used to the way they watched him as he did it. The way they always seemed to know.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, taking hold of her chin and drawing her head back, bracing one foot against the base of her skull. “You deserved better.”
Then a shadow passed over the mare’s eyes, and what was looking back at him was no longer a horse. She started to move, lips pulling back to reveal her teeth. Killian’s instincts kicked in even as his mind recoiled, and a loud crack filled his ears as he broke the creature’s neck.
38
LYDIA
Lydia had spent one of the duller days of her life outside the door to Malahi’s suite, the Princess having remained closeted in her rooms, apparently distressed over the death of her horse. Lydia heard from the other girls some of what had happened, that the animal had been infected with blight and had been put down. As she’d been exposed to the black sludge herself, the story had made Lydia shiver, knowing in her heart that if she hadn’t been marked she might well have suffered the same fate.
Her back and feet ached from standing, but worse than that, the idleness had given her far too much time to think about her lesson with Killian. Instead of sleeping, she’d crouched over the book for the better part of the night, drinking in the diagrams and explanations of style and form until her candle flickered out. Throughout the day, she’d been practicing the forms every time she visited the privy, and her daydreams evolved with each passing hour until she was certain Killian would be stunned by her natural skill with a blade.
Now she stood outside the gates to High Lord Calorian’s manor watching the dying sun, wondering if all her daydreams were better classified as wishful thinking. Killian had not spoken a single word to her all day, standing outside the Princess’s bedchamber with crossed arms and a face like a thundercloud. Given the events that had transpired, Lydia was not so self-involved as to believe his fell temper had anything to do with her, but she was beginning to wonder if he’d found another activity to relieve his mood.
Just as it was growing dark enough that she’d need to sprint back to the barracks to beat the arrival of the deimos, a tall shadow materialized up the street. Saying nothing, Killian boosted Lydia up so she could reach the top of the wall, pushing on her feet until she was able to scramble over.
“We’ve only got a few hours,” he said, dropping next to her on the far side. “There are other matters requiring my attention.”
Curbing what was an unjust sense of disappointment, she followed him into the manor.
He led her once more to the ballroom, and after helping him light a handful of lamps she carefully extracted her sword and assumed the stance the book diagrams had detailed.
Killian looked her up and down, then said, “Well, I suppose that explains the length of your breaks today. Lena was quite certain last night’s stew had not agreed with you.”
She gaped at him, her face burning hot.
“The first thing we need to work on is that draw of yours. It will signal to any attacker you come across that you haven’t the first idea of how to use that weapon. Which isn’t ideal.”
Her whole body felt like it was being consumed by the flames of embarrassment.
Pulling off his coat and gloves, Killian tossed them to one side of the room before returning to the center. “This,” he said, “is how you draw a sword.” He proceeded to extract his blade with both speed and flourish.
Lydia eyed him dubiously, wondering if traveling this path was more likely to get her killed by accident than see her to Serlania. “What good is knowing how to pull it out if I haven’t any idea how to use it?”
He started to grin and she scowled at him. “Keep your jokes to yourself and answer the question.”
“It’s a bluff,” he replied, the corners of his mouth twitching with unspent laughter. “Like when you play cards.”
“I don’t gamble.” She instantly regretted the admission as he lifted one eyebrow in horrified disbelief.
“How can you be friends with Teriana if you don’t gamble? The girl could fleece one of the Six in a game of cards.”
Teriana had taught her a few games, but unlike her friend, Lydia took no pleasure from risking her coin. Besides, Teriana always won. “We do other things.”