“Y-you t-talk?”
I bolted straight into the room, forgetting about being quiet. I tried to get the surprise on Randolph. When I got to the fireplace, I jumped straight up, knocking the handle up in the air, jostling Rumple enough that he unhooked and fell forward.
I reached out to grab the handle at the same time Randolph did, and we both locked onto Rumple.
“You!” Randolph growled when he recognized me. “You dare to steal what’s mine?” With all of his weight, he swung me around, but I didn’t let go.
“He’s not yours. He’s my friend,” I gritted out as I was outmatched with bodyweight. I swept my foot, hooking him behind the knee, hoping to knock him off balance and he’d let go, but he fell, taking me with him. I used his falling momentum and jumped, flipping to the side and wrenching the axe from his hand.
“Yeah, what she said!” Rumple yelled. “Wait, did you just say you’re my friend?”
I landed awkwardly on the floor, Rumple resting safely at my side. This was not the time for reunions.
“Sometimes you are,” I muttered. I jumped to my feet and ran toward the door.
“Wait. You can’t go.” I paused as Randolph struggled to get up from the floor. He held out his hand. “Do you know how much a talking blade is worth? We could be rich. I’ll split the profits with you.”
I waited on the balcony and pretended to consider the offer. “How much are we talking about?”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Rumple growled. “Rhea and Kash wouldn’t like it if you sold me.”
“Quiet, the humans are talking.” I held back my smirk. “Remember, you could have saved me the trouble of stealing you if you had spoken up at the market.”
“But you told me to stay quiet in public or you were going to drop into a lake,” he whined. “You know how much I fear water.”
“Of all the times you disobeyed and got me kicked out of pubs and bars because you couldn’t shut your trap, you chose that moment to obey?”
He was silent.
I sighed and addressed Randolph. “I’m sorry, but as I said before, he’s my friend, and I can’t explain the reason I came to be without him, but I’m thankful to be reunited.” As I spoke, I retreated until my backside bumped into the balcony railing.
“I’ll call the guards,” Randolph threatened.
I leapt onto the railing, holding the axe in my hands. I turned to face the guild member. In his beefy hand, he held up a silver whistle.
I let a smile of pleasure creep across my lips. “I’m counting on it. Otherwise, this escape would be too easy.” I stepped backward off the balcony.
As I fell, I swung the axe and let it fly until it sunk into the wooden support beam under the balcony. It slowed my fall and dropped me a few feet closer to the ground. With a mighty swing, we dislodged and dropped the last twelve feet to safety.
I heard the whistle, and the lights in the guardhouse flickered on as candles and torches were lit.
“After her!” Randolph bellowed. “I want that axe.”
The baying of hounds followed, and now I felt a moment of fear. I knew I was fast, but could I outrun scent dogs?
“You better get moving,” Rumple encouraged.
“I thought you wanted a fight?”
“I want to fight, not become a chew toy.”
I laughed and ran hard. Letting my training kick in, I stuck to the rocky path and not the soft earth. I used the blade of the axe to cut off ribbons of my dress to make scent strips and tie them to tree branches and bushes in an attempt to slow the dogs.
And as I ran, I couldn’t help but feel the elation as the adrenaline rush raced through my body. This is what I was made for. This is what I enjoyed more than anything. The freedom to run and hunt and be chased, and I looked forward to running the maze of the city streets as I evaded my hunters.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Rumple was quiet as we headed to the small blue and cream striped tent that had been given to me. It wasn’t grand, had a few holes that needed patching on the roof, and a few others where it was wearing thin—but I loved it. It was a roof over my head, and it was mine. Whereas I’d spent most of my life sleeping beneath the stars and or under a lean-to canvas that all scouts carried, this tent was a more permanent structure. I pulled the canvas flap back and slipped into the darkened interior.
“Where have you been?” Saphira yelled, appearing out of the shadows of the tent.
It was a few hours till morning, and I thought everyone would have been asleep. I was wrong. My disappearing and taking off in the middle of the city to jump on a strange carriage had clearly caused them concern. With the exception of Lorn, I was unused to having someone worry about me.
A finger snapped behind me. The enchanted glass wind chimes that hung in the tent glowed, illuminating the colorful canvas in an array of purples and yellows.
Bravado stood next to the chimes. It was his magic that caused the chimes to glow. Sitting on my bedroll was Amaryllis, her face filled with tears.
When she saw me, her hands flew to her mouth. “What happened to you?” she cried out. “Are you hurt?”
I then realized the image I was presenting them. I was dripping wet, my dress was torn to shreds, and all the beautiful curls in my hair were now a sopping mess of tangles down my back. But I had a wicked gleam in my eyes as I held a golden double-headed axe above my head.
“I got the pain in the axe back!” I yelled in victory.
“Stop it!” Rumple bellowed, and I enjoyed the moment as everyone’s faces turned to a look of shock as they encountered the talking weapon.
“This is Rumple, as in Rumple Stiltskin, the great dwarf protector of Ter Dell,” I added.
“It t-talks,” Bravado stuttered.
“And cuts and chops and is great for beheading.” I sounded like a vendor trying to sell them the latest knife ware.
“Is it cursed?” Amaryllis asked. She had stopped crying and looked at the axe in wonder. I had forgotten that she’d spent most of her life trapped as a bird, cursed by Allemar.
“It curs—es,” I quipped, trying to lighten the mood. “But I don’t think he can become a dwarf again. His soul was trapped in cursed gold, and Rhea forged the weapon, but managed to also preserve his memories.”
“You shouldn’t have run away.” Bravado changed the subject. “We were worried.”
“I’m sorry for worrying you, but as you can see, I’m fine.” I patted my chest.
“I knew she would be,” Saphira huffed. “She was trained by Lorn.”
I pointed my finger at her and nodded. “Exactly. No harm came to me. I just had to get back what belongs to me.”
“And how did you do that exactly?” Amaryllis asked, her eyes narrowing and once again taking in my appearance.
I crumpled under the look only a concerned mother could give, and the truth came flying out of my mouth. “I broke into a manor, confronted a member of the blacksmith guild, and stole Rumple . . . which also meant avoiding the guards and getting chased by hunting dogs.”
Bravado’s mustache twitched and I could see the look of pride he was trying to hide.
As they continued to grill me, the sun’s rays slowly lit the canvas tent, and I knew I’d have to start training again. But I also desperately needed sleep. I looked longingly toward my cot, my feet and joints aching. Outside the tent, I could hear the rest of the troupe rising and talking loudly.