Page 189 of A Sanctuary from Shadow
Pete offered his water skin to me. “Care to finish off these last drops for me, Shorty? Then you can refill it.” He knew how much I hated being thirsty.
“Sure.” Without reservation, I took the leather pouch from him and uncorked it. Taking a swig, I sauntered to the stream, so pink and fresh it didn’t need boiled for drinking.
“How long ‘til we reach Covenlen?” I wanted to judge how much time I had left to gain full control over my powers. Maybe we had longer than I assumed.
I downed two more gulps of Pete’s water. Delicious, though it should’ve been stale.
“I think we should get some training in tonight.” So far, we’d only trained when Sedge left to hunt or relieve himself, thinking his ignorance of my powers could protect him.
I guzzled the last remnants of water, ousting a satisfying burp. Then I knelt to refill the water skin as requested. “Training will probably be more bearable after dark.” I pressed the cork back into the skin. “With this heat, I mean. Does it get worse the—?”
“Fecking mother above!” Pete barked like a hornet had stung him.
“Bugger!” Sedge exclaimed.
“What?” I whirled, my heart in my throat. Were we under attack?
Neither harbinger reached for his weapon, though. In fact, they looked like they’d forgotten how to move at all. They only gawked at me. Sedge’s jaw unhinged. Pete flushed like he’d eaten a ghost pepper, clutching his mouth.
Dear Goddess, is he going to throw up?
“What is it? Is there a bug on me?” I flapped like a bird. “Get it off! Get it off!”
“There’s no bloody bug!” Pete stalked over and fisted the braid hanging over my shoulder. “It’sthis!”
At first, I didn’t understand. There was nothing wrong with my hair. My braid wasn’t even unraveling. Then I broke into a cold sweat, my heart fluttering too fast, my nerves going haywire. Because my hair was red. Bright, glinting, copper, red.
Tamsyn’s potion wore off?Why didn’t she warn me it was temporary? Why didn’t Briar? Why—
My eyes caught on the water skin I still held. Pete’s water skin.
I dropped it like a slug.
Clutching my braid, wishing to blot out its glaring shade, I wrenched from Pete’s grasp. “Whatdid you do to me?”
“I dosed you,” Pete admitted, blunt as ever. Despite being anunderhandedprick! “With my vial from the Well of Sincerity.”
Sparks choked my voice.
“The well does more than compel honesty,” Pete rasped. “It also uncovers masks cast on people.”
Fire surged through me like an adrenaline shot. “I—you—this—so—!”
Neither judging nor understanding, Sedge looked to his jackass friend. “Why’ve you suddenly decided to pry when—”
“The king’s dead,” Pete cut him off, never taking his hot, darkening eyes off mine.
I reeled back like he’d slapped me.
Sedge blanched to an impossible shade. “That’s astounding news indeed. But—what precisely has that to do with Shorty?”
Pete’s whiskered jaw twitched. “Do you want to tell him, or should I?”
I struggled to control both my tears and my fire. “Itriedto tell you before! I would’ve told—”
“Then tell me now.” His nostrils flared, his expression stone. “What—is—your—name?”
A tear slipped past my glaring eye. The truth I’d offered him days ago tumbled from my lips without my consent.
