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‘An extra second for what?’

His lips pulled higher, but the smile tightened like he fought it. ‘In a minute when we’re interrupted, you pretend I didn’t tell you.’

‘Tell me what?’

He cleared his throat, his eyes still down on my pin. ‘They’re going to sneak up on you and throw you into the lake—it’s a tradition. Because of your wounds, we didn’t do it when you passed first rank. I told them I wouldn’t throw you in, but I’d help distract you and keep you close. They know how slippery you are. Gil’s been wagering on whether they can sneak up on you.’

I couldn’t help but reflect his amused smile. ‘What are you up to?’

‘Gil needs taking down a peg—but I don’t want to see you embarrassed either. So… Even if you can’t throw, use the blades.’

‘I don’t want to hurt anyone!’

His expression softened. ‘You won’t. Just teach them not to underestimate you.’

He shot one more look aside at Gil and Jhoare who were standing oddly still. Then he locked eyes with me again. ‘I’m going to kiss your neck. Make it look good, like you’re very distracted. But watch over my shoulder. Use your moment when you see it.’

Then he slid one hand to my waist, and the other to my neck, and leaned down to kiss the side of my neck, that sensitive skin under my ear. I didn’t fake the shiver at the brush of his lips, but kept a sliver of space between my eyelids so I could watch the others through my lashes.

Sure enough, Gil looked over his shoulder toward us, then slapped Jhoare and they both turned and started toward us when they thought I was distracted.

I gripped Voski harder. From the corner of my squinted eyes, I saw the shadows of all of them slowly shifting toward us. I made it look like I was reaching for Voski’s trousers, as if I stroked him, but in truth I drew the throwing stars from the pockets of my jacket and held them as he’d taught me.

When our brothers were just steps away, I shoved Voski back. ‘Down!’

It was only by God’s grace that I turned enough in pushing Voski back, that I caught Harle in the corner of my eye, emerging from behind the tree at my back.

With a startled squeak, I flicked a star that caught his sleeve and pinned his arm to the trunk, and in the same motion, threw the other straight between Gil’s legs. I had no intention of hitting him and aimed for the empty air—but he saw the flash and yelped, leaping and clutching at his crotch to protect his dangles.

I turned, laughing, dropping a shoulder to dodge a leap from Einar, as Voski hooked Ronen’s ankle, chuckling.

“Anyone touches her where they shouldn’t, they answer to me!” he bellowed over the laughter and mocking calls. But he didn’t interfere further, sinking back into the trees, to watch, as I darted away—but I’d been so focused on my brothers, who all hesitated as he made his threat—I forgot about Bren.

Two steps toward the trees, my sister appeared from behind Oros, and tackled me, taking me to ground, both of us cackling as I tried to shove her off. But I was laughing too hard. My arms lost strength.

She crawled up my back, hooking one heel under my knee when I got a foot up, and sending me sprawling again, still giggling.

“You okay with this?” she grunted in my ear as she wrestled my arm behind my back and grabbed for the other one. “I can make it look good and let you go before they get you.”

“I’m fine,” I spluttered with laughter, still fighting her and keeping my other arm free, gripping a third star I’d managed to slip out from my belt when we were rolling in the dirt. “Do your worst.”

Bren grinned and clawed at my free arm, but just then, the brothers reached us. And even though I still had a star in my hand, I was laughing so hard as Oros picked me up by my belt and scruff of my jacket, I’d lost all ability to use it safely.

So I reached for my other weapon. ‘Koa!’

She trumpeted and took two trotting steps toward me, but as I spluttered and laughed and tried to fight the men off, I sent her an image, and she whistled.

The dragons slipped aside to clear the shallows of the lake and let them carry me, including Koa and Kham, though Koa fluttered her wings and tossed her head.

By the time they reached the shore of the water, Gil had regained his dignity and Harle had freed his sleeve from my blade. As Oros flipped me over with a wicked grin, they each took a leg. Jhoare and Oros gripped one of my wrists each, and I was helpless, giggling like a girl in the nursery, and barely able to breathe as they began swinging me between them, counting.

“Furyknight! Heads up!” Ronen shouted through laughter, as he and Einar rushed close to watch, clapping. “Our newest sister flies on the count of three!”

The men all began to count, swinging me between them higher and higher, their grips impossibly tight on my wrists and ankles so I couldn’t struggle loose, even if I wasn’t laughing hard enough to make myself weak.

“Three… two… one…” By the third count, they’d swung me so high, I looked down on them. “FLY!”

I shrieked as they heaved me for one more swing, then let go so I flew up, higher than their heads, pedaling arms and legs, laughing—and screamed, “Now, Koa!” just as I reached the peak of their throw.