-10-
“Of course you can train with the men,” Lord Valafar said.
“But, Father,” Solange protested. We were having dinner in his private dining room again. “You said we can’t train with the men because we distract them.”
Lord Valafar reached out and patted her hand. “You did and several got injured, sweetheart. Lilith won’t.”
“Why? Because she dresses like a twelve-year-old?” Solange retorted.
My face grew hot. The guards and the servants were in the room and could hear everything. “I do not.”
“Do too,” Solange retorted. “Your clothes don’t do anything for you and you don’t wear any makeup.”
I made a face at her. “That’s because I don’t need it, and you obviously do.”
Solange’s jaw dropped. “You didn’t just call me ugly.”
“Girls!” Lord Valafar stared down at Solange. “You did not let me finish. Lilith can practice with the men if Sir Kellion gives his approval.”
Solange shot me a triumphant look. I glared back at her. Sir Kellion already made it clear that he didn’t want me in his field. For the rest of the meal, I plotted ways to change the knight’s mind. Solange probably assumed I’d lost the battle before it began, because she was in high spirits. Gah, she was so petty. I was so happy when she left the table, and thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent alone with Father.
Upstairs, the last person I expected to find in my room was Solange. “Come to gloat?”
“No. Offer a truce.” She glanced up from the magazine she was studying. “Father is obviously overcompensating for the years you were gone by indulging you and giving in to your every wish. He never did that for me. Hope it doesn’t come back and bite him in the ass.”
“He never… How would you know? You memories were wiped, too.”
She glared at me, then looked away. “Nemea told me.”
Why would Lady Nemea tell her that? Was she trying to cause trouble between me and Solange? “Sir Kellion is not going to allow me anywhere near his men. How is that for Father indulging me?”
She dropped the magazine on her chest and studied me. “Maybe not this time, but we used to do family dinners once a week. Now it’s an every-night thing because he doesn’t want you to eat alone. You escaped your guards and went on a joyride with a bunch of girls you just met, and he didn’t even bat an eyelash You treated a minion, something that was never allowed, and he encouraged you to do it. You’re going to get a chance to train with the elite guards when my unit is not even allowed near the men.”
“I don’t think I’ll train with them.” I wrinkled my nose. “Sir Kellion can’t stand me.”
“Father will make sure he backs down.”
She was jealous and I didn’t blame her. Father spent more time with me than with her. I sat on the bed and kept my voice light when I said, “I think men and women should train together. If the Guardians attacked, how will they work as a team when they don’t know each other’s strengths and weaknesses?”
She shot me a look that said idiot. “First of all, little sister, the Guardians have zero chance of finding this island. Second, we don’t have weaknesses.”
“Do you beat up minions to prove you’re powerful, too?”
She chuckled. “That’s Sir Kellion’s MO. I heard you chewed his ear about it.”
“Father should do something about it. I was going to tell him what I saw, but that would be tattling.”
“I’m happy you didn’t. Sir Kellion holds grudges.” She reached up and touched my hair. “So, I heard Father showed you a special dagger?”
I rolled my eyes. “Weeks ago. There’s nothing special about it. It looks just like yours, except it has a green gem instead of red. Do you control yours with your mind?”
Her frown intensified. “No. Do you?”
“I’ve tried, but nothing happens.”
She sat up. “Do you have it?”
I shook my head. “Father wants it kept in his quarters.”
“Do you give it to him? Does he touch it?”
Weird questions. “No. Shouldn’t he?”
“He’s never allowed me to touch it. Will you tell me when the dagger responds to you?”
“Sure. Why?”
“It might help me learn how to control mine. Mine isn’t responding to me either. But enough about daggers. Let’s talk about this.” She pulled out the clairvoyant crystal Gavyn’s man had given me weeks ago. I recognized the pattern and shape. “I found it between your headboard and the mattress a few minutes ago. Is it the one you were looking for?”
“Yes.” How could I have missed it? “Did you activate it?”
“No.”
I didn’t believe her. My eyes volleyed between her face and the crystal. I extended my hand. “Give it to me.”
