Now, we stood in the sparring yard outside the palace. It was a little grassy area next to the gardens with weapons racks and archery targets arranged for the palace guards to train in their spare time. Roman had wasted no time at all putting me through my paces. He’d walked me through the human stances once again before attacking. He’d already knocked me out of the painted circle in the grass three times before declaring it was time for a break.
Some of his men were arriving for their own morning training by then, having come straight from breakfast. Pleased that the Captain had someone else to pester for a while, I stepped aside to catch my breath. I grabbed the canteen Roman had brought out with us and took a gulp of water to soothe my dehydration.
A flash of emerald caught my eye and I looked up to find the Second Ring girl, Adrian’s friend, passing through the gardens. She wore a deep green shirt over loose fitting trousers, that’s what had caught my eye. But now I paid more attention to the expression on her face. Her lips were pulled into a tout frown, her nose scrunched up and gaze set straight ahead, determined. I followed it to find it was the general she had in her sights. He leaned against the western wall, facing the sparring ground and watching with interest, his men surrounding him.
He didn’t seem to notice Zya until she was upon him. When he did, he pushed off the wall and stepped forward to meet her. She said something to him in a low tone. I couldn’t hear her from where I was and her back was turned but she was gesturing quite a bit. A moment later, the general’s eyes slid to me and that already stone-cold expression hardened. That didn’t seem like a good sign.
He muttered something quick to Zya who nodded back and headed for the door to the palace near him. She frowned, casting one look back before she went, straight at me.
The general began a slow and purposeful stride directly in my direction.
Shit.
I replaced the cap on the canteen as quickly as I could and reached for a sword on the nearest rack. The general’s eyes remained firmly on me as he approached, not even flicking briefly to the weapon, as if he didn’t fear me at all. His expression, normally an irritated scowl, was now contorted in rage. The burning fury in his icy eyes stunned me momentarilyand my fingers went limp around the sword. Whatever Zya had told the general had pissed him off more than I’d ever seen and he wasn’t exactly the most even tempered man to begin with.
“General Gryfon,” Roman called out, to my relief. “What a surprise. Have you come to test your mettle against my men?”
I could hear the arrogance in Roman’s tone, the pretension of an accomplished soldier, so certain of his own ability. But I saw the cold fury in the general’s gaze and almost cried out a warning to the presumptuous Captain. Still, it had some effect. The general stopped walking, at least. He turned slightly, gaze remaining on me as he cocked his head to the side in bare acknowledgement of the Captain.
“In fact, I think I have,” he drawled, every syllable low and threatening. He jabbed a finger in my direction. “This one first.”
My gaze whipped to Roman, a wordless plea in my wide eyes. There was no way I was sparring the general. He’d survived gods knew how long in that wasteland of a desert, climbing the ranks to become Prima’s own second hand, fighting beside beasts and riders, battling the gods and their Victors. I hadn’t the faintest clue what sort of skill the man had with a blade but I was willing to bet it was significant and unwilling to find out.
Roman’s eyes met mine and he frowned but said nothing as the general approached the rack and plucked a sword from it. He eyed the steel in the morning light, turning the blade so the sunlight glinted off of it. Apparently deciding it would do, he flipped it once before gripping the hilt and looking up at me again. There was a feral intensity in the general’s eyes that had me looking to the Captain again, despite knowing he wouldn’t step in to help me. There was no love lost between Roman and I. Instead, my plea was met with a grim nod.
Cursing, I lifted my own sword, backing away toward the grass circle with it raised in defense. With how angry he was, I wasn’t certain he wouldn’t charge me before we reached the officialsparring ground, rules be damned. But he stepped patiently forward, content to follow me into the circle where we could begin. It was cold fury radiating off of him, so different from the hot ire of my grandfather. It was cool, calculating, and entirely disturbing. What sort of man could remain so calm when so angry? And hewasangry. I could tell by the clenched jaw, narrow glare, and stiff movements. He was going to kill me.
I glanced once more at Roman, a brief panic rising within me, but the Captain shook his head quickly, nonverbally berating me for looking away from my opponent. Realizing my error, I turned.
The general swung. It was the swiftest movement I’d ever seen. I leapt out of the way, utilizing the Blessing of my enhanced speed as Valin had taught me, but his blade still sliced the fabric of my shirt. The bottom half fluttered into the morning breeze, exposing my abdomen and causing surprised mutters from the guards gathered to watch. The general’s own men had stepped forward as well, watching our bout with less awe and more stoicism. They knew he’d win. They were hardly even interested in observing.
I squared my shoulders and reevaluated my strategy. This man was used to fighting Victors, had probably even fought Geist. He would know my tricks, would anticipate the use of my Blessings, and I wasn’t all that skilled with them anyway. Still, I would need the advantage they offered. Speed and strength would remain but there was no chance I could float and I hadn’t yet mastered shifting. Adrian had always been better with that one. Enhanced senses were useless if I couldn’t sense the shift in the wind like Kleio had been trying to teach me. All at once, I realized just how pitiful my training had been. He’d tried, truly, he had. But I was always a terrible student and I hadn’t understood why it was important then. Now, looking at the general’s icy gaze as he prowled toward me, I did.
He swung again and I tried to block. My arm shook when the blow landed, the sound of clanging metal ringing out through the yard. Even with my enhanced strength, the general was pushing me back, my feet sliding in the grass below. My eyes blew wide. That shouldn’t be possible. I had my Blessing. He was just…whatwashe?
His lip twitched as he leaned in closer, pushing me further away. Then, without warning, he pulled back, let my momentum cause me to stumble forward, and slapped me on the back with the flat of his blade. I fell to my hands and knees on the dirt. It was a savage blow, meant to humiliate me. It spoke to the others of my skill against his, told them he didn’t even need to use the blade of his sword, he could beat me with just the flat. I growled, scrambling back to my feet, and whirled around, bringing my sword up to face him as he circled me, still glaring as his silver hair blew in the breeze.
“Why are you so pissed?” I snapped, having had it with the theatrics. He was toying with me, I could feel it, and it rankled my pride that he would do so in front of all the others.
He stopped circling me, icy blue eyes darkening to a glowing sapphire as he lowered his chin to meet my gaze.
“Do you enjoy making powerful women cry, Betrayer?” he asked, tone low enough that only I could hear him.
The name, as well as the question, sent me reeling. I blinked at him, confusion fogging my thoughts as he let the tip of his sword drag in the grass.
“Who—" I started.
“I could hear her half the night,” he growled, stepping toward me. Instantly, my sword went up, poised to strike or defend if he grew too close. “Sobbing into her pillows, trying to muffle it, trying to pull herself together. I didn’t know what had happened until Zya came to me. She told me what you did, what you said to her.”
“That’s none of your business,” I snapped.
“I’m afraid it is.”
“It’s between Adrian and I.”
“There is no Adrian and you. Not anymore. You made sure of that, didn’t you, Betrayer?”
I saw red. Without a thought, without a plan, I lunged for him, blade first.
