"Abyss. Not a bad name. That's settled, then." Zeng Mu nodded, looking thoroughly pleased.
He gazed at Yenaier's face, a hint of intoxication in his eyes.
She bore some resemblance to Xibizete: that chiseled jaw, those sharply defined cheekbones, those ears that flared outward and tapered slightly at the tips. Perfect.
"When did you come to Sand City? I heard you're the only female knight in the whole city?"
Yenaier did not reproach him for staring. On the contrary, she had a fairly good impression of him. She met his gaze and said, "A few months ago. About five, I suppose. I came to Sand City with my uncle before Knight Commanders Aikimu and William arrived."
"There aren't many female knights to begin with, and fewer still happen to come to Sand City. With my background alone, I probably couldn't have joined the Vanguard Corps, no matter how skilled I was."
"Are you very skilled?" Zeng Mu asked.
Her hand immediately closed around her black sword hilt. "Interested?" she asked quietly. "Want to try me?"
"Not now. Let's talk about it when we get back." Zeng Mu was no fighting fanatic. He had no desire to fight her, even in a sparring match.
"Ah, what a boring fellow." Her fingers relaxed, and she rested her hand on her hip.
Abyss neighed beside them.
She pointed at him. "See? He's accepted you completely. He won't even let anyone say a bad word about you. If he weren't a little fond of me, he'd probably kick me clear away."
She glanced at Abyss, then turned her eyes back to Zeng Mu's face. Her voice grew a little colder than even Xibizete's. "Treat him well from now on. It doesn't matter if you lose your life. What matters is keeping him alive."
Zeng