Page 64 of Emylia

“Do you think I don’t know what you were doing out there? Do you think I’m stupid?”

He was still on a warpath, his hurt feelings outweighing logic. But I deemed him in enough control to let him get it out. If he wanted a fight, I’d give him a fight. I knew I could bring him back from any precipice.

I lifted my chin, unwilling to give in to his vexations. The stern image I presented faltered when a lightning bug fluttered by, and I had to wave a hand to get it out of my face.

“I did nothing wrong.”

Sebastian practically grabbed my arm, dragging me away from the table so we were well and truly out of earshot.

“I saw you withhisbow.”

My heart stopped dead. The bow. So much had happened afterward that it had slipped my mind. But this was Sebastian, the boy who used to teach me how to sword fight with sticks. The person who had taught me how to shoot and fight and who spent copious hours training me until I was lethal. He couldn’t seriously be concerned about me holding a weapon, could he?

“Out of everyone, I thought you would understand. You’ve always encouraged me to do what I thought was right. To fight for what I believe in and what I want, regardless of what anyone else thought. You were even going to convince Uncle Thrainn to take me hunting with you guys.”

“This is different.” He turned his head away as he said the words, and I knew he felt a certain amount of shame.

“Why?” I could feel tears threatening to break free of their prison.

I knew he didn’t care about the bow, that was an excuse. He was just too proud to admit he felt the same way I felt about him. Instead of taking a leap and telling me exactly what he felt, he was pinning all the blame on me. And all it was achieving was breaking me.

His eyes were steely flint as he answered, “Because anyone could’ve seen you. And you’re not allowed to touch a weapon. We allow you in private. That is all.” Sebastian’s voice broke, emotion sinking in and claiming his words as he continued, “There is nothing I can do for you if I’m not there to protect you. If Josie had seen you…”

My heart almost stopped, weighed down with understanding, while also devastated by my reality. As always, Sebastian was just trying to protect me.

“No one saw me.”

His jaw visibly tensed, his eyes swimming with betrayal, and I realized what he wanted me to admit.

Some people randomly looked back at us from the table as they grabbed side dishes and passed them down the tables. The boar hadn’t been cut yet, but everyone was preparing their plates. Exasperated, I spread my arms out.

“You already know I was with Maalikai. Do you want me to scream it from the rooftops? Is that your goal?” A thought occurred to me that made my blood run cold. “Wait, unless, did you see anyone else watching?” My words were whispered out in fear.

Sebastian, so concerned with his own argument, barely noticed the change in me. He continued berating me like I was his own personal punching bag.

“You didn’t even bother trying to hide the bow, you just stood there talking to him without a care in the world. I saw you throwing knives with him forfuck’s sake.”

Maalikai.

He was just talking about Maalikai.

No one else saw me.

Instantly, a weight lifted. “Maalikai’s not going to tell anyone.”

Sebastian stifled a laugh. “What makes you so sure?”

Crossing my arms, I stood my ground; I was not ready to back down. “He told me he wasn’t going to.”

Scoffing, he took a step forward, invading my personal space. “Are you seriously that naïve?”

I was torn between wanting to smack him across the face and bursting into tears. “You’ve never told anyone else, and neither has Uncle Thrainn or Dad.”

“That’s becausewewould never do anything to hurt you. But you hardly know this guy. For all you know, he could throw you to the Cindralyx without a second’s thought.”

“He’s not going to.”

Even before the words left my mouth, a ball of dread had manifested in the pit of my stomach. Maybe I’d been wrong, maybe Maalikaiwouldturn me in.

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