She can be quite bossy.

Sometimes I forget who’s the older sister.

CHAPTER
SEVEN

The irony of the situation is not lost on me. We carry an all-powerful weapon, yet we’re running for our lives.

The broadsword might as well be useless to us. What are we supposed to do? Use it against Kymora before she’s committed any crimes?

And with my sister and me traveling together, we can’t even wield it in our defense. The sword has too long of a reach. It would be far too easy for me to slice Temra by mistake while I was trying to protect her. Such a weapon takes practice to master.

Not to mention the fact that I don’t want to kill anyone.

And Secret Eater is not the kind of weapon that injures only.

It’s a killer. Plain and simple.

Of course, all my weapons have the potential to kill. I knew this as I was making them. But how could I have foreseen that someone would want to use one for world dominance? Kymora is well-respected. She and the late king parted on good terms. There’s no way I could have predicted this would happen when I agreed to make her weapon.

These thoughts buzz in my mind as we lead Reya down the road at a trot, Temra and I jogging beside her. It’s a good thing we’re both in good physical condition, else I don’t know how we’d manage to escape. We try to be as silent as possible, but the road consists of dirt and rock, and Reya’s shoes clap against the stones.

Fir trees line the road, and I imagine large eyes staring at us, just waiting to pounce.

As if I needed that on top of worrying about whether or not we’re sufficiently outdistancing Kymora.

Oh, and her personal army.

“Wait up!” a voice calls out, and I nearly jump out of my skin. A single figure strides down the road. Both moons are out tonight, and they shine on the swishing dark robes.

Reya throws back her head at the unexpected newcomer, and Temra is all forced smiles.

“Petrik,” she says. “What are you doing here? And why do you look like you’re ready to go on a long journey?”

He hoists the backpack higher up on his shoulders. “I happened upon two girls fleeing in the dead of night. I can’t, in good conscience, let you go off alone. Let me escort you, whatever your destination.”

Temra flicks what is left of her hair over a shoulder, not that the new length comes even close to reaching it. “And maybe Ziva will want to talk about her magical abilities along the way?” She says it like an accusation.

“That would indeed be a happy bonus.”

“You’re unbelievable!” I say to him.

“I just want to help, and I won’t be a burden. I have my own food and travel supplies. Also, I bribed the tavern owner to let me into the mercenary’s room so I could gather his belongings, since I noted you two were busy with other things.”