I glanced at the sky. There was still plenty of daylight left, and more importantly, I had time before Nyxath arrived with Saphir's key.
I pulled my journal from my pocket. It was supposed to be my rider journal to record training observations, but it had quickly become a catch-all for anything interesting. Right now, 'interesting' meant symbols.
Finding a clear spot on the ground, I settled cross-legged and began sketching.
The trick with reproducing symbols accurately was treating them like maps rather than art. Every line mattered, every angle. I'd studied cartography in the academy, and it had been one of my favorite subjects.
I rendered the most frequently recurring symbols first, the ones I'd seen dozens of times. My hand moved quickly, capturing the curves and straight lines, the way certain marks connected or remained separate.
"When did you learn to draw like that?"
I glanced up. Morek crouched beside me, watching what I was creating on the page.
"Cartography," I said. "I love drawing maps."
"You're really good."
"Thanks." I finished the symbol I was working on and moved to the next. "It's all about accuracy. One wrong line and your map could show a bridge where there's actually a cliff."
Shovia peered over my shoulder on my other side. "You have all these hidden talents you never mentioned. Why is that?"
I kept sketching but couldn't help smiling. "I prefer you to want me for my body and my lovemaking than any of my other skills."
Her fist connected with my shoulder hard enough to make me drop my pencil.
"Ow! Shovia!" I rubbed my arm, laughing. "What was that for?"
"For being an ass."
"You could've dislocated my shoulder."
"Don't be dramatic." She picked up my pencil and handed it back. "Keep drawing, although I don't see the point."
I returned to the symbols, trying to ignore the way she leaned against my back, her chin nearly resting on my shoulder. Having Shovia this close always made it hard to concentrate.
"The point is," I finished another symbol, examining it critically. "That if we ever do find that key, I might as well start recording the symbols now so I'm ready when that happens."
"That's..." she paused, "actually, pretty smart thinking."
"Don't sound so surprised."
"I wouldn't be surprised if you told me more about yourself instead of using your tongue in my ear for things other than talking."
That was true. Being the charming idiot at court, the one nobody took seriously, had given me a great advantage. I had been Alar's eyes and ears because everyone had assumed that I was too dumb to understand what was going on around me.
After years of perfecting my act, though, I didn't know how to be any other way.
"You're talented, Cadet Teress." Saphir made me jump as he once again snuck up on me. "Those renderings are excellent."
"Thank you."
"May I?" He gestured at the journal.
I handed it over, trying not to feel nervous as he flipped through the pages. His expression remained neutral, giving nothing away, but Moki chittered with approval.
Or at least I thought he approved of my work. The truth was that it was hard to tell the difference between excited chittering and angry chittering.
Saphir glanced at the sky. "Ah, here comes Nyxath now." He handed my journal back to me.