She lifted it out of my reach. “Who is it from? A secret admirer?”
“I told you, a kid gave it to me at the rides.”
She cocked her eyebrows, her free hand hovering over the clairvoyant crystal.
“This isn’t funny, Solange. Give it.” I dove and snatched it from her hand.
“Activate it,” she challenged.
“No. So, can I train with your fighters sometimes?” I asked, hoping to distract her.
“No way. I still can’t believe you lectured Sir Kellion on how he should train his guards. You are bold; I’ll give you that.”
“I thought you said we, as Father’s children, were at the top of the hierarchy and should not let others boss us around.”
Solange grinned. “You shouldn’t listen to me. Kids your age train at the Academy.” She stood. “That’s what you should do, little sis. Attend the Academy.”
“I’m seventeen, hardly a kid. How old are you, again?”
“None of your beeswax. Tell Father you’re ready to attend the Academy. You’ll see your friends more.”
I got ready for bed after she left. As usual, Lady Nemea stopped by with a cup of hot cocoa and to express her disapproval of my visit to the training field. I tuned her out as she went on and on about powers, abilities, and Guardians. She was such a worrywart. If I listened to her, I’d be scared of my shadow.
I waited until she left, crawled under the blanket, and activated the crystal. Light shot up, but no images appeared. I turned it off, then reactivated it again.
No images.
I waited and waited. It turned off. Had someone deleted the message? I studied the crystal. It was the same one. It had to be. I wrapped my hands around the crystal and connected with its energy. If there had been a recording, it was gone now. I yawned, my eyelids drooping. Maybe I was too tired to do this right. Maybe it was the wrong crystal.
Frustrated, I flung it across the room.
Lightning appeared from the air and blasted the crystal, vaporizing it along with the carpet and the floorboards, leaving behind a giant hole on my floor. A feeling of déjà vu washed over me. I got up, my limbs heavy, and walked to the hole. I could see Father’s private dining room below.
He was first to arrive with several guards, who spread around the room as though searching for an intruder. He closed the gap between us and gripped my arms.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes searching my face.
I nodded. He did something he’d never done before. He hugged me. Tight. Body trembling with fear.
I’m okay, Father.
I thought I’d lost you. Then he let me go, leaned back, and asked, “What happened?”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “I don’t know. Lightning shot across the room.”
“From your fingers?” he asked.
I shook my head. “From the air around the room.” Several guards stared back at us from below. But what surprised me were the second hole on my father’s floor and a familiar set of green eyes. Green Eyes was with my father’s guards. He looked worried.
“How far down did the lightning hit?” I asked. “Did anyone get hurt?”
“No,” Father reassured me. “Everything is okay.”
“Did you know I could do that?” I asked.
“Yes,” Father said. “Your powers are coming back fast.”
I lifted my hand to study my fingers and the guards ducked. That I’d given them a reason to fear me bothered me. Fatigue weighed heavy on my shoulder and my words slurred. “I’d never hurt you, guys. Not knowingly.”
“Come on. Move away from the hole,” Father instructed, then barked orders to the guards to repair the holes. One in my bedroom squatted and pressed his hands to the carpet. The iron and wooden planks re-molded and sealed the opening, and then the carpet shifted and flowed until there was no evidence of what had just happened.
“Leave us,” Lord Valafar ordered.
The guards left.
“Well, well,” Solange said, and I turned towards her. I didn’t know she was in the room. The resentment and jealousy pouring out of her didn’t make sense. “Aren’t you full of surprises, little sister?”
“Solange,” Lord Valafar said firmly.
“She’s a Prime Psi, Energy, and Earth, and she can heal. What else can she do, Father? Manipulate water and air?”
Aspasm crossed Lord Valafar’s face. “We are not having this discussion now.”
“Is she the one? You showed her the Kris Dagger.”
Lord Valafar shot me a censuring glance. What? I wasn’t supposed to share that tidbit with my sister?
“The dagger does not respond to her,” Lord Valafar said.
I didn’t like the way they were talking as if I wasn’t there. “The one?”
