“Ididn’t realize there was this much talking in a duel.GuessInever learned that either.”Islid my feet across the sand and thrust at him again.Heparried lazily. “You’restill holding back.”
“I’mnot.”
Hecame at me again with a rush of strikes.Icountered them all, but each one fell later and later until he was able to snag the pommel of my sword with his tip, and it flew out of my hand.Ilurched for it, but he grabbed my arm and twisted me until he had me pinned against his chest, the base of his sword at my throat.Ifelt him push his lips to my ear, “Yousure about that?”Ifelt the words flutter across my sensitive skin before he pushed me away.Iturned to him, now disarmed, my heart pounding.
Hefrowned, motioning to a soldier from the circle that had gathered around us. “Bringthe princess a bladed sword.”Surprisepassed over the soldier's face, but he ran to the weapons rack without question.
“Howabout this,Princess?Ifyou say stop,I’llstop, but until then,” he flung the blade with a lethal edge at my feet, “you fight me how you really want to.”
Istared down at the gleaming blade, obviously not a practice weapon.Don’tdo it.Don’tlet him see.Butit was too late.Thefight had gone to my blood, andIwas past the point of no return.Mymind was fixed on the imagesIfought to keep away at night.Niataburning, theDragonArmyloading up dead bodies to burn, and him, standing on that stage, that cruel smile mocking me.Nomatter what had happened in the last weeks,Icouldn’t waste this opportunity, even if it was madness.
“AnywayIwant?”Theking nodded.
Iquickly spun, surprising the soldiers behind me, but they parted soIcould reach the weapons rack.ThereIfound exactly whatIwas looking for, whatIhad known was there from my first day training on the beach.Igrabbed two sharp scimitars.Theyweren’t exactly the swordsIwas used to, but they were about the same weight, and more importantly, the same length.Iwalked back to the circle, the king examining my new weapons, and his pompous grin only grew.Itossed the bladed longsword at his feet.
“Itonly seems fair.”
Hetossed away the practice blade and picked up the new weapon.Heran his thumb along the edge, andIsaw the faintest hint of blood bloom from the soft pad at the tip.
Helooked at me, “Iwon’t hold back.”
Igripped one sword in each hand, feeling the leather on the pommel cut into my skin.Adjustingto their weight felt like coming home.
Itook a final steadying breath, “Good.”AndIwas on him.
Dualwielding of weapons had its disadvantages.Itwas much harder to block with a sword than say, a shield in the offhand.Theywere also shorter, which was a disadvantage to a larger two-handed sword.ButIwas fast, and up close with my training in hand-to-hand,Iwas much more deadly.Iused both swords to knock his long sword out of the way, and immediately got much closer to him.Hewasn’t prepared for this, and lost time trying to adjust his feet to the closer combat.
Icame in with a flurry of strikes, and he was able to block, but now it was him on the defensive, trying to keep pace.
Buthe was an expert swordsman, andIsaw him slowly closing the gap between us, his blade matching my strikes again.Ichanged tactics again, moving in even closer.Itcould have been deadly for me, butItwisted my body all around his, dodging his blows and tripping up his feet with my own.Steelrang out as our swords collided again and again, andIsearched for my opening.Isaw it and struck, my offhand sword slicing over his thigh, leaving a trail of blood.Hestaggered andIlanded another across his ribs.Bothwere grazes, he would heal in a matter of moments, but seeing his blood hit the sand surged the bloodlust through me.Imoved faster then, pushing my muscles past their limit.Ithrew elbows and knees at him along with my blade.Hehad shifted as well, the fight taking over him, and he struck.
Heswung so hardIcouldn’t block him, and he sent the edge of my own sword back into me, pain lacing across my shoulder.Ibarely felt it asIspun, but he anticipated me now, his sword coming up to greet mine.
Oneof my weapons flew across the sand, leaving me exposed.Theking hesitated on the final blow, butIdid not.Iused the movement of my already tumbling body, and grabbed with my now empty hand onto the pauldron he wore.Ithrew my head down around the lever of my arm and flung my feet up until my legs wrapped around his neck.Myweight and the inertia of the motion tumbled him forward and flipped him so he landed flat on his back, andItwisted myself so my ass pinned his chest down, my thighs framing his face.Islid my remaining sword over his neck.
Theentire beach was silent, even the waves didn’t seem to crash.AllIcould hear was our labored breathing and the blood rushing in my ears.Ipressed the edge of my blade into his throat until a faint red line dripped from beneath it.Ilooked deep into his eyes asIprepared to end him, but instead of seeing that twisted smile, my mind brought me the image of his eyes laced with concern as he gently held my face.Anyman would be a fool not to see your worth.
“Thereyou are.”Hewas calm, far calmer than he had any right to be, andIcouldn’t read his expression.Icould end it all, right here.Itensed my muscles to gut him, and he didn’t even flinch, just continued to stare at me with those eyes that seemed to glow.Itwas my turn to hesitate.
“Putthe sword down,Princess.”Avlyn’sblade slid against my throat.
“Thereis no need for that,Commander.”Theking gently placed his hands on my hips, and lifted me enough that he could sit up, as ifIweighed nothing.Hepressed further into my sword as he did, butIdidn’t have any pressure behind it anymore.Ihadn’t pinned his arms, for if this had been a real fight, his head wouldn’t have been attached to his shoulders by the time he had recovered from my takedown.Thiswas supposed to be a real fight.Myheart raced, and it was as if a piercing noise had shattered my eardrums, andIwas blocked from the sounds around me.Ididn’t hear what was said, asIwas brought to standing.Peoplewere moving around me, maybe speaking to me, but allIheard was buzzing.
“Princess,PrincessTori…”Myname snapped me to the present.Theking had captured my chin between his fingers. “Isaid,Ithink it’s time you returned to the castle.”Hisface hovered before mine, and allIcould do was stare into his eyes.Ihad never really looked before, andIcould see now how deep green they truly were, like the moss lost in an ancient forest, deep below the canopy.Butnear his pupils,Isaw flakes of gold, like the beams of light from the summer sun just peeking through the leaves above.Ihated nothing more than the soft look they gave me now.
Icouldn’t speak, soIsimply turned and sulked across the beach to the castle.Idon’t know whatAvlynhad intended for me to feel after this duel, butIdoubted it was this.
Chapter25
Tori
Servantshad been buzzing around the castle for the last few days, preparing for our belated winter solstice celebration.Greensfilled with red berries were draped over almost every doorway, symbolizing the blood of theWorldBreakerthat had been spilt.
Theweather seemed to be in agreement with the delay.Harshwinds whipped in from the ocean, coating the city and castle in a fine layer of ice, andIsaw snow gathering on the mountains further from the coast.Eveninside my comfortable room, heated by a roaring fire,Iwrapped myself in a warm blanket.Niatahad been a balmy place, the air always rich with humidity and heat.Youwere more likely to find yourself cursing the sun than shivering.Allof this only seemed to rub my nerves more raw than they already were.Theocean of my mind churned along with the sea outside.Evengoing through my routine of breathing and movement seemed to do nothing to quell the squall.
Ciarahad arrived early this morning, buzzing about with my own preparations.Ihad hoped to get some training in to burn off the energy that seemed to be crawling over my skin, but looking at the weather outside, maybeIcould be gratefulIhad missed it.
“LikeIsaid,YourHighness, the dark blue is stunning on you.”Hereyes twinkled with delight.Shewas right.Thedark navy fabric was draped beautifully, and decorated with silver stars that mimicked the late winter sky.Myunderlayer was made of small metallic scales that were held together by chains.
