Page 49 of Shadow Kissed
“What creature did those tusks belong to?” I ask pulling my eyes from the ring and turning to Raegal. I shuffle when I find his eyes on me, watching me with a lazy smile on his face.
“They are the claws of flame dragons.”
I blink and stare back at up at them. “I’d heard the stories about the legendary flame dragons. It’s hard to believe they are so big.”
Raegal snickers, kicking at the dirt beneath his boots. “Try having one charge at you at full speed from out of the skies.”
I shake my head, barely able to imagine what a frightening sight that would be. “Have you killed any?”
He frowns and looks up at the dragon claws. “Unfortunately, yes. They are majestic creatures, and I took no joy in ending their lives, but when their riders are aiming for you and ordering them to burn you to a crisp or eat you whole, it’s a matter of survival.” He coughs and gestures towards a tunnel to our right. “Come and choose your weapon.”
Brimming with curiosity and excitement, I follow behind him. He looks back at me and smirks. “You’re like a child in a cake shop.”
Just inside the tunnel there is a wall of hooks filled with shields, daggers, swords and spears. All blunt, of course. This is a training area, after all. I walk up and down and examining each, before I stop at a set of daggers with smaller handles than the others. I reach up and take them, testing out the feel of them in my hands. All the while, Raegal is watching me.
“They are a perfect size for your hands,” he says, as he walks up beside me and selects a wooden staff. “You prefer to fight with daggers to swords?”
I gaze down at the dress I’m wearing and sigh. “Fat lot of good they’ll be when I’m in this stupid dress.”
I frown at him when he snickers, before holding his hands up in apology when I glower at him. “Wait here. I’m sure I can find something more suitable. And Eretreya,” he says over his shoulder as he disappears off down the tunnel. “Don’t go wandering off on your own.”
I roll my eyes at him and turn my attention back to the wall of weapons. Finally, something fun to do!
Raegal returns in no time at all and tosses a slim tunic and trousers at me. “These should do. I borrowed them from a young stable boy of similar size.”
“Is there somewhere I can change?” I ask him after we stand there for a moment in silence. His brow arches and he cocks his head at me. “If your shadows even attempt to come anywhere near my clothes, I will cut your balls off, Lord Commander.”
He snorts, giving me his back. Like the idea that I could even get close enough to hurt him is ludicrous. Keeping my eye on him, I change in the tunnel as quickly as possible, hanging the discarded dress on a hook on the wall. The dress can stay there as I’ll be taking the stable boy’s clothes back with me.
“You can turn around,” I tell him, as I tighten the laces on the boot. They are a little big, but they’ll do.
“Ready to show me what you’ve got, little terror?”
I blink. Wait, I’m sparring with him?
“Who else did you think I’d let you play with?” he says, answering my silent question. “Not scared, are you?”
I snicker and narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t flatter yourself.” I roll my shoulders and straighten my spine. “Let’s do this.”
I stride into the arena with much more confidence than I feel inside. My late father’s mantra resounds in my head:‘If you act fearless you become fearless.’
We both come to a stop in the centre of the ring and face each other. Raegal spins the wooden staff in his hands and winks at me. He’s amused. Probably thinking it’s hilarious that I think I stand a chance against him. I grip my two wooden daggers and flex my wrists, getting used to the feel of them. Tension sizzles in the air as we both stare at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.
He strikes.
Fast, like lightning.
One minute he’s still. The next I’m on my back, winded, with his foot on my chest.
He tuts, looking down at me. “Disappointing.”
I glare at him as I shove his foot off me. He offers me his hand, but I bat it away, jumping to my feet. Smug bastard. I bounce on my toes, not taking my eyes off him.
“No cheating and using your shadows, Commander,” I say. “To make the odds even.”
He fights a smile. “If you say so, terror. Well, come on then. Show me what you’ve learned over the years.”
We circle each other, weapons ready. I attack swinging my arm around, aiming to drive my dagger into his neck, but he blocks me with ease, barely blinking. I spin, trying to come up behind him and then I leap, my daggers raised, ready to sink them into his back and use them to get my legs around his neck in a vice hold. He anticipates my move though, and as I’m mid leap, he ducks, rolls, and has me in a chokehold on my knees.