“Oh, your tutor hasn’t told you about the Chosen One?” Solange asked in a venomous voice. She’d never spoken to me like that before. She always teased or came across as condescending or bitchy, but never mean.
Lord Valafar turned and gripped her shoulders. I was sure he was going to shake her, but all he did was drop a kiss on her forehead. “I love you, sweetheart. But you need to go to bed now.”
For a second, I thought she’d ignore him. Then she said in a subdued voice, “Yes, Father.”
The one-eighty turn in attitude didn’t make sense. Throwing him one last glance, she teleported. Left with him, I waited for an explanation. He studied me with a furrowed brow, then asked again, “Are you okay?”
I started to nod and then shook my head. “I feel strange and tired. I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired.” My slurring grew worse.
“Then go to sleep.” He cupped my face, pressed a kiss on my forehead, and left.
Lady Nemea appeared. She, too, wore a long face like Father. “Come on, little princess.” She straightened my covers, which was pointless since I was getting in bed.
“What is the Chosen One?” I asked.
“That is a can of worms you are not ready for, dear. Off you go.”
“Father told me I would one day unite the Guardians and the Hermonites. Is that what Solange meant by the Chosen One?”
She frowned. “I didn’t know your father had spoken to you about it.”
“Is it bad to be this Chosen One?”
“No, dear. It is good. Your powers are coming back faster than we expected. Very soon, you will link with the Kris Dagger.” She patted my hand. “Just remember, no more using your energy powers indoors.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“I know. Now go to sleep,” Lady Nemea added, and left.
I crawled into bed, wishing I understood what was happening to me. Something about my energy powers had spooked my father, Lady Nemea, and even the Guards. I knew energy was a very destructive power when unchecked. Was it the reason people were scared of me? Or was there a connection between the Kris Dagger and my energy powers?
According to the journal Green Eyes have given me, the light from the dagger could destroy a city, level a mountain, or create a world in another dimension, depending on the wielder. It was also lethal to demons. The book didn’t explain what demons were.
I knew about demons in a general sense of the word. Most human religions believed they existed to hurt, torment, and test them. Why was it the job of the wielder of the Kris Dagger to hunt them down and stop them?
My eyes started to close. I was almost asleep when I felt a familiar ping. I debated whether to ignore him.
Don’t even think about it, Green Eyes warned.
How do you do that?
Do what? he asked.
Read my thoughts.
You and I are linked in ways you still don’t understand yet, Sunshine.
Everything about him was off. The way he walked, talked, and acted. He took chances to see me at the weirdest hours and he seemed to come and go without being seen.
You’re not a minion, are you?
How are you feeling? You usually become weak after using your powers.
That explained my exhaustion. I’m super exhausted, but we’re talking about you, not me.
He laughed. I told you, I am your servant. Wherever you go, I go. Don’t try to analyze me too much, Sunshine. It won’t do either of us any good. So, I asked you to practice using your powers and you blow a hole through the ceiling? How typical of you.
I frowned. It wasn’t deliberate. What were you doing with my father’s guards? Why are you always around and no one seems to notice or care? Are you stalking me or are you a spy?
He laughed.
Well?
Stalking is such an ugly word. Good luck training with the knights and the guards. Go easy on them.
Will you be there?
Nope. I don’t hang around once my job is done.
I frowned. You’re not making sense. What job?
You’ll understand one day.
I sighed. Does the journal about the dagger really belong to your ancestor?
My grandfather. He left it on Coronis Isle for the next wielder. That’s you. You retrieved the dagger and bonded with it.
That was exactly what Master Kenta had said. It’s refusing to bond with me now.
That is because it already has.
You are not making sense again.
I know. Did you finish the journal?
Twice. How come your grandfather’s power didn’t trickle down to you?I mean, he must have been powerful to wield the Kris Dagger and, well,you’re a minion.
You just go for the jugular, don’t you? Coronis’s diabolical interbreeding program was a hit-and-miss thing. I have to go before Malax overhears us. See you around, Lil.
I frowned. One last question.
Make it a quick one. I can’t hide our link for long.
