“You have done nothing to impress me so far.”
“We haven’t run into danger yet,” Kellyn says. Does he realize that the way he’s carrying that stack of wood puts his biceps on perfect display?
Of course he knows. He must know.
“So your fighting skills are the only impressive thing about you,” I say.
His gaze narrows on me, and he drops the stack of wood. Kellyn rises to his full six and a half feet, brushing off bits of bark and dirt from his shirt. He takes a few steps forward.
“Take a look at me and tell me it’s the only impressive thing about me,” he says. His grin is gone, and the look he gives me is a challenge.
My anxiety peaks at his proximity, but underneath it, I think I sense something else, too. I don’t have a name for it, and all I want is for the mercenary to leave me alone.
“I am not impressed by superficial surface looks that are completely out of your control.”
As if sensing how tense I am, Kellyn retrieves the wood and takes a few steps back. “What does impress you, then?”
I’m pushed off-balance by the question. Because the answer is that nothing impresses me. I have never been impressed by someone. Not enough to overpower the fear of being around them in the first place.
“Don’t tell me,” he says with a wink. “I’ll figure it out on my own.”
My jaw drops in outrage, but he’s gone before I can say anything else.
To make matters worse, Temra sneaks out between two trees, nearly giving me a heart attack.
“Temra! Are you trying to kill me? How long were you standing there?”
“Not nearly long enough, it would seem.”
I huff and lower my head into my crossed arms. “This is my alone time. Why is everyone trying to disturb it?”
Temra has only one long, thin branch in her hands. She drops it to the ground before sitting beside me. “We have very important things to discuss.”
She’s probably right. There are so many unknowns. The warlord. Our relatives. The two boys who could turn on us at any moment if they learn the truth.
“That boy is flirting with you,” she says.
“Sorry?”
“You heard me.”
“Yes, but you said we had important things to discuss!”
“This is important.”
“Temra.” I turn her name into a groan.
“It’s him, isn’t it? He’s the one you saw when you magicked the broadsword?”
I give her a wide-eyed glance.
“You said he was tall with golden-red hair,” she explains. “Our mercenary is an attractive man with those qualities.”
“Yes, it’s him.” There’s no point in lying. She’d see the truth anyway.
“And now you’re stuck together on the road! This is wonderful!”
“And how do you figure that? I thought he was attractive before I met him. He’s rude. Disgusting.” I don’t know if I can ever get the image of him drunk and belching out of my head. “Arrogant to a fault. And for all we know, he doesn’t actually have any skill with that sword.”
“Really, so I didn’t see you ogling his arms just ten minutes ago? Eyeing him like he was a piece of meat?”
I turn away from her. Hoping she won’t see my cheeks redden. “I don’t think he’s a piece of meat.”
“Of course not. But that doesn’t mean he’s not pretty. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you ogle anyone. This is fantastic.”
“What?” I nearly shout. Being on the road must be getting to her. She’s clearly gone delusional. “How is this fantastic? He’s horrible, and I wasn’t ogling. I just like his arms, is all.”
“He’s quite tall. Tall enough for you.”
“Now a man has to be tall enough for me?”
“No, I’m just saying he’s the perfect height.”
“For what?” I hedge, dreading the answer.
She raises her eyebrows twice in quick succession.
“I’m not interested in that,” I say.
“Fine. Don’t jump straight to the kissing. Let’s start with something simple. Talking.”
“That’s not simple.”
“I saw you talking to him just now!”
I find a twig on the ground with my fingers and start breaking it in half over and over again. “I was angry. It’s easier when I’m angry. It overpowers the fear.”
“You really shouldn’t judge him based on the first two days on the road with him. He was coming off a nasty night of drinking. That would make anyone unpleasant.”