Page 135 of Quicksilver

“It isn't my fault if your brother's over-confident when it comes to card games, Saeris.”

“And how would you have rated your confidence levels when you sized up a seven-foot-tall, full-blooded Fae warrior with hundreds of years' worth of experience in killing things under his belt, and you thought you'd best him at knife play?”

“Gahhhh, screw the both of you,” Carrion groused, pulling a face. “If I'd gone first, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd be the one still hitting the fucking tree.”

This time, when the dagger's handle landed in Lorreth's hand, he flipped the weapon over and held it by the blade, offering it out to Carrion with a wicked glint in his eyes. “By all means, human. Have at it.”

Carrion went even redder. “Well, it's too late now. I've already lost, haven't I! There's no point.”

Lorreth shook his head. “Sore loser.”

“The sorest,” I agreed.

“Urgh!How about we just eat the food I've made, and you both shut your mouths?”

“I don't have time to eat. I only came out here to ask you something, Lorreth.”

The warrior twisted on his rock, giving me his full attention. “Ask away.”

“Have you got any experience of whittling? Y'know, carving things out of wood?”

“As it happens, I have.”

“Be more specific with your questioning, Sunshine. He probably whittles every spare moment of his life. He probably wins whittlingcompetitions.”

I rolled my eyes. “I'm not trying to beat him in a bet, Carrion. I want him to be good at it.”

Lorreth's booming laughter rang out into the encroaching night. “In that case, then yes. I'm more than good. I'm fucking excellent.”

Hours slipped by. Once I'd flashed the newly poured length of metal I'd made from the pieces of Danya's sword, I heated it, shaped it, and flattened it. Then, just when the new sword was taking shape, I took up a hammer and started to pound. I applied more heat. As soon as the steel glowed white hot, I folded it. Hammered it. Shaped it. Again and again. Not just once. A thousand times. More.

Evening turned to night. The clouds cleared and the stars came out, and I didn't rest. My arms were heavy as lead, the muscles in my back screaming every time I lifted the hammer,but somehow I knew it wasn't ready yet. Just when I thought I was finished and the steel had been tempered sufficiently, something deep down inside of me said, ‘Once more, Saeris Fane.’

Lorreth brought in the wolf's head he'd carved out of a piece of yew at around one in the morning. It was an impressive piece, highly detailed, its proportions perfect. Just as I had hoped it would, the snarling beast bore a striking resemblance to Fisher's tattoo, as well as the animal embossed into the armor worn by the members of the Lupo Proelia.

I walked the warrior through the steps of making a casting mold, and he followed those steps without complaint, even though they required him to dig a hole into the frozen ground until he found clay and then required him to combine that clay with a pile of horse shit with his bare hands. He enjoyed pressing the wolf head he'd carved into the clay and sat impatiently by the firing ovens while the small fire he built inside slowly dried out the mold so it wouldn't crack.

At around four, when I was growing delirious from the heat and exhaustion, Carrion announced that he was going to sleep. Rather than head down to the camp in search of his tent, he stretched out on the floor on the other side of the forge, by the door where it was a little cooler, balled up his coat, stuffed it underneath his head, and promptly passed out.

It's time for you to rest, too, Osha.

That voice. Gods alive. It made me jump when I heard it in my mind, though Ihadbeen waiting for it.

Not until I'm done,I answered.I'm nearly there.

Fisher was close. I could inexplicably feel him, his presence near. Casting a quick glance toward the forge's doorway, I thought I could make out the shape of him, merging with the shadows that danced and leaped around the fire.

How long have you been out there?I asked.

Only a few hours,came his reply.

Why didn't you come in?

There was a long pause. And then he said,I didn't know if you'd want me to.

Come in from the cold, Kingfisher.

I will. Soon. I'll sit here a little longer, I think.