AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"It's my job to protect him."
Fen stiffened. "I am no threat to him."
"I wouldn't have come to your aid in the cells last night if I thought you were, Fenrys. No, you aren't the threat I'm worried about." Kemes ran a hand down her braid, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Khan is magi. He trusts in his visions and believes you were sent to him for a reason. Khan is the most level-headed and pragmatic man regarding everything but magic. He saw you, recognized that symbol on your hand, and that was it. He's thrown away five years of careful planning and court politics because of you. I like you, Fen, but I hope you're worth it."
Fen's stomach tightened uneasily. "Should you be telling me all this?"
Kemes shrugged. "Don't know, don't care. You're in Khan's little circle of trust now, whether any of us like it or not. He's trusting you to be here, to see a side of him that he only shows us. You betray or embarrass him at one of those stupid dinners, and I'll kill you." Her voice hadn't changed from its friendly tone; she wasn't making some idle threat.
"I respect that," Fen replied, and she did. She understood that loyalty and knew when something was said in boast. Kemes wasn't boasting; she was stating a fact.
"Khan is the only person who has shown me kindness in this new world. I have no reason to betray him and no desire to hurt him. I only want to go home."
Or what the raiders left of it.
Kemes studied her face for a long time. Finally, she gave a nod.
"Then welcome to the family, Fenrys Rune-Tongue. Want to go to the training room and hit something?"
Fen laughed. "More than you can possibly imagine."
* * *
Fen had imagined that she would be taken into a training area like those at the arena—hot sand, dummies to shoot at, sweaty people. She didn't expect to be taken through the chambers to an indoor, private training room with polished floors, racks of beautifully maintained weapons, and most strangely of all, a large pool of water.
"What is that for?" she asked Kemes.
"Swimming. You can swim, right?"
"Of course I can swim, but I've only ever done it to go fishing or hunting water plants. I've never swum for no reason."
Kemes smiled. "This city is so hot. Sometimes you need to swim to cool off."
"Isn't Atrahasis like here?"
"Gods, no. Atrahasis has water, and it's covered in rainforests."
Fen heard the longing in her voice. "You must miss it."
"I do. I love my city, but I love my cousin more, and I couldn't handle the thought of him being alone in this serpent nest." Kemes took down two wooden training swords and tossed one to Fen. "Now, let's see what you've got."
Fen hefted the weight of the sword in her hand and shrugged. "Okay."
Kashmet came in a short time later, took one look at the now sweaty women snarling at each other, and burst out laughing.
Fen was sure she would have a bruised ass from how many times Kemes had knocked her down. Fen had still gotten up every time. Kemes might not have been put on her ass yet, but she had two bright red marks on her arms where Fen had smacked her with the flat of her wooden blade.
"How did I know you would be in here?" Kashmet said. He was standing next to a rack of spears, watching them.
"I wanted to see if she was as good as on the sands. Lucky she was only up against animals and not Atrahasi," Kemes said, aiming a kick at Fen's knee. She jumped back and struck Kemes's boot with her sword, trying to knock her off balance.
"She seems to be doing okay against you, baby sis." Kashmet grinned at Fen and pulled off his shirt. "I want to play next."
Fen didn't dare look at the warrior's bulky, brown body for too long. She turned in time to narrowly miss Kemes's sword in the face.
"Better pay attention," the woman mocked. Fen pushed back against her with her sword.
"I'll teach you how to use akhopeshsword if you knock my sister into the pool," Kashmet called. Fen had seen him carrying the curved blade and wondered how it worked. They were training with swords, but Kemes had said nothing about wrestling moves.