What are demons?
No response.
Are you still there?
Don’t mention that word to anyone. Not even your father.
Why?
I’ll explain later. Goodnight. Dream about me.
You wish. Why can’t I ask about demons? Silence greeted me. He was gone, the link between us broken. He was so annoyingly stingy with information.
Once again, I dreamed about him flying.
I was still in bed the next morning when Father appeared. In his arms was the ancient box with my dagger. He placed it on the dresser.
“With your powers being restored, you should be able to link with it soon. Let me know when that happens.” Like the last night, he pressed a kiss on my forehead and left. It was as though he couldn’t wait to get out of my room.
Lady Nemea’s eyes widened when she brought my breakfast and saw the box. Awe gave her eyes a weird glow. She slowly reached out as though to touch it, her hand trembling.
“He gave you the dagger,” she whispered.
“Yes. Have you ever seen it?”
“No,” she whispered, her eyes still on the box.
I unlocked it and reached inside the smaller bag for the dagger, careful with the blade so I didn’t get nicked. I pulled it out. When I looked up, Lady Nemea was hallway across the room, fear in her eyes.
“It’s okay,” I reassured her. “It’s harmless.”
She gave me a weird smile. “The Kris Dagger can never be called harmless, not even when dormant. Put it back in its case.”
I put the dagger away and watched her scurry out of the room instead of teleporting. Weird. I pulled out the journal Green Eyes had given me and reread it as I ate. I was still tired, even after a good night’s sleep. I figured creating lightning bolts must use up a lot of my psi energy.
Next, I grabbed the first history book on my nightstand and searched. There was nothing on demons. I picked up the second book. Nothing. A dagger that didn’t exist in our history books but killed demons, which also didn’t exist in our history books. It didn’t make sense.
I dragged my tired body to the showers, got dressed, and went to the library to do more research.
For the next several days, I tried linking with the dagger with little success. I also still couldn’t find CCs or books on it or on demons. Master Kenta and I started training away from the castle, where there were no people. I guess he didn’t want me hurting someone.
I was surprised when he pinged me earlier than usual toward the end of the week. “Sir Kellion contacted me this morning,” he said when I joined him downstairs. “He’s invited you to his training field.”
I grinned. “Finally.”
“He will try to humiliate you or teach you a lesson, but you can take any of his men without breaking a sweat. Just don’t use your energy abilities.”
That was the first time he’d warned me against using my energy abilities since the accident in my room. He’d encouraged me every day to blast things with better precision, but my energy power was flaky. Some mornings, lightning appeared with ease, but other times, I was too tired to lift a feather. Still, his confidence in my ability to spar with the guards was heartwarming and surprising. Praises from him were rare.
The sun was warming up the valley when we arrived at the training field. Sir Kellion and his men weren’t training, though long staffs lay on the ground by the swords. I assumed they’d give me a staff and a sword, since I didn’t bring any.
From the expressions of the guards and their knights, they hadn’t really expected me to show up. The minions didn’t look surprised.
“A staff for the princess,” Sir Kellion yelled, and someone threw one of the sticks my way.
I caught it, twirled it, and gripped it with both hands, one hand closer to the end for controlling the stick’s movements and the other one-quarter in for pivoting. I felt Green Eyes’s presence, but he wasn’t on the field.
“Who is my partner?” I asked.
The people created space for us and Sir Kellion moved closer, crossed his arms, and pinned me with hard eyes. “You fight whoever I choose. If you knock him down twice, you stay. If he knocks you down, you join the women.” His eyes went to Master Kenta, as though daring him to disagree.
I didn’t bother to check my trainer’s reaction. My eyes stayed on Sir Kellion. “Let’s raise the stakes.”
His eyes narrowed. “What did you have in mind, Princess?”
“If I win, you stop using the minions as punching bags and start training them.”
He scowled. “For what purpose?”
“Guards. The lords and ladies of the High Council need some. And when we are attacked, the Guardians or the Archangels cannot tell us apart.”
Sir Kellion smirked. “No one would hire them.”
“I would, and so would my father.”
