Page 90 of By the Horns

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“Lots of things are outlawed. Doesn’t mean people don’t do them. Iknow a potion broker in the city, and they aren’t supposed to be creating them, but that’s never stopped anyone before.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Gwenna confesses, her fingers trembling in my grip. Her other hand covers her eyes. “All I ever wanted was a job that could afford me enough money to not have to worry about going hungry. To be able to send some home to my mother and help her out. I never wanted any of this.”

I’m a monster for making her so worried. All this time, I should have been telling her how I feel about her. How my day is instantly better when she smiles. How it ties me up in knots when she’s stressed. “I’m sorry I accused you.”

“I guess I have been acting a mite suspiciously.” She manages a small smile. “But I’d rather be a thief than a mancer. A thief is just seen as desperate. A mancer is seen as evil.”

“You’re not evil,” I reassure her. “You’re the least evil person I’ve ever met. You’re just differently endowed.”

She peeks out at me from under her fingers. “Like you?”

I bark a laugh. “Exactly like. And just like me, we’ll figure out a way to keep things under control.”

Gwenna clutches my fingers tightly. “What do we do now?”

I consider this. Gwenna’s secret will only be secret for so long. She’s already under scrutiny for the thieving ring, so I need to get her name cleared in some fashion, but that means letting more people know what she’s capable of. “We need allies.”

“Who?”

“Hawk for sure.” I hesitate over the next name. “Possibly Head Guild Master Rooster, since he’s in charge, but we’ll need to see if Hawk thinks that’s wise.”

“We can’t tell the guild leader! He’ll kick me out of the fledglings, and I’ll never pass my tests.”

“Little bantam, we’re down to four,” I tell her gently. “There’s no way we’d pass this year regardless.”

I hate the crushed expression on her face. There must be a way we can fix this somehow. “I’ll keep you safe,” I reassure her. “You don’t have to worry.”

“I can’t help but worry.” She twines her fingers with mine.

“Who else knows about your power? The fewer the better.”

She winces, thinking, and rubs her fingertips over my knuckles. “Sparrow has known all this time. Mereden and Lark guessed it from my experiences with the dowsing rod. And you.”

As far as I’m concerned, that’s three too many people. “No one else.”

“Gods, you think I would tell anyone if I could help it? It took me this long just to confess to you.” Gwenna shakes her head. “You have my life in your hands, and you didn’t trust me until five minutes ago.”

“If I could reassure you somehow, I would.”

She arches a brow at me. “Give me one of your secrets, then. We’ll be even.”

I smile at that. “I’m in love with you.”

“Wh-what?” Her eyes go wide, and for once, she seems to be speechless.

Her reaction makes me tense inside. I’ve surprised her that much? “Is it that bad? For me to be in love with you?”

Her expression immediately changes to defensive. “I didn’t say it wasbad. Don’t tell me what I’m thinking.”

“Then what are you thinking?” I ask, deciding to be blunt about it. “Because I’d really mucking love to know.”

She swallows hard, avoiding meeting my gaze.

I tip a finger under her chin, forcing her to look into my eyes. “Well?”

“I’m not good with saying what I’m feeling,” Gwenna confesses, her voice small. “All my life, I’ve been taught to put on a smile and hide what I’m really thinking. So it’s hard for me to be vulnerable. To tell you what I feel.”

In a strange way, I understand. She’s never had the freedom to wear her emotions as plainly as Sparrow. “Try? For me?”