Chapter 22
Another week into training and I finally developed a routine.
I woke earlier now, to ribbon dance. Edith had suggested it, and I found the familiar movements soothed my mind and stretched my muscles before training. I felt steadier.
And it was a comfort to be good at something again. To feel like my body knew how to move.
I’d stop by to say good morning to Flame in the tyger stables, where I often found Couscous stealing her breakfast. Other times, my cat would be curled up in the hay, a small ball of orange and cream nestled against the great tygress’s paws.
The warriors around me got better each day, proof of the masterful training of our Ambush Master and Captain of the Guard.
We were not only trained in weapons but also taught the limited knowledge they had regarding the demons and monsters we were to fight.
Even I had improved, though not enough. I was faster, well-balanced atop Flame, and my archery skills had much improved, but I still struggled.
One afternoon, I turned a corner and slammed into a wall of muscle—Ire. His hand shot out before I could react, fingers closing around my throat as he shoved me back into the stone, trapping me. To remind me how easily he could.
His body crowded mine.
“You don’t deserve to be here,” he said, his breath hot against my cheek. “Fate made a mistake. And the rest of us are stuck cleaning it up.”
His thumb dragged slowly against my skin, just under my jaw, like he was considering something worse. His eyes dropped to my mouth. “You’re not a warrior. You’re a toy someone put in the wrong place. Dressed up like one of us, but soft where it counts.”
I refused to flinch.
He leaned in closer, mouth at my ear now. “Keep pretending you belong. We’ll see how long that pretty act lasts.”
Then he let go and stepped back, smiling like he hadn’t just choked me. “See you in training, little Azure.”
I waited until he was gone, then pressed my shaking fingers to my throat.
Breathe, just breathe.
—
“Again,” Blake ordered.
Sweat dripped off my forehead. It was late afternoon, the sun high today.
It was early in the fourth month and a day when spring seemed possible.
Most of the men had stripped themselves of their shirts in the heat, though not Blake.
I’d admired Jace’s leanly muscled chest and stomach from the corner of my eye.
I had stripped my riding jacket off long ago and was in the sleeveless tunic beneath.
Malissa opposite me looked the same, her hair braided back smoothly away from her lightly flushed face.
She was unshakable against anything I tried.
She often stood close to Blake, a possessive hand on his bicep, leaning in close to confer while Ire watched them with furious, calculating eyes.
Clearly, the king favored Blake and seemed to welcome an engagement between them.
From Blake’s point of view, who wouldn’t want to inherit a dominion?
I wondered how deep their relationship was—and then nearly slapped myself to stop from wondering anything about the Ambush Master.
“Use your magic,” Jace called.
“I would, but I’m in short supply,” I muttered under my breath. Still, it made Jace smile.
“I said again,” Blake barked.
Malissa flexed her hands once, before darting for me, tackling hard.
There were a few bruises along my bicep and forearm where she’d managed to slam me into the mat.
I hadn’t landed one clean move on her in all our matches.
Balancing against her strength was hard, but Blake had demanded I keep trying.
This time, I darted for her legs, sliding low to hook behind her ankles. She jumped clear of my sweep.
Easily, she pinned me again and I yielded. Jace clapped, coming to help me up. His mouth opened to speak before Blake snapped, “Again.”
“Blake—”
“Not with Malissa,” Blake said, cutting off Jace’s placating tone. “With me.”
My stomach sank.
—
Across the circle, Blake Axefire faced me with stillness in his gaze. A warrior, the only remaining Twin Blade, the strongest metal mage they’d seen in centuries, and I had to fight him.
It didn’t help that I could tell he was angry—it was easy to see in the furrow of his brow and the pacing of his feet as he watched me.
I noticed a lot about Blake Axefire now, no matter how much I didn’t want to.
The way corded muscle flexed beneath glistening skin, his arms taut as he wielded his weapons with precision.
He, too, was down to his sleeveless tunic now, sweat-slicked and molded to his body.
His forearms, dusted with bronze-gold hair, were carved with definition, veins standing out as he gripped the hilt of his sword.
His broad shoulders rolled with power as he shifted, his stance perfectly balanced.
And his back rippled with muscles each time he moved.
He’d spent his life in training, and his body was a weapon, a beautiful one.
