by Croft, Sky
Blake’s head whipped up, the scroll she was perusing forgotten. She stepped out from behind the table. “Can I see?”
Shale nodded. “I’m not sure it’s big enough. I might have to extend it.”
Blake took it out of Kale’s hands, examining the intricate pattern with a keen eye. It was made up of three separate colors, all of which were pastel shades: green, yellow, and brown.
“I thought it would go with your coloring,” Shale said timidly, indicating her eyes and hair.
“It’s beautiful,” Blake said, smiling brightly. She slipped it onto her wrist. “It fits perfectly.” She kissed the top of Shale’s head, then moved down and captured her lips. “Thank you.”
Shale was pleased that Blake liked it. “You’re welcome.” She pointed at Kale, forestalling her comment. “Not a word.”
Kale’s mouth clicked shut, drawing a giggle from Blake. It soon opened again though. “Are you up to seeing my cabin, Shale? I’m all moved in.”
“Sure.” Shale scooted off the bed, taking Kale’s hand to pull herself upright.
“You want to come along, Blake?”
Blake smiled at Kale, but shook her head. “No, thanks. I need to finish this.” She gestured to the scroll she’d been reading.
“You know where we are if you complete it,” Shale added, leaning heavily on Kale and hobbling toward the door.
“All right, sweetheart. I might join you later.”
Kale smirked at the term of endearment, but she kept her teasing to herself.
It took awhile, but they made it to Kale’s cabin.
They went inside, and Shale whistled. “It’s nearly as nice as mine and Blake’s.”
Kale snorted. “No accounting for taste.”
“I tell you what would look great, Kale, you should put that deerskin on the wall there.” Shale pointed to above the bed.
Kale rubbed her neck, her way of showing embarrassment. “I, uh...gave that to Amber.”
Shale’s brow shot up in disbelief. “And you have the nerve to rib me about making that bracelet for Blake?”
“I didn’t rib you.”
“You were going to,” Shale said, before chuckling. “Did she like it?”
A smile touched Kale’s lips. “Yes. It’s hanging on her wall.”
“Do you think you and Amber might get together?”
The smile left Kale’s face. “No. She’s already tried. I told her I wasn’t interested.”
“What? Why? She’s exactly your type.”
Kale frowned at her. “You know exactly why, Shale.”
“Yes, but...look at me and Blake, you and Amber could have that, too. I know you want that, so don’t try and convince me otherwise.”
“I’m not going to risk myself like that again. No matter how much I like Amber.”
“We’ve got a fresh start here, Kale. Why not make the most of it? I know it’s hard for you, but what if Amber’s the one? Like Blake is for me. Are you really going to let her slip through your fingers?”
“It’s not that simple.”
“It is if you let it be. You always said that if you want someone enough you can make it work. I know it didn’t work out with Aeron, but she didn’t want you enough. Amber does, I can see it when she looks at you.” Shale knew that Kale wanted to believe, her tough exterior crumbling for just a moment. “Do you really want to be alone, Kale? Forever? It’s true you’ve got me, but we both know it’s not the same.”
“No. I don’t want to be alone.”
“Do you love Amber?”
“I care about her a lot,” Kale said, trying to skirt around her feelings.
Shale sighed. “Kale, answer the question.”
Kale hesitated, and then nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Then that’s all that matters.” Shale grasped her shoulder. “I know why you were so awful to Blake. Because you wanted to protect me from what you went through. You did it because you wanted the best for me, just like I’m trying to do for you now. You deserve to be happy. Allow yourself that.”
“I can’t just forget what’s happened.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“That’s exactly what you are asking. You’re telling me to put it behind me, to move on. I can’t do that.”
“I know it’s difficult,” Shale said, her voice steady.
“It didn’t happen to you!” Kale exploded. “Just because you were there doesn’t mean you know how it felt.”
Shale winced. “I know that. I also know that you’re hurting, and scared.”
“Scared? Don’t be soft. You’re spending too much time with Blake.”
Shale’s lips tightened. “She’s got nothing to do with this. You are scared, Kale. Whether you admit it or not is irrelevant. Running from this won’t solve anything, you’re only hurting yourself.”
“You’re hurting my ears with this rubbish,” Kale snapped.
“I’m only trying to help.”
“Well you’re not!” Kale yelled. “You’re just trying to pair me off so you can spend more time with Blake.”
“Now who’s talking rubbish?”
“Just because everything’s perfect for you, doesn’t mean it will be for me.”
“And it never will be if you keep acting like this. Stop running, Kale.”
“I. Don’t. Run.” Kale bit off each word. “I’m a warrior.”
“Even warriors get scared, Kale.”
“Not me. And you never used to either. If this is what love does to you, I’d rather stay clear of the whole mess.” Kale shook her head, her disapproval clear. “You always were too soft.”
Shale flinched, the words stinging her. She had no reason to be ashamed of her emotions. Blake had told her as much. And Shale believed her. “No, Kale. You were too hard. You still are.”
Shale limped past Kale, struggling somewhat with no support. Kale moved to help her.
“No,” Shale said. “You don’t need my help, I don’t need yours.” She waited until the door clicked shut behind her before teetering down the steps.
