“Get out,” he said curtly, though it was he who turned to leave. I was ready for his rejection, shrugging off the twinge of hurt.
“You promised Prince Kance you would protect me.”
He stopped. I pushed on.
“You might not like me right now, but I’m prepared to make it up to you any way I can. I want to save him too. And if that means learning to defend myself better, then I’ll be damned if you let your opinion of me break your oath to the prince.”
For several moments, he stood as still as the wind. I closed my eyes, prepared for him to rebuff me again. Images of the azi passed through my mind; it was sailing leisurely along the Sea of Skulls, by Tresea’s coast. I watched the sparkling waters underneath us, wishing I could sink down into it.
A rustling noise made me open my eyes again. Kalen had stripped off his coat, his chest bare. I remembered how he looked at Lake Strypnyk, near naked and soaking wet (magnificent, a hidden voice inside me trilled), and I frantically ripped away my gaze, looking up to meet his brown eyes instead.
“What are you waiting for?” he rasped.
An hour later, I regretted my offer. Fox had wandered in—first to watch and then to keep score. Seventeen for Kalen. A measly four for me.
I hopped back and charged again. He parried my attack and swung overhead, but I was ready this time and blocked. He was tougher and more relentless than before, and I realized then how much he’d been holding back in our previous spars.
“Stop,” Fox finally said after Kalen scored another hit. I dropped to my knees, puffing, annoyed that he’d barely even broken a sweat.
“Better form than usual,” the Deathseeker said, surprisingly. Then, because he could never stop at a compliment when he could also add an insult, he continued, “But not all that much better.”
I bit back a retort. I was used to Kalen’s snide criticisms, but I wasn’t used to the cold way he said them, like he meant it this time. The azi let out a baleful sigh, sensing my thoughts.
My brother approached us, weapon in hand. “Too tired to go another round?” he asked, grinning.
“Not after this small fry.” Kalen abandoned the practice sword for his own steel blade.
Watching Kalen and Fox fight was like watching two of Vahista’s best asha perform the Lament of the Goddess, the most difficult dance in the academy’s repertoire. I moved back and caught sight of Princess Inessa standing nearby, away from their line of sight.
Fox moved first. Steel sang as blade met blade. Both men moved far quicker than I ever could, switching tactics and counterattacks in mere seconds.
Fox charged forward, and Kalen shifted to one side, sword sliding inches past my brother’s ear. Without hesitating, he turned and swept his blade up, but Fox ducked underneath the blow and swung again, only to be met by another parry. Princess Inessa took a step forward, hand over her mouth.
“Don’t,” I said quietly. “They’re having fun.”
She nodded, her eyes straying back toward the fight. “How are Mykaela and Polaire?”
“Still unconscious.” Althy had told me that sleeping was their body’s natural response to healing, that neither was in any immediate danger.
“Fox never told you about me, did he?” she asked softly. “I presumed many things about your bond that were not, in fact, accurate.”
“It isn’t any of my business, Your Highness.”
“Call me Inessa.” We watched the two in silence for several minutes, neither of them gaining the advantage for too long. “I’ve known Kalen since I was very young,” she said finally. “He’s Odalia’s best fighter, better than any in Kion. Your brother is extremely competent.”
“He told me he wasn’t very good back when he was alive.” The princess winced at my words. “But he had to match with the best in the kingdoms to be my protector. I sensed some tension between you and Kalen,” she said. “Are you all right?”
“Not really.” I should’ve be watching my brother, should’ve be cheering him on, but I had eyes for only Kalen.
“Should I talk to him?”
“No!” Inessa blinked, and I hastily lowered my voice. “No. I have to work out things with him on my own.”
“Do you like him?”
I looked at her but couldn’t think of anything to say. Me, like Kalen? Of course not, I liked…
“I don’t know,” I said. “I want him to like me, but…”
Inessa smiled reassuringly, patted my hand. “Sorry. You don’t need to say anything. I understand. I was confused for the longest time too, trying to figure out what I wanted—who I wanted.” Her gaze drifted back to the sparring. “Fighting styles weren’t likely to come up in conversation when I was with him.”
“So you were often with…how…?”
She grinned. “As often as I could. They say Kion princesses enjoy more freedom, but that’s not true. Oh, we have the run of the palace, but it is a different story beyond castle walls. I snuck out one night, determined to see more of the city I was to one day rule yet knew little of.
“I was curious about the dancing houses that are so popular among the people. An atelier had once made me a dancer’s hua. It was the most fun I’ve ever had. My dancing tutors were asha, so I reckoned I could perform with the best. It was easy to slip on a veil and pretend I was just one of the many girls there.”
Her voice softened. “Fox arrived in the middle of my performance. Unlike his friends, he was embarrassed to be there, but he couldn’t take his eyes off me. He said my dance reminded him of a dance he’d seen his sister perform.” Summer over Istera, I remembered. “I found it adorable, the self-conscious, almost guilty way he stammered, like he’d stumbled onto secrets he wasn’t supposed to know.”
I tried to imagine my brother as self-conscious and stuttering and couldn’t.
“I snuck out a week later and saw him again. His friends told me he visited the dancing house every day, hoping to see me.” The princess blushed, faltering. “He never told you about me?”
“Being my familiar doesn’t mean he tells me everything.” Both Fox and Kalen showed no signs of letting up, and a curious crowd had gathered to watch them spar. Among the onlookers, I saw some of Kalen’s friends, fellow Deathseekers I had met before: Ostry, Mavren, and Alsron, Farragut and Levi. I continued, “I knew there was someone he was very much taken with. It didn’t feel right to pry.”
“I intend to honor my engagement. My mother might have agreed to it in my name, but it is my duty to follow through.” She laughed. “We’re good at keeping up the pretense of free will. Few people know what few choices we truly have.”
She turned to look at me. “I wanted you to hear my side of the story. Not that it matters now.”
“It does.” It was my turn to pat her hand. “And I admit, I would have wanted to learn about this sooner. But Fox cares about you.” I stressed the word, watching her surprise. “Still does. It doesn’t sound like you’re ready to let go of your relationship, and I know he isn’t either.” I could meddle as well as my sister Daisy if I wanted to.
Something akin to hope appeared in her eyes and spread across her heartsglass. “Do you—”
A shout from the field made us turn. Fox had made a slight mistake—a forward jab an inch more than he should have. Kalen altered the stroke of his swing, and the blade glanced off Fox’s shoulder.
I gasped, and Inessa’s hand gripped at her collar, nearly yanking it off. Her heartsglass burned a bright blue.
Fox moved back, grinning ruefully. “Point to you.”
The audience broke into applause, Ostry and the others leading the cheers. “Fine job, you two!” The burly Yadoshan called to them. “Never thought I’d see the day someone could give Kalen a run for his money!”
“A run for my money too,” Levi grumbled. “I bet Alsron the familiar would win.”
“Watch out, Kalen,” Mavren laughed. “Sir Fox shall outstrip you soon enough!”
Kalen wrinkled his nose, used to his friends’ jesting, but he was smiling.
Inessa grabbed one of the wooden swords propped against the wall and made a beeline for them.