R U [ I ] N E D

The Lesser of Two Egotists

Erzia hummed, tracing a finger along the rim of her glass. It made Cal wonder how difficult a question she was pondering, but once she asked, he nearly spat out his drink. "Favorite color?"

The shifter scoffed as she held that vacant smile of hers. "Seriously?"

"What? I thought I'd start it off easy for you. You should really be thanking me instead of complaining."

She wasn't wrong, but Callan couldn't begin to fathom what was going through her head. If only that worked both ways... "Green," he decided.

Erzia repeated the word back, the corners os her lips twisting up in a soft smirk. "Like emeralds or evergreen needles or moss." Or maybe like Phoena's eyes. Nothing Callan realized, given his lack of reaction, but it was his turn now.

"What was your childhood like?" If he were to wager a guess, Cal would say that it posed unique difficulties, like his own.

"My favorite color is blue, dark blue, Callantine. Thank you for asking," Erzia started, rather amused with herself. Callan, less so, unsurprisingly. She waved a blasé hand. "I doubt you'd believe me if I told you anyway."

"Try me."

A slight frown rose before the telepath heaved an exasperated sigh. "Would you believe me if I told you my birth parents didn't want me because I was a Runeholder? That's the truth." She paused, shaking her head at the irony of it. Their runes were supposed to be a sign of prestige and renown, yet it had proven a disadvantage for poor Erzia. "Have you ever heard of the Bondagav Guild?"

Cal furrowed his brows in thought, nodding soon after. "The notorious thieves' guild? Rumor says they're based somewhere outside of Cabeon, right?"

"Not just thieves," she clarified, "Anything had a price in the guild. But back to me, my parents were both members of position, so with me being a Runeholder, they thought that might draw unwanted attention to their shadier dealings." She snorted, but it was a bitter sound, devoid of any humor. "Still, they were smarter than to just shoo the Runeholder of Skill away. I was useful as a potential asset, so they entrusted me to another member of the guild— lower on the totem pole but respected well enough. He and his clan basically raised me and taught me what I needed to know."

"So you grew up with sorcerers then," Callan said, ignoring the eerie insinuation of an education that sounded as if it were taught by any means necessary.

Erzia nodded. "A bit unconventional, but yeah. Certain ones took more of a liking to me than others, but I made sure to earn my keep. Both with the clan and my parents' guild. Like with our civilian army, they don't really care that you're just a kid..."

In the end, that explanation left Callan with more questions and concerns than answers, but that was all the telepath was willing to give on that subject. It was her turn again.

"Why haven't you told our bravest little solider what you really think about her?" When Cal looked taken aback, Erzia just shrugged. "I told you I was going to up the ante. You didn't go easy on me either." She was just returning the favor. "So? What's holding you back?"

It was a valid question, though none of her business, so Callan felt inclined to avoid answering. Still, if he evaded one of her questions, she was more than in her right to ignore one of his, and Cal didn't want that either. He had to give her something. He grasped tightly to the handle of his mug, downing half the glass in one go, as if that would bolster his courage. But there were certainly more appealing ways of doing just that, and his cheeks flushed vividly at the thought. He'd already started absently tracing the rune along the counter before he stiffened, his fingers halting those sweeping motions. This was anything but the time, and he doubted he could blame the heat of his cheeks on the liquor.