Chapter Ten
SHALE BARELY MADE it back to their cabin, much less up the steps. She managed them somehow, and got the door open. She couldn’t go any farther though, her leg threatening to give way at any moment.
“Blake, could you...” She didn’t need to finish her sentence, Blake was already moving.
Blake was at Shale’s side in an instant, an annoyed look on her face. “Why isn’t Kale helping you?”
“We had an argument.” Shale bent her leg, raising it slightly off the floor.
Blake placed Shale’s arm over her shoulders, taking most of her weight. “Take your time,” she said, as Shale hopped forward.
When Shale sat, she lifted her injured leg onto the bed using her hands. “Ow,” she mumbled, straightening it out in front of her. “That wasn’t smart.”
Blake squeezed her forearm gently. “Kale still should have helped you.”
“I wouldn’t let her.” Shale shrugged sheepishly as Blake frowned at her. “As I said, it wasn’t smart. I was proving a point.”
“A rather painful point by the look of you.” Blake sat also, and began to rub Shale’s tense back.
“I’m all right,” Shale said. “I just don’t like it when Kale and I disagree.”
“I know you don’t.” She pressed her lips to Shale’s shoulder. “What did Kale say?”
“It was my fault, actually.” Shale saw the surprised expression, then the scepticism. “I’m not taking too much responsibility either. I started it, though I should have known better.” Shale’s eyes flicked to the table where Blake had been working. “Sorry, I know you’re busy.”
“It can wait.”
“No, I’ll tell you later. I know it’s important.”
“Not as important as you.” Blake’s hand moved up into dark hair. “Tell me what happened,” she requested quietly.
“I tried to convince her to give it a go with Amber,” Sh
ale said. “Apparently Amber tried, but Kale knocked her back.”
“Poor Amber,” Blake said. “I’ll have to go and see her.”
Shale nodded. “Kale admitted that she loves her, but she can’t move on from Aeron.”
“She’s scared it will happen again.”
“Precisely. That’s what I said.”
Blake raised her eyebrows. “I bet that went over well.”
“Kale told me that warriors shouldn’t feel fear, and that I’m too soft.” Shale tried to keep her tone light, nonchalant. She must have failed, because Blake took hold of her hand.
“And that’s why you walked back by yourself? To prove you weren’t?”
“That, and she didn’t want my help, so I wasn’t going to accept hers.” A flash of hurt crossed Shale’s features. “She looked so disappointed in me.”
“She’s just lashing out because you hit a nerve. I’m sure she didn’t mean it.” Blake’s green eyes locked onto clear blue. “And you are certainly not soft.”
“I know,” Shale replied. “I told her that she’s too hard.”
“You did, huh? Good for you.”
“OH, GREAT,” KALE said dryly. “Now you’ve come to have a go at me.”
“May I come in?” Blake asked stiffly. She pushed past Kale and into the cabin without waiting for a response.
“Be my guest,” Kale muttered, closing the door behind Blake. “Don’t tell me she sent you over to fight her battles for her?”
“Shale doesn’t even know I’m here. She thinks I’ve gone to see Amber.”
Kale gestured to the door. “Don’t let me stop you.”
“I’m going there next, but first you’re going to go and make up with Shale.”
Kale raised a challenging eyebrow. “I am? Why would I want to do that?”
“Because you care. Because you’ve upset her and you’re the only one who can make it right.”
Kale faltered. “She’s upset?”
“Of course she is. Shale hates fighting with you.”
“This has nothing to do with you, Blake,” Kale said. “It’s between us.”
“When it affects my partner, it affects me. Your twins only rule won’t work with me, Kale.”
“I’m the one who should be upset. Shale’s trying to tell me how to live my life.” Kale glared at her. “Though I expect she’s already told you all about it.”
“Shale’s just trying to help,” Blake responded simply, neither confirming nor denying Kale’s accusation. “I would have left you to come on your own terms, but I know you take a few days to cool down. And I’m not having Shale upset for that long.”
“Shale doesn’t have to wait, she knows where I am.”
“With her leg? Real mature, Kale. And you’re supposed to be the elder.”
“Just go, Blake.” She threw Blake’s own words back at her. “I’ll see you in a few days.”
Blake didn’t budge. “Shale thinks you’re disappointed in her.”
Confusion appeared on Kale’s face. “I’m not disappointed in her. Why would she think that?”
“You called her soft. To a warrior, that’s a pretty big insult.”
“I didn’t mean it. I was just...mouthing off.”
“As you always do.”
“She insulted me, too,” Kale said.
“Hers was true,” Blake said, point blank. “And it wasn’t an insult, you are afraid. Shale was merely stating the truth.”
“And I wasn’t?”
“No. You weren’t. You were deliberately being mean. And I know why.”
“Oh? Enlighten me.”
“Because you don’t want Shale to realise that she’s so much stronger than you.”
Kale laughed. “You are kidding, right?”
“Not in the slightest. Shale is sensitive, I’ll give you that, but it’s through that where she finds her strength. Shale’s watched out for you her whole life, cleaning up after you, taking the blame, the responsibility for your mistakes. You say what you like, when you like, because you know you can get away with it. You know that Shale will pick up the pieces. And yet Shale never complains, never moans about it, she just gets on with it, because you’re her family.
