Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Twenty Eight

A few days later, Iris stood in the training arena. To her left... to her right, two guardians circled her like prey. Iris's eyes flicked to each, waiting. Kayde and his former trainee, Sprite, skirted the sides. Sprite was easy --Iris knew that by the little they'd already fought. He was incredible with his scimitar, true, but his eyes never lied.

It was Kayde she was worried about. Something about his very stance had changed since he'd taught her how to fight. As far as where the difference stood, Iris couldn't place what exactly had changed. Sprite came in quickly now, pouncing and thrusting his scimitar in her direction. Iris was faster. She raised a training dagger to block the would-be blow to her chest. Thwack. The rogue whirled a foot around and shoved the small man backwards --or tried. He darted away, dodging her foot with a tumble.

Iris watched them both. She needed to get rid of one of them --but wasn't that the challenge? If she pursued one... the other would take advantage of her lack of focus. No. She would have to wait them out.

One on one, they came to test her. When they could no longer stand the waiting came, they flew in side-by-side. Iris's practice daggers had to work extra hard now --fending off an attack at her belly... at her neck... at her sides. A flip threw away an opportune strike at her shins a minute later. She came back fast as a cat, jamming the hilt of a practice dagger down at Sprite's nose. Crack.

A thick splatter of blood exploded from the blow and sent the small guardian fumbling back in his steps. Iris would have felt bad for it had she had the time to consider what she'd done. No sooner than Sprite backed off, Kayde came in full force --swinging left and right. Damn, was he fast. Iris worked extra hard to parry the blows. His eyes were green fire --alert and shining with exuberance.

He was not smiling, however. As their practice weapons hit together again and again, the both of them became more and more frenzied to win. Iris nearly let herself go primal again --to throw out deliberation and let instinct rule her form. The only thing that stopped her was Hench's warnings against doing such a thing.

Iris would need her mind. Sprite was out of the game, stepping from the arena to wash his busted nose clean. Now? She'd have to fight Kayde. Gods, he'd always been good. As their arms beat together again and again, Iris realized that his technique was damn near perfect. There was no way he would falter --there was no way he'd let her attack in. The only way was perhaps... deceit?

But what deceit? He gave her no time to pull any elaborate tricks. He'd learned over the course of the war that giving her too much time to think was not a good thing. He stopped immediately in front of her, relaxing his stance. The hell was he doing? Iris took no chances --gave him no time. And that was it. Once she got close, he whirled away from the attack and left her stabbing at nothing.

An arm caught her from behind and pulled her backwards. Iris fought the limb that grappled her waist, but Kayde's foot hit her ankles a second later and knocked her backwards into his chest. Quickly, he used his training sword to slap the poles from her hands. She was stunned, for lack of a better word. But she still fought like a hellcat, trying to free herself.

Kayde had her. He knew it, too. He had gotten strong... her small form was not enough to combat him. Both arms encircled her, rooting her to the spot. The dull point of a wooden sword caressed the soft flesh of her throat like a lover.

Iris struggled, slamming her back as hard as she could against the guardian, to no avail. Kayde just accepted it in stride. "Iris," he said her name into her ear, "It's done." The breath that almost lapped at her neck made her spine go ramrod straight. His proximity was startling. She fought one last time, and the vice tight grip flexed. It was done.