As I wait for Danial to bring over the volunteers he’s selectingand splitting into groups for the two of us to train, I pull my friend away from her ladies-in-waiting, Freckles and Sunshine.
“Where’s your crown?” I ask, putting a steadying hand on her shoulder. She’s leaning on her cane less than usual, but she still looks like she could use the extra support. “And why are you wearingthat? Surely your maids didn’t pick it out for you.” I nod to her tattered trousers and her rose-patterned blouse with several moth holes in it, offering her a slight, teasing smile.
Valoria shrugs away my touch, then pulls off her glasses and folds them up without a hint of hesitation. “I’m here to learn how to fight, too.” Holding her cane slightly off the ground, she musters a grin and adds, “Since the damage the Shade did to my leg seems to be permanent, I might as well learn how to wield this baby in self-defense, no?”
“Majesty, you can’t—” one of the ladies-in-waiting says fretfully, biting her lip and glancing at Valoria’s injured leg.
“Actually, I’ve found there’s surprisingly little Ican’tdo,” Valoria says, raising her chin and turning her back on her lady-in-waiting to meet my gaze with eyes sharp as cut glass. “Now, Sparrow, don’t go easy on me just because you know me, or because you feel sorry for me.”
“I’d never,” I say quickly.
“Good,” Valoria says, visibly relaxing. “There’s nothing to be sorry about, anyway. I’m lucky—unlike many in Karthia, I’m still alive. And grateful for every breath.” She taps her cane against the ground. “I’m still me. Just in a slightly different form.”
“You look like you’re in fine fighting shape,” I assure her. “I’ll challenge you accordingly.”
“Not before I do!” a familiar voice shouts. “I want you to give me the beating of my life... if you think your fists can take it.”
Striding through the mist, Jax’s hulking shadow comes into view.He whistles Simeon’s song under his breath and flashes a wolfish grin as he approaches. His mood seems lighter this morning. Too light. I wouldn’t trust the change if I didn’t know him so well. Fighting is something he’s good at, and without his old job to occupy him, this is probably the first chance he’s had to burn off some of his restless energy since we said farewell to the Dead, or at least since he fought the Shade that someone turned loose at the palace.
“You and me. Let’s do this. Hand-to-hand combat, for those fun times when swords aren’t an option,” he says, wiping a trace of sweat from his brow and locking eyes with Valoria. “If you really want to learn, I’ll teach you how to take down someone twice your size,” he says, a current of pride—and perhaps something else, though I’m not sure what—running through his voice. “Bring your cane. It’ll make a sweet staff.” He nods to the black polished wood with the wolf’s head for a handle. “And I won’t go easy on you. Promise.”
He extends a hand to Valoria, who takes it after a moment’s slight hesitation. Hand in hand, they disappear into a stretch of grass behind one of the weapons sheds.
Wondering if they’re finally about to act on what I’ve sensed between them for a while now, I watch as Meredy patiently organizes a small group of would-be archers. Nearby, Freckles, Sunshine, and a couple of the larger men test out wooden practice swords under Danial’s careful supervision.
With the sun now burning off the mist, the beginnings of our volunteer army don’t look as bad as they did at first glance.
Hurrying over to help Danial with his trainees, I take a moment to study Valoria’s two favorite ladies-in-waiting as they watch others sparring. Both girls are holding their practice swords at angles that suggest they have no idea what to do with them. I’m not sure why Freckles, the one who turned into a big cat in the throne room, wouldeven want to learn swordplay when she can transform into something that kills with a swipe of its claws. And as for Sunshine, her appearance-changing magic seems to make her better suited to spying than any type of fighting.
As if to confirm my suspicion, Sunshine waves her short wooden sword in a greeting at my approach. The blade smacks Freckles square in the face, and she cries out, more in surprise than pain. Still, Danial rushes to check on her.
They’re hopeless at this.
I rub my temples, wishing I’d brought some coffee beans out here with me.
I’ve just started explaining how to block an opponent’s blow to the rest of the trainees when Simeon calls breathlessly, “Wait for us!” When he strides into view, leading most of the crew of theParadise, he pants, “Sorry we’re late, but this lot would’ve missed the morning summons if I hadn’t gone to fetch them.” In an exaggerated whisper, he jerks a thumb at Kasmira and adds, “Too much fun last night.”
“Byfun, he means we got into a scrape with some of those who oppose Valoria’s reign last night,” Kasmira says to me and Danial, ignoring Simeon’s jibe completely. “So forgive us if we’re moving a bit slowly this morning, but we figure now’s as good a time as any to learn some, ah, proper killing techniques.” She wiggles her fingers and makes me laugh for a moment—that is, until I notice the bruises on her face and arms.
Frowning, I reach absently to rub the spot where my master necromancer’s pin used to be—the one I no longer wear despite Meredy’s encouragement—and I get to work at last.
The volunteers might be a bit hapless, but they’re eager to learn. Watching a young boy demonstrate some decent footwork, teachingFreckles the proper technique for blocking, and helping Kasmira with her stance raises my spirits slightly.
A while later, Jax and Valoria emerge from behind the weapons shed, bruised and muddy but both grinning.
Jax looks my way and calls, “Your turn next, Sparrow!”
I don’t know what this means—if this is him forgiving me for leaving without saying goodbye—but my toes practically skim the grass on my way over to him. I link arms with Simeon, dragging him away from his sparring partner to join Jax and me in a little hand-to-hand demonstration for the volunteers.
If only Evander were here, it would be just like old times. But if Evander were here, I wouldn’t be with the girl who gives me the best dreams. I can’t wish Evander back to life. It seems to be a habit, but I’ve got to stop trying. Evander would want me to be happy, and in the moments when I’m not worried about what he would say or think if he were still here, I finally am. Happy, with Meredy. And we can’t move forward if I stay stuck in the past with a phantom.
Our mock battle begins, demanding my attention.
As I swing my fist toward Jax, someone screams.
XIII
I drop my hand at the sound that startled me, a hot, prickling feeling washing over me as I look for the screamer. “Relax,” I growl at the crowd, still breathing hard from the half demonstration we managed. I wink at Jax. “I’m not gonna do anything that’ll permanently damage that pretty face of his.”
