Then she veers off, racing swiftly away.
I open my palm for Jordan to drop the flower into it. It’s an incredible gift from a stranger, let alone a young female who could hardly afford it. I tuck it away in my pocket.
I jolt as another female voice cries from nearby. “Have courage, Princess!”
“We’re with you, Princess!”
“Have strength!”
“You honor us!”
“Jordan,” I whisper. “What’s going on?”
“I wish I could show you, but it’s best if we keep you protected.” She grins. “But I think it’s fair to say that you have support.”
The cries of encouragement continue all along the river, only fading once we reach the more populated trading district. We make a straight line for the armory and my ladies clear a path without any issues.
Jordan swings the doors open. “This is the Storm Command,” she announces. “Clear the building!”
The male and female workers file out around us. The head Armorer pauses to speak with Jordan for a moment, before departing without causing a problem. A flash of silver coin tells me why that went so smoothly.
“They’re used to us coming and going, but we don’t often ask them to leave,” Jordan explains, since I’ve never been here before. Something I intend to change today.
The protective circle opens to reveal walls of weapons of every kind. I head straight for the daggers, looking them over. When I point to one, Jordan gets it down and tests it for weight and balance. She shakes her head until the fourth one. It’s smaller than the others, but that’s a good thing because it can be concealed more easily.
“Now, what we need is…” She chooses from three different types of strapping that one of my Storm Command has produced and hands the chosen one to me. I shimmy up my dress and attach the soft belt around my thigh, pulling it tight and firm. A flat leather pouch is firmly attached at the side.
Another one of my Storm Command hands Jordan a pair of leather gloves. Not taking any chances, Jordan places both the gloves and the dagger on a nearby wooden table. I pull on the gloves and reach for the weapon.
If this works…
I brace for the storm’s power as I pick up the dagger.
Nothing happens and I grin. The leather provides a protective barrier between me and the metal. I slide the dagger into the pouch at my thigh. It won’t light up until I touch it with my bare hands.
Now I can carry weapons. Arrogant males like Rhydian Valor won’t get the better of me again. I spin to face my smiling Storm Command. “How many of these can I carry at once?”
* * *
When we get backto my quarters, Elise paces in the hallway. As soon as she sees me, she pounces. “The compatibility test has been announced.”
The happiness I felt at being able to protect myself dissolves. I brace for what she’s about to tell me. I’m ready for anything.
“They’re sticking with the traditional test.”
I blink at her. “Really? No tricks, no traps?”
“It looks like it.”
Jordan is cautious beside me. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it? It’s the same test we did.”
I can’t help but worry. “It should be, but it seems too straight forward.”
Elise urges me down the corridor. “The Elven Command has had a lot of backlash about the last trial. I think they’re trying to regain control. Keeping with the traditional test is the smart thing to do.”
I head to my bedroom, pull on the gloves, and unclasp the belt around my thigh. We ended up finding one with multiple pockets for my right leg, along with one for my opposite knee and one for my waist. I can’t have too many daggers. I lay them out on the table one after the other while Elise gapes.
“Princess…?”
I grit my teeth. “I won’t be defenseless again. And from now on, I carry gloves so I can punch the lights out of any male who means to harm me.”
She gasps beside me and to my surprise, tears suddenly slide down her cheeks. “I’m sorry I didn’t think of that before.”
I spin to her. “Elise, no, this isn’t your fault. We didn’t know what the Elven Command was planning. Or how far they’d go. Now we’ll be prepared.”
She gulps and nods. She pulls herself upright, smoothing down her dress. “The test is tomorrow. Before you go in, I will check the room myself. I won’t allow any tricks.”
“Thank you, Elise. I know you’ll make sure it’s safe.”
I study my new weapons. I won’t be going unprepared.
