“Behavior.”
“You are one very strict cousin, but one I adore sparring with.” I scooped a spoonful of eggs and ate. “So, what’s it like being a newbie, Vitaria?”
“I was shaking when I first arrived, but Guy took me under his wing. Things are better now I’m more relaxed. I’ll help show you around if you like.” She bit into her toast smeared with butter and jam.
“Ah, right.” I eyed Guy. “Why’s she being so nice?”
“Many of the warriors are. We’re just people who care about our country and want the best for all those who live in it.”
“You would think that.”
He squeezed my leg under the table. “You like me, right?”
“You’re different.”
“Vitaria has a twin brother. You two actually have a lot in common.”
“That won’t make us buddy-buddies. So, where is her brother? Is he a recruit too?”
“No, her brother’s unskilled. He remains at home caring for their mother. She’s very ill, and the healers have said it may be terminal.” He stroked my leg.
“So, she’s like the breadwinner of the family?”
“Yes. Her father was my father’s best friend, and they were both captured together.” He glanced at Vitaria as she spoke to someone on the other side of her. “It’s why I’ve taken her under my wing. She doesn’t have anyone here, and she remains unmated. She needs someone to lean on.”
“Don’t even think it.” I clenched his hand, hating his insinuation. She might be an unmated warrior, but she couldn’t have my man. “She can’t be the one. I don’t want a visual of who you end up with.”
He speared his bacon and ate. “The same applies to you. Agree with me that Zayn is out.”
“You don’t fight fair.”
“I don’t want to fight at all.”
“All right, I agree.” I shoved a forkful of sausage into my mouth, giving him the answer he wanted. If he had the same emotions storming though him as I did, then I couldn’t deny him that request. Damn, what a stupid, senseless bond.
8
“Where are they going?” I leaned into Guy’s side as warriors dispersed from the dining room in large groups.
“Training. It’s the first order of business after breakfast. There’s an outdoor arena next to these barracks.”
Back home, our protectors did the same, and then they followed orders, heading out to guard our villages and the locations which saw the most attacks by warriors infiltrating our shores. Our lucrative diamond and gold mines were constantly hit, and so too, our coal reserves and forests.
Warriors came and they took, and here I was sitting amongst them, not raising a hand. This sucked, in a hundred different ways. Still, I deposited my plate and cutlery into the cleaning trays beside the servery and plodded after Guy and Vitaria.
Vitaria chatted a mile a minute with Guy. It was a relief when we arrived at the supplies room and she stopped to consider which sheath would go best with her blade. Done, we continued on. At the end of the long passageway we came out into an open-aired arena. It was massive, with its ancient architecture and circular dusty floor sprinkled with sand. Blocked seats, layered back and up, towered three-stories high. Impressive, and close in size to our arena in Peacio. This place would hold thousands of spectators, but for now, warrior men and woman trained with their swords and spears and axes, with shields and headgear worn for protection. Some had changed into red tunics with leather-flapped skirts, and they lunged and parried, as accurate with their brutally sharp weapons as any protector would be. If Silas and Davio knew I was here right now, they’d freak.
I stepped past two battling men. One of the men’s blades struck flesh and bone, and blood spurted in a wide arc. Yuck. I hurried along, catching up to Guy.
He and Vitaria had found a clear spot. Guy slid his headgear on then gripped the hilt of his blade. “Silvie, Vitaria looks all gentle and unassuming, but she knows exactly how to fight. Stay back.”
“Right, out of the way.” I leaned against the safety railing.
Vitaria pulled her sword free and rested it between her hands, the blade flat across both palms as she eyed Guy. “We fight, and no attempting to distract.”
“When you’re ready.” Guy bowed then whipped around. His sword slashed down on Vitaria’s as she moved like lightning to meet his attack.
Whoa. I scurried under the railing and into the first row of seats.
“Silvie?”
Zayn’s voice bounced inside my head.
“Hey.”
“I can take you to school if you’d like.”
“Ah, I’m going to have to skip today. I’ve got another project on.”
“Do you need a hand?”
“No, I’m all good.”
“Well, if you change your mind, ’path me.”