Page 81 of A Warrior's Heart

“Very well,” I said. “If it will bring you peace of mind, I’ll carry one.”

“You’ll wear armor too.”

“What armor would possibly fit me?” I asked in an exasperated tone, waving a hand down my slender frame. “You didn’t make such a fuss over what I wore during the Black Hallows battle.”

“You weren’t mine back then.” Malik backed me up against the shelf, placing one arm on each side of my head. My skin tingled as his hard body pressed against me. “And I’ll be damned if I don’t do everything in my power to keep you safe.”

“I want to keep you safe too, Mal.”

The fire in his eyes softened before his lips slanted over mine.

“Find what ya were lookin’ fer?”

Malik glanced over at the blacksmith, resting a hand on my hip. “Not quite. Do you have lighter armor?”

“For the young one?” he asked, nodding to me.

“Yes.” Malik walked over to the chest pieces he’d been looking at earlier. “These are much too big. Heavy too. I need something lightweight but strong.” He moved aside his cloak to show his leather armor. “Like this perhaps.”

The blacksmith wiped his hands on a dark cloth as he walked over to examine Malik’s armor. He nodded. “Excellent craftsmanship. I don’t have anythin’ like that ‘ere, but I might have somethin’ you could use in the back. Give me a moment.”

As he headed toward the other room, Malik returned his attention to the daggers and short swords. He asked me to hold one, and I struggled to lift it. Still too heavy.

The blacksmith returned with a leather chest piece. He hesitated before handing it to Malik. “Try this.”

Malik took it from him and turned to me. He removed my bow from my back before putting the armor over my head and smoothing it down my chest. It tied together on the sides, and he fitted it to my body before pulling it shut. I felt off balance at first with the added weight, but it wasn’t too heavy. I could easily move in it.

“I like this,” I said, holding out my arms and doing a slow spin in a circle.

“We’ll take it,” Malik said, pulling a bag of coin from his cloak.

“You two expectin’ a fight?” the blacksmith asked, hands resting on his hips. The massive size of his arms would’ve been intimidating if not for Malik at my side.

“Better if you don’t ask questions we’re not at liberty to answer,” Malik responded.

The blacksmith’s gaze locked on mine. Concern shone in his brown eyes. “You. Boy. How old are ye?”

“I’m in my twenty third year.”

“My son would be yer age now,” he said, his gruff voice even thicker. “Sickness took him five years ago.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said.

“I made that armor fer him.” The man’s eyes fell to my chest. “He was about yer size. Always small no matter how much he ate. He wanted to be a soldier, and I made that to surprise him on his eighteenth name day. But he took sick with a fever and passed before I had chance to give it to ‘im.” He looked at Malik. “The armor’s yours if ya want it. I don’t know what yer purpose for needin’ it is, but you watch after this lad, ya hear?”

“I will,” Malik vowed.

“Take this too.” He brought forward a small silver dagger with a blue stone on the hilt. “Made from a rare metal found in the mountains north of ‘ere. Lightweight but nothin’ can shatter the blade.”

“Why would you offer it to us if it’s so rare?” Malik’s suspicious tone matched the look in his eyes.

“You are men of the sea, are you not?” the blacksmith asked.

Malik’s shoulders tensed. “What of it?”

“My son was like you.” The man’s eyes glistened. “Well, half like you. His mum was a mermaid. I met her when I was a fisherman, before I took to smithin’. She saved me from drownin’ when my boat was flipped from a rogue wave. We fell in love, and sadly, she was killed by pirates many years ago. But she blessed me with a beautiful son whose eyes glowed and were unlike any shade I’d ever seen on a man. Eyes like you two have. I made the armor and dagger for ‘im. It’s only fittin’ that I give it to ya.” His eyes were pained when he looked at me. “You remind me of ‘im.”

“It would be an honor to accept such a gift,” I said, bowing my head to him. His story touched my heart. He was proof that not all humans were evil.