As I’d hoped and suspected, I found Blue in one of the fenced-off areas near the stables, hurling throwing knives at targets pinned to bales of hay. Her enchanted utility belt replenished the weapons as she launched them. She loved using those knives for taking out targets quickly, though the hunting knife in the holster of her belt was her favorite weapon.
The hood of her trusty powder blue cloak—which she almost always wore—was up and covered her hair. She faced the other way as I approached, totally in the zone of her practice. I hopped over the fence and snuck up behind her. When I was only a few feet away, I threw my axe at the target. Her last shot had hit the bullseye, but since my weapon wielded more power, it knocked Blue’s knife from its place.
Blue spun around. “Rude.”
I shru
