“Is this a fight to the death?” someone in the crowd yelled.
“Nay!” Euric answered, holding his sword high. “This is a fight to freedom.”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as the crowd cheered. Kull had struggled against his inadequacies as a leader; he certainly didn’t need someone like Euric destroying the unity he had worked so hard to build. But it seemed that was exactly what Euric had in mind. If Euric won this fight and the town signed the petition, it would mean the beginning of dissension among the Wults. Kull already had his hands full negotiating with the elves. Dealing with rebellious Wults would make his job nearly impossible.
“In our village,” Euric called so all could hear, “the rules of dueling are simple. First man to the ground loses. Do you agree to these terms?”
The stranger nodded, and the men clashed swords, the sound of their steel ringing through the air. Euric gained a better position than the stranger as he parried in a forward thrust, nearly knocking the newcomer off balance. Stumbling, the stranger regained his footing and blocked a blow that would have injured his shoulder.
I stood near the newcomer’s dog, who sat as still as a sphinx as it watched the fight with attentive eyes. A low growl rumbled in its throat as the next several blows resulted in its master losing his balance and nearly falling.
The dog’s eyes—one light and one dark—caught my attention. It kept its head up and ears pricked forward as its master finally made an offensive thrust, gaining a few precious inches.
Again, the nameless man was knocked backward. Sunlight glinted off the dueling swords. Beads of sweat rolled down Euric’s face as he swung again and again, so fast he didn’t take a moment to catch his breath.
The stranger merely defended the blows, standing tall and unmoving. Several tense minutes passed without a gain for either man. Finally, the stranger took a small step forward, and then another.
Euric’s cheeks had grown red, and his breathing came out in labored gasps. He’d expended all his energy, and the stranger knew it. The nameless man made quick work of his opponent, slashing his sword in a wide arc and causing Euric to reposition his center of balance in order to block the move. The stranger used the moment to his advantage. He struck fast with the broad side of his blade, hitting the back of Euric’s knees. Euric fell forward and hit the ground hard.
The crowd quieted.
Euric’s eyes went wide as he rolled onto his back and looked at the stranger with complete surprise.
“There will be no rebellion today,” the man said and turned away. He sheathed his sword, then crossed to the porch where he grabbed his cloak.
Behind him, Euric got to his knees, then stood, still holding his sword. Rage replaced the shock on his face. Without warning, he lunged for the stranger.
Before his sword tip could impale the stranger between his shoulder blades, another sword blocked it, knocking Euric backward. Euric’s jaw slacked open as he stared at the man who had blocked the blow.
The man who held the sword walked out of the crowd and into the open courtyard. He stood a head taller than the rest and wore a dark brown cloak with a cowl, but when he pushed the cowl back, a gasp came from the crowd.
“The king,” they whispered.
My heart sped up as I stared at the familiar, shoulder-length blond hair and piercing blue eyes of the man who held my heart. When had Kull arrived?
Again, the timing seemed uncanny, and I had visions of Kull and my stepfather sitting around and planning just such an escapade.
Euric stumbled into the courtyard, looking confused as his eyes roved the crowd. “Your… Your Majesty,” he said as he stumbled into a sloppy bow. “I am sorry. I did not know… none of us knew. That is to say—”
“Euric, is it?” Kull asked, his voice commanding attention.
Euric bobbed his head. “Please, spare my life. The words I said were spoken out of ignorance. Had I known you were here—”
“Had you known I was here, your words may have changed, but your heart would have remained the same. Do you know what I do to traitors?”
He knelt, his eyes focused on the ground. “No, Your Majesty.”
“In days long past, the punishment for betraying one’s country resulted in a public beheading. But as you have said, now is a new age.” Kull sheathed his sword and extended his hand.
Euric glanced up, confused, but then he took Kull’s hand and stood.
“Your king has not forgotten you,” Kull said. “You would be wise not to forget your king.”
Euric nodded quickly. “I understand.”
“Good.” Kull smiled, then turned to the crowd. “I’m thirsty. A round of king’s mead for everyone!”
The villagers clapped and cheered. Most of them crowded around the king, hoping to get a glimpse or possibly a handshake from him. I wasn’t sure if Kull had noticed I was among the crowd as I wandered into the building and found an empty seat near a window, giving me a good view of the crowd outside. With the throng of townsfolk surrounding the king, it took a full twenty minutes for Kull to get back inside. The mood had changed. Half an hour ago, the townsfolk had been ready to renounce their country, and now they crowded around the king as if he were their hero.
Kull finally managed to take a seat in the center of the room. After several rounds of drinks, laughter, and a few bawdy jokes, the Wult crowd seemed in their element. I found Euric standing at the edge of the room, his arms crossed and his eyes dark.
I was sure this wasn’t the reaction he’d envisioned when he’d planned his speech. As morning turned to afternoon, the crowd thinned. With his back to me, Kull still hadn’t noticed I was in the room. I watched him from my spot in the corner, admiring the way he handled what could have been the start of a rebellion.
