‘He’s too close to Zelle for me to tell,’ he says. ‘You want to climb the wall and check?’
Yes is the sensible answer. I should absolutely want to go and study the weapon that is Kyor Knavin if I’m going to have any chance of defending myself against him. But the words don’t come out. Because going up high to watch will mean looking away, and I’m not sure I can.
My mind is a hundred percent full of Kyor. The focus in his eyes, the scars etched into his skin. The way his torso twists, and his bare feet pull across the sand as he swerves and ducks another strike from Zelle. He’s not even attempting to bring the older man down. Zelle, on the other hand, is giving it his all. His knuckles are white and his teeth are gritted as he aims for every exposed part of the prince. But Kyor makes each block look effortless.
‘Does anyone know what Kyor’s power is?’ I ask without looking.
‘Shh, you’re distracting from the moment.’ I don’t know who speaks, but they’re probably right.
He swings his sword faster and faster. I didn’t know it was possible to move that quickly. His body is a complete and utter masterpiece.
‘He can’t beat Zelle, can he?’ Llinos whispers. ‘I’ve seen the commander take on the knights three to one. There’s no chance the prince is actuallythatgood, is there?’
I don’t reply. There’s no need because we’re all witnessing the answer.
Yes, Kyor is that good.
There’s a reason he’s not been in the battle yard on any of the other days. It’s not just because he doesn’t need it; it’s also because he wanted this. He wanted the rest of the Rettlings to be blindsided by just how fucking good he is. He wants us to see, and know, that the gifting is his to lose.
So much for it being nepotism that put him at the head of the army. If this is how he fights in battle, then he deserves everything that’s been given to him.
For a split second, Zelle gets an edge back and my heart stutters, but then a smile flickers on Kyor’s lips, and I realise it was all a ploy. He’s going in for the final strike.
In a move that is as beautiful as it is deadly, Kyor lifts his leg and smashes it right into Zelle’s chest. The instructor stumbles back,momentum taking him all the way to the ground. A second later, Kyor has his sword at Zelle’s throat.
‘Don’t be mad, old man,’ he says when he finally moves the blade out of the way, replacing it with his hand to help Zelle up. ‘I had a pretty good teacher.’
‘You know, if I were in my prime, I would have got you at the beginning when you were playing with that sword like a circus performer,’ Zelle complains as he stands upright.
‘So you say.’ Kyor grins. ‘But we both know I would’ve kicked your arse then, too.’ The pair seem completely oblivious to us all watching on and would probably have stayed that way if Zara hadn’t stepped forward, breaking the moment.
‘Prince Kyor,’ she says, bowing in a way that’s so sycophantic it makes me nauseous. ‘It would be the greatest honour of my life if you would train with me. Train me,’ she clarifies.
Silence falls again as every pair of eyes shifts from Zelle and Kyor to Zara and the prince. My heart is beating so damn fast. It’s probably just because they’d be a deadly combination together … with me at the top of their kill list. Yes, that’s undoubtedly the reason I feel like I can’t breathe. It’s definitely not because Zara training with Kyor would mean her getting to see him sweaty and half-naked more often. No, I would have to be completely insane to be thinking something like that.
For a moment, his eyes narrowing on Zara, Kyor doesn’t speak.
‘You’re the one who got rid of the … runts? You wanted to make sure only the best got through?’
‘That’s me.’ She beams with pride.
I watch the twitch of his lips and somehow already know what he’s going to say.
‘I’d rather train Kultavaris than you,’ he says, nodding towards me before meeting my eyes with that icy gaze.
Chapter 25
The next morning, I arrive for my pre-dawn training session with Zelle, only to falter as I enter the battle yard. Kyor is there, leaning against the wall, without a scrap of fabric on his torso despite the cold.
‘I’ll come back later,’ I say, turning to leave, but before I can move Zelle steps out of the shadows and shakes his head. ‘He’s here to help.’
Kyor snorts. ‘I’m here to trounce you. It’ll be fun.’
The commander levels a withering look at the prince, who offers a jerk of his shoulder in a half shrug. At least the smirk is now gone from his face.
‘We still need to work on your stance,’ Zelle says. ‘Without weight on your side, if you don’t position yourself correctly, you’ll be too easy to topple.’
I press my lips tightly together. We’ve been working on this for the last few sessions, and I thought I was making good progress. Though if Zelle’s brought Kyor in to humiliate me, he obviously doesn’t think the same.
