Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“Sorry,” Sophie mumbled, lowering her eyes. “I was just trying to
compare you to the other trolls I’ve seen, and—”
“So you can understand me!” Tarina interrupted, and Sophie
realized they must’ve switched to speaking in Trollish. “The empress
told me you were fluent, and that your accent was flawless, but I’ll
admit, I had a hard time believing it. And you can do this with any
language, can’t you? It’s one of those . . . What is it your species calls
them? Special abilities?”
Sophie nodded. “I’m a Polyglot.”
Tarina smiled, flashing unnervingly long white teeth, which
matched the curved white claws on her hands and feet. “It’s so strange
that elves each have different talents. I don’t know how you aren’t
constantly battling with each other over which of you is greater—
though I suppose that’s what’s happening with these enemies, isn’t
it?”
“Partially,” Sophie admitted. “But there’s more to it than that.”
“There always is,” Tarina agreed.
“Is there a reason you’re speaking in a language the rest of us can’t
understand?” Bo demanded to know.
Tarina gave him epic side-eye. “I don’t have to explain myself to
you, ogre,” she said, switching back to the Enlightened Language.
“But in my world, we take time to understand the perspectives of those
we’re assigned to protect. That’s easier for me to do in my native
tongue—and since Sophie’s fluent, I’m hoping she doesn’t mind
humoring me.”
“I don’t,” Sophie agreed, and Tarina smiled and stepped closer—
close enough for Sophie to see that there was a word etched into the
strap holding her weapon.