ELVEN | K.TH

4

RINEI

I count the days down to the coming first day of the week.

And this time I want to take him by surprise.

I shuffle out of the house when it's about an hour before sunrise. I breathe out in relief as I quickly check that there is no hunted animal on the ground yet, before shuffling down the porch and settling right behind a bush just on the forest borders.

I'd taken a nap before this, so I feel wide awake now as I hug my knees together. The air is silent and cold, soon blushing my cheeks red.

But the excitement lasts for only a few minutes before it turns to doubt.

Why wasn't he coming?

And what was I doing? I probably looked like some idiot.

And I'm staring listlessly towards the porch when a curious voice echoes right behind me.

"What are you doing?"

I scream. But then he wraps his hand around my mouth, muffling the high-pitched yell as if he'd already predicted I'd react like that.

Heart jerking in my chest, I breathe roughly into his cold palm as he pulls me into his body. He smells like pine and rain.

"Rinei, what in the world are you doing? Will you promise you won't scream?"

I nod, still clutching at my chest.

He lets me go. And I plop down on the leaves, staring up at him. His head is tilted, dark brows furrowed. His eyes gleam in amusement.

"Were you planning to scare me?"

I grimace. Then I sign firmly, my hand moving in harsh angles.

No.

"Then why were you here?"

I was birdwatching.

"Birdwatching, hm." He echoes, sweeping his hair over his neck. "That's interesting. I don't think you'll find any birds here, though. Did you?"

Does he really have to tease me like this?

I saw a lot before you came and scared them all away.

"I see. My apologies." Then he suddenly shifts his hand behind his back. And when he shows me his hands again, there's a sleek, beautiful bow.

I gape.

"You seemed interested the last time I came." He says. "It's a recurve bow. And it's yours if you will take it—"

His voice cuts off when I throw my arms around his neck. I'd never had something like this of my own. And it was just so beautiful— the bronze arch in the middle with the smooth, taut string.

I'm so happy.

Thank you. Thank you, Tae. I sign rapidly as I take the weapon, so wrapped up in my happiness that I don't notice the scarlet flush in the tips of his ears. How do I use it? Are there arrows, too?

How should I practice?

"You practice with these." He says, shifting off a quiver of dark gray arrows from his back. Then he draws one out, passing it to me.

It's so smooth. Elven wood.

I'm struggling not to squeak.