By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,17

the way, but her forearm did not escape from the swift blow. Her stolen armor prevented the blade from breaking her skin, but dull pain throbbed down her arm.

Angered, Talya leaped for him and swung her sword at his neck. She missed, hitting the side of his helmet. He removed it and threw it to the side. He was at least thirty. Much older than Talya and the girl.

He lunged for Talya again, but tripped.

Talya kicked him in the back of the head as he stood up.

He growled, but the impact from her foot didn’t seem to daze him too much.

Talya came at him with a series of slashes.

He lost his footing again and then fell head first into the wall, collapsing on the street like a sack of bricks.

The damsel’s haunting blue eyes pierced into Talya’s as she backed away.

“Don’t be afraid,” said Talya.

“I’m not.”

“Is this where you want to live? Where men are allowed to treat women this way?” Talya asked.

“You’ve only made things worse,” said the girl.

“You don’t have to stay here. Come back with me.”

As the female enemy knight got out of the cumbersome armor, Chrissa stared at the most unusual looking girl that she had ever seen. The girl had a shameful combination of sun-bleached hair, cut just above her shoulders like a man’s, and skin bronzed and freckled from the sun.

Although she was quite slender, obvious muscles could be seen through her sleeves and leggings. She was clearly a true warrior.

“There, now I can move properly again,” said the young woman from Sanctus.

“I can’t go back with you,” said Chrissa.

“Don’t be scared. My country will take you in as one of our own. You will be safe there,” she said.

“Scared?” Chrissa spat.

Perhaps yesterday I would have gone with you, but everything is different now. I have seen the prince’s power with my own eyes. If I seek him, surely he will grant me the desires of my heart.

Still, the warmth that flickered from the other girl’s deep brown eyes was so strange. She had risked her life not only for a stranger, but for an enemy.

“Why did you help me? No one helps anyone here.”

“I could never allow an animal like him to have his way with an innocent person. I heard you scream, and I wasn’t going to just walk by.”

“You did not come here alone, did you?” asked Chrissa.

Talya eyed her for a moment and then nodded.

Maybe it did make sense. Her action was just a ploy of their God to turn me away from the power that our lord the prince could award me.

Chrissa walked over to Naeshi’s fallen form and retrieved his sword. She pointed it at the other maiden.

“I am better with a sword than you can imagine. Leave me before I turn you in to my father,” said Chrissa.

“I mean you no harm,” said Talya.

“Then go.”

The girl stared at her for a moment. Then Talya turned and left the alley.

Chrissa dropped the sword and ran back to the castle. She was anxious to be in the safety of her bedchamber again. It was the only place that she could truly be away from Naeshi.

That oaf has stolen away my first kiss.

Chrissa had always dreamed of being in love with the man that would take such a liberty, but the reality was that a Malinorian woman could not even have that luxury.

True love didn’t exist.

*****

Jalarn stood over two lads that had fallen from exhaustion during their training that morning. Commander Waltez had been at his wits’ end with the weaklings, so Jalarn had decided to break them in himself. He had been younger than they when he had begun the grueling process of becoming a Malinorian warrior. Exceptions would not be made for them or anyone else.

“Get up!” he yelled.

They both looked at him with pained expressions, but neither one moved.

“If you don’t get up, I’ll be forced to beat you senseless. Is that what you want to happen?”

The smaller of the two staggered to his feet, but the other one just glared back at him.

Jalarn eyed the sickly little one who stood an entire head shorter than he. The boy was ill. The army could not afford the spread of sickness so close to the war.

“Return to your quarters for the day. If you cannot perform your training tomorrow, then you will be eliminated.”

The youth nodded wearily and left.

Jalarn eyed the boy that was still sitting on the ground. His spunk was amusing, but anarchy would not be