He turns without question, solemn and blank-faced as ever. How can he not show any of his feelings? Particularly now. James wasn’t that far away from Hendrix. Once Bex had torn through me she would have killed him as well. We barely made it out alive, and he’s acting so nonchalant, the opposite of my toiling thoughts.
“I wanted to say thank you,” I stress, my voice so shaky it sounds shredded.
“No need.”
I pause. Is he really so conceited that he didn’t notice he wasn’t crafting, had zero control over Bex? “Okay. I still appreciate it.” I walk forward as if I know where we are going.
Better to not elaborate, to not let James dwell on what he felt out there. For once in my life, I’m more than willing to concede credit to him. In fact, I’m grateful he’s an arrogant prick.
“No need to thank me when we both know I did nothing,” he says to my back and it’s like a wave has sucked me under. I’m cold and breathless, drowning.
I slowly pivot, dreading every inch of facing him again with this lie I’m no good at. “What do you mean? You saved me.”
“Farren.”
“Yes?”
“I did nothing.”
I pray my frown looks genuine; my open mouth shocked. “Are you saying I should thank Ditters?”
James shifts his weight. “Thank Ditters, and we’ll have a real problem.”
My confusion comes out in a laugh. I had no idea James disliked him as much as I do. “I won’t then. Must have been all of the trainers at once. I got lucky.”
In three strides James is right before me. I step back at the sudden approach. His eyes search mine.
“I don’t understand. Why is this a secret? You’re a silver-craft—”
“I’m not.” I’m forceful enough to seem steadfast. Because that’s what I’ll need to be. At least iron plated in my conviction.
He gets impossibly closer. It’s like the stairs up to the loft all over again, a push and pull of intense heat. “Tell me why it’s a secret and I’ll never breathe another word of this.”
“I… I can’t. Because I’m not—” I scan the hallway. “I’m not a silver-crafter.” I meant to sound insistent, but damn it, my voice comes out soft, malleable.
“Very convincing,” James further confirms.
“Well, it’s true. You’re not used to being wrong so that’s more of a you problem.”
James nods and for a moment I think he’ll drop it. “Then I guess I’ll go tell everyone you restrained Bex. While we are in town, we could go get you registered. I think you’ll find the test pretty easy.” He swivels.
No. No. I can’t. I can’t let James Murphy ruin everything.With only that thought I craft. A copper coin springs forth from my pocket and binds James’s free wrist. It jerks him enough to make him stumble backward.
His face is a wash of surprise at the link of metal between us. But with a clench of his fist he breaks the copper and then returns the favor. A cuffof metal wraps around my wrist in a cool embrace. I’m about to rip it away but freeze at the color. Even in the dim light pure silver shines.
A test.
I snap my attention back to James and notice where the other end of the metal leads. The silver not held in his hand but circling his own wrist. He’s cuffed us… together. “What are you doing?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. You started this.”
At least he’s not running to tell everyone his theories. But I haven’t thought this through. “Let me go.”
“Craft the silver open yourself.”
“I’ve told you already. I can’t. If you feel like you couldn’t hold Bex by yourself, the trainers must have been helping you.”
“No.” He advances. “And you know how I know? Rohan is a bronze-crafter and Talia a copper. That’s why they were having such a hard time with her.” He glances down at the cuff between us before cutting to me. “So, stop lying, Walsh.”