Page 73 of Kingdom of the Two Moons

Shit, that elven bitch Ciellara cut Caryan open with a thing like this. With one of the few blades secretly stashed away that remained in this world. Ciellara let her moon magic flow into that sword as she tried to cleave him in half.

“And you know this for certain, that the Nefarians are back?” she asks, guiding the sword a few times through the air. She swears the blade starts to sing a dark song.

The smith nods once. “It was a Nefarian man who gave it to me.”

“I don’t want to spoil the moment and ask why you went to the Black Forest. It’s not for innocent elven boys.” She holds his gaze, his bottle-green eyes.

He just laughs quietly. “You never asked what I used to do, Blair. Maybe I’m not so innocent after all. But I went to see the seer dwelling there. You might want to seek her out too.”

She angles her head, her long, soaked hair swaying. The predator in her rears up its head. “How do you know my name?” she asks sharply.

“I wanted to know who you are. The seer told me your name is Blair.”

“Why?” Her voice has become strained.

He takes a step back from her, as if he’s sensed the danger suddenly coming off her. Her magic starts to whisper through the room, ready to rip into him like her phantom wyvern.

“You never cared to learn mine, though.”

She snaps, “Skip the banter. Why give me this sword?”

“Because I have the feeling you’ll need it in the near future.” His voice is calm, fearless, and he holds her gaze unperturbed. He’s brave. Bold. She might have asked him for his name, his heritage. About his former profession. But not if she’s going to leave this world forever. Which she is. Not when she’s not sure whether she’s going to kill him.

“What did you do to get it?It’s…”

“Priceless,” he finishes for her. “It depends how much your life is worth to you.”

He chuckles at her puzzled expression, and she flashes her teeth at him. He doesn’t flinch. The smile stays, only his eyes darken a shade.

“Some would call fearless boys like you stupid.”

“I’m not so much a boy, Blair, however I look. I think I’ve got a few more years under my belt than you. And have stared down creatures that are much more wicked and ancient than you.”

And walked away from it.She tries not to dwell on it.

“And what in Abyss’s wrath did you do to get this sword?”

“I saved a Nefarian’s life—I was there for business, and I found him half dead. I collected herbs and cured him of a deadly wound. He gave me his sword as his sign of gratitude.”

“That was kind of you,” she says, meaning it.

He brushes it off with a casual shrug. “You’ll never know when enemies might turn into allies. But what I do know is that no one ever forgets an act of mercy and kindness.”

“What do you want for this sword?” She’s already talked to him too much.

“Nothing. It’s a gift for you.”

“Why?” She frowns.

“You don’t remember me, do you? I was there the night the witches attacked Avandal. I’d been living there for quite a while, hiding out from the assassins after Palisandre put a bounty on my head. I saw you at the temple that night, Blair. I saw you warning Meanara.”

Blair gapes at him. He even knows the beautiful healer’s name. How is it that she didn’t pick up his scent on the wind that night?

“I’ll never forget what you did for my kin. Neither will I forget what Caryan did.”

My kin. He said he was from Palisandre, so he must have some family in Avandal.

But Blair’s mind catches on Caryan’s name. She snarls, “WhatdidCaryan do?”

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