I glared at him, making it clear that I was unhappy with his comment.I had won his bloody tournament, hadn’t I?
‘Again.’He motioned for another swordsman who was as tall as me to come forward.
The soldier was being overly cautious about striking me, which I used to my advantage.I had no leathers on, and a sharp blade could do severe damage, but I didn’t intend to let him get close enough to strike.I fought off each of his blows easily.
‘Stop!’Torgrin shook his head at me.‘You won’t always be fortunate enough to avoid encountering someone stronger and faster or someone who will go easy on you because you’re a woman,’ he said pointedly to my tall opponent, who attempted to melt back into the group of soldiers watching us with various expressions of pity and mirth.Nobody enjoyed being berated by Captain Torgrin.He was singling me out in front of his men, implying I was only winning because they all took it easy on me.
‘You fight me then!’I challenged.I didn’t want to care if he thought I was a good swordswoman, but stars, I did.
‘Yes!’called Wolfe from the balcony above.I hadn’t noticed that the boy and his sisters had arrived.
Ania was the only one not watching us.I followed the direction of her gaze and saw Atlas moving into the sparring circle with a wide grin on his face.He pulled his shirt off and threw it at his opponent, exposing a broad expanse of glorious chest and a muscular stomach.My eyes travelled down the line of dark hair that ran from his navel down beneath the leather breeches slung low on his hips.
I cried out in surprise as Torgrin’s sword came swinging at me, and I barely had time to block his blow.His eyes narrowed to coal-black slits.‘Easily distracted, too, I see.’
Was thatjealousy?
I gave Torgrin my sweetest smile before thrusting my sword at him with all my strength.He batted it away as if it were nothing more than a swing from a child.A fire burned in my chest and flooded my veins.Torgrin’s confidence made me more determined to take him down a notch or two.I was going to enjoy this.
Soon, all you could hear was the furious clashing of our swords.The crowd surrounding us grew as others stopped training to watch us move around the arena.
Torgrin brought his sword down hard and I raised mine to stop it from taking my arm off at the shoulder.I felt the vibration of our swords shuddering down my body.
He was incredibly strong.
My arm shook from the strain of holding his blade back.As soon as he lifted his sword, I had to move my feet and retreat.I was being forced to defend rather than attack.Torgrin would not give me an inch, and while I was breathing hard and could feel the sweat trickling down my back, he seemed not to need air at all.
He was slowly backing me into a corner, but I was determined not to let him win.If I allowed him to gain more ground, I would end up against the stone wall with nowhere to go.
I saw his strike coming towards my chest, but I stepped into it instead of deflecting it with my own.The move had the desired effect, and he pulled away and stumbled back to avoid impaling me with his sword.
While he was swearing and calling me senseless, I attacked.I was finally putting him on the defensive.Annoyingly, it didn’t last long.Torgrin barely retreated, and once again, I was losing ground.He was forcing me backwards, the wall behind me getting closer, and my swings slowed as my arms became fatigued from fending off his powerful blows.
I stumbled, and he pressed his advantage, forcing my sword up above my head with his own.I felt the coarse stone of the wall scrape against my back.He pressed his body into mine and pushed my arms against the wall above my head, leaving me completely powerless.
I breathed hard into his face, sweaty strands of hair sticking to my hot cheeks.His face was so close to mine that I could see his scars were a series of wavy lines, like branches on a tree.Is it possible for a scar to be considered beautiful?Our eyes locked, blocking out everything around us.
‘You shouldn’t put your life at risk like that,’ he breathed harshly.
‘You wouldn’t hurt me.’Much to my surprise, this felt true.
His unyielding mask slipped slightly, and I thought I saw regret on his face.‘I’m sorry.’
‘For what?’I asked, startled by his apology.
‘For coming into your room while you were sleeping,’ he explained.‘I’m sorry,’ he repeated.
I was suddenly aware of how his body fit so perfectly against mine.Our similar heights meant our hips pressed together intimately.His sword still held mine above my head with immense pressure.
Our rapid breathing intertwined while he waited patiently for me to yield.I would make him wait, I thought as his gaze travelled down to my mouth.I held my breath as he leaned forward slightly, our lips almost touching.My breasts pressed against his chest as I inhaled deeply to catch my breath.The friction caused my nipples to harden painfully, and an ache began between my legs.I squeezed my thighs together, trying to ease the unwanted sensation.
The amber flecks in his black eyes ignited as I lifted my hips, straining to free myself from where he had me trapped.What was happening?
Torgrin didn’t seem like the type to be a gentle kisser.I imagined feeling the hard press of his lips on mine – his invading tongue and punishing teeth leaving my lips red, swollen and hungry for more.
His head dipped down, casting a shadow over his face, and at that moment, the air seemed utterly still.I could feel my breath hitch in my chest like an invisible force had caught it.The pounding of my heart echoed in my ears, its rhythm quickening.A curious flicker of light appeared behind his overblown pupils.‘Tor,’ I whispered, feeling like an ember catching flame.
A rumble deep within his chest reached my ears.Then he blinked as if waking from a trance.I wanted him to kiss me so badly that I almost cried out as he pulled away from me.
