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Didn’t she say she killed the man who gave her those bruises?
I swallow hard and reluctantly pick up a practice sword. I stomp toward her. The queen gives me a wicked grin, knowing she forced my hand and enjoying it.
The last thing I want to be doing right now is sparring with my enemy’s queen. But I could use this time to study how they fight.
I’ll take it easy on her and learn everything I can.
I barely have time to get into a fighting stance before she swings her sword directly at my head, as if to chop it off. I duck at the last minute, narrowly escaping the blow.
Popping back up, I can’t help my approving look, and I take a few steps back. She licks her bottom lip, bringing to mind a predator ready to devour its prey.
I’d let her devour me.I shake my head.Focus, Theo.
I watch as she bends into a fighting stance. A strand of her long, red hair falls in front of her eyes. A tremor runs through me.
She shouldn’t be so beautiful in this moment.
She lunges, and I block her blow with my sword. The wood clatters upon impact. She advances again, and I step to the side, trying to get out of the way, but she’s faster than I expected. I feel the wind of her swinging sword as I barely avoid it, moving just in time. She is so much better than I imagined. If I stay passive, she will bury me.
She paces the edge of the ring, stalking me. All the while, a devious grin is plastered on her face. She is enjoying making me stay on the defense, giving her the upper hand. I need to find a move to switch to the offensive.
Her sword slices toward my right, and I move to dodge it, only to have her sword slam into my left side, causing me to grunt.
“Watch your left side. You keep leaving it open and vulnerable,” she says in a tone that reminds me of a teacher trying to show me an area of weakness.
I rub my side, trying to soothe the sting. After taking a deep breath and loosening my shoulders, I take my fighting stance, preparing for another round. She answers my stance with one of her own, then lunges at me again. This time, I deflect and respond with a strike. She easily moves out of the way, light as a feather on her feet. We continue a sparring dance, each trying to find an opening to land a hit.
To my surprise, her skills are well-rounded. She can meet my blows with a defense most of my men couldn’t handle; quickly sidestepping my swings and delivering her own right back. Our heavy breaths and quick feet reverberate off the walls. My body buzzes with the movement, seeming to have missed training over the past week.
I grin, enjoying the time out of my cell.
Enjoying my time with the queen.
Her sword jabs toward my right side, and I spin out of the way. My elbow connects hard with her face, and panic consumes me. I turn back to find her holding a hand to her mouth and blinking rapidly.
She pulls her hand away to reveal a busted lip and blood on her fingertips. She locks eyes with me and smiles, revealing crimson-coated teeth.
“Nice hit, Captain.”
My blood runs cold.
My breaths come in fast huffs as I take in the sight.I hurt her.I have injured the Queen of Umbra. King Asher is surely going to kill me now, regardless of what she says. I step back, dropping my arms to my sides.
“What are you doing? Let’s go,” she goads, but the pounding of my heart in my ears drowns out her words.
She steps toward me, and I step back, shaking my head.
“It’s fine, Captain. You’re not the first man to hit me in the face,” she says, wiping her blood on her pants.
Fury rages through me, and I tighten my grip on the practice sword, welcoming the bite from the wood into my palm. Her raising her sword, and returning to a fighting stance, is my undoing.
“You’re a queen! You shouldn’t be here fighting with me. Guards protect queens and princesses, not harm them. Not make them bleed!” I shout as I stare in horror at the blood staining her lips and rolling down her chin.
“It was an accident. We’re sparring. People get hit when they spar. Not that big of a deal,” she replies flatly.
I step to her, seething at her nonchalant tone.
What kind of kingdom forces its queen to fight? She shouldn’t be used to being harmed.