The smile disappeared from his face. “And if you lose?”
“I’ll train with the students at the Academy and I’ll never bother you or visit this field again.”
His grin came back. “Deal.”
We shook hands, and then he beckoned a man forward. Not just any man. This guy was built like a giant. Massive arms and legs. His brown hair was thick and coarse, and the logo on his shirt said he was a knight. Probably Kellion’s second-in-command, going by the way the others reacted. They hurriedly stepped out of his way and bowed.
Please, let him be stupid and slow. When he stopped before me, I had to tilt my head to look at him. He was huge.
“This is Sir Norath, my right hand,” Sir Kellion said.
I bowed. “Nice to meet you, Sir Norath.”
“The honor is mine, Princess,” he said in a deep, rumbly voice, and bowed.
“Let’s make it a clean fight,” Sir Kellion said, eyes flashing with malice.
He fights dirty, a familiar voice said in my head.
I didn’t search for Green Eyes. Knowing he was nearby was reassuring. I couldn’t explain why. Thanks for the heads-up.
I adjusted my stance, readied the stick, and waited. My opponent assumed the fighting stance too, our sticks touching. Sir Kellion gave the signal.
I slipped under Sir Norath’s stick, pushed it aside, and thrust forward. He blocked and shuffled sideways. I came at him with a downward swing, but he bounced back. He was fast for such a big man. At first, I played it safe and studied his footwork and technique. He was good. No, he was better than good. He was a fighting machine. Fast. Relentless. Smart. But I was faster and smarter, and I was fighting for a cause.
I teleported behind him, but he was ready and blocked me. He pulled a similar move and managed to land a blow on my arm, the sting radiating up to my shoulder. The crowd gasped. Sir Norath smirked. I realized something. He was reading my thoughts and anticipating my every move. The cheating bastard! Green Eyes was right.
Two could play this game.
I let random thoughts fill my head and attacked with a flurry of movements. Thrusting, parrying, always in motion. Sweat pooled on my forehead. Dripped on the side of my face. I got him on the shoulder with a dull thud and the crowd aaahed.
Surprise flashed in his eyes.
The sparring grew intense. Sir Norath might have looked like a gentle giant, but he wasn’t gentle. He fought like a bear. He didn’t cut me any slack, and I got a perverse thrill from besting him. The reaction of our audience egged me on. Every time his stick hit a part of my body, gasps followed. My hits drew the opposite reaction. He pushed hard and I pushed back harder, dodging and flipping.
From behind. He turned, expecting me to appear behind him. I delayed my reappearance and watched him frantically turn around. I saw the perfect opening and reappeared, planted the staff on the ground, swung on it, and caught him in the gut with a flying kick.
He stumbled and tried to break his fall, but I was in his head, telling him what to do. Misleading him. I came low with the staff from behind and finished him. He lost his balance and landed on the ground with a thump. I wasn’t sure who was most surprised—him, or the crowd watching us.
The applause was sporadic at first, and then it spread.
I offered him my hand, but he ignored it, rolled on his heels, and jumped up. He assumed the stance, anger pouring out of him. Angry people made mistakes. I hoped he did.
I made the mistake of smirking. Snarling, he rushed me. Thrust, block, counterattack. He took a step back and twirled his stick. The stick shifted and changed shape until it was a sword. A nasty sword with serrated blade and a guard that looked like it was forged by an evil monster.
What are you doing? someone snapped inside my head. Sir Kellion or Master Kenta, I wasn’t sure.
Teaching the little imp a lesson, Sir Norath snarled, and swung.
I tried to block his sword, but the blade sliced through my staff like it was made of butter. Dang! I needed a sword. I ducked and teleported to escape his blade. But he was waiting when I reappeared. The sound of metal hitting metal resounded in the air.
My sticks had changed into swords. Sweet. They didn’t look as evil as his, but they would do. I didn’t have time to marvel at my first non-clothing solid transformation. He had me on the run, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I turned the tables on him. The silence in the field was thick.
