Page 100 of Emylia

“Oh, I know.” I took the axe from his hands. “But I’m not exactly known for doing things the easy way.”

“I’d let her do as she pleases if I were you,” Sebastian called from the tree line, smirking. “Otherwise, this ends badly. For you.”

Maalikai said nothing.

Smart boy.

I lined the chock, raised the axe, and let it fall.

The crack was sharp. Satisfying.

Sebastian whistled low. “That’s my girl.”

I didn’t even try to hide my grin. “Told you.”

Another strike. Then another. Wood split clean, all the way through.

I rose to my full height, wiped my brow, and threw Maalikai a roguish smile. “You were saying?”

He shook his head, lips twitching. “You’re a menace.”

“You have no idea,” I purred back.

Maalikai grabbed one half and split it again—twice more—until he held up a long stave, smooth and lean.

“This is what we’ll shape into your bow.”

“All that for something so small? I’m not sure it’ll be worth it.”

Sebastian snorted behind me.

Maalikai didn’t flinch. “It’s not the size. It’s the precision. How you use it.” He stepped closer.

Claimed my air. My space.

“Besides…” He placed the stave in my hand. “That has nothing on me.”

“Oh Gods, please stop,” Sebastian mumbled. “I just ate.”

“This,” Maalikai continued, handing me a long, wicked blade, “is a drawknife. You’re going to carve the bow with it.”

“That’s not a knife,” I said. “That’s a threat.”

“You’ll get used to it.”

He took the stave, drew a curve in charcoal, then, using a second drawknife, pulled the blade in smooth, elegant strokes.

Wood curled off like ribbons.

Gods, he made it look... sinfully easy.

“You watching?” he asked.

“Oh, I’m watching,” I murmured. “Just trying not to drool.”

He smirked. “Good. Your turn.”

Oh.Gods.

---