Rift by Andrea Cremer

watched her face and his eyes narrowed. He stepped beside her, leaning down to whisper.
    “What ails you?”
    Every buried fear, nagging doubt planted beneath her skin by her family surfaced. If Barrow doubted her place among the Guard, perhaps she didn’t belong here. What if her father was right? She couldn’t bear it.
    Alistair touched her shoulder, drawing her slightly apart from the others and peering at her face in concern. “Ember?”
    Ember managed to choke out her confession. “Barrow didn’t want me.”
    Something about her words made Alistair stiffen.
    “Of course not,” he said. “And why would you desire otherwise? He’s too brutal to guide an initiate. And it’s better for you to be trained by a woman—Sorcha has been wanting a squire, and no man would have a woman try to teach him swordplay.”
    His words stung Ember more than Barrow’s lie. Did he think so little of her? When he’d given her a sword and taught her to use it, had it only been in fun?
    Sorcha was still laughing. “You’re caught in your own web now, my friend. You’ll have to take her on or her father will cry foul.”
    “Surely you jest.” Alistair snorted. “Barrow has no call for an apprentice.”
    “Do you know me so well, boy?” Barrow’s eyebrows went up.
    Alistair scowled at the word boy, but he inclined his head in reluctant acknowledgment of Barrow’s station. “Forgive me, my lord. Ember is a dear friend. I only spoke out of concern for her well-being.”
    “Do you fear I would offer an initiate of the Guard ill treatment?” Barrow asked.
    “I—” Alistair struggled, glancing around the room to find all gazes upon him. “I meant no insult. Sorcha had claimed Ember, so it seems right that she would be the one to train her.”
    “Politics outweigh intent,” Sorcha said, smiling at Alistair. “You’ll find that is often the case, even when it comes to the Guard. We value our swords, but we know they can’t always win the day.”
    “Bearing in mind that young Alistair is still serving as squire to Kael, I have decided it follows that I should lay claim to this girl,” Barrow said. “We’ll complete your training together.”
    Alistair’s face darkened as he listened to Barrow. “You’ll remain Ember’s mentor, then?”
    Ember couldn’t understand Alistair’s glowering when she was ready to shout for joy. Not only was she going to join the Guard, but her life would be training side by side with her best friend.
    Barrow was still considering Alistair’s statement. He turned to Ember. She straightened up, hoping that all traces of embarrassment had vanished from her face.
    “If the girl will have me,” he said, “I would be honored to train her.”
    She started at his words. Accept the training of Barrow Hess? What madness would keep her from agreeing? Well, what madness other than an instinctive fear of Barrow’s ferocious reputation. She wondered if she could make it through a round on the practice field against him. But he’d just said it meant that she and Alistair would train together. Having Kael’s laughter and Alistair’s friendship to offset Barrow’s stern demeanor would be reassuring as she found her place among the Guard. No doubt she’d have to endure an inordinate amount of teasing from Kael and Alistair, but it would be worth it.
    Barrow continued, keeping his gaze on Ember though she thought he spoke for Alistair’s benefit. “Ember comes from a landed family with great influence. Even the Circle must sometimes concede to the will of the nobles. We cannot show signs of doubt before them. If Edmund Morrow objects to women fighting in the Guard, it will only fortify his case should we place Ember in Sorcha’s care. If he were to take his complaint to the other nobles, it could cause great trouble.”
    Alistair nodded, but he glared at Barrow before casting his gaze on Sorcha.
    “I agree,” Sorcha said. “I withdraw my claim on the girl. Let her be trained by