Ember closed her eyes. She could see the full moon and the crescent sliver. Tears of blood rained from the night sky. “Silence and Sorrow.”
Hearing Barrow expel a slow, even breath, Ember glanced at him to find he was nodding.
“Fine names,” Morag said solemnly.
Gazing at the blades’ mirror-like surface, Ember thought she caught a glimpse of the moonlight and crimson tears—as if her vision were captured within the very steel.
Ember broke out of her reverie, eyes narrowing. “These are weapons of the East?”
“China,” Morag told her.
“And you’ve followed the overland route that distance?” Ember asked. “As the spice merchants do?”
Morag laughed. “I couldn’t spare the time. If I took a caravan to the East anytime I needed to make inquiries about their weaponry, I would never forge a blade of my own.”
“But you said you could craft these wheels because you apprenticed there,” Ember said.
Morag looked at Barrow sharply. “She doesn’t know?”
“Later,” Barrow said, putting a hand on Ember’s shoulder. “Let’s give you a chance to test these blades.”
“Hold, knight.” Morag laughed. “You lot are always too eager to skip the rote lesson for the sake of letting your blades fly. The girl should know our magic.”
Barrow smiled with chagrin. “Very well. Teach on, Morag.”
With a snort, Morag turned to Ember. “The vows of Conatus require that we submit to the will of this earth. We are the shield that pushes back corruption that would taint God’s creation.”
Ember nodded and Barrow took up the story: “The Crusades taught the Church that we aren’t alone in this battle against darkness. The Templars were born to seize the Holy Land for Christians—but Conatus was born of the Templars for a purpose altogether different.”
“Father Michael said we learned from the Saracens,” Ember said quietly. “That we share our wisdom.”
“Our sometime enemies in the mortal war prove our allies when we fight for that which is immortal,” Barrow said. “And we rely on constant correspondence to increase our skills.”
“I understand the reasoning behind this cooperation,” Ember answered. “But Morag spoke of an apprenticeship without a journey.”
Morag smiled. “Not without a journey, lass, but a journey other than what you imagined. You were called to the Guard, but there are other gifts that bind our numbers to Conatus. The clerics have uncovered some of the earth’s greatest secrets. Secrets that render the impossible possible. That make a journey to the Orient take only a moment rather than months.”
“How can that be?” Ember asked breathlessly.
Barrow shifted the sword at his waist and coughed.
Morag glanced at him. “Your companion is eager to train you. And here I’ll agree that you must see the magic at work to truly understand it.”
Barrow bowed deeply to Morag. “We are, as ever, indebted to your skill.”
The blacksmith inclined her head.
“Thank you,” Ember said as she returned the first wheel to its slipcover and discovered that the two cases were designed to hook onto her belt. With the weapons hanging comfortably at her side, she hurried to catch Barrow, who had already made his way back to the courtyard.
Her irritation bubbled over when she fell in step beside him. “What did she mean?”
Barrow didn’t answer, only walked more quickly in the direction of the practice fields.
“When will I see this wonder?” Ember asked. “Will I travel to the Orient?”
He stopped, returning her hard gaze without flinching. He didn’t speak, and a moment later it was Ember who pulled her eyes away.
“You are one of us,” Barrow said quietly. “But you are here to learn, not trot off to sate your appetite for travel. And I am to teach you. Trust that I will meet that task.”
Ember kept her head bowed, following when Barrow continued on his path. But after a few steps she came to a halting stop. She couldn’t be certain if it was shock or outrage traveling over Barrow’s face when he realized she wasn’t following and wheeled around.
“I am here to serve.” She forced herself to speak calmly. “But not to be led around because my own ignorance blinds me. You are my teacher. You’ve just said this yourself. Give me the knowledge I seek.”
His brow furrowed as he walked slowly toward her. He looked her up and down.
“Have I truly angered you this much?”
Ember frowned, thinking her words hadn’t been that harsh. Then she noticed him looking at her hands. Unbeknownst even to her, they’d clenched into tight fists at her sides, bloodless and shaking. It took a surprising amount of will for her to pry her own fingers free of their furious pose. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“I—” She didn’t want to look at Barrow. This outburst had nothing to do with him or her impatience with her schooling in the ways of the Guard. Tears that had begun to burn beneath her eyelids made her squeeze them closed so none could escape.
“Perhaps you’re right,” Barrow murmured. “If you have questions, I’ll hear them. My desire was only not to delay your training. You’ll need your weapon sooner than you might think.”
Ember hoped that her tears were gone when she forced her eyes open. She was about to apologize when Barrow turned away from her, waving for her to follow him. He swung around, no longer heading toward the practice field but instead toward the stable. Her spirit surged at the possibility of another outing with Caber, but she kept silent, regretful of her rash words. Barrow had done nothing to deserve her childish temper. She was lucky he’d taken her disrespectful tone in stride. Part of her wondered why he hadn’t simply sent her back to the barracks with some punishment to carry out—like scrubbing the floors or, worse, emptying all the chamber pots.
Instead of punishment Ember received what felt like a reward for her complaints. Barrow seemed thoughtful, his only words to her when they reached the stable: “Ready your mount.”
Caber snorted and immediately began banging his hooves against the stall when he saw Ember approaching. She fondly patted his soft nose, laughing when he tried once again to chew on the ring of braids that crowned her head.
When she led the horse from the stable, fully tacked and ready for the ride, Barrow was waiting with Toshach. He remained silent as he swung into the saddle, leaving Ember to guess that she was expected to do the same. Toshach was already heading for the gates at a fast clip when Ember mounted Caber. The young stallion tossed his head, impatient to follow.