Page 52 of The King's Weapon

She pressed the heels of her palms against her eye sockets. As she tried to shove the thoughts away, a heavy weight dropped on her chest. A pile of clothes lay atop her, including a cloak, a new pair of trousers, and a blouse.

"Get dressed," Dani demanded.

Kallie groaned but relented. She changed into the clean set of clothes while Dani shoved Kallie's worn clothes into a bag.

"Here." Dani threw a small glass tube which Kallie clumsily caught in her hands.

Kallie turned the vial over in her hands. "What is it?"

"Lavender oil," Dani said. Then upon seeing Kallie's scrunched face, she added, "For the headache? It should help soothe it a little."

Kallie opened the bottle and inhaled the potent scent. Her headache dwindled slightly and Kallie's eyes grew wide in surprise. "How did you—"

"Graeson and Fynn told me what happened last night. I figured you might need it. I used to get them all of the time before I gained full control of my gift.”

Kallie gave a singular nod, as though that explained everything, but Dani didn't explain further. But she did learn one thing: the entire group had gifts. They knew how to strengthen them, something Kallie had been struggling to do since she was little. They were the key to unlocking her gift.

"And what's your gift?" Kallie asked, holding out the lavender oil.

Dani shook her head, so Kallie pocketed the vile. “Some call me the huntress.”

"So you . . . hunt animals?" Was that why she had been the one to find the tracks in the mountains every time? If that was the extent of Dani's ability, it did not seem too special.

"Among other things." Dani's green eyes darkened, sending a shiver down Kallie's spine. There was definitely more to Dani's gift, but the woman was not going to be forthcoming with the information it seemed.

Kallie turned around to make the bed. As she folded the sheets over, she said, "So you're a huntress, Fynn can read minds, and Terin puts people to sleep." Kallie threw the comforter over the wrinkled sheets. "And what about Graeson?" If she could learn more about his ability, perhaps she could figure out why Graeson was not affected by her gift. She needed to find out if there was a loophole. Friend or foe, it did not matter. She did not feel safe if he could evade her gift.

When Dani didn't respond, Kallie glanced over her shoulder and Dani was picking at her nail-beds.

"Best if you let him tell you," Dani said. She quickly gathered the rest of their belongings.

"Why?" Kallie asked as she plopped down onto the poorly made bed.

"There are many things you need to learn about our people." Dani strolled toward the bedroom door, bag in tow. "First lesson, we do not reveal someone else's gift without their knowledge."

Kallie cocked one of her brows. "You know, I could just force you to tell me, right?"

"But you won't, will you?" Dani's eyes swung toward Kallie and her gaze flicked to the vial of lavender in Kallie's pocket and smirked. "Second lesson, don't make empty threats." Dani winked as she turned the doorknob and disappeared into the hallway. Dani's footsteps echoed in the small house, the floorboards bending under each step.

Kallie knew that Graeson was somehow immune to her gift, but was there something more to it? Or was that it? The way Dani had avoided her question made her believe that there was more to his gift than they were saying. Either way, Kallie did not know how to feel about not being able to use her gift against him. Although, it did explain why Graeson had been unaffected at the river the first time she had tried to manipulate him. And it did settle some of her self-doubt creeping into her mind. Kallie could only hope it wouldn't be a problem down the road.

If a problem did arise, she would have to find other ways of getting what she wanted.

* * *

The group was gatheredoutside around their horses. According to Fynn, they would be heading north to the nearest port. In two nights' time, they would be sailing toward Pontia. He told Kallie nothing else. But she needed to know everything. Now.

She couldn't wait any longer, even if it was only a few more days until they would land in Pontia. Kallie had waited her entire life.

For her entire life she had believed—had beentold—that she was special, that her mother had died when she was a child. But all it took was one night. One night and everything she believed to be true crumbled in her hands. One night to make her whole world flip on its axis.

One night and she no longer knew who to believe.

And she no longer knew who she was or where she belonged.

She marched up to the twins, her impatience and frustration building with every step. But when she was face-to-face with Fynn with her hands on her hips and the words on the tip of her tongue, hooves pounded on the ground. Fynn spoke before she could confront him. "Menz? What is it?"

With a brisk tug, Menz's horse stopped a few paces before Fynn. And Kallie didn’t know what had sent a chill running through her body: the slobbering horse with its teeth barred or the panicked expression on Menz's colorless face.

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