Page 56 of Voidwalker
“I’ve got a crossbow,” Kashvi said. “If one of those bastards tries to come here.”
“We aren’t fighting a daeyari, Kashvi. I’m not sure we evencan.”
“Energy bolt through the skull would be a good start.”
Fi pictured Verne coiling a whip of red energy, a Beast at her side. She pictured Antal, how easily he’d dispatched his traitorous attendants, how swiftly he’d healed wounds that would have leveled a human.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Fi said.
Kashvi scoffed. “And you’re a fountain of good ideas today? When did you get back? Did anyone follow you?”
Fi bit her lip. Void help her if they knew she’d invited a daeyari to her cottage.
“Give her a rest,” Boden said.
“We’llbe lucky to get any rest!” Kashvi snapped. “We should be prepared for—”
She hunched into another rasping breath.
This spasm didn’t let up.
Fi and Boden waited several seconds before Kashvi gave in. She marched to the front door, letting in a spike of cold as she stepped outside for fresh air.
Only Fi and Boden remained.
Funny, how it always came to that.
“I didn’t mean it,” Fi said. “I swear on the endless Void, Bodie,I didn’t know this would happen.” Kashvi’s derision, Fi could bear. SheneededBoden to understand.
He rubbed a hand over his brow. “Don’t let Kashvi get to you. You know she’s… had a rough past with daeyari.”
“So have we.”
He sighed. “So have we.”
Fi played with the crumbs on her plate. As kids, Boden had been the one who kept a straight face when she skinned her knees on river rocks, calmly cleaning the scrapes while she wallowed and sniffed. He’d nearly punched a boy from school who’d tried to kiss Fi without asking—nearly, but only because Fi punched the boy first.
But Boden was also the one she’d catch caring for sparrows who’d gotten their wings caught in rat traps. Who’d hardly spoken for a month after their mother left.
“We left to get away from Verne,” she said. “If she comes here… what do we do?”
“We wait. See what happens.”
“We can’t wait for everything, Bodie.”
“Sometimes, it’s the best we can do. Maybe things won’t be as bad as you think.”
Fi ground her teeth. “Easy for you to say. You didn’t almost get eaten by her.”
“She wouldn’t have.”
“You don’t know that. Youdidn’tknow that. I remember you yelling, Bodie. Trying to stop them from taking me. Unlike…”
Unlike their father. Fi’s memories flashed with night-shrouded forest, attendants leading her away from home. The hollow look in her father’s eyes—yet he’d let them take her anyway. His own daughter.
“He didn’twantthem to take you.” Boden turned defensive. Forwho?
“Of course he wanted them to take me.Heproposed it.Hewanted the prestige of an Arbiter daughter.” Always telling her how daeyari prized Voidwalkers—a prize for him to hand over. Fi was his ticket to respect, recognition, even while he wasted his days barely sober enough to hold down a job, barely bringing home enough energy capsules to keep their furnace running.
