Dagger of Jade

Chapter 1

He hesitated and I smiled again, putting every ounce of charm into it. His sigh told me I had won him over. "Yes, but only quickly, my father will not be happy I am selling to you at all, money or not."

"Thank you, Thomas, thank you so much." He briskly unlocked the door and opened it, stepping in. The apothecary shop had a small front room, the walls lined with shelves and filled with herbs, teas, and tools used for healing, and a back room that could be accessed through a wooden door. That was where he kept all the hard herbs, the ones used for decimating pain caused from injury or major illnesses, but had the tendency to get a user hooked, unable to stop taking them even after any and all pain was gone. I knew because these were what I had started giving my mom when teas and antibiotics stopped working, when the pain of coughing up blood and never sleeping became too much. Luckily, Thomas had given me a quick lesson in doses and the correct amount so my mother would not become reliant on the drugs - not that she would live long enough to do so though.

I walked quickly towards the wooden door, but Thomas grabbed my wrist turning my attention on him. "I can't stay, my father is expecting me home for dinner and if I am late... well you know how he is and," he trailed off and an image of the sweet boy with a black, bruised eye invaded my thoughts. Rage boiled up inside me and I gritted my teeth. Thomas' father was a horrible man. A horrible, abusive man to both Thomas and his mother.

I let the rage float away and brought a small smile to my mouth, "I know where the spare keys are Thomas," I winked, "I won't forget to lock up."

I hadn't realized how close Thomas and I had been standing until his eyes flicked down to my full lips. It wasn't that Thomas was unattractive, don't get me wrong he was certainly appealing to the eye, and his personality was great too, but Thomas' family was world wealthier than mine and we would never work. His father viewed us as lesser people because of our funds, or lack thereof, and wouldn't even sell to me when he was the one working the shop.

I pulled away abruptly and something like sadness flashed across Thomas' face. "We can't, Thomas."

"I know," he sighed. "I know, Revelynn, but it doesn't change the fact that I want to."

"Thomas-" I started before he interrupted me.

"I would trade all of this, you know. I would trade all of my money, my wealth, to be with you, forever, if you would just let me," His head hung as he spoke, staring at something on the floor.

I grabbed his chin, forcing his eyes to meet mine. "It would never sit right with me if you did that. I live this life, this life of poverty and hunger. Some days my sixteen year old sister wakes up and doesn't get to eat at all. Some days I hunt in the woods for food all day and night, frostbite as threatening as a dagger to your throat, and still come home with nothing. How could I subject you, someone who has lived comfortably their entire life, to suffer through that? I would protect anyone from falling into that life, especially you."

His hand raised to cup my cheek, and he spoke softly, "But then who is there to protect you, Revelynn?"

I stilled, ice shooting through my veins. "Thom-"

This time I was not cut off by his words, but instead by his lips taking mine. The kiss was soft and hesitant at first but slowly grew more hungry and his hands snaked around my waist pulling me closer. We had kissed like this only once before, when I was teaching him how to make a bow and arrows about two years ago. I had pulled away immediately and slapped him, hard, across the face. We hadn't kissed since, but it didn't stop the longing glances he cast in my direction whenever he thought I was not looking.

I didn't love him, not like he loved me, but I cared enough to not let him sacrifice everything for us to be together.

I pushed away, bringing up a hand to cover my mouth.