I shifted so I was closer to Theron, the heat of the kiln making me sweat. “We need to move,” I whispered.
His brows drew together for a brief second before his face smoothed over.
“Those soldiers still out there?” he asked.
Bran grunted. “Won’t leave us alone, those bastards.”
Theron was shaking his head. “Bloody shame. I’ll bet work has slowed.”
“Damn right,” said the first blacksmith.
Theron rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Better find Miller, then. I might be able to help.”
Bran jerked his head toward the door. “He hasn’t been gone long. You should catch up with him quick.”
Theron patted the man on the shoulder in thanks.
“Come back and tell us some stories from those haunted mountains, will ye?” Bran let out a hearty guffaw.
To my shock, Theron joined in, the sound jovial and so full of life that he seemed like a completely different person. I never thought a grouchy man like him could utter such a noise.
“The things I’ve seen…” Theron jabbed a finger at Bran. “It’d make you shit yourself, old man.”
Bran howled with laughter, and the other blacksmith joined in, too. Even I cracked a smile, unable to help myself. Theron was moving toward the door, and I hastened to follow, worried the door would close on my face.
I didn’t notice the hammer on the floor until I tripped over it and crashed into a table of swords. They clanged together loudly, the weapons sliding over one another.
Theron was several steps away from the table. Both blacksmiths froze, their eyes shifting to where I stood. I knew they couldn’t see me, but my face still drained of color.
Shit, shit, shit.
“The hell was that?”The first blacksmith shoved his tongs onto the shelf and stomped toward me.
“You got a critter in here?” Theron asked.
Sweat dripped down my neck as I carefully inched away from the table and toward Theron. I narrowly avoided colliding with the huge blacksmith who had come to investigate. He ducked his head under the table and looked around.
“Sounded bigger than a rodent,” Bran mused. “Maybe you brought some spirits from the mountain with ye, Harlan!” He chuckled again, but his eyes darted around nervously.
“Best be off then,” Theron said. “Don’t want to bring more trouble to this place.”
“Where did you say you were from?” asked the first blacksmith, straightening to glare at Theron with suspicion.
“Athawood Peaks,” Theron supplied.
“Come off it, Jed,” Bran chided, but Jed held up a hand to silence him as he looked Theron over.
“I mean, where are youfrom?” Jed persisted. “You born on that mountain?”
Theron forced a laugh. “’Course not. I’m from here. Travel often for my trade,is all.”
“Which trade would that be?” Jed crossed his arms over his massive chest.
Damn it. We were in trouble. Even Bran was squinting at Theron as if just realizing how little he knew about the man. Theron couldn’t lie, so there was little he could say to get out of the situation.
Making a calculated decision, I grabbed a chisel from the ground and hurled it toward the back door. It slammed against the wall, falling to the ground with a loudclang.
All three men jumped, and Theron shot an exasperated look my way.
