Page 16 of On a Barbarian World

“Meteors?” Chaldora’s brow creased.

Kavon stirred from where he was pacing. “The warrior’s omen.”

“Ah, the rain of stars.” The old healer nodded and pressed a clean bandage to Aurina’s side. “There, Aurina Skyflyer, your wound shouldn’t give you any more pain today. I’ll leave some salve so you can reapply it this evening.” She glanced at Kavon.

The warrior nodded. “I’ll see that she does it.”

Aurina’s jaw tightened. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” She bit her lip. Be nice. You want to see your ship. She managed a smile.

Kavon raised a dark brow, so she figured her attempt at sincerity failed.

Chaldora packed her things back into her bag. “You know, Kavon, legend says the First Warriors arrived in our land under a rain of stars.”

Aurina blinked. What were they talking about? She saw Kavon’s gaze turn even more turbulent.

“I know you search for the legendary warrior’s sword, Durendal. It just seems a great coincidence that Aurina arrives with the same omens as our ancestors.” The old woman smiled at Aurina. “Keep that wound dry and tended, little sunset.”

She blinked at the nickname but nodded. “Thank you, Chaldora.”

The door closed after the healer, and a charged silence filled the large room.

“Eat.” He motioned to the food.

Aurina realized she was starving. She picked at the food on the platters, pleased to see most of it was fresh fruits and some sort of nuts. She popped some orange fruit in her mouth. Tart citrus flavor exploded across her tongue. Yum. She kept nibbling, the silence throbbing in the room like a sore tooth.

“What’s Durendal?” she asked to break the silence.

Kavon paced to the window, pushing the curtain aside. “A sword. A great sword of our ancestors. The First Warriors came here from the north, many, many years ago. They birthed the Markarians, gave us our warrior code, and taught us the Way of the Great Warrior. It is also said they brought a legendary sword, forged by a master smith in their homeland.”

“Their homeland?”

He let the curtain drop. “The land of the Great Warrior.”

Her curiosity was buzzing, but as interesting as the history of these barbarians was, she had other things to worry about. She cleared her throat. “Look, I really need to see my ship. It’s important.”

She saw him tense, a dark mood throbbing off him.

She hurried on. “How about a trade? You take me to the crash site⁠—”

“A trade.” Something lit in his eyes and his gaze slid over her.

The sheet had slipped off one of her shoulders and she hitched it up again. “Yes, a trade, barbarian, but I don’t trade my body. Ever.”

He raised a brow. “And I don’t need to pay for a woman. Ever.”

That she believed. She stood and walked toward him, refusing to let him think she was afraid. “I have something better to trade.”

His lips quirked, and she got the impression that was as close as this man got to a smile.

“Really?” he said. “And what is that, skyflyer?”

“My brain.”

This time he frowned.

“I work with my brothers, they help…travelers to reach distant destinations.”

Kavon nodded. “Like a caravan. We have them here for travelers heading off to far-off lands.”