He says it so lightly that he could be kidding—but I can tell he reallymeans it. It reminds me of the way he grabbed my arm before I mouthed off to Grey, even though this assignment matters to him so much he was willing to lock himself in his room until we had new orders.If you go, I go.
I smile and shake out my arm, leaving my weapon in its sheath. “Let’s take a minute. We don’t have to get to one hundredtonight.”
“Oh, thank fate.” Malin drops to his knees and sits back on his heels, then nods at my armor. He’s caught his breath, and he says, “It’s odd to face you in that, after so many days in our colors.”
He means Emberfall’s colors. I drop to a squat beside him, bracing my forearms on my knees. I’ve worn this black armor for so long that I don’t remember ever giving it a second thought, but I noticed how it set me apart during our journey to Emberfall. I wonder if it’s setting me apart now.
“I always feel like I’ve got a foot on each side of the mountain,” I say.
“I can see that. A lot of people say that about the king.”
The comment takes me by surprise, because I’ve never considered Grey feeling the same way. Maybe I look startled, because Malin shrugs and adds, “He’s the king of Emberfall, but he’s married totheirqueen.”
And they don’t want him here.
An ice-cold breeze blows through the open doors to the arena, chilling the sweat on my arms and making me shiver. The torches flicker and sputter as the air catches them. A faint trace of magic touches my senses, and I straighten to standing, snapping my head toward the doorway before I recognize the power.Nakiis.
Malin is already on his feet beside me. “Is it the one from the woods?”
“Nakiis. Yes.” I pause. “He should keep his distance,” I add, hoping the scraver will hear me. The last thing I need is anyone thinking a scraver has followed me to the palace. I look at Malin. “How did you know?”
“The cold. That happened before, too.”
Just as he says it, the cool wind slips out of the arena and the magic dissipates from the air. I let out a breath of relief.
Malin is studying me. “Do you use magic?” he says. “When you fight?”
“Do you mean now?”
“I mean ever.” He pauses, then casts a quick glance around, and his voice quiets, though we’re still alone. “If you’re allowed to say.”
I shake my head. “No. I haven’t had magic long, and the king gave it to me as a means of protection. So I can heal myself—or others, obviously. I can start a fire if I need to. I’ve never . . . ?I’ve never used it as aweapon. I’ve never used it in violence.”
Though . . . ?I have. Once. Lord Alek pinned me against the work table at Jax’s forge, his fingers pressing into my neck. He threatened to have his guards tie me down and add a few more stripes to my back. Even the memory has enough potency to steal my breath. When it happened, I let my magic flare and set his jacket on fire.
He stabbed me in the ribs in retaliation. I barely had enough magic to heal the damage.
That breeze winds through the arena again, but this time it’s slower, just the tiniest flicker of magic against my senses.
Not now, Nakiis, I think.I’m fine.
I put a hand on the hilt of my sword. “Round five?”
Malin nods and draws. He’s strong, and even though he’s tiring, he fights hard. I’ve enjoyed the challenge of training with him this week. I block an attack that disarmed me two days ago, and his eyes flare in surprise.
“I’m learning,” I grind out. I barely have time to block before he gets inside my guard.
“Me too,” he says, and I smile.
As our match drags on, I become distantly aware that we’re not alonein the arena any longer. A few voices echo, and shadows bounce off the walls. Some soldiers have leaned against the railing to watch. But Malin doesn’t lose focus, so I don’t either. Actually, his fighting changes, his strikes becoming a little more aggressive, his movements a little more precise.
That, more than anything, tells me that Grey is among the soldiers who’ve found their way into the training hall.
I should give Malin an opening. Let him have a win, because I know he wants to impress the king. That twisting spike in my heart won’t let me.Idon’t want to fail in front of Grey either.
I redouble my own efforts, even as sweat drips into my eyes. Our swords meet over and over again, the ring of steel echoing in the arena, until his blade scrapes down the length of mine and he tries to hook my hilt to disarm me.
I hold fast, and for a moment it’s a sheer battle of grappling strength. He grabs hold of my armor with his free hand, but I see it coming, and I grab hold of his before he can throw me off balance. Every muscle in my body is taut, and an equal amount of strain is reflected in Malin’s eyes. We’re both breathing harder than we were before. He tries for leverage, but there’s none. I dig my boot into the dirt and try the same, but he doesn’t move.
