Itfelt amazing.Ifonly for a few moments, everything else fell away.Mydoubts and worries were gone.Therewas just me, my sword, and the sand beneath my feet.Ourswords clashed, sending sparks flying through the air.Kaleosspun and quickly dodged my counterattack by ducking and swiping my legs out from underneath me.Thefeeling of the air being knocked from my lungs was exquisite.
“Hey, didn’tIteach you that move?”Ilaughed.
Kaleosextended his hand with a smug grin, helping me back to my feet. "Youdid, but it seems like you forgot your own lesson,Princess."
Ibrushed the sand off my clothes, still catching my breath. “Iwonder, are you showing off for someone?”Iscanned the beach for a head of red hair.
Hesnorted, sheathing his sword. "Justkeeping you on your toes,Tori.Besides, ifIdon't challenge you, who will?Noneof these cowards would.”Hewaved to whereNokiandRaulahad gathered to watch us.Raulashot him a rude gesture.
IpunchedKaleoslightly on the arm. “Prettysure there's a long list, butIappreciate the effort.”Myhand naturally fell to the swordAbraxashad gifted me, pulling it from its sheath, its two halves locked together.Istill hadn’t used it as two blades yet.
Iunlocked them, twirling one in each hand.Myleft arm ached asIswung the weapon back and forth.Painradiated from the scar wrapped around my bicep.Isighed, about to set the blade down, whenIfelt mana creep up my body and wrap itself around the old wound.Itdidn’t heal, but some of the ache was pulled away into the earth below.Iswung the blade again, and while the discomfort lingered, it was manageable.Ilooked back up atKaleos.
Hegave me his signature wide grin. “GuessI’min trouble now.Trynot to stab me this time,Princess.”Hegrabbed a bladed weapon and took a fighting stance.
“Nopromises.”Iheld each of the twin blades firmly.Theirgolden guards wrapped around my hands like my bond withAbraxaswas wrapped around my heart.Thepain in my arm throbbed, but it also said,show them how strong you’ve become.
Ispun fast, my blades whirling through the air atKaleos.Sparksflew as the crash of steel echoed over the beach.Whoopsand hollers came from the watching soldiers, but it all passed me by.AllIsaw wasKaleosand his sword, as we met again and again.Nomatter what else happened, thisIcould do.
Theminutes ticked by.Kaleoswas still one of the bestswordsmenIknew, but my fae blood gave me the advantage of superior stamina.Hestarted to slow down, andIused it, deflecting one of his too-wide strikes and pushing past his defenses.Irammed my shoulder into his chest, and he fell flat on his ass, my sword at his throat.
“Who’sout of shape now,Lieutenant?”Hegrinned up at me from the sand.
“Hey!Ineed him in one piece!”
Ireached a hand down to helpKaleosup asOryxsprinted over to check his lover for injuries.
“Oh, do you now?”Iwaggled my eyebrows at them, and they both blushed.
KaleosassuredOryxthat he was alright as the healer continued to fuss like a mother hen.
Behindme,Iheard whooping from the castle.Ilooked over to seeAvlynon one of the lower balconies with their fist in the air.Nextto them stoodCommanderTalius, his arms crossed and gaze fixed on me.
Iturned back to the troops.Oryxwas still fretting overKaleos’ leg and the long cut that ran around his thigh.Myblades were so sharp thatImust have cut him without even noticing.
“I’msorry!IguessIam always hurting you.”
Hewaved his hand. “It’snothing.I’mreally fine.Thisone just likes to fuss.”Oryxgave him a stern look, which he smartly conceded to.
Iplaced my hand on his leg and reached down for mana.Ibrought up tendrils and wrapped them aroundKaleos, but nothing happened.Ifrowned.Pullingharder,Ifocused on sending the energy into his body, and still, nothing.Ilet out a frustrated hiss.
“Everythingalright,YourHighness?”Oryxput a soft hand on my shoulder.
Immediately,Iwas surrounded by whispers likethe beach had been crammed full of bodies.Oryxperked up, andIknew he heard it, too.
Thewind whipped around us, and the voices rose.Ilooked at the cliffs and saw the green grass that shifted in the ocean breeze.
Springis coming.Springis coming.Springis coming.
Thewords were layered over themselves a thousand times, each blade whispering individually and a part of the greater whole.
Oryxfrowned at me.Iunderstood why; it was late summer, nearly fall in the northern climate.
“Somethinglost in translation?”Isuggested.
Heshrugged. “Idoubt the grass is well versed in common.”
“Talkingto the plants again?”Kaleosasked, makingOryxgrin.Hetook his hand off my shoulder, and the whispers fell away.
