My gaze snapped back up and I nodded. It was stunning, from the intricately carved wooden handle to the ruby set into the hilt, but in all honesty, it was its background that intrigued me more than its appearance. I remembered Cair telling me Teighan had lost the real one when they were young and replaced it with a worthy duplicate. He’d admitted how guilty he felt for it, but not enough to come clean. Apparently, she’d start a war if she knew the truth, so they’d decided to just let it be.

Except when Cair used it to torment his brother, of course.

“Can you keep a secret?” she asked, and I nodded again, curious.

“Those dipshits think they lost the real one, but they didn’t. You really think I’d be so careless as to leave my most prized possession lying around with three snooping brothers?” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, no. As soon as I clocked their obsession with knowing its origins, I planted a replica.”

Oh. Well, that was certainly a plot twist I hadn’t expected. I also noted how she said three brothers, not two and whatever awful name I’d have presumed she’d give Tee. I’d file that away in my ‘could be useful later’ pile.

“They were even bigger pests as teens, sneaking into my rooms and getting on my nerves. Teighan, the clumsy oaf, dropped it in the river while they were figuring out how it ‘fired up.’” She flicked the dirk in her hand again, another bolt of lightning flashing. It must be enchanted. “I never let on that I watched the scene from the shadows. I like holding that power, knowing they’re terrified of me finding out the truth. Gives me tingles, y’know?”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, puzzled by her sudden confession.

She shrugged, and sheathed the blade in her belt before pushing out her lip in an exaggerated pout, fluttering her lashes in feigned sadness. “Because I have no other fwends.”