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It was then that I realized exactly where the voice was cos under my arm

Chapter 13

Goosebumps rippled all the way up my hands, round The rags cushioned the sword’s landing, and it only ht thunk

“Ouch” And that That was the other sound itthe sword, incontrovertibly the source of the voice Either that or I really was going insane

“Are you really talking?” There was no one else in sight I didn’t like how this was going “Really Is that you doing that?”

“I don’t see how any of this can be surprising to you,” the sword said At least it seeently in time with its words I couldn’t say how I could tell, exactly, but I knew that the thing was being sassy with me

“Don’t you take that tone witha conversation with so it, actually, and I could sense that it was sulking back so else? Thea’s spheres, the Dark Rooic telekinesis? I took a breath, forcing myself to settle

“I feel like I’y,” the sword said

“I could say the sa it up tothe hilt with its pattern of red jewels so I could actually hear it speak – which hen I realized that the voice’s quality hadn’t changed The sword hadn’t been s “Wait You’re talking directly into my mind, aren’t you?”

“Nifty trick, isn’t it? Who needs a ht into someone’s brain”

“Yeah,” I said, wondering ifup how creepy I found all this Of course, this meant that anyone I passed on the street would think I was talking to e of weirdoes roa any attention to h my pockets for earphones At least I’d look like I was on a call

“Listen,” I said “Don’t take this the wrong way but I’m kind of surprised that you speak so, I don’t know, conventionally Like any guy off the street” I couldn’t tell you how I knew that, either, but that’s what the sword sounded like in e and accent “You’re a sword Shouldn’t your speech be, I don’t know”

“Regal?” There was a sneering quality to the sword’s voice I didn’t think it was possible for inanimate objects to be so spiteful, but there ere “Archaic? Would it help if I adjusted my vernacular in accordance with the lofty expectations you’ve set of me? Shall I speak with formality, in academic tones? Is the pattern of my speech not sufficiently esoteric?”

“Wow Tone it doith the sarcasm It was just a question”

The sword scoffed “My previous owner – not the poor nut who stole me fro roos And besides, who’s to say how old I really am, anyway?”