Crow wavered on the bank when Penelope ignored his suggestion to cross the river somewhere else. Was she really that oblivious? He knew he was a skilled actor, but she didn’t even pause to question why he would want to look for shallower waters. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, reddening slightly when she accused him of being scared of the water. What a ridiculous statement. He wasn’t [i]scared[/i] of the river; it just made him a bit uneasy. That was all. Besides, even if he was afraid, it would be perfectly rational. He barely knew how to swim, and the currents in this river were particularly fast…

Okay, maybe he [i]was[/i] a little nervous to cross.

“Stop,” Crow said, lowering his gaze and taking a calming breath. He couldn’t believe he was about to admit this to a knight, but what other choice did he have? Pretending he was a confident swimmer and following after her would have been foolish at this point. He would rather live with some embarrassment than die on a prideful endeavor.

“So, I can’t swim, okay?” Crow went on without looking up. “I never learned. It’s not really a skill that’s taught in most of the outer villages, so not many people know how.” He met Penelope’s gaze with a defensive glare. “I know this must be hilarious to you, being an educated noble and all, but some of us don’t get that luxury. Now, can we please look for another way across that doesn’t involve me drowning?”