Page 97 of Rook of Ruin
Simon and Isle take off to meet a scout, and Red rides up next to me again with a chaotic grin.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“I think I have your Warrior’s Name.” She smirks.
I don’t think I need any more names. O, Rook, the Ruby, My Lady, Your Highness, Princess Caddel . . .
“My Warrior’s Name?”
She jerks back, affronted and disappointed. “No one bloody told you?”
“No?”
“You receive one when you become a Bethalian warrior. Didn’t you receive a name as a Rook?”
“Rook. That’s all we went by. We don’t—didn’t have the same ranks that you do. We had superiors, but they were also Rook. My given name is Orlaith. Most people have a hard time saying it, so I go by O.”
She looks confused. “Why just Rook?”
“That way, no one knew how important we are to the queen. When you’re on the battlefield, you target the leader, right? Target the one in charge to reduce morale. Removing that ‘title’ means that it is difficult to know who is in charge.” I shrug. “Unless you receive a nickname like ‘the Spider’ that holds weight.” Images of Ossian and Matron run in my memory. I shake my head.
Slowly, she says, “You were pretty fucking important. The future queen’s sister.” I snort at that. “Now you are even more important, Ruin.” She grins proudly.
I don’t like it, not one bit, but I offer a smile “Ruin?”
“It makes her sound . . . ugly. Like she’s some kind of ancient ruin,” Dove says as she comes up behind us. There’s an edge to her voice.
Red’s face turns sour. “I think it is very good.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t. Just—” She sighs.
Simon catches my eyes and gives me a cheeky wink with dimples. I squirm in my saddle, and my cheeks feel warm. I may be frustrated with him, but I’m still attracted to him. They watch the exchange, and Red blows out a raspberry, trying not to smile.
Curiosity rears her head. “What’s your Warrior’s Name?” I ask.
“Red.” She laughs. “That’s what I go by. My given name is Cassandra.”
I nod. “How did you get Red?”
Dove moves her horse next to Red. “She outdrank a sailor in spice. Painted the floors of our barracks red from the amount that came up the following day.”
I laugh, and Red heaves a breath. “I wish it were red from the amount of enemy blood I’ve spilled, but no, it’s because of drinking in excess.” Her stallion shakes his head in agreement. “Dove got her name because she flew off her horse.” They both laugh, and she points to a man Simon spoke to in the field with a shaved head and a thick mustache. She speaks low. “He is Viper because he is so quick and deadly.”
“Very feckin’ quick and very feckin’ deadly.” Viper smiles, his front tooth missing.
“They should have named him fucking Bat from the way he hears,” Red grumbles.
Viper winks at her. She rolls her eyes and smiles to herself. Some obvious history between the two of them.
“Ruin’s not so feckin’ bad, Dove.” Viper blatantly looks at Red. “It’s not Pinhole, or Bucket.” He tilts his head back, and I have to force myself not to turn around. “Red coulda been Vomit. You coulda been Horse Arse. Ruin’s a lovely name.” He nods like it is confirmed.
Dove huffs. “I’m just saying we should—”
Red interrupts, pointing to a woman with tattoos on her head at the front, “Her name is Stealth—she is deadly silent.” Red tilts her head. “If you look back there, to your right, his name is Irun. Get it? I run. He runs fast.” She laughs and motions to Isle. “She got her name from fighting in the Stocks—she was an island that not one soul could reach.”
I watch the stoic warrior, impressed. The only woman I’ve ever heard making it out of the Stocks.
“What is Simon’s?” I ask.
