“Well, well, well!” A boisterous voice slashed into the moment. A man as tall as the general sauntered up, his arms crossed genially across his chest. He stopped next to Judd, facing me, oblivious to his intrusion. I welcomed the distraction.
Where the general’s dark coloring aligned with his perpetual scowl, this man’s blond hair matched his lighthearted air. The sides of his shaved head faded into a messy top knot, like one of the ice hunters from the glacial hinterlands. The hint of a grin showed through his neatly trimmed beard. His blue eyes held a spark of amusement. “You must be who everyone’s talkingabout, causing all the chaos around here. The defecting Not-Dreki.” He held out his hand. “I’m Finn, the General’s second. You can call me Finn.” He said with a wink.
My mouth twitched, trying not to smile. I shook his hand against my better judgment. “The name is Ruin, or Rue actually.”
He took a halfstep back, assessing me. “That’s not your real name. What is it truly?”
He seemed vaguely familiar, but the feeling passed with the onslaught of his rudeness. “I see the rebels live up to the rumors of being mannerless heathens.”
He smiled broadly. “I’ve been called worse. But I can’t call you Ruin, also known as Rue. How about Rebby? Still in theRfamily, but has a better ring to it. Now that you’re a rebel and all.”
“You might find a dagger in your back if you call me that again.”
“Have to have your daggers for that to happen.” He clapped the general on his back. “I see you are getting our newest recruit in shape. Can’t believe you’d start without me.” The general rolled his eyes as he rolled up his sleeves. His exposed forearms flexed as he casually gripped his canteen. I swallowed hard, looking away, anywhere but in their direction.
“We just finished an hour of sparring. If you care to join us next time, you might want to wake up earlier.”
“I had a late night!” Finn’s eyebrows rose suggesting the antics of the night before. I had to suppress rolling my own eyes at him. “Well, in that case, tomorrow we can see how talented you are with a blade, Rebby. We won’t have much time before we head to see the Nereid Queen.”
The general sheathed his swords and turned to me. “Not bad this morning. Especially in light of the Surveille.”
I warmed under his praise and began gathering my things. “Where are the Nereids?” I inquired.
The general quirked his head to the side. “They never let you leave Haluma did they? You’ve never heard of the Nereid Realm?”
Shame needled me, but I stood straighter. “Will you answer my question?” I arched my brow.
A lopsided smile bloomed across his jaw revealing a shadowed dimple. “It’s the underwater realm of ocean nymphs and sirens. You are going to be the means by which we get there.”
I stopped breathing.
He took a halting step toward me. “What is it?”
I fiddled with the edge of my leathers, anything to avoid eye contact when I admitted my deficiency. “I can’t swim,” I mumbled.
Finn’s guffaw had a family of birds taking flight. I winced.
The general threw his wooden sword at Finn, who retreated at the assault.
“How does a water wielder not know how to swim?” He gently pried, no mockery in the question.
I still couldn’t look him in the eye. “I grew up in Haluma, and as you already noted, I wasnotpermitted to leave. It’s a realm surrounded by mountains and forest and hills. Not… water.”
He wiped a hand down his face. I could almost hear him groan. “I’ll teach you.”
My neck twinged from the speed at which I jerked to meet his gaze. My shock and confusion lay bare across my face. I scrutinized his expression, yet I detected no annoyance as I’d expected.
“One of our Primes, Gemma, can assist with making sure you know how to keep us breathing. I will ensure you know how to swim.” His sincerity destabilized me.
I swallowed my embarrassment, grateful for the small kindness of his offer. I busied myself with my canteen, seeking to hide the grin that fought its way forward. Working with a Prime and expanding the use of my magic had me feeling like a little girl on her birthday.
“If you have any books on the Nereids, I would love to read them.” Having been sequestered in Haluma, and my entire education biased toward the Good King and his agenda, I knew little about the rest of the realms.
Judd softened, thinking. “I’ll have some dropped off for you this afternoon. And if you’re anything like Xuri, I’ll get you some of her pining-maiden stories as well.”
I internally flinched at his mention of the Prime. What was the nature of their relationship? I forced the muscle in my jaw to relax. “I do enjoy a little romance to pass the time. Especially if there’s a single-bed situation,” I coyly responded.
He stared at me with a knowing twinkle. “Consider it done.”