From my training with Master Kenta, I knew that I loved sword fights, and I put every trick I knew into use. I let one sword go, controlling it with my mind and forcing Sir Norath to deal with attack from two angles. The more I outmaneuvered his moves, the angrier he got. Soon, I had him on the defensive. He tried to get inside my head, but I pushed back hard.
He stumbled, his free hand going to his head. Why did you do that?
You tried to get inside my head, Sir Norath. You don’t want to do that.I could hurt you.
He lost it. The rage that shot out of him told me he would to do something stupid. I must have teleported, or maybe I was having out-ofbody experience, because one second I was facing him, and the next I was in the air watching the two of us fight.
Yelling, he swung his sword at me, hoping to knock the swords off my hands or slice me in half. A tingle started at the base of my spine and shot up my back. With it came a surge of heat. In seconds, my entire body was covered with the ancient writings. They were the same writings that often appeared before I healed someone. I started to glow. Not just my hands. My entire body.
It was weird being in two places at the same time, seeing and feeling the same things. Sir Norath’s eyes grew red as he closed the gap between us. The glow from my body was for healing, but this time, it did something different. It sent off a pulse of light.
Sir Norath’s sword burst into flame before it could connect with mine. He dropped it and reached for my arms, his right knee lifting to ram my ribs, but he didn’t touch me. His face contorted as though he was in pain, and then he, too, burst into flame. The crowd scrambled back, people tripping over each other to get away from me. Those closest to me burst into flames, too. Lightning came from everywhere and blasted them.
The next second, I was back on the ground, watching Sir Norath advance toward me with a murderous expression. Realization hit me hard. What I saw hadn’t happened yet. It was just a premonition.
The tingle at the base of my spine came alive and panic coursed through me. My premonition was about to come true.
Stop!
Sir Norath froze. Not in shock. He became like a statue, his face contorted and teeth bared, and his sword raised to attack. I sighed with relief, but it was short-lived. Sir Kellion and everyone on the field were standing still, too, weird expressions on their faces. To my left, Master Kenta, Callum, and Ruby were also frozen.
I stepped back and racked my brain. What had I done? How could I unfreeze them?
“What happened?”
I whipped around, so happy to see Green Eyes that tears rushed to my eyes. He closed the gap between us and I walked into his embrace. His arms closed around me. My tongue tripped as I recounted what had happened.
“It’s okay,” he said. “This is perfectly normal.”
“Normal?” I asked, my voice squeaking. I pushed his arms away, but he wasn’t letting me go.
“Yes. That powerful mind of yours does amazing things all the time, and you always fix them.”
I believed him. For a moment, I let his warmth and strength steady me. Calmer, I became aware of his body pressed against mine. His tense muscles. His scent. He smelled amazing. My heartbeat picked up its tempo.
I didn’t get our relationship. I had walked into his arms as though I’d known he’d comfort me. Everything about him, his scent and warmth, was familiar. I wanted to stay in his arms. Hang on to him and never let go.
It would never work between us. I stepped back and avoided making eye contact. “How did I do this? How do I fix it?”
He cupped my face and pressed a kiss onto my forehead. “You stopped time. You’ve done it before, so don’t worry about it. You’ll unfreeze them by just willing it. But the premonition is new. It’s going to become handy in the future.”
I didn’t care anymore how he knew so much about me. What mattered was that he was here to help me and he’d kissed me. Well, kissed my forehead. I could still feel the imprint of his lips. He stroked my face, his touch gentle.
“I control time,” I murmured, remembering Solange asking about my abilities after my lightning fiasco.
“Yep, and from what I saw from my hiding place, your earth powers are coming along great. As for me, your ability to stop time and everything in it doesn’t work on me anymore.”
“Anymore?”
He grinned, dimples winking on his cheeks. “Yep. Know why?”
“Why?”
His eyes gleamed. “Because you’re crazy about me.”
I turned my head, forcing his hands to drop from my face. “I don’t even know your name.”
“You do; you just don’t remember it. If Raphael ever crosses my path again, he’s leaving wingless. Hear that, you sanctimonious prick?” he called out, and shook his fist at the sky.
