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I nursed my bleeding hand, trying to figure out what to do now. I had clearly dropped my cover, and someone was sure to have noticed. My cheeks were still glowing from anger at myself. If one of them killed me I’d deserve it. I deserved anything that happened to me after that. I should have known better.

“Don’t pretend we didn’t see you as you are,” Þorunn snarled, striding past in pursuit of the goose.  “We aren’t as lacking in wit as you seem to think.”

I grinned. Aydin had once said he’d only seen me grin when I was angry. It was more like the snarl of a wolf than an expression of happiness, but he was the only person who had ever figured that out.

“Many have said so, yet here I am,” I purred,

Of course, she thought she’d won. Arrogant fool. She had no idea who I was. But she would, oh, she would. When my knife was sliding along her throat or buried itself between her shoulder blades.

I had known her only for a few minutes, but already, I had made up my mind that she wouldn’t live. I didn’t hate her. She wasn’t worth hating. But she was in my way, and that was dangerous.

I heard footsteps behind me and looked over my shoulder, sharply. It was Karayan, and I could see he was trying to suppress a smile.

“I must say, my dear, you had that coming if you thought you could tame a goose.”  He pulled a wad of loose bandages out of his pocket and approached her. He moved calmly, unhurriedly. He wasn’t trying to attack me.

“Let me see to it, I have a deal of medicinal training.”

I smiled and reached for my own bandages that I always carried tucked in my pouch. Injuries were common, and I always had an excuse for them on hand.

“Thank you, but–” The bandages were gone and I huffed in annoyance. “You know, I’d appreciate that.”

Time for plan B. ‘Weak, innocent damsel’ wasn’t working out. I couldn’t completely change course, or they’d definitely realize I’d been faking, but I could tone it down to be more amicable and less shy. Perhaps I could make them like me. Though I didn’t believe in miracles, and that would take several.

“I suppose I should have expected it,” I grinned. “Geese are as bad as broody turkey hens. And they’re just like cobras.”

“I’m sorry for my language. I’ve been trying to break the habit, but it stuck,” I rolled my eyes. “I eternally have my older brothers to blame for that.”

I didn’t have siblings, but it was an easy excuse. I’d always wanted them, but it had never happened. Now, Father and Mother were alone. Could Father still make a living from weaving? I shook the thoughts out of my head. I was here, they were there, and never would we meet. I couldn’t see them again. I wasn’t their daughter anymore, not the one who had left three years ago.

“Now, how do you think one should go about catching a malevolent goose?” I mused. “Now I figured out what not to do, we have one less option.”

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@skylarynn  @this-is-not-an-alien