In the city of Corregal, sword fighting is a way of life - unless you're a girl. While young men compete for prestigious positions within the ruling Houses, young women have to rely on others to protect them from the dangers lurking in the streets...
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Be something you're not.
That's what Neda had insisted when they were picking out their masks, and why Tierce had ended up with this monstrosity of teeth and bone on his face instead of something that actually looked nice. He'd been hoping to wear something grand, maybe even noble or heroic. Something that inspired more than nightmares. But then Neda handed him the skull-shaped mask with its jagged metal teeth and spiky feathered crest and that had been that.
He wasn't going to complain about it, though. An ugly mask wasn't going to stop him from having a good time tonight, not when there was music and dancing to enjoy. Not to mention games with prizes, and good food to eat. And girls.
Without meaning too, he let his gaze slip towards Neda. She was laughing with Pash about something, halfway up the stairs from the boat landing, and her radiant smile made his heart leap despite his best intentions not to let that happen. Her delicate filigree mask didn't really hide much of her face, and he could see how excited she was, almost oozing with confidence in the costume she'd chosen for the night, every bit the warrior princess she was pretending to be.
Only Tierce knew she wasn't really pretending.
She'd pulled him aside before they left the house, setting his pulse racing to an all-too-familiar rhythm as she snuck into an unused storage closet near the kitchen. Though their secret lessons had continued, neither of them had ever said anything about the day she'd kissed him in the garden, and he'd done a pretty good job convincing himself that nothing had happened at all. But in an instant, all his hard-earned denial evaporated in a rush of yearning.
But she hadn't brought him there to kiss him again. Or even to talk about the kiss. Instead, she pulled a long bundle out of a corner and yanked off its wrapping to reveal what was inside. "What do you think?" she asked in a hushed voice.
It was a sword. Tierce just stared at it a moment, not sure how to respond. It looked like a decent blade. Not too fancy, with a slender, tapered blade and what looked to be a keen edge. The boxy pommel and guard were finished with brass, and fresh leather wrapped the grip.
He glanced up at her, unsurely. "Who's is it?"
"Mine." She grinned. "I'm going to wear it to the masquerade tonight."
"Neda, you can't. They'll arrest you if they find you wearing a sword."
"There will be dozens of girls dressed up like Daena tonight, and most of them will have swords. No one is going to check to make sure they're all fake."
"You can't be sure of that."
She just set her jaw."I wasn't asking for your permission, Tierce. I just...I just wanted to show someone. It's a good sword, isn't it?"
There was something in her voice he recognized. He remembered the thrill of getting his own sword. Helpless in the face of her enthusiasm, and more than ever charmed by her daring, he'd only been able to flash her a crooked smile. "It's a good sword."
