Page 96 of Forged in Fading

“Don’t be so dramatic. I would never.” She absolutely would and often made a game of teasing him during their time together back in Vorianta, just to try to break through his stony Dalvian exterior. “I’m just saying, she’s lovely and could use a friend as much as you could.”

Pyry watched Oda now, his features pinched in thought.

“And maybe more, if you⁠—”

He shot to his feet, and his lunch tumbled to the ground. “Back to work. I should get back to work.”

Vigi looked to Alvara and huffed, as if to say, I don’t know why you bother with him.

“I know, I know. I should stay out of it.” She scratched under the dog’s chin, watching with interest as Pyry took up a place next to Oda, one of the first times he had done so of his own accord rather than hers.

The young woman gasped, and red flushed her cheeks. A burst of snow and ice flew from her shaky fingertips, extinguishing the forge fire.

Oda’s father’s attention snapped from his metalwork to the now nonexistent fire. Oh no. He had little patience for mistakes, and one caused by her unwanted magic was unlikely to be received kindly.

Alvara jumped up, ready to defend her with what little of their language she knew, but Pyry moved in front of Oda, blocking her cowering form from her father’s gaze. Pyry said something slowly and awkwardly in the human tongue, little of which Alvara understood other than me.

He was taking the blame for her.

And he had picked up more of the human tongue than he had let on. The blacksmith ground his teeth together as his eyes traveled between Pyry and Oda. But with one barked command, likely to get back to work, he left the issue alone.

Oda laid a hand on her chest. “Thank you,” she whispered in Elvish.

Pyry looked at her over his shoulder and smiled.

He smiled.

Alvara slid back into her chair, unable to help the grin on her own lips. Maybe the girl’s feelings weren’t all one-sided.

Alvara walked alongside the shoreline on her way back to the sleeping halls that evening while Vigi splashed in the water, barking excitedly. They didn’t have much time before dinner, but she had learned from Oda that the creature enjoyed swimming in the sea to retrieve sticks, so she had decided to oblige him, even though it meant ending the day covered in the strange scent of fur and salt.

As Vigi bounded into the lapping waves, a small dot on the horizon caught Alvara’s eye: a bird swooping in dizzying circles as if it was…having fun.

“Kat.” She launched to her feet. She needed to find Boden and the chief. If Kat had news from the witches, it could change everything.

Alvara sprinted toward the outer limits of the town with Vigi trailing behind. People leapt out of the way left and right, but she barely noticed—she was too focused on forcing air into her burning lungs. Gods, she hated running.

The dog found Boden before she did and let out a sharp yelp, and the stones he wielded near the wall tumbled to the ground. “What’s wrong?”

“Kat.” She heaved another breath. “She’s here.”

Boden looked toward the sky as if he expected to see her appear in front of them any second. “Bring her to the chief’s meeting hall. Pray to Vitharen it’s good news.” He shifted into his bear form and bounded down the street, sending humans and demi-elves squawking and diving out of the way.

Alvara allowed herself a small groan before launching toward the sea once again and searching for her friend, elf or falcon. She slid to a stop in the sand, Vigi panting beside her, his mouth stretched wide and dripping with drool.

There.

A few hundred paces away, Kat lounged in the sand, face tipped back toward the sun.

“Kat!” Alvara called as she channeled one last burst of energy into her legs.

Her friend opened one eye lazily. “That was so much flying. And I barely made it out. My crazy grandmother spent the entire time trying to convince me to stay. Also, the food? Just as bad as I remember.”

“But what did they say?”

“Oh, right. They were confusing as always.” Kat stretched her arms above her head. “I guess I should probably tell someone before I forget.”

Gods, Alvara had missed her. “Boden’s gathering the chief and probably a few others so we can hear what news you have. Let’s go.”