Page 28 of Red Demon

Asher looked up. “Why are you leading with your right hand?”

I followed the swing through before I answered, feeling the clang in my bones. “Because it’s a little weaker than the left.”

“Brother, you’re left-handed.”

“With a little work, I’ll fix that.” I swung another blow.

“You’re crazy. Perhaps you should grip with your elbows next to really push your limits.” He mimicked the motion.

I smiled. “Show me that again?”

Galen walked in a moment later with a stack of orders, and we leaned back into our work.

Business was booming, and we’d built a great reputation, cornering a lot of empire contracts that used to come from the shops and factories in the Bend. We now only took the work we liked best. The Bend remained closed. By now, that felt normal.

“We get the North Barrack order in yet?” I set down the hammer and took a sip of water. They remained our biggest client by far, sending an order every week.

“The usual, plus some crossbow bolts.” Galen shrugged. “But put the Governor’s house at the top of tomorrow’s list. They just need some hinges and bolts right now, but they’ll be tacking on some fabrication for the back gate.” He spread his papers out and leaned over the table to study them. “I need one of you boys to look after the shop this afternoon, so I can collect the specs.”

“Jesse should do it, since it’s pickup day. Flirting with the soldiers is good for business,” Asher said.

“Fighting with new opponents is good for training, and business,” I clarified.

Asher’s smile said he wasn’t buying it.

I rolled my eyes, as his running joke did not deserve any further dignity.

It was usually a lower ranked soldier or fresh recruit sent to pick up orders. The North Barrack did not trust anyone to ship their weapons but themselves, so they’d test quality with their own sensors before loading up. Each week the soldier came, I’d ask him—or her—whomever, to show me their best moves with their weapon of choice. If they were in a good mood and up to the challenge, I’d show them mine, and we’d spar out back.

Sometimes I’d learn a new move, or just face someone a little less predictable than the rest of the morning training group, whom I could read several moves in advance now. Sure, I’d flirt a bit, but only once did that clash of swords lead to—well—a clash of swords. I was dumb enough to brag a bit to Ash, giving his uptight Asri mind the vaguest details, and he’d still never let me hear the end of it, even though I never saw that guy ever again.

Fuuuck, I hope I don’t see Kane today. Or ever, with Ash around.

Galen leveled a stare at Asher as he folded the orders and invoices into their appropriate cubbies. “Maybe you can learn a thing or two from your brother, Asher. Even if you tell the elders you want to be arranged, you’ll be hard-pressed getting a girl to accept you if you can’t talk to her. Elder Austren has some potential matches in her village, if you’ll be ready this year.”

Asher’s engraving tools clanged on the table. I lanced a sly grin at Ash, but knew to clear my face before Galen turned my way, lest I be the next person he threatened to unleash the town elders on.

Galen straightened his sky-blue tunic and arranged the folds of his black robe embroidered with gold. He’d cleaned himself up and changed out of the black tunics he usually wore around the forge. “How do I look?”

“Good enough to meet the governor.” I’d yet to meet the man, but I knew he had arrived a few days back.

“Why not greet him in the century robe?” Asher asked.

The century robe had been passed down through Galen’s family for, well … I don’t know how long, but I knew the original Attiq-ka owner wasn’t coming back to claim it. Along with the sword Istaran, the robe had survived at least three of the original Galen’s lifetimes.

Galen grimaced. “I doubt Governor Solonstrong will demand formality if he called me to measure a fence. He’s a practical man, from what I’ve heard.”

“Then why’d he name himself ‘Solonstrong?’ Pretty cocky choice,” Asher said.

“The queen was born in the Solon Academy. There’s something very practical about that, na?” Galen’s dark eyes twinkled.

“So, he’s a kiss up.” I inspected my last iron bar to ensure the fold was straight.

“He’s a politician. And both my sons should remember it’s a good thing for the town to be big enough to be granted a governor.”

He’d groused about Nunbiren deserving a governor for years now, telling us how good it would be to see the houses in town full again, with more trade and more business for us to open forges of our own.

He ran his fingers through his hair and saluted. The bells on the door clanged as he left.