She puffed out a breath, lifting a curl of hair that had fallen into her eyes. “You don’t play fair, sir.”
“The bloodthirsty never do.”
“Still, I’m nothing but a meek woman playing at swords.” The sparkle in her eyes and the mockery in her tone said otherwise. She feinted left, then lunged.
I matched her stance and blocked her thrust. Our blades locked together.
Jacob crowed from the sidelines. He stuffed the last cookie into his mouth and cheered around the mouthful. Liana learned her lesson and ignored him. Her eyes delved into mine with such precision it seemed as if she could see beyond them to the secrets lying beneath.
She was making a calculation; judging her next move.
The air crackled with tension, and my heart drummed against my ribs from the thrill of seeing her in action. She was a worthy opponent, and I craved to see what she’d do next.
Her chest rose and fell in rapid breaths, and for a moment, we were motionless, caught inside some elusive pull.
“How are we going to determine a winner?” she asked.
My gaze dipped to her mouth. “Easy. You can admit I have the upper hand and declare me the winner.”
Defiance flashed across her features at my smug answer. She had no intention of letting me win. Withdrawing a step, she moved back into a fighting stance, but her sly smile had me on edge. She was up to something.
Her attack happened so quickly I almost didn’t counter it. My saber hissed through the air. Then, at the last second, she pivoted, dropping her blade low. With dawning horror at her intent, I tried to pull back, but it was too late. The edge of my blade grazed the skin below her elbow. Blood welled instantly, soaking through her sleeve.
She didn’t make a sound.
My weapon dropped to the floor, thudding into the mat. White noise clouded my head as I reached for her arm.
Her lips quirked in the same way they did before she knocked Jacob off his feet. It was a trick. Kicking my saber out of reach, she advanced, pressing the tip of her blade against my chest where it had been when this whole game started. Except this time, I was unarmed and at her mercy.
“You lose, Bowen. But you’re right about one thing: I do enjoy letting people read me the wrong way, and I use it to my advantage.”
There was something in her tone. A little of that darkness she tried so hard to hide. Blood dripped down her arm, yet she didn’t give it a second thought.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her wound, and my hands clenched with the disgusted knowledge I’d put it there; she’d played me. The two emotions warred together until I couldn’t tell which was stronger.
Jacob moved from the bench. “Does it hurt, Miss Archer?”
Brutus whined and nudged his nose against Liana’s thigh in an attempt to offer comfort.
She shrugged, finally taking stock of her injury. “It looks worse than it is.”
“It will scar.”
The rasp in my tone seemed to surprise her, and she lifted her eyes to mine, visibly swallowing. “Then I guess we’ll match.”
I went still, her words washing over me. Who was this woman? And what kind of person put themselves in harm’s way to prove a point?
“I have some bandages in my office. Come with me, and let’s clean your wound.”
Offering the saber to Jacob, she gave him an encouraging smile. “Let me know if you ever want to practice.”
The boy nodded with vigor, enamored beyond belief.
He wasn’t the only one.
She gave the training dome a wistful glance, doing that thing she did, angling her head to soak up the light as if it might be the last she would ever see. Then she followed me down the spiral staircase toward my office.
I pushed open the solid wood door, and the first thing I noticed was the heavy curtains. The room was blanketed in shadow, and my mind flashed to our earlier encounter in her room and then the other day in the carriage.
