“I pride myself on my ability to defy expectations.”
“Is that something to be proud of?”
“It’s worked out for me thus far,” he replied.
I tightened the towel. “It’s going tostopworking out for you soon if you don’t stop finding this so funny.”
He raised his hands in surrender, but amusement still sparkled in those green eyes. “Hey, I’m here to deliver you some delicious foodand nice, warm clothes. You should be grateful you got my pretty face instead of North’s.”
“North?”
“Big. Bald. Bearded. Second-in-command.”
My eyes widened. If that terrifying brute of a man had barged in here instead of Callen, I absolutely would have fainted right back into the tub.
“Exactly,” Callen said, watching my face. “But I know you’ve had a rough day, so I’ll get out of your way.” He thumped a heavy hand on the pile of fabric. “This is fresh clothing. Linens for your wrists are somewhere in the pile. And this,” he gestured to the steaming tray, “is your food. It’s amazing, so eat it while it’s hot. We leave before the sun rises.”
I said nothing in response, overwhelmed by his casual demeanor. Wasn’t he supposed to be third-in-command?
He gave me a nod as if I’d thanked him and walked to the door. Just before the wooden slab closed behind him, I remembered what he’d called me before.
“Fish Eyes?” I called out to him.
He poked his head through the doorway. “You know, those shimmery scales on a fish? That’s what your eyes look like.”
The few small fish I’d ever seen in our drinking stream looked nothing like my irises.
“Fish Eyesis not my name. It’s notgoingto be my name.”
“Too bad, Etarla. We don’t get to choose our names,” he answered on a laugh, shutting the door before I could yell.
Fish Eyes?He knew my actual name, and he chose to call meFish Eyes?
Callen wasn’t friendly. He was an aggravating man-child.
The annoyance faded quickly as I went to the table and found water and a massive bowl of stew. Meat, potatoes, and someother root vegetables were piled high in the dish. It was more food than Koerlyn had ever given me and bigger than most dinners I ever made. The meat looked like beef, rather than the lean rabbit or squirrel I usually ate. A hunk of bread came with it, and I eagerly bit into it. I stuffed a spoonful of stew in my mouth next. Salt and herbs touched my tongue, and I collapsed in the chair.
Skies, this was paradise.
I shoveled away half the food before lowering my spoon to actually get dressed. Digging through the pile, I placed the bandages aside and separated the items. I examined the dark blue tunic, black leather vest, fitted trousers, and light gray cloak. Each piece was thick and built of better, softer fabric than any of my own clothes. And they all blessedly smelled of rosemary. They really were fresh, like Callen said.
I pulled on the trousers and tunic, surprised at their near-perfect fit. It was as if someone had measured me before selecting the clothing. Considering how long the draught had made me sleep, being measured was a very real possibility.
An image of Harthon, with his rugged features, holding a tiny measuring string popped into my head. I laughed at the ridiculousness of it, sitting to finish my food.
Exhaustion washed over me as I took my final bites and finished the water. It took effort to stand and walk to the bed. I didn’t bother to pull back the heavy blanket before I collapsed onto the soft, straw-filled mattress. Between the heat of the fire and my thick clothing, I would be warm enough.
You should wrap your wrists.
The wise thought was a whisper through my mind, quickly forgotten as my eyes fluttered shut.
* **
“Fish Eyes, you have two minutes to be decent before someone busts in here. See? That’s me meeting everyone’s expectations and giving you fair warning.”
The obnoxiously loud voice dragged me from the heavy weight of sleep. Cool air brushed my cheeks and hands, and I opened my eyes to find the windowless room nearly black, the fire having died at some point. The urge to sink back into oblivion was tempting, but Callen had made my two-minute warning clear.
I went to rub my eyes with my hands. Pain burst on my wrists as the blanket tugged on open skin.
