Page 13 of Tides of Shadows

“How long did you fight in the south?” I asked softly.

A shadow crossed his face.

“Too long, truth be told.” Weariness and sorrow threaded his voice, impossible to feign. “But if you wish, I can spar with you sometimes. I have little else to occupy me here.”

Kael frowned, “We manage her training,” he tossed out, somewhat ruffled.

Dricus raised his hands in placation.

“Easy, gentlemen. I will not harm your Lady. Unless… she provokes me herself.” His green eyes flashed with dangerous fire.

“Enough,” I cut short the verbal joust. I wiped sweat from my brow and stepped closer. “I usually train at a similar time. If you fancy tussling with an island girl… you can come.”

I extended my hand in the customary post combat handshake. Dricus looked at me as though wondering if he wanted to touch me at all. The pause stretched but he accepted my hand. Warmth flowed from his skin into mine, slow and deliberate. Was that his power that I felt, or had my senses betrayed me?

Something in that grasp unsettled me. And something made my chest quiver strangely.

We gathered our things from the room slowly. I was soaked from the session, shirt plastered to my body, sweat on my neckline and face. Then a cheerful Aidenar entered with his companions. He was utterly astonished by our presence. Mainly mine and Dricus’s. Aidenar halted in the doorway, his companions stared at us like at a spectacle. Cavareth himself narrowed his silver eyes, shifting gaze from myself to Dricus, who still stood beside me.

“What manner of… gathering is this?” Aidenar arched a brow and circled us slowly, as if inspecting something suspicious. “Nerissa Veymaris and Dricus Cineris, together in one room, sweaty and panting. Who would have thought.”

Kael and Brenn exchanged nervous glances, as if expecting sparks, and not of magic.

“I don’t know, Cavareth, whether your imagination is a blessing or a curse of yours,” I replied coolly, straightening and wiping sweat from my face. My shirt clung tighter as it didn’t help controlling the situation.

Aidenar smirked, casually adjusting his shirt cuffs.

“Let’s say it’s a curse for you.” His gaze lingered on my body, then shifted to Dricus, who stood unmoved, regarding him with calm green eyes.

“Young Cavareth. The room is yours now. I have other matters to attend to.” Dricus spoke evenly and departed without sparing Aidenar a glance. His squires clearly tensed.

Aidenar shook off Cineris’s exit and resumed his irritating ways, “If you seek a sparring partner, you might have said. I would gladly sweat with you, Veymaris. Unless this is your way of husband hunting, then perhaps not. Though I would advise against the Lord of the Desert regardless.”

For no good reason, the words “Then perhaps not” stung. I was not vying for Cavareth’s hand, yet the careless dismissal pricked all the same.

“Spare me your matrimonial advice.” I met his eyes coldly, wiping sweat from my neck. “But since we are of decency, however… Thanks to your vile visit to my chambers, I now have to endure irritating gossip. You might at least be chivalrous enough to end them.”

Aidenar smiled mockingly, “Perhaps I like the rumors.”

“Oh, truly?” I arched my brow. “Splendid, then if you do not quell those lies, I shall say that whatever happened there was very, very brief and rather unpleasant.”

I stared him down, knowing I got him. Aidenar nearly stumbled. His squires barely stifled laughs.

“Ehh, I thought you knew how to play. Fine, I will try to set it right.”

“Try?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes and gesturing with fingers something very, very small.

This time Kael and Brenn burst into laughter. Aidenar shot them angry glares, and I knew wounded pride gnawed beneath his nonchalance.

“I will set it right,” he said at last, surrendering in his voice.

Our eyes locked. Silver, gleaming with irritation, met mine, prickling with satisfaction.

“Time for us to leave.” I turned to Kael and Brenn, then nodded toward the door. Enough sparring with this fool. But for some reason my heart still beat harder than it should.

After training, I took a quick, cold bath. I wanted the water to rinse away sweat and weariness, but truly it quelled emotions more than cooled my body. I dressed in simpler attire, but still with my Family’s official colors, something letting me pass as a lady without drawing undue eyes.

With Roderick, I headed for the merchants’ quarter. Our two ships lay empty in the harbor. Each idle day cost dearly, and that was stretching my nerves taut as a bowstring.