Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 169943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 850(@200wpm)___ 680(@250wpm)___ 566(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 850(@200wpm)___ 680(@250wpm)___ 566(@300wpm)
But it’s not time to sleep just yet. Gwenna tosses a bunch of ingredients into a stewpot to start a meal and we all relax by the fire, waiting while it bubbles.
“So,” Magpie says.
Everyone’s quiet, regarding her. She seems awkward now that we’re relaxing and there are no orders to bark at us. I discreetly look around for Hawk, but he’s on the edge of camp, leaning up against a tree and just watching us from afar.
“I’m glad you’re with us,” Mereden says in her sweet voice. She clasps her hands over her knees, looking young and innocent, her dark eyes gleaming in the firelight. “You have such a reputation with the guild. I was so excited to meet the legend of so many stories.”
Instead of being flattered, Magpie looks embarrassed. She pats her pockets, grimaces, and, when Lark passes her a skin of water, takes a swig from it instead. “Stories are just that. Stories. Sometimes exaggerated, and sometimes they don’t matter at all. What matters is now.” She grimaces at the water and hands it back. “Speaking of the here and now, have you all thought about names that you’ll take? When you pass?”
I inwardly preen at her assumption that we’ll pass. “Sparrow,” I say proudly. “You can call me Sparrow.”
Lark groans, rolling her eyes. “We know. We know.”
Mereden giggles, her sleeve masking her smile.
“There’s nothing wrong with anticipating success,” I point out, my back stiff. “Your name is Lark, after all, and you don’t see me harassing you about that.”
“That’s because my mother named me that at birth,” Lark points out. “It was her idea. When I pass maybe I’ll change it up. Be ‘Mudlark’ or something.”
Mereden just giggles louder. “ ‘Mudlark’ is a terrible name.”
“Oh, shut up,” Lark says, but there’s a hint of a smile on her face. “Like you’ve picked out something better?”
“I haven’t,” Mereden admits. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. Maybe you can think of one for me.”
“ ‘Tit.’ ”
She scowls at Lark. “You know what? Forget I asked.”
“ ‘Bushtit,’ ” Gwenna says suddenly. Lark howls with delight.
Mereden frowns in her direction. “You’re not helping.”
“I don’t know. I thought ‘Bushtit’ was pretty good,” Gwenna says with a smile. “It beats ‘Chickadee,’ which is what Aspeth thought I should be at first. I think we settled on ‘Wren.’ ”
“ ‘Chickadee’ is a great name,” I protest. “They’re very industrious birds. Happy and busy. They make me think of you.” Perhaps I’m not very good at picking out names. “But if you don’t want to be ‘Chickadee,’ you don’t have to be. Mereden can be ‘Chickadee.’ ”
“Or not,” Mereden says.
Magpie caps the waterskin and slings the strap over her shoulder. “ ‘Wren’ is a nice, unassuming name. ‘Chickadee’ might be too feminine for all the cock-swinging you’ll have to endure with the guild itself. Luckily enough, these names aren’t taken. If I had a coin for every swaggering man who wanted to call himself ‘Raven’ I’d be rich.”
“Or ‘Hawk,’ ” I blurt out immediately, thinking of him.
“What about Hawk?” Magpie asks, and all eyes turn to me.
“Yes, what about Hawk?” he says, chiming in, his gaze on me.
My face flushes hot. “I mean, it’s just a common name, you know? Very masculine. I’m sure a lot of men want that sort of name. Something with a lot of swagger and testosterone. Not that it doesn’t suit you. It does. You’re very masculine. Very suited for something that aggressively male.” I pause, realizing that my words might make it seem as if Hawk is the type to beat me in private if I keep using words like aggressive. “Not aggressively male in a bad way. I just mean—”
“Go on,” he continues, his mouth drawing up in an amused smile. “Please continue to extoll my masculinity.”
If my face got any hotter, it’d be aflame. “I mean, it’s just very lucky that you managed to get the name that’s perfect for you. You would think it wouldn’t be available.”
“So you think it’s perfect for him?” Mereden’s voice is so sweet. “That’s adorable.”
“I didn’t say that!”
“You did.” Hawk is giving me the most hard-to-read look. I can’t tell if he’s choking on laughter or just wants the conversation to end. “As for the name, it was timing. I knew the old Hawk. When he passed, I put in for the name first. I could have just as easily been ‘Goose.’ ”
“ ‘Goose’?” I sputter, forgetting we have an audience. “Oh, you’re far too masculine for something like ‘Goose.’ ”
“She sure keeps saying ‘masculine’ a lot,” Lark mock-whispers to Mereden.
Goddess, I’m just making things worse. “Kipp,” I blurt instead, trying to distract. “What about you? What name do you want?”
The slitherskin shrugs, touching the tip of his tongue to his eyeball, and then moves to Magpie’s side and pats a hand on her. The message is clear. She can pick it.
“Something clever and quick,” Magpie says. “ ‘Swift,’ maybe.”