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Thea’s face still burned. It was one thing to have Wren, Sam and Ida know those sorts of details about her life, but another thing entirely to have all the shieldbearers in Thezmarr aware of her past. Unease churned in her gut. Whatexactlyhad Evander told them? That he’d fucked her in the stables? What she looked like naked? She spent enough nights in the dormitories now to know how the men talked about women…

‘I had a girl once,’ Kipp said rather dreamily, interrupting her thoughts.

Thatpiqued Thea’s and Cal’s interest, enough that she momentarily forgot her embarrassment.

‘What?’ Cal scoffed in disbelief.

‘Met her at the Laughing Fox tavern. A real beauty.’

Cal roared laughing. ‘You? With a girl? At the Laughing Fox? The place you’ve been to a single time, if at all?’ He was actually clutching his stomach, his head tipped back.

Thea grinned. Far be it from her to judge Kipp, but itdidseem rather unlikely.

Kipp ignored them. ‘Black hair soft as silk,’ he continued. ‘A dazzling smile and an incredible —’ he hesitated for a second, glancing at Thea, who simply raised a brow — ‘personality,’ he finished.

Cal was now wiping tears from his eyes. ‘And this woman… She fancied you?’

‘Yes!’ Kipp insisted. ‘We laughed all night.’

‘You sure she wasn’t laughingatyou?’

‘Oh, leave him be,’ Thea said, smacking Cal on the arm.

‘Don’t believe me then,’ Kipp told them, shaking his head.

‘What are you three nattering about now?!’ Esyllt bellowed. ‘Can’t you see half the group’s left for their next session? Believe me, it’s not one you want to be late for.’

To Thea’s shock, he was right. Madden, Evander and the horses were gone, as was most of their group, but for a few stragglers they could see at the edge of the Bloodwoods.

All three of them jumped into action while the weapons master shook his head. ‘A more sorry lot of shieldbearers I’ve never seen. Get moving!’

‘Ah, Sir?’ Kipp said tentatively.

‘What?’

‘Where exactly are we going?’

Thea braced herself for more yelling as Esyllt turned to face them, his mouth actually slackening.

‘You mean to tell me you’ve not hearda single wordI’ve said for the last ten minutes?’

‘Sir, we —’

He raised a hand to silence Kipp.

Besides chores, Thea had no idea what sort of punishments were doled out to the trainees, and shereallydidn’t want to find out.

‘In all my life…’ Esyllt trailed off, running his hand through his thinning hair. He shook his head. ‘You’re expected at the northern training arena for hand-to-hand combat. A skill which all of you –’ he gave Thea a pointed look – ‘could sorely use.’ He focused on Kipp. ‘Andyou… You are, without doubt, the worst shieldbearer I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.’

He heaved an aggravated sigh. ‘Get out of my sight.’

The trio were more than eager to oblige, darting for the Bloodwoods at a run.

‘Did you hear that?’ Kipp panted as they wove through the trees.

‘Which part?’ Thea asked, still reeling.

Kipp grinned. ‘I’m famous.’