Page 63 of Unkindness of Crimson Ravens
Caleb’s lips turned into a thin line when he nodded. “Would you like me to teach you some sword wielding? As a payment for your troubles.”
My mouth opened and closed a few times, as I vacantly stared at the man before me.He must be jesting.
“I am all right,” my voice finally found its way out. “I appreciate the offer...” I mumbled, staggering to the side in an attempt to walk away once again.
His hand gently caught my shoulder. “Your stance is great, but you lose it the moment the actual fighting starts.” His eyes bored into mine. “Let me show you the proper way.”
“I do not plan on fighting anyone.” I freed my shoulder from his grip.
“No one plans such things,” the man continued, ignoring my harsh tone. “The skill can come in handy with what we are dealing with,” he persisted. “I heard you are to attend the next meeting. Anything can happen on human grounds.”
My eyebrows furrowed together: no one had told me I was to attend the meeting. Sweat broke through my skin at the idea of seeing Timothy’s parents again.What if he will be there?My muscles tensed, my heart skipped a beat.
“I will play nice, I swear.” Caleb forced a kind smile. “You must know how to protect yourself. Humans can be dangerous for our kind. What they lack in strength they compensate with their expansive numbers and weaponry.”
He was right, yet I could not find it in me to accept the offer no matter how childish my reasoning was. Pride was not a trait I would like to possess, however it was all that consumed me when facing this man.
Perhaps he was trying to make things right between us. Though, I was not to trust easily, not after how miserable he’d made me feel in my time here.
“Is that,” Caleb interrupted my inner battle. “Royal steel?” His eyes froze on my blade.
“Yes.” My grip tightened around the hilt.
“They do not make these anymore,” Caleb declared.
“They do not,” my voice was as cold as the winter lake. “This sword is quite old.”
My father and brother had been the last people to make this kind of steel. The skill had died with them on the battlefield.
I was to learn when I turned twenty years of age, but my mother had refused to share the sacred papers with me.
A woman should not trouble herself with such things. I will pass the knowledge to my grandson and your future husband,she’d told me.
I’d cried a lot that night.
“May I take a look?” Caleb’s eyes shone with curiosity.
I hesitated for a moment. I was not nearly naive enough to give away my only weapon when facing a person who’d forced me to duel just weeks ago. Roxanne was not here tonight to stop his nonsense.
Seeing my inner conflict, Caleb offered me his own weapons. “I was always fascinated by the only blade that can kill us at a mere touch with our blood.”
Something in his eyes made me believe the sincerity of his words. My mind screamed at me for my foolishness as my hand stretched out to exchange weapons.
He studied the sword carefully as if it was made of fragile glass. “Exquisite,” he whispered.
“What do you mean it can kill us by touching our blood?” I asked, glancing at my perfectly healed wrist.
Caleb followed my gaze as I quickly pulled down my sleeve. “I assume Francis sucked the poison out of your blood before it reached your heart, though I suggest making yourself bleed elsehow next time.” He returned his gaze back to the sword.
My cheeks burned aflame. Does everyone at the Castle know about the bite now?
“Where silver only slows our healing,” the man continued, “Royal steel will kill you the moment it reaches your heart: no herb will reverse the process.” Caleb spun the sword once, making the blade shimmer under the candle light. “My fatherused to be a smith for the Royal family, but could never make a weapon like this despite his best attempts.”
“Your father?” I crooked my head.
“Uh—” Caleb trailed off, his eyes met mine. “Yes. He was a Royal smith,” he shrugged. “Before he was turned into a vampire.”
“When was that?” I suddenly asked Caleb. “How old are you?”
