Burning Bridges Read Free Page B

two, I end up in trouble with Mother. ” They giggled.
    “ You say that as if it ’ s a bad thing, sister. ” Shadow stopped at a parlor, grabbed a red, ripe apple, and took a juicy bite out of its flesh. I rolled my eyes, hating the way she paraded around the place misusing our titles. The vendor said nothing, but looked on with distaste.
    “ You could pay for that, you know? ” I said. “ I would believe those people have a reason for being out here other than to offer you free food. ”
    “ How so? ” Shadow took another hardy bit from the apple. It was pointless, so I let it go.
    “ Stop the bickering, knuckle heads, and follow me. You ’ ll want to see this, Echo. ” Ezily raced ahead of us, her boots scuffling at the dirt as she weaved between throngs of people, not caring who she bumped into.
    “ Wait up, Ez! ” Shadow screamed. She tossed me her apple and ran after Ezily.
    Disgusted, I dropped the half eaten core to the ground and left it there to lie in the soil. “ I don ’ t suppose you expect me to eat that! ” I shouted. But Shadow and Ezily were long gone.
    I swear, sometimes those two act as if they are five years old.
    Sighing at their pathetic game, I slipped off my shoes, lifted my dress at the hem, and scurried after them. At least I was decent enough to apologize when I tipped over someone ’ s basket or knocked them to the ground. Though, t hey didn ’ t seem to mind one bit. T heir mouths hung open wide as they gawked at the Princess in awe , something that had long begun to bother me .
    “ You two have got to show me how you run like that, ” I slurred, resting my hands on my knees. Shadow and Ezily were sitting on a bench, their faces dressed in a coolly manor as if my lungs weren ’ t about to burst from my chest. “ Now, this ‘ thing ’ had better be good. I just ran across the market barefooted for this. ”
    “ Quit whining, ” Ezily retorted with a shake of her head. She got up and moved over to the big tree that accentuated the central park area of the market. It was then that I noticed the big target painted on the tree ’ s trunk. “ I ’ ve decided t o teach you a few things about a rchery. ”
    I gasped, m y eyes immediately going to Shadow. “ You ’ re kidding? Without Father ’ s consent? ”
    Shadow shrugged a shoulder indolently and pulled her bow and arrow from the sheath on her back. “ What he doesn ’ t know won ’ t kill him. The geezer is so busy dictating the Haven that he won ’ t notice you ’ ve obtained a few skills. ” She handed me the bow and I nestled the arrow within it, aiming for the target on the tree.
    “ If you hit me, I swear to the gods I ’ ll pluck every one of those pretty little hairs out of your head and sell it to M iss Bluejay for her new recipe. W ho , by the way, made your birthday cake last year, ” Ezily said , moving away as far from the target as she could get.
    Shadow laughed, but I was too focused to bother with either one of them now. I couldn ’ t even believe I was holding an actual Tigress bow, the one thing I ’ d been dying to get my hands on since I saw Shadow take out her first boar when I was five. I felt rejuvenated—alive—as my fingers shook timidly to get the right aim. Even though I didn ’ t know the first (or last) thing about shooting a bow, I was eager to see how well I could do.
    “ Keep your chin up, never look at your hands. Your elbow should be in accordance with your shoulder. Feet slightly apart and never—and I mean never —take your eyes off the target, ” Shadow instructed. As she adjusted my posture, I felt somewhat prideful.
    “ Oh, ” shouted Ezily, briefly breaking my concentration. “ Don ’ t forget to, you know, not kill me . ” She looked at Shadow. “ That ’ s not on the top of the list, really? ”
    Shadow smirked, and then patted my shoulder as a signal to go whenever I was ready. “ Have at it. But seriously, don ’ t kill her. She ’ s my ride back