A slow clap, clap, clap, came from my left before footsteps ventured closer. “Look at you two geniuses,” Artton said, his large figure lacking details as he blotted out the sun. “That lookedlike it hurt. Did it hurt?” he asked, throwing the question over his shoulder to his nephew who flew in the opposite direction.
I sat up just in time to see Kaelun throw a middle finger at his uncle, the kid still prone.
Artton chuckled. “Alright,” he said, his tone holding equal parts amusement and encouragement, “I’ll show you how to use it, Spark.”
Kaelun didn’t need to be asked twice—he was an endless well of energy, hopping up like nothing happened. I, on the other hand, groaned as I rolled over on my stomach before crawling up to standing like a senior in their last years of life.
Finally upright, I found Artton staring at me, his raised brow full of judgment on how long it took for me to peel myself off the ground. “Shut it,” I said before he could make some wise crack. His face split with a wide smile—I almost would’ve preferred the snide remark he bit back over the smug look. “And you,” I snapped, pointing at Kaelun, “Give me my blade back before you do any more damage.”
“Hey,” he said, raising his hands, “it wasn’t my fault. Besides, I don’t have it anymore.”
“What do you mean you don’t have it?” Panic bolted through my veins as I stepped toward him, frantically looking for the truth. “Where is it?” I said, my voice cracking.
“Spark, calm down,” Artton said, indicating that I look down.
My chin dipped, and I almost cried out in relief when I saw it nestled back in the bandolier, which I was now clutching like my life depended on it. Gods, if Endymion had gifted one-of-a-kind magical blades to me that were the last ancient relics, and something happened to any of them because I let someoneelsetry to use them, I’d never forgive myself.
“She’s panicking,” Kaelun said.
“I can see that,” Artton said, his tone calm. “Spark, Kaelun’s magic can’t hurt the blades. Do you understand? I would’ve never let him try if there was even the slightest risk to them. I know how important they are to Endymion.”
I searched his eyes for the truth in his words, and when I found it, my grip loosened and my panic slowly ebbed.
Focusing past Artton to Kaelun, I said, “You’re okay?”
“Other than my ego, yeah.” He shrugged. “Nothing that won’t heal by the time Uncle Artton here shows you how to wield a magical dagger like a badass.”
“That is if you’re up for it,” the commander said with a wink.
Pulling the exact blade we’d just tried, I thought back to what Endymion had done. I held the grip like he had, and allowed myself tofeelthe difference between what I’d just witnessed versus when it worked.
My eyes flew up to Artton’s in disbelief. His chin dipped in confirmation.
“He doesn’t know, does he?” I asked, trying not to look at Kaelun.
The commander shook his head almost imperceptibly. “Kaelun,” Artton said, keeping his focus on me. “Why don’t you join your brother and Caius early and help with the final details before our meeting?”
“But—”
“Kaelun,” Artton cut off the objection, making it clear that his was an order, not a request.
“But you said you’d show me.”
“I never said I’d show her,” his uncle corrected.
I flashed Kaelun an apologetic half-smile.Sorry,I mouthed.
He shook his head, letting me know he didn’t blame me, then winked and mouthedgood luckbefore popping out of existence.
Finally able to voice the question I had that Artton clearly wanted to keep secret, I said, “It requires arcane magic to work, doesn’t it? That’s what activates the ruins.”
“Yes.”
“But that means…” I paused, my mind spinning from the implication.
“You need to say it,” he said.
“It means Endymion has access to arcane magic.”
