Askarra (Wytch Kings Book 7) by Jaye McKenna

Author:Jaye McKenna [McKenna, Jaye]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mythe Weaver Press
Published: 2020-10-04T22:00:00+00:00

* * *

Zhiv glared at Kavarr the moment he caught sight of him at weapon practice. He strode across the wooden floor, mouth set in a grim line. “What are you doing here?” he demanded. “This hardly qualifies as light duty!”

“I’m aware.” Kavarr gave his lieutenant a wry grin. “I’m only here to watch.”

Zhiv’s scowl deepened. “Very well, but that’s all you’re doing. I promised Vayne and Ambris I wouldn’t let you overdo it.”

“And I’ve had enough of mythe-shock not to want to court a relapse. Don’t worry, Zhiv, I won’t be joining in until Vayne says I’m ready, but I’m eager to observe so I know what sort of punishment I’m in for.”

With a faint grin and a sharp nod, Zhiv headed back across the hall to rejoin the others. Lord Turan was already there, patiently checking each of the Lost Ones to make sure they’d donned their practice armor correctly.

A flash of white across the room caught Kavarr’s eye, and he turned his head to see Rin entering the hall. The prince crossed the room toward the shelves and hooks where the practice equipment was stored and began donning one of the heavily padded jackets that served as armor. When he’d finished buckling it on, he took a wooden blade from the rack and tested its balance, put it back, and selected another. He tried three of them before he found one to his liking. As he moved toward the group gathering around the weapon master, he glanced up, amethyst eyes unerringly finding and locking onto Kavarr.

Before Kavarr could make himself look away, Rin’s color deepened, and he dropped his gaze.

“Get in formation!” Lord Turan barked, icy green eyes surveying his students critically. The Lost Ones scurried to find their spots. Rin moved more slowly, positioning himself at the opposite end of the room from Kavarr.

“Prince Delrinian is joining our class,” Turan said, gesturing toward Rin, who looked up and gave them a nod and a wave. “Once we get past the basic movements and begin sparring, he and I will be demonstrating the attack and defense sequences.”

A lazy, good-natured grin curved Rin’s lips. “What he’s not telling you is that I’m horribly out of practice. I always suspected you hated me, Turan. Now I know for certain.”

“Ai, my secret is out,” the weapon master said drily.

A chorus of nervous chuckling came from the rest of the class. Then Turan began putting them through a brutal round of warm-up calisthenics, and none of them had the breath to spare for laughter.

It was easy enough to avoid focusing on Rin while the group warmed up. Soon, however, Turan called Rin up to the front to help him demonstrate.

Rin moved uncertainly, almost stiffly at first. As the lesson progressed, the prince’s movements became more fluid, as if his body was slowly remembering things it had mastered long ago. For a man so tall and broad, Rin possessed surprising grace, and try as he might, Kavarr couldn’t take his eyes off of him.

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