“Let me.”
Rune took the heap from her arms and added it to his.
“And this,” he said, pulling at the strip she’d wanted to save.
“I’d like to keep it.”
“Why?” He sounded slightly bewildered.
Seraphina shrugged. “I just do.”
She could imagine him frowning, but he didn’t push, and they exited the tailor’s shop with care, not before making sure the alley was empty. There was still a crowd in front of the Church of Our Lady; Seraphina could hear it. They had lit candles and torches, and people would be spending the night outside, waiting for their turn to gawk at the relics. The cold wasn’t a deterrent when the devout found themselves in the presence of sacred bones.
Rune threw away their clothes when he found a good spot, and Seraphina led them to their second target for the night. The cutler’s shop was dark and silent, and Rune made quick work of the lock. They slipped inside, and Seraphina breathed in the smell of metal and grinding stone. The shop was small, just one room with a workbench at the back. She could feel the space closing in around her, the walls lined with shelves and racks. Her hand found a counter, and she traced its edge, feeling nicks in the wood from years of use. She moved along it until she touched cold metal.
She picked up something heavy and turned it over in her hands. It was a cleaver, the blade thick and broad, the edge well-maintained. She set it down and reached for the next item. This one was lighter, with a long thin blade and a wooden handle. It felt like a carving knife, so she moved on. She could’ve asked Rune to find her what she needed, but she wanted to feel the blades, choose for herself. The right ones would sing to her.
The next shelf held larger pieces. Seraphina found a hunting knife with a curved blade and a handle that felt like bone or horn. It was too big for what she needed. Beside it was something with a guard and a heavy pommel. A short sword, maybe, and she turned to Rune and held it out for him.
“You should carry a weapon. This one is perfect.”
“No, I would never. Blades...” He swallowed hard. “They’re sharp, they cut...”
She laughed. “Well, that’s the point.”
“Not for me.”
She found that strange, but she wasn’t going to pressure him. She put the short sword back. It wasn’t like he needed it, if she thought about it. Rune was lethal with just his bare hands. A shudder ran up her spine, and she wasn’t sure if it was linked to some kind of apprehension she still felt sometimes when she was reminded of his sheer strength, or if it was a twisted form of excitement.
Moving deeper into the shop, she found shears, more carving knives, and kitchen blades. Finally, daggers. She picked one up and tested its weight. The blade was straight and narrow, the handle wrapped in leather. It was light, but solid, and its balance was good. She slid her thumb along the flat of the blade and felt the slight ridge down the center. Perfect. Luckily, there were a few of these, and Seraphina picked a second one. They would do.
“Can you find me a belt?” she asked him. “And two leather sheaths that fit these.”
It took him a minute, and then Seraphina was cinching the belt around her waist, the sheaths secured to it. Her new daggers rested on her lower back, their handles crossed at the top. This angle made for a fast draw, and they were perfectly concealed under her cloak. She walked in place to make sure her movements weren’t hindered, and once she was satisfied, she reached for the walking stick.
“I don’t need this anymore.”
Yet, she didn’t feel like letting go. It did help her navigate, especially when she was too tired to pay attention to what the relic showed her. It might’ve been sacred magic, but her brain still got exhausted and dulled her senses. Besides, maybe she wouldn’t always need to fight for her life. The stick was good for a harmless beating.
“I’ll keep it for now,” she declared. “Let’s go. We can get an hour or two of sleep before the western gate opens at dawn.”
She didn’t know how they were going to pass through, but she hoped a lot of the people who’d gathered for All Hallows’ Eve wouldn’t stay for All Saints Day. If the gate guards were overwhelmed, there was a good chance they wouldn’t check everyone’s travel documents. Exit checks were less thorough than entry checks, so she wasn’t too worried.
Rune opened the door to the shop and stepped out into the alley. Seraphina was right behind him, but before she could step over the threshold, he backed up without notice, and she slammed into him.
“What are you–”
“Shh...”
She rubbed her chin, having knocked it right into his shoulder blade. The man was like a brick wall, and her rattled teeth were quite unhappy about it.
“What is it?” she whispered.
“It’s him.”
“Who’s... him?”
“The man...”