A shadow loomed over me, and I looked up. The stranger stood at my table with the gray wolf waiting at his side. As I got a close-up look at the guy, I was glad my heart belonged to Kull. Otherwise, it would have been hard not to ogle him. His quicksilver eyes glittered with flecks of purple. He had high cheekbones, a square jaw, and thick, almost seductive lips that looked as if they were holding a carefully guarded secret. He wore his long brunette hair in a low ponytail that fell down his back. Muscles corded his lean frame, and although he didn’t have the bulk of a Wult warrior, his toned body suggested that he must have been physically active. His tanned, smooth skin had the texture of porcelain, and as he shook my hand, his fingers were cold, reminding me of glass.
“Are you Olive?” he asked.
I nodded, and he took a seat across from me. He turned to his wolf.
“Grace, mauir phenine.”
The dog sat at his side, keeping its eyes on me.
“What sort of creature is it?”
“She.”
“Excuse me?”
“You called her it. However, Grace is female, so the proper term is she.”
“Okay. What sort of dog is she?”
“She is a mix of a grimwelt and Canis lupus—or wolf—from Earth Kingdom.”
“A mixed breed from Faythander and Earth Kingdom? How is that possible?”
He shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Really? Then how do you know she is part wolf?”
“I am privileged to be the owner of several bestiaries from Earth Kingdom. After doing a bit of research, I was able to learn of her correct heritage.”
“How interesting.” I eyed him. “I’m sorry, but you know my name and I’m afraid I don’t know yours.” Although, truthfully, I’d suspected it since he’d first walked through the doors.
He gave me a small smile. “My name is Maveryck, although I prefer the title Professional Reclaimer. Most know me as ‘the thief’.”
Yep, suspicion confirmed.
CHAPTER FOUR
Maveryck sat across from me, and the wolf sat beside him. She kept her eyes focused on me as her master and I spoke.
“I have been wait
ing for your arrival,” Maveryck said.
It was hard for me not to stare at him. His appearance confused me. With his soft, silken voice, and his high, pronounced cheekbones, he must have had elven blood. Except for his ears, he looked as if he belonged in an elven palace.
“How long have you been waiting?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Not long, although Grace was beginning to get impatient. She grows restless when she’s confined to closed spaces.”
“I see. Let me get this straight, while you were waiting for me, you decided on a whim to just start a few fights?”
“It was not a whim.”
“Then what was it?”
“The sky king wanted me to meet with you, but I told him I could not and that I had business to attend to. He would not relent, however, and we agreed that since I had business in this village, he would send you here to meet me.
“As for my business, I was hired to confront Euric. The king may have been planning to confront the man with me as well.”
“I see. And did the sky king know of this?”
“I believe he did.”
“You were all three in on this together?”
“That is correct.”
Hmm, I wondered if I’d discovered the sport Fan’twar had mentioned. Was this his attempt at lightening my mood? In a convoluted, dragon sort of way, I supposed I could see how the duel possessed a cheap sort of entertainment quality. But dueling? Really?
Dragons these days.
“To be fair,” Maveryck said, “the sky king knew you enjoyed a good duel, so he told us to wait until you arrived to confront Euric.”
I looked to the ceiling and quietly cursed my stepfather. It was now confirmed that dragons had the lousiest senses of humor on the planet. I turned back to Maveryck, trying to remind myself why I’d crossed to Faythander in the first place.
“When do we leave for the silverwitch’s castle?” I asked.
“As soon as the others arrive, I assume.”
“Others?”
“The Wult assemblage. Did your stepfather not tell you?”
“He didn’t mention it.”
Without warning, a pair of strong arms grabbed me from behind and lifted me off my chair. Kull squeezed me so hard I felt like my lungs would pop. Served me right for dating a Wult warlord.
“Olive,” he breathed into my ear, “have you been hiding from me this whole time?”
“Kull,” I gasped, “please put me down.”
He shot me a broad grin, gave me a kiss on my cheek, and then placed my feet on the floor once again. I couldn’t help but smile back at him. What was it about this man that made me completely lose my head?
He helped me back to my seat, then sat next to me. “You’ve met Maveryck?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Good. As soon as we’re all here, we’ll leave for that cursed mountain. We’re all sick to death of negotiating with the elves. For now, the elves are satisfied with the territory they’ve gained in the goblins lands. When your stepfather mentioned a chance at a duel to defend my kingship and then a mission to find a lost weapon of the Madralorde, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity. Plus,” he leaned forward, his eyes intense, “that witch still has my sword.”
A young serving girl, perhaps fifteen, stopped by our table. “Anything to drink?” she asked.
“Ale,” Kull said.
“Wine for me,” Maveryck said.
“Water,” I answered. I’d made the mistake once of consuming Wult ale and would never do it again—I would drink gasoline first, and I would probably enjoy it more.
The girl gave a brief nod before she hustled back into the kitchen.
Grace gave a low growl, and Maveryck patted her head as two figures wearing cloaks wandered toward our table. They stopped behind Kull, acting casual with their arms folded, though neither man took a seat.
“Don’t mind them,” Kull said. “They’re my bodyguards.” He spoke the name with distaste. “Ever since Father passed, my dear queen mother has been increasingly worried over my wellbeing, and when she found out about my brush with the bloodthorn in Earth Kingdom, she insisted I keep those two around.”
