Eithan’s expression upon seeing Penance.
“I was watching you last night, when the Abidan took out the arrowhead,” Lindon said.
Eithan nodded. “Yes, that was a…surprise. I had intended to spend several more years helping you grow, but now I’m afraid our time grows short. Which leaves me in a dilemma. I don’t know which way to go.”
Lindon leaned forward, hungry for more information.
“I will be unusually candid with you both: I had plans for losing this tournament. For helping one of you win. For Sophara winning. I try to make sure that no matter what happens, we benefit.”
Lindon appreciated being included in that statement.
“I am not certain that winning Penance is the most desirable outcome for us.”
Yerin and Lindon both stared at him, confused. Lindon felt almost betrayed.
He held up a hand. “It would be preferable for one of us to win, of course. But preventing the invasion of the Blackflame Empire is a temporary solution. It restores the status quo.”
Eithan stared off into the distance, still tapping his scissors on his thigh, speaking almost to himself. “We have to break what is normal. Rewrite the rules. And to do that, we must be strong.”
“Eithan,” Lindon said hesitantly, “what are you talking about?”
“Sorry! Sorry. I’m saying that the only true solution is for us to improve as quickly as we can. For me, winning the tournament might not be the best way to do that. Then again, maybe it is. So is it better to win or to lose?”
Eithan took a deep breath. “And what if I decide to win, but I lose anyway? That would be beyond embarrassing, wouldn’t it? But it is possible. Even likely, in some cases. What if I go all-out and win, only to find that I have revealed too much and regret it after the tournament?”
He took in the looks on their faces and winced. “I’m sorry. I habitually cultivate an air of omnipotence, mystery, and sheer charisma, but I have as many worries as the rest of you. No need to burden yourselves with them, I just wanted to assure you for once that indeed, I am human.”
For several breaths, neither Yerin nor Lindon knew what to say.
Little Blue gave an encouraging chime.
“You should drop that mask more often,” Yerin said at last.
Like Eithan, she was unusually sincere. She faced him seriously, arms crossed. “I’m not polishing you up when I say you’ve done a lot for us, and we’re grateful. You called us your family and stuck your name on us. But until you trust us, you’re no family of mine.”
That rocked him in place. Or at least, he acted as though it did.
Which was exactly the problem. Lindon couldn’t tell how much of Eithan was real.
“Apologies,” Lindon said, “but it’s true.” He had never trusted Eithan as much as he did Yerin. Despite knowing him almost as long, Lindon knew next to nothing about Eithan.
Eithan closed his eyes again and took a long breath. His madra stirred and smoothed itself out.
“This is…an area in which I regularly fail. I suppose I should take steps to work against that mistake, shouldn’t I?” He cleared his throat and opened his eyes.
“Please help me.”
It sounded so unlike Eithan that he might as well have spoken a different language. Lindon felt lost, and Yerin’s eyes were wide.
“Now,” Eithan said, “I suppose you need to understand me in order to offer me your advice. I do not know the identity of my opponent. I can stretch my bloodline perception outside, but not to the point of penetrating the other room, and of course I have had no time to investigate the other competitors since last night.”
“Can you win?” Yerin asked.
“I don’t know who’s out there, do I?”
“Still asking.”
One side of his mouth quirked up. “Yes. It is possible for me to defeat anyone in the Uncrowned King tournament. But any of the three young women I might face right now are also capable of defeating me.”
“Then draw swords,” she said simply. “It’s a tournament. Play to win.”
Lindon considered his own response. He thought over what he knew of Eithan, and what Eithan had expressed only moments before.
“It has to be hard,” Lindon said at last. “Hiding what you can do, I mean. Keeping people unsure.”
“Sometimes it is. It can be fun. Sometimes it’s both.”
Lindon reached into his pocket and felt Suriel’s marble. “Then let fate decide. I want to see what you can really do.”
Eithan reached into his own pocket for something that Lindon couldn’t sense. His