s said, I don’t think it was demi-elves. If it was, there would be no way in the nine realms that Aurilena would help them.” She smacked her hand on the table, rattling Alvara’s bowl. “Your magic! That could be helpful, especially now. You could clear roads and paths and help keep the few Elan farms that we have free from snow for crops.”

Of course that was her first thought. Gods forbid an elf consider anything other than magic to be a viable option. “I wouldn’t count on it. It’s been erratic lately. Back home—” Alvara paused. She didn’t really have a home anymore. “In Vorianta, I was a weaponsmith. I don’t know how much use that would be.”

“Are you done?” Kat pointed to the bowl of soup that Alvara had only managed to take a few bites of. She pushed it toward Kat, who gobbled it up as if she hadn’t eaten in days. “How bad is it? Your magic, not the soup. The food’s mediocre at best. Lena will throw a fit if she finds out you damaged anything, or anyone.”

Lying would be easy, but it would do Alvara no good. “Bad.”

Kat tapped her finger on the tip of her button nose. “I’ll talk to the others, but I bet they’ll want you to be trained. You’re not much use to us with no magic, especially with magic that you can’t control.”

“I’m good with weapons.” A feeble attempt at reminding herself she was useful at something.

“It’s better than nothing. But in a fight, most elves will use magic. You’ll need to learn to protect yourself.”

“A fight?” All Alvara could see was the blood dripping from Pyry’s wounds, gore spilling on the floor.

“Things are getting worse here. Attacks are more frequent, and we can’t guarantee anyone’s safety. As for the blacksmithing, I’m sure our weaponsmith would love some company.”

Truthfully, Alvara wasn’t sure she wanted to be surrounded by blades, not so different from the one that had taken her father’s life. But she wasn’t about to admit it. “All right.”

Kat left Alvara in the food hall to go speak with Aurilena about training and where to house her for now. And hopefully find her new clothes. When she returned, her face shone like the sun on a valo afternoon.

“The best wielder in Ilmanir is going to train you! You start tomorrow.”

Some of the tension in Alvara’s chest settled. At least she had something to busy her mind, so she wouldn’t give into the despair hovering at the edges of her consciousness. The idea of training with magic every day wasn’t enticing in the least, but if it meant she could stay and honor Eloisa’s legacy, she would follow through.

Chapter Nine

“Aren’t you like three hundred?” A youngling, probably eleven or twelve, asked as he looked Alvara up and down.

“I’m thirty-two,” she grumbled.

Apparently, the best wielder in Malva’s capital was a teacher in the academy who worked with younglings.

It was official. Alvara had sunk as low as she could possibly go.