“Shale doesn’t shy away from anything, whereas you go through life avoiding everything. Nothing gets to you, nothing gets in, you won’t let it. That’s not strength, Kale, that’s weakness. Shale isn’t afraid to live, or to love, or to let people in, despite what she’s been through. That’s real strength.”
Kale was silent for a long moment, staring down Blake confrontationally. Kale was the first to look away, recognising the truth in Blake’s words. “Please go.”
Blake tipped her head. “Please don’t keep Shale waiting too long.”
“I JUST HEARD about you and Kale. I know you wanted to be more than friends. Are you all right?”
Amber ushered Blake inside. “No. But I’ll get there.”
Blake gathered Amber in her arms, giving her a supportive squeeze.
“I feel so stupid, Blake. I truly believed Kale felt the same way.”
Blake knew that Kale did, but she wouldn’t divulge that information. She drew back to look at Amber. “There’s no reason for you to feel stupid, Amber. I’m sure Kale was flattered by the attention.”
“She was certainly nice about the whole thing. Understanding.”
Blake was relieved to hear that Kale had let her down gently, she knew how forthright Kale could be. “Good. I’m glad.” She noticed the new skin on the wall. “Keeping busy I see. Nice catch.”
“Kale gave it to me.”
“She did?” Blake asked in surprise. She was able to place the skin immediately from its size, recognising it to be the large stag that Kale had shot a while back. Blake unconsciously fingered her bracelet, it seemed neither twin was afraid of a little hard work when it came to giving gifts.
Amber noticed and lifted Blake’s arm, studying the woven jewellery. “That’s lovely, Blake. Shale’s got talent.”
“How did you know she made it?”
“The colors. It’s clearly been made for you.”
“I could have made it.”
“Ha. I don’t think so. You can barely stitch.”
Blake frowned, then chuckled, nodding in defeat. “Good point. May the gods help me when I want to give Shale something. I’m not exactly creative.”
“That’s not true,” Amber said. “You’re good at drawing. Besides, warriors are easy to get presents for.”
“They are?”
“Sure. Just get her a weapon.”
Blake laughed. “That’s hardly personal, Amber.”
“True.” She smiled. “But I guarantee she’ll like it.”
A sudden thought struck Blake. “I know, I’ll design a set of bracers, and get the blacksmiths to make them.”
“That’s brilliant. Personal and practical.”
Blake looked pleased. “Why don’t you come round tomorrow? Or would you rather I came here?” At Amber’s questioning look, she added, “Kale might be at ours.”
“It’s fine, Blake, I’ll come to you. I see Kale every day to spar. We’re still good friends.”
“I just thought you might want some time...”
Amber shook her head. “It’s fine. It was a bit awkward to start with, but now things are getting back to normal.”
“Great.” Blake gave her another hug. “If you need to talk...” “I know where you are,” Amber finished for her.
IT WAS EVENING before Kale turned up, but Blake knew that was a considerable improvement from her usual sulking time. Blake kept her head buried in her work, giving them some privacy. Normally, she would have gone outside, but it was raining heavily.
Kale got straight to the point. “I’m sorry, all right? I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”
“I’m sorry, too. I know how you feel about relationships, and I shouldn’t have pushed.”
“And I’m not disappointed in you either. I
don’t want you to think that.”
Shale glanced to Blake questioningly, but Blake was keeping a low profile, and wouldn’t meet her gaze. “That’s how it seemed to me.”
“Well you’re wrong,” Kale said. “That’s not how it is.”
Shale remained silent for a long, awkward moment. “All right,” she finally said. “I accept that.”
Kale nodded in something very close to relief. “I’ll see you in the morning, Shale. Goodnight, Blake.”
“Goodnight.”
“Kale?” Shale called to her, stopping Kale in her tracks.
Kale looked back, smiling when she saw Shale’s outstretched arm. She walked over and clasped it, locking their forearms together.
Shale returned her smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Kale nodded again, and then left the cabin.
Blake peered across at Shale, who was regarding her with a serious expression.
“Blake,” Shale let out a heavy breath. “Come here a moment.” She waited until Blake sat in front of her. “Why did you do that?”
“I couldn’t stand to see you upset. Not when I could do something about it.”
“So you lied to me?”
“No! I did go to see Amber, I just didn’t mention that I had seen Kale also.”
“Blake.” Shale shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I was just trying to make things right between you. I’m sorry if you feel I stuck my nose in, but I won’t stand back and see you hurt. You can’t ask me to do that.” She took a breath to continue, but Shale spoke first.
“Blake?”
“Yes?” she asked hesitantly.
“I love you.”
“You’re not mad?”
“Of course not.” Shale brushed her thumb across Blake’s lips, then leaned in and kissed her. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Shale draped her arms around Blake’s neck, who in turn encircled her waist. “I think you should be rewarded.”
“I didn’t do it for a reward,” Blake said.
Shale’s eyes sparkled. “Does that mean you don’t want it?”
Blake chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far.”