Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles #4) - Ilona Andrews Page 0,39

it, something tugged on the reins and made her stop.

Karat leaned back and laughed. “That is so not like him. Poor, poor Arland. So far gone.”

Maud sighed. “The problem isn’t your cousin. The problem is me. He’s giving me time.”

Karat sobered up. “Yes, of course.”

“Is there a point in you coming here and waking me up?”

“Yes.” All mirth drained from Karat’s face. “Lady Ilemina requests your presence at the Ladies’ Communal this morning.”

Figured. Maud squared her shoulders. She knew it was coming and here it was. There was no escape.

“Do you have practice armor?” Karat asked.

“I’ll wear my usual set.”

“Probably for the best. You’ll need it. You have about twenty minutes to get ready. We’ll need to collect Helen as well. She has labor duty.”

“We’ll get dressed,” Maud said.

“Here we go.” Karat stopped by the doorway to a large chamber. The older sentinel who’d brought Helen to the feast hall waited in the doorway. Beyond the doorway children played on floor.

The sentinel’s blue eyes sparkled slightly with hidden humor. “Lady Helen.”

Lady Helen squared her tiny shoulders. “I’m here for repercussions.”

“Indeed.” The older vampire produced a small brush and a tube filled with blue gel. “You will squeeze some gel on the floor and scrub it with your brush until all the dirt is removed. You will clean ten stone squares of the floor. You will remain here until your task is complete.”

Helen took the little brush and the tube, held her head high, and went inside.

Behind her Maud saw another figure on the floor with an identical brush, his left arm in a plasticast. Vampire justice knew no mercy.

“She will be fine,” Karat told her. “Come.”

They strode ten yards down the hallway to the large wide-open doors. Beyond the doors lay a lawn of turquoise grass flooded with golden sunshine and bordered by ornamental trees. A three-foot stone wall encircled the lawn, clearly part of a parapet. Beyond the wall, across the stretch of empty air, towers and castle walls rose. They were on top of a mid-level tower.

Vampire women sparred on the grass with practice weapons. Several others watched the sparring. To the side a table stood with refreshments. A typical Ladies’ Communal. They would beat up on each other for an hour or so, then drink and gossip. Maud had quite enjoyed Communals before she became a pariah. Once she had proven herself, they were a nice way to catch up with everyone. Today wouldn’t be pleasant. Today they would throw her to the dogs, expecting her to cringe and submit. It was a test, one she had to pass.

Tradition dictated that both genders stayed away from each other’s Communals. She was on her own.

Karat stopped by the rack of practice weapons.

“We’re going to do this nice and easy,” she said under her breath. “You and I will spar, then we will drink some fruity drinks and go back. Don’t worry.”

They really didn’t think much of her.

Maud tried the first sword. Too heavy. Too long. Too short. Weighted wrong. The polymer weapons resembled their counterparts down to every minute detail, but they couldn’t cut armor. The main danger lay in being bashed with one. A skilled thrust could also cause internal injury despite the armor.

Strikes with practice weapons did leave a red mark, which would fade with time or cleaning. It was an easy way to keep score and many Communals resulted in a long examination of red marks and whether or not the wound would be fatal if a live weapon had been used. The edges of the practice swords weren’t exactly sharp, but you could draw blood with one. She’d done it before, just three days ago, when Arland and she had sparred aboard his destroyer. The Marshal had been fascinated with the concept of the buckler and they had spent a good three hours slicing at each other.

There. She found a blade similar to her own. Karat selected a longer, heavier sword, then eyed Maud’s choice and went for a shorter blade. Really, now.

Karat strolled to a spot in the grass and hefted her blade. “Don’t worry.”

Maud positioned herself. “I don’t see any vampires from the other Houses here.”

“This is a Krahr affair.”

“I feel so flattered to be invited.”

Karat swung her blade and took a deliberately slow lunge.

Maud looked at her. “I’m not going to dignify that with a parry.”

Karat straightened and hissed, “I’m trying to help you.”

A red-haired vampire marched toward them, green eyes blazing.

“There is a vampire walking toward us and she looks