Status: next few chapters being written
City of Stones
Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Thwap! The arrow sailed into the target about an inch away from being a bullseye. I glowered at it fiercely before walking over to it and ripping it out of the target. I strode back to the line that marked out fifty feet and prepared to shoot the arrow again.
“Al, you’ve been at it for like an hour. Give it a rest.” Niko said suddenly in my ear.
I released the arrow in surprise and it flew straight over the target and into the rock wall behind it where it snapped in half. I turned my scowl on him.
“Don’t hurt me.” Niko said, raising his hands in defense. “I didn’t know you were gonna shoot it.”
“You owe me an arrow.” I snarled.
“Okay, jeez just calm down.” he said, holding up his hands defensively.
I let out an angry breath in a huff before stalking over to the broken arrow and picking it up. It had splintered almost exactly in half. I turned my gaze on Niko.
“This was one of my best arrows.” I stated.
“I’ll give you my best one, I promise.” he said, starting to walk over towards me.
I snorted. “No you won’t.”
He grinned at me. “Caught on, eh?” he asked.
This wasn’t the first time that Niko had broken one of my arrows and promised to give me one of his. He never kept those promises. I rolled my eyes and he laughed before becoming serious again.
“My dad’s looking for you.” he said.
I scowled slightly. “Why?”
Niko rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Um, I think the prince requested to talk to you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And Jonah thinks I will? He’s delusional.”
“Oh, come on, Al!” Niko pleaded. “If the prince is requesting to talk to you he may tell you why he came here. We need to know!” he said forcefully.
“Why can’t someone else talk to him?” I demanded.
“He’s refusing to speak until you come.” Niko replied.
“Brat,” I muttered.
Niko smiled slightly. “Please, Al?”
I looked away from Niko out over the archery range. My anger had subsided by now. The arrow wasn’t that big of a deal, and I had been planning to avoid the prince. But that plan was ruined now. I glanced back at Niko, who was staring at me pleadingly.
“Don’t give me that look,” I snapped. “That’s not fair, you know it always works.”
Niko’s face stayed pleading. I glared at him. He knew that I always fell for that face. I always fell for guilt trips too. I sighed in frustration before looking away.
“Fine, I’ll talk to the damn prince.” I said in defeat.
Niko grinned.
Thwap! The arrow sailed into the target about an inch away from being a bullseye. I glowered at it fiercely before walking over to it and ripping it out of the target. I strode back to the line that marked out fifty feet and prepared to shoot the arrow again.
“Al, you’ve been at it for like an hour. Give it a rest.” Niko said suddenly in my ear.
I released the arrow in surprise and it flew straight over the target and into the rock wall behind it where it snapped in half. I turned my scowl on him.
“Don’t hurt me.” Niko said, raising his hands in defense. “I didn’t know you were gonna shoot it.”
“You owe me an arrow.” I snarled.
“Okay, jeez just calm down.” he said, holding up his hands defensively.
I let out an angry breath in a huff before stalking over to the broken arrow and picking it up. It had splintered almost exactly in half. I turned my gaze on Niko.
“This was one of my best arrows.” I stated.
“I’ll give you my best one, I promise.” he said, starting to walk over towards me.
I snorted. “No you won’t.”
He grinned at me. “Caught on, eh?” he asked.
This wasn’t the first time that Niko had broken one of my arrows and promised to give me one of his. He never kept those promises. I rolled my eyes and he laughed before becoming serious again.
“My dad’s looking for you.” he said.
I scowled slightly. “Why?”
Niko rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Um, I think the prince requested to talk to you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And Jonah thinks I will? He’s delusional.”
“Oh, come on, Al!” Niko pleaded. “If the prince is requesting to talk to you he may tell you why he came here. We need to know!” he said forcefully.
“Why can’t someone else talk to him?” I demanded.
“He’s refusing to speak until you come.” Niko replied.
“Brat,” I muttered.
Niko smiled slightly. “Please, Al?”
I looked away from Niko out over the archery range. My anger had subsided by now. The arrow wasn’t that big of a deal, and I had been planning to avoid the prince. But that plan was ruined now. I glanced back at Niko, who was staring at me pleadingly.
“Don’t give me that look,” I snapped. “That’s not fair, you know it always works.”
Niko’s face stayed pleading. I glared at him. He knew that I always fell for that face. I always fell for guilt trips too. I sighed in frustration before looking away.
“Fine, I’ll talk to the damn prince.” I said in defeat.
Niko grinned.