Page 52 of The Shadow Path
“I understand you had a misunderstanding at the troll market last night. The Kingsguard requested a report.”
“Uh…” Carys had no idea what she was supposed to tell Anwyn about their agreement to help King Harold figure out what was going on with the fae in Anglia.
Better to leave that for Dafydd to share. “It was a misunderstanding, but the Anglian guards had to kind of make a statement, I guess.” She lifted a finger. “Don’t let your dragons burn down markets in London again. Blah blah blah.”
Anwyn’s eyes narrowed. “My brother says you came back to the house covered in blood.”
“Not mine,” she said quickly. “But there was a troll I had to… stab. To get away.”
Anwyn’s expression never changed.
And Carys didn’t know how to stop talking. “I thinkthattroll was pissed off because there was another troll who was holding a human woman captive and she was trying to get away, but her leg was chained to his, so Dru and I—well, Dru had the sword—we kind of chopped off… the troll’s leg. The first one, not the second one. The second one I stabbed, and then there was bloodspray.” She spread her hand over her face. “Kind of everywhere. But I wasn’t hurt. Just the troll. Trolls. Two of them.”
Still very little change in expression. Carys was starting to wonder if one of the things they taught at the dragon academy was how to not display any human emotion.
“You speak very freely,” Anwyn finally said. “I would advise you not to share that story with just anyone.”
“But you’re not just anyone, right? You’re kind of my cousin.”
“I suppose we are related. In a way.”
“Right.” Not warm and friendly, but Anwyn was definitely looking at her with slightly less distaste than she had before.
“I appreciate your boldness,” Anwyn said. “And your sense of justice. Human and fae slavery is hideous, and I know Harold’s people are trying to stamp it out.”
“It seems like it.” She pointed over her shoulder. “It sounds like King Dafydd is going to help.”
Anwyn nodded. “Queen Eamer speaks highly of you.”
“Queen Eamer is very kind.” Carys’s voice softened. “And wise. I was hoping I would see her this week, but I understand why it was important for her to stay back in…”
“Caernarfon.” Anwyn motioned toward the corridor behind her. “Are you engaged?”
“Engaged?” God, was everyone curious about her love life? That was unexpected coming from such an obvious soldier. Anwyn’s expression didn’t exactly scream “girl chat.”
“Do you have some place you need to be?” Anwyn asked. “I was looking for you because the younger soldiers are practicing archery this morning, and my uncle said you are gaining proficiency.”
“Oh!” Carys smiled. “I’d love to do some practice shooting if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I am.” Anwyn didn’t exactly seem thrilled about the idea, but she also wasn’t glaring at Carys anymore. “Demelza also says that you have a compound bow, and I’d love to examine it.”
“Demelza?”
“My bonded dragon.”
“Ah. I do. And I’d be happy to show you.” Carys pointed toward the staircase. “I’ll get it and meet you outside?”
There was finally a spark of interest in Anwyn’s eyes. “Excellent.”
Anwyn pulled backthe string of the compound bow after she’d nocked the arrow. Carys instructed her on how to use the release.
“Okay, you’re holding it exactly right. Do you see the loop?”
“I do.”
“Once you’ve aimed, you’re going to squeeze that release like I showed you. Keep that left arm angled out just a little so the string doesn’t hit you on release.”
Dylan said something in Cymric.