Then there were his hands. Large, calloused, battle-worn yet nimble. Long, strong, perfect fingers. Distracting.
Focus, Flame chided in my head, and my cheeks flushed. He will attack when you’re not paying attention.
How do you know how he fights?
He and Kingsolver are one and the same, Flame responded. Strong. Intense. Deadly. Don’t be distracted—
Without warning, Blake lunged for me. I sideswiped him and leapt toward the other side of the circle, turning when I felt him growing closer.
I tried to shove him away with both arms, my movements awkward and out of rhythm, as if my muscles were unconnected.
It took three more times escaping him before I realized he was toying with me.
His eyes flared, and suddenly, my arm was yanked sideways in a wrist lock.
He struck again then, taking me down, pinning my wrists easily against the ground. I yelped, twisting under him, but he was immovable, every inch of him solid and unyielding.
I felt every hard line of muscle pressed against me, and no matter how hard I pushed or kicked, he didn’t flinch. His body caged mine completely, his face far too close, those intense blue eyes watching me without a flicker of emotion. To my shame, I felt a flutter between my legs.
“I know you have magic. Use it,” he said. “Sing me off.”
I blinked up at him. “What?”
He gave me a flat look. “Sing. Immobilize me. Stop being so afraid and try it.”
“I’m not afraid,” I snapped, squirming under him. It didn’t help. It only made me more aware of every place our bodies touched. Heat crawled up my neck.
“Sing,” he said again, dead serious. “Or we’re going to be here a long time.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. I felt absurd and a little embarrassed, pinned under the Twin Blade of the Silver Dominion, being ordered to sing at him like some deranged bird.
“You’re insane,” I said.
He gave a slight, mocking smile. Astonishingly, a dimple appeared, making my heart do something very stupid. It was the first time I’d seen him smile, I realized.
“And you’re wasting time,” he said before dipping his head. “Unless you enjoy being underneath me.”
My face flamed. “You’re dreaming,” I snarled.
“And you’re a weak, scared Azure who won’t use her magic,” he snapped back. “Sing.”
Face burning with fury and something else, I drew in a breath, lifted my chin, and sang the highest, clearest note I could manage.
He didn’t so much as twitch. He waited, but when I pressed my lips into a firm line, he pushed up and off me, stalking away with barely concealed frustration.
I felt wrung out and embarrassed, irritated because as much as I’d argued with him, there was a part of me that had hoped it would work. Had thought it actually might.
My eyes burned.
Flame rumbled with a soothing purr: There is light in every darkness, my rider. Do not be too hard on yourself.
After dismissing the other warriors, Blake stalked back toward me. Jace lingered, but one scathing look from the Ambush Master had him giving me an apologetic frown and stepping away to hurry everyone else out.
Blake’s pale blue eyes raked over me. I stood there, covered in sweat and grime. He came close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze.
“This is becoming dangerous,” he said flatly. “You have no warrior instinct whatsoever. Your arms are weak. Your frame fragile.”
“Why does it matter?” I asked, feeling childish and hurt. “I’m sure you’d be grateful for my death—it would make all of this so much easier.”
My words made him furious, heat entering where there was once only cold stiffness.
“I do not play with your life. If you step into battle like that, it will not only be your death. Sloppiness will kill us all.”
I didn’t say anything, my body rounding to shield myself from the truth of his words. I picked at the soft fabric around my knees, massaging the aching joint—anything to avoid his eyes, lest he see the reddening of my own.
“If you were Bonded to any other tyger, you’d be gone. But you have the only living tygress queen. You must do better. There is no other option.”
I’d seen how hard he trained, how good he was up close, and much as I hated it, I was starting to respect him. It was clear he’d earned his position. His skills were real. He was the best weapon the Silver Dominion had.
And as stupid as it was, I did care what he thought of me. I was trying, even if it only resulted in failure.
“Right now, you are nothing but a danger to the Silvers, the Azures—and to the tygress queen.”
Heat flashed through me, a well of anger and fury that had been building for weeks. Before I could stop myself, I bared my teeth and snapped, “At least I’m not some stubborn Silver ironneck ready to slaughter and maim for his own gain.”
“No?” he asked before turning away. “What are you doing here, then?”