523 Let’s Get One (1/2)

”Alright!” Lone nodded confidently, ”Let's get one, then?”

”Yeah... like that'll ever happen...” Coraline let out a deeply sarcastic sigh, rolling her eyes to accentuate Mister Lone's stupidity.

”Wait, what? Why not?” Lone looked thoroughly confused.

She shook her head, laughing derisively... ”Formation Mages are absurdly rare! Even rarer than a Calculator... Maybe we can get a formation expert... but they'll be a different Class, for sure-- and a hundred-thousand times LESS effective.

”And thus,” Coraline gestured her hand in a circle, ”even if we DID find that... they could take suns or even WEEKS to craft a unique ritual, Mister Lone.”

”I don't get--”

”We have barely HALF A SUN before the Golden Eagle lands!” She shouted.

Lone raised an eyebrow, ”Well... that won't be a problem? I have a way to handle the formations.”

Hah.

Wait, what?

Excitement surged in Coraline's heart... but that was WRONG! Lone was WRONG! He was also STUPID! She immediately mushed those feelings down!

What could he possibly know about formations? He wasn't even a Circle Mage!

She spoke haltingly to convey her annoyance, ”I'm - very - doubtful - that that is true.”

B l e i g h .

The boy smiled... a gentle smile that, despite her best efforts, put Coraline's heart at ease, ”You said you trusted me, right?”

She'd nearly forgotten. Lone was the only person on the ship with that privilege...

Which meant... there was A WAY!!

If Lone wasn't lying, finding the Blades of the Forgotten King was no longer an impossible task! She'd be able to fulfill her obligation to Master Highblade and not feel so useless about herself!

Coraline was so happy, she could almost kiss the boy! She grabbed onto Lone's shoulders and gazed dreamily into his deep, brown eyes.

Oh. OH, NO! What was she doing?!

*PAP!*

She slapped the side of the boy's face, knocking him to the side. His durable skull thumped on the sharp corner of one of the stairs.

”W...whyyyYYy...” The boy groaned in pain, clutching the side of his head.

Coraline bit her upper lip, her mind racing to think of an excuse... ”It was... a happy slap.”

...Stars and stones. That was the dumbest thing she'd ever said in her life.

”Yeah?” Lone righted himself, sitting with his legs splayed out, ”Can... I hit you back, then?”

”Yes! Of course!” Coraline nodded.

That was... fair. She believed in fairness. She sat up and obediently closed her eyes, ”Go on, then! You only get one!”

She was a bit nervous. It made her feel very... vulnerable.

It made her think back to the time she fell asleep on Lone's shoulder. What she was doing now was basically giving him permission to do... whatever he did back then.

Maybe... maybe he'd even try to kiss her?

Should she let him?

...He deserved that much.

--But she'd definitely slap him again if he did! 'Miss Coraline' was not an easy woman!