Having a conversation with him was maddening. “Look, just tell me what to do to fix this. You can rant against the Archangels later.”
“But I was just warming up to the subject of us,” he said, faking hurt.
“How about you focus on them first?” I pointed at the frozen fighters. “What if I’ve frozen the entire island?”
“You haven’t,” Green Eyes said. “Now, if your powers were fully back, you would have done it.” He walked around Sir Norath. “Poor bastard. He should have known better than to agree to fight you. What do you want to do with him?”
“Not kill him.”
“What were you thinking before you froze him?”
“I wanted to stop him before he attacked. His attack was the reason I turned into a murderous torch.”
Green Eyes laughed. “You’re not a murderous torch. That was your body protecting itself from an attack. Perfectly normal.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “My body turns into a weapon when someone attacks me?”
His eyelids dropped, so I couldn’t read his expression. “Something like that. Okay, unfreeze him.”
I studied Sir Norath while trying to wrap my head around my body being a weapon. Unfreeze, Sir Norath.
Sir Norath staggered forward, the sword arcing down hard and sinking into the ground. I locked it in place. He tried to pull it from the ground, his eyes darting right, then left, as though expecting me to attack, a growl rumbling through his chest. Then he saw the frozen people and me. Green Eyes was long gone. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What’s going on?”
“I froze them so you and I could talk,” I said.
He glanced at the others again and tugged at the sword. “You cheated.”
“Calm down, Sir Norath. You were about to hurt me with your sword. I don’t think either of us wants that or the consequences that go with it.”
He let go of his sword and stepped back, a sheepish expression settling on his face. “Sorry, Princess,” he said slowly, bowing. “I have a temper, you see. Cost me my position as head trainer of the knights.”
I heard the shame in his voice. I’d bet Sir Kellion had deliberately chosen him to further humiliate him. “I’m sorry, too, Sir Norath. I tend to act before thinking when I get angry as well. Got me in plenty of trouble, like this time.”
He smiled. “You are very kind, Princess. What do you want us to do?”
“You are a skilled fighter, Sir Norath, and so am I. We need to stop this fight without either one of us losing face. What do you think we should do to stop it?”
His eyes narrowed. For the first time, I saw intelligence in his gray eyes. “You told Sir Kellion we’d train the minions if you won.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
His eyes narrowed. “Then I’ll let you win.”
“No, Sir Norath. Your reputation is on the line here, too.”
Sir Norath and I looked at each other. I shouldn’t have agreed to this when Sir Kellion had suggested it. It was stupid.
“What if someone intervened and stopped the fight?” Sir Norath suggested.
“Who? Sir Kellion?”
“No, he won’t do it,” Sir Norath said. “He thinks training minions is a waste of time.”
“What about you? Would you train them if you were still head of the knights?” I asked.
Sir Norath nodded. “Yes, Princess. We need more guards and fighters. We lost a lot in the last two battles. Not having powers doesn’t stop them from being skilled fighters.”
“That would be great. You can teach them so much more because you’re an amazing fighter. You are fast and you have great technique.”
Sir Norath smiled with pride and bowed. “Thank you, Princess. You are pretty badass yourself.”
I laughed. “Thank you.”
“Would Kenta stop the fight if you asked him to, Princess?”
I shook my head. “No. He and Sir Kellion hate each other. Let’s get my father to intervene. He doesn’t know about our little sparring this morning, but I can have someone whisper it in his ear.”
Fear flickered in Sir Norath’s eyes. “I don’t want to be punished, Princess.”
“You won’t be,” I reassured him. “We’ll put on a show for them until Father arrives. No one will know we are doing it except the two of us.” My eyes went to Callum and Ruby. “I’ll unfreeze one of the guards to warn him.”
Sir Norath still looked unsure.
“I give you my word you won’t get in trouble,” I promised.
He nodded, but I could tell he was still uneasy. I unfroze Callum, who looked thoroughly confused, but he agreed to go to my father, then Sir Norath and I resumed our positions and waited for the signal from Callum.
Father was going to go ballistic, but anything to stop the fight.