by K Dezendorf
Edward appeared momentarily taken aback, then he snickered. “I forgot about that.” At her questioning gaze he said, “I made that up, to get back at you for that pinky promise nonsense you fed to me.”
Rose gaped at him, the magic releasing and she dropped back down. “You did what?”
“I suppose it wasn’t a complete lie,” he amended. “It does have a meaning in my culture, just not the one I told you.”
“Okay,” Rose said slowly. “So what does it mean?”
Edward leaned down and gave her a gentle return peck on her forehead. “You are precious to me.”
For several moments, Rose was struck speechless. The implications were too numerous to count, and for some of them, it was too soon for her to even begin considering.
“It’s fine if you want to take back that kiss you gave me,” he said, his tone suggesting he would understand if she did.
Rose thought about it, then shook her head. “No, I don’t think I will.” Because, in a way, Edward was very precious to her.
Another hint of a smile flickered across his face. “Maybe I’ll drop back in from time to time.”
“I’d like that.” There were so many things she wanted to ask him, to talk about, but she knew he wouldn’t stick around for much longer. So she said what weighed on her mind the most. “I’m not sure if… if I deserve to be a mage.” She looked down at her shoes.
It was something she wanted for so long, and now that she was one, she couldn’t imagine living without magic. Yet, the recent battle and her part in it had left her shaken. She’d purposefully hurt someone. Someone she cared about.
Edward slowly reached up and gave her head a soft, gentle rub. “Sometimes in dire circumstances, there are no good choices. Only less bad ones. But if you’re truly worried about if you're worthy, hold tight to that feeling, and never let it go. If you do that, then you won’t need to worry.” Rose sighed, the caress of his fingers on her scalp relaxing her. When his hand pulled away, she felt saddened by it. “Be safe, Rose.”
With that, Edward turned and walked away, leaving Rose alone with her thoughts. How she was going to make any headway in bridging the gap between him and the Lore was still beyond her. Hopefully if she kept at it enough, she'd find a way to touch on that subject without getting immediately shut down. She remembered how he'd held her when she cried, and the memory warmed her, once more soothing the ache still present in her heart from the loss of Macklass and the others.
She had lost some friendships, but she managed to make new ones. Maybe this was just a part of growing up.
Regardless of her sketchy past and her uncertain future, becoming a Wayfinder was no longer just a means to an end. While she still had the desire to explore this vast new world, now she had a real reason to want to protect it.
She wasn’t doing it just for her. She was going to do it for something bigger than herself.
A tap on her shoulder caused her to turn her head, but she saw no one. She felt a tap on her other shoulder and this time she turned fully around but still there was no one there. She turned back and gave a yelp when she saw Kyan towering over her.
“Kehehe, still got it,” he chortled.
“Glad to see you’ve gotten your energy back,” Rose noted, rubbing a hand over her hurriedly beating heart.
“Yes I have,” Kyan declared. “Which means it’s time for you to pay up.”
“I guess I do still owe you, don’t I?” Rose fiddled with a lock of her hair.
“We made a deal after all,” he reminded her.
“I haven’t forgotten.” Rose looked out over the castle courtyard, where people were slowly making their way inside as dusk began to settle in. “All right, just… don’t do anything too troublesome. People have started to like me around here.”
“I’ll abide by the rules,” he vowed, extending a hand out to her. “Shall we then?”
Rose nodded, reaching out her hand and grasping his. The blue flames that burned along his hands didn’t burn her, but they did begin crawling up her arm. Rose let them, closing her eyes as she felt the fire overtake her, inside and out. She did her best to relax as she felt herself steadily slipping away. Slipping into what might be considered a deep sleep.
After several moments, Rose was standing alone, with Kyan nowhere to be seen. As her eyes opened, they were no longer a tawny brown, but a bright, unearthly cyan, shadows of fire flickering inside the irises. Her mouth stretched into a grin far too wide and impish to be considered natural for her.
“Time for some fun.”
THE END
Acknowledgments
Ever since I was in high school, I dreamed of becoming a published author. Now, over a decade later, it’s become a reality. Just goes to show you should never give up on your dreams, no matter how long it takes to reach them. I’d like to thank my number one fan, Reese, for reading every draft of my book and somehow never growing tired of the story. My workshop partner for helping me transform this book from passable to amazing. My friends and co-workers who supported me. You all know who you are. And of course, once again, my darling husband, who inspired me to write and finish my first novel. I love you, sweetie.
Hammer on Metal
Special thanks to my good friend Matias who wrote this when I needed a blacksmith shanty.
Hammer on metal
And hammer on steel
Poundin’ out metal
‘til it has the right feel
Metal that’s perfect
Not brittle or frail
Made a thousand blades
Not a one has failed
Met a scared farmer
With some wolves to fight
Needed something strong
And he needed something light
Made a spear for him
That was true on sight
Wouldn’t you know
He ate wolf that night
Hammer on metal
And hammer on steel
Poundin’ out metal
‘til it has the right feel
Metal that’s perfect
Not brittle or frail
Made a thousand blades
Not a one has failed
Met a soldier on the road
With a broken shield
Took a piece of iron
And I made it yield.
It fended off arrows
And it fended off blades
Worked so damned well
Now he fends off maids
Hammer on metal
And hammer on steel
Poundin’ out metal
‘til it has the right feel
Metal that’s perfect
Not brittle or frail
Made a thousand blades
Not a one has failed
Met a hunter in the woods
Needed meat for his kin
Fired up my forge
And I tossed some metal in
Made him up some traps
And some knives for his load
Caught enough for his family
And the village down the road!
Hammer on metal
And hammer on steel
Poundin’ out metal
‘til it has the right feel
Metal that’s perfect
Not brittle or frail
Made a thousand blades
Not a one has failed
Met a lady from the court
With skin so fair
Eyes like diamonds
And golden hair
Made her up a ring
With a flower band
Then met the lord
Who had claimed her hand
Hammer on metal
And hammer on steel
Poundin’ out metal
‘til it has the right feel
Metal that’s perfect
Not brittle or frail
Made a thousand blades
Not a one has failed
Met the Lord to the Lady
Had himself a duel
And was in despair
Made him up a blade
That could save the day
Shoved it in his scabbard
And he went on his way
Hammer on metal
And hammer on steel
Poundin’ out metal
‘til it has the right feel
Metal that’s perfect
Not brittle or frail
Made a thousand blades
…
And only one has failed!
About the Author
For me, there was never a wrong time to enjoy a good novel, not even in the middle of school lectures, much to my teachers’ chagrin. I began writing in earnest at age 14, often horrifying my parents with internet searches, all of which I assured was strictly for research purposes. When I’m not reading or writing, I enjoy watching anime, playing video games, and practicing my digital art. I currently live in Arizona with my loving husband and beautiful daughter.
You can find me on Twitter, @DezendorfK, and on Goodreads.