Alas, Father had taken Akemi's sword back.
"What's your game?" I asked, following him down the hall.
"I want to see something," Quinn said.
Voices rose from the foyer as we reached the balcony overlooking the first floor. Quinn backed up and pressed himself to the wall, peering around the first pillar of the banister to the foyer below.
I moved to walk past him, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "Shh," he hissed.
"Why is a Solheart sneaking around?" I whispered.
Quinn didn't answer. Someone was speaking below, but I couldn't make out what they said.
Father's voice followed, louder. "Where would we put them?"
An unfamiliar man spoke. I caught only two words. "But, they . . . "
"Tsuyan is overcrowded as it is,” Father barked. "We cannot house nor feed refugees. Have the guards keep them outside the walls."
The man responded, then I heard him hurry through the front door. It slammed behind him.
Quinn tsked. "Typical." He peered around the corner, then motioned me to follow.
I glanced over the railing and saw my father's head vanish under the balcony as he ventured deeper into the house. Jogging to catch up, I walked behind the Solheart. "So, which is it? Quinn or Glenn?"
The Solheart refused to answer. My hand curled again, itching to grasp a sword.
He brought me to the foyer and placed a hand on the front door.
"I'm not supposed to leave the house," I reminded him.
"I know." Quinn opened the door for me and beckoned me out.
Cold winter winds blew my dress as I trotted down the steps and followed the promenade to the gates. The guard stationed at our manor's entrance watched me warily, but did not stop my Solheart guard.
When we stepped out into the street, I stuck close to Quinn's side. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see," he said, leading me down the western road.
I knew this route. Father would send me this way when Lord Ishida wanted to see me. If the Solheart intended to bring me to my fiancé, I would most certainly be stabbing him once I found a sword.
Quinn veered off the road just before we reached Ishida's manor, thank Solathair. He brought me to a pasture for the Shatterblades’ horses—a mostly empty field with the men deployed to the forts.
The Solheart took a moment to ensure nobody was around, then drew a sword from his belt. An Aenir blade. They favored spears and bows. Most swords crafted there were only ceremonial, worn by officers at parties.
Flipping the blade, Quinn offered it to me.
My prayers had been answered.
I took the sword. "What are you doing?"
"Testing you," Quinn said, drawing a long dagger from the other side of his belt. "I want to see if you deserve to carry that sword."
"Am I allowed to kill you?"
"I believe most people call this sparring, not murder."
Disappointed, I walked to the field opposite him. Akemi had brought me out to the white hills behind Tsuyan to spar every week.
