My targets have such big heads. It would be difficult to miss.

[ she lets her retort hang in the air, bone-dry in its delivery. his ego has allowed his to swell up like an inflated balloon, filled with hot air: easy to aim for, and easy to pop. even this simple act of kindness provokes her into wariness, anticipating the moment he warps it into a heroic achievement. something to be held against her and dangled over her head in the future.

quickly, she snatches each book from him, stacking them face-down in some pointless endeavor to hide their covers. the contents of her ... collection, so to speak, are yet another secret she would prefer to leave hidden in the dark. the back of her own sleeve swipes down lingering specks of stubborn dirt particles before she moves to gather them in her arms, muffling the grunt of exertion she nearly makes. ]

They're all adventure books, [ she insists, stiffly. ] From Alydhion. The others must be looking for new reading material by now.