Read Online Leaves of Revolution by Breeana Puttroff - Free Book Online

whole body and trickles of sweat formed at his brow and under the collar of his crumple shirt.
    “Nothing like putting you on the spot, huh?” Quinn said softly.
    “What offer?” Linnea asked.
    Thomas and William both shot her looks that should have been able to bring a train to a halt, but which Zander knew were powerless against a determined Linnea. He couldn’t even be irritated by it. Instead, he found himself stifling a grin as he answered her question. “An offer to train as a guard.”
    Quinn took a step toward him. “Sudden pressure notwithstanding – it’s an offer, not an obligation.”
    “I don’t know. I’m starting to get the impression that you need me more than I need a job.”
    “Who could have guessed you’d be as good at reading situations like this as you are at trig?”
    That hit him like an arrow in the gut, but he took a deep breath and met her half-smile. “I’m way better at this than I am at trig – you were just bad enough at it that you didn’t know the difference.”
    “I might need to count on that.”
    “If I agree to be your guard.”
    “The fake hesitation has outlived cute now, Zander.” Linnea said, rolling her eyes.
    “Fine,” he sighed. “Does it at least mean I get to carry a sword?”
    Quinn smirked and held up one finger before crossing the room to the area behind the desk. At first, he didn’t understand what she was doing as she ran her fingers down the line between two of the polished wooden wall panels, but then she pulled a panel back, revealing a dark cupboard. Reaching inside, she retrieved a long, heavy-looking object wrapped in green velvet.
    He knew what it was before she reached him with it, but he still wasn’t expecting what he saw when she laid it on the back of the couch and opened the cloth.
    The sword was brand new; the shiny steel glinted in the light of the fire when he pulled it from its sheath. There wasn’t a scratch on it.
    Everyone stayed back as he lifted it to look; it was sharp enough that he could have sliced through the couch cushions without making a noise – but it was also perfectly balanced and exactly the right length.
    “I wasn’t just being measured for clothes, was I?”
    Quinn smiled. “What fun would that be?”
    “You were this sure I’d say yes?” The sword was the same as those carried by Quinn’s highest guards – Marcus, Dorian, James … the same sword Ben had carried. The hilt was overlaid with swirls of gold surrounding the Philothean crest, and underneath that was an inscription. Sir Zander Cunningham.
    “No. When I said the offer wasn’t an obligation, Zander, I meant it. I…” She looked at William. “We commissioned this shortly after Ben’s death, even before we returned to Philotheum.”
    There was something in his throat that was making it hard to speak – hard to breathe, really – so he just nodded.
    “I wouldn’t practice with that one, unless you aren’t especially attached to your fingers,” Thomas said, breaking the tension.
    Zander slid the sword back into its sheath. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He looked back and forth between Quinn and William. “Thank you… I don’t really know what else to say.”
    “I know,” Quinn said. “But you deserve it. Thomas is right, of course, that you still need some more training before carrying it everywhere, but we’re all learning on the job in this castle.”
    “Yeah.” He ran his fingers along the leather carrying strap of the sheath, feeling the smooth, oiled texture.
    Just then, the baby started squeaking in William’s arms – though he’d been sound asleep only moments before.
    “All right,” Quinn said, sighing. “We have one more day with our family here, and we’re missing it. Whatever is going on with Callum Haddon can wait until we either have news, or until they’re gone. Tolliver’s taken enough without taking our time with them, too.”
     
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    In spite of the