The serving girl returned with three drinks and placed them on the table. “Anything else for you?” she asked, keeping her eyes focused on the floor.
“No, that’s all,” Maveryck said.
She made no reply before bustling back to the kitchen.
Maveryck took a small sip of his wine, keeping his eyes focused on the two men behind Kull. “Your Highness,” Maveryck said, “may I inquire as to when you believe the Wult party will arrive?”
“Soon,” Kull answered. “If all goes well, they should arrive before evening.” He took a long gulp of ale. “And please call me Kull. Your Highness was my father.”
“As you wish,” Maveryck nodded.
After finishing his drink, Kull took my hand. “Will you accompany me outside? We need to speak.”
“Of course.”
I stood with him, and we gave Maveryck a brief good-bye before heading for the exit. Euric still sulked by the doorway. His eyes widened as he spotted me holding hands with the king. His gaze lingered on my ears, but I ignored him as we exited the inn. With the current tension between the elves and the Wults, I knew my ancestry would cause unease among Kull’s people. But for now, we had bigger problems to worry about.
As Kull and I walked outside, I welcomed the sunshine and crisp fall air. Kull’s two bodyguards followed like shadows as we left the confines of the town and hiked toward the mountains. Red wildflowers grew in every direction, and an afternoon breeze rushed past, stirring the flowers into rolling, crimson waves.
Kull led me to a rusted wrought-iron gate in a crumbling stone wall. Hinges squealed as he pushed the gate open and led me inside, where we found several benches arranged around a tree. The guards stayed just outside the gate.
“What is this place?” I asked, staring at the stone seats and crumbling wall.
“My best guess is that it was once part of a castle of some sort. You can see the outlines of the walls there.” He pointed across the flat expanse of land where crumbling walls lay like exposed bone.
I watched as he stared out over the crumbling castle, past the hills and toward the mountains. The strong set of his jaw, his eyes the crystal blue of glacier ice, his lips curved in that familiar hint of a smile—all of it reminded me why I’d chosen him. We’d had a bumpy past for sure, but now none of that seemed to matter. Wind tousled his hair, and I reached up and pushed it away from his eyes. He caught my fingers and gave me a playful grin.
“Why did you bring me out here?” I asked.
His smile faded. “To be honest, I was worried about you.”
“Worried?”
He led me to a bench where I sat beside him. The two guards moved to within eyesight of us. I tried my best to not notice.
“After what happened in the cave, and then after you left so abruptly, I became concerned about you. I wanted to make sure you were well.”
“I’m fine.”
He gave me a suspicious glance. I dodged his gaze.
“You and Fan’twar both,” I said. “One would think you two had planned this.”
“We worry about you. You can’t blame us.”
“I wish you wouldn’t.”
“But do you wish to discuss what happened in the cave?”
“No, I don’t.”
He took my hand. “Believe me when I say I understand. It’s still hard for me to speak of my father’s death. I only wish for you to know that should you ever need to talk, you have but to ask.”
I nodded. The calmness of his voice comforted me, and the warmth of his hands seemed to melt my chills. He held my fingers gently, though his presence gave me strength. Perhaps when I was ready, I would tell him what had happened, but now was too soon.
“Was there anything else you wanted to talk about
?” I asked.
He surprised me by growing quiet, his face drawn and detached as he stared out over the witch’s mountain, toward her lair. “Yes,” he said. “How much do you know about this thief?”
“Nothing. I only just met him. Fan’twar must trust him somewhat, or else he wouldn’t have hired him.”
Kull nodded. “I can’t decide if I trust him or not.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “I don’t have a good reason. It’s more of a premonition, I suppose. But I feel he’s hiding something, though I don’t know what.”
I’d learned not to doubt his insight when it came to judging people, as he had an uncanny ability to read others.
“Do you think we should try to steal the staff without him?”
“No. If we’re to break inside the dragon’s lair and survive, it would be wise to have someone experienced along with us. Plus, he did agree to defend me earlier. I think for now, we have no choice but to trust him. Still, I will be wary of him.”
A breeze gusted past, carrying with it the woodsy scent of his hair. He squeezed my fingers gently as he gave me a playful grin.
“I missed you,” he said.
“I’m pretty sure I missed you more.”
He leaned forward and kissed me gently. My heart fluttered with excitement at the feel of his lips on mine, and heat rushed to my cheeks as the kiss deepened. His hands wandered to my back, and he drew me closer to him. I threaded my fingers through his hair, my chest tight as I let him draw me closer to him.
But I couldn’t get the image of Theht out of my head, of her powers manipulating me as I destroyed the world—and as I killed him. The image of Kull lying dead at my feet stirred such a powerful reaction inside me that I had to push him away.
He eyed me. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes.” I gave him my carefree smile. “I’m fine.”
“You’re sure?”
I only nodded, feeling as if a hole had opened up in my chest. Here he was, mine again, and yet I couldn’t get close to him. I would’ve laughed at the absurdity of the situation if I hadn’t felt on the verge of tears.
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