My blood turns to ice. There’s not much he could say that would stop me in my tracks, but that does it.
Alek glances at the forge at my back, his gaze settling on Jax. “Haven’t you heard there are plots against the throne? I think the queen would be interested in hearing that her trusted messenger is having secret meetings with a roughshod laborer in the middle of nowhere.”
“I am doing no such thing,” I say.
“You’ve been speaking privately forhours. I’m sure the queen would feel rather betrayed.” Alek doesn’t draw a weapon, but his eyes skip over my form again. “Maybe we should see how much use that armor has left.”
“My lord,” says Jax quickly, his voice a rough rasp, and Alek’s blue eyes shift left. “My lords—please—”
“Go in the house,” I say to him.
“No,” says Alek. “I have business with this blacksmith. Businessyouare interrupting.”
“Find another,” I snap.
“I’ve already hired this one.” Alek looks at Jax. “It seems your hand is no longer injured.”
Jax’s breathing is tight and shallow. He looks from Alek to me and back, then swallows tightly.
I step in front of him. “Leave him alone, Alek.”
He stops, glaring at me. “This is your last warning, Tycho. You have no right to interfere with my business dealings. You are not the king. You are not of the Queen’s Guard. You are not even a soldier in the army any longer. You are amessenger.”
I don’t want to fight him. I don’t. There are three of them and one of me.
Regardless of what I want, Alek tries to step past me, toward Jax, and I grab hold of his arm.
It’s all the excuse he needs—and it’s not like he needed one at all. Alek draws a blade, and almost without thought, I’m drawing my own, swinging. Deflecting. Fighting.
He’s always been a good swordsman. He blocks every swing, matches every parry. A strain builds in my forearms, and I try to call magic to reinforce my strength, but it’s sluggish.I’msluggish.
I swing my blade viciously, knocking his sword out of his hand. One of his guards steps forward, but Alek ducks, using his dagger to deflect my second attack, and before I’m ready, he’s stepped inside my guard.His hand shoots out, catching me by the throat. He’s quick, his fingers digging into the tendons there with vicious accuracy. One of his guards has a blade against my sword arm. The other has an arrow pointed at my throat. I collide with the work table, and Alek has me pinned.
“You can’t kill me,” I grit out.
“I can hurt you.”
Yes. He can. He already is. The pressure of his hand on my throat is like a burn every time I inhale. It’s reminding me of another time a man pinned me with a hand against my throat, and I have to force my thoughts to stay present, to staysmart. “The king will take your head off for this.”
“For what? For preventing his messenger from committing treason? Don’t think I haven’t figured out how his hand was healed.”
“I’m—not—committing—”
“Well, I certainly know what itlookslike. Perhaps I should have my guards add a few more stripes to your back. Help you remember your place.”
I surge against his hold and he laughs, shoving me back down. The edge of the work table is pressing into my spine.
“You’re awfully brave with those magical rings,” Alek says, his voice low. His blade glints in my peripheral vision. “Maybe I should cut your hands off and see how you fare.”
My hands are wrapped around his wrist. I don’t think. I let the magic flare. Flame erupts on his sleeves.
Alek shouts and jerks back, smacking out the flames. I’m suddenly free, choking on air, and my sword is gone, but one of my knives finds my hand.
I’ve never been so grateful for training. I step forward to throw—
Alek ducks my blade, deflecting with his bracer. His dagger stabs into my waist, just where the armor hangs a bit loose.
The pain is sharp and immediate, and it steals my breath. My knees hit the icy ground. I scrabble for the blade, but he’s stabbed itdeep. I try to breathe around the pain, to call for the magic in my ring, but I swear the blade reaches all the way to my spine. I’m wheezing, and I think I’ve got a hand on the ground now. There’s too much blood, and I can’t get a grip.
