Page 18 of A Reign of Embers

I want to bristle on Aurelia’s behalf, but in the glimpses I get of their tentative sparring while I engage in my own mock-battles, it appears he had a point. Aurelia’s been working with the blessed sword in the privacy of her chambers, but I suppose I’ve gone too easy on her.

As Evando picks up his pace, a tremor runs through her arm. Her shoulder tenses with the strain.

A remark carries from the cluster of guards watching her performance. “A solid defense still needs to deal out a little pain on your opponent.”

At the authoritative tone, my hand tightens around the hilt I’m clutching. My sparring partner nearly smacks my sword from my grasp before I recover from my annoyance.

Knocked down from his lofty position as emperor and still unable to keep his mouth shut. When I sneak a look at Marc, he’s standing at proper attention, his expression somber.

Who asked for his opinion? And does he have to fucking stare at the woman who no longer belongs to him as if no one else exists in the room?

I’d like to go over and cut his eyes right out, but sadly he hasn’t done anything that would justify the act to anyone watching. They all think he’s the hero who saved her.

Never mind the shit they don’t realize he inflicted on her before that point. She wouldn’t haveneededsaving if he’d smartened up and dealt with his brother months ago.

Between bouts, I step back to gulp water and wipe the sweat from my face. Aurelia is jabbing and feinting with total determination, but it’s obvious how much effort she’s having to exert. Her jaw has tightened. She barely manages to raisethe blade in time to deflect a blow from Evando that wasn’t terribly fast.

I love watching her determination. So much strength radiates through every beautiful inch of her body even though she’s struggling. Damn, she’s a wonder.

Not everyone appreciates her the same way, though. The soldiers are watching her practice more openly now, but there are fewer smiles showing. Are they starting to worry that their empress isn’t up to the task after all?

Maybe she brought her shiniest toy out too soon.

I cast my gaze over her current host of personal guards. Alongside Marc, I don’t spot any of the soldiers we’ve determined have the ability to sense magic usage.

Aurelia’s been sending the few who do possess that gift to guard Coraya rather than herself. I suppose her daughter is the more prominent target, and the rest of the court will probably approve of that consideration.

Most of the time I’d rather Aurelia had every bit of protection she can get. At this particular moment, I’m grateful for the lack of surveillance.

Casually, I circle around the imperial sparring match so I’m standing near a shadow cast by one of the room’s pillars. The streak of darkness falls between Aurelia and Captain Evando.

As if stretching my fingers, I dip my hand into the shadow and send up an appeal to my patron godlen.

Kosmel, let my gift be as discreet as a breath. Let no one suspect any subterfuge.

Once I’m touching the darkness, it firms automatically against my grip. I will the streak of shadow to shift ever so slightly: lifting it a bit here, widening it a bit there. Keeping it filmy, not too forceful.

With Aurelia’s next swings, I brace the weight of the blade so it glides through the motions that much moreeasily. With a nudge, I help her send Evando’s blade swinging aside.

Aurelia’s gaze flickers my way. She doesn’t look directly at me, but she must have sensed the assistance and guessed that I’m behind it. It’d be a little much to expect her not to pick up on the intervention.

No one else has any clue, thank the godlen of trickery. I ease her way through a few more clashes, until admiring murmurs are spreading through the growing audience. I haven’t pushed for anything flashy, just polished her technique a bit.

Evando stops and motions to the soldiers who’ve fallen out of their own practice. “You’re here to train, not gape.”

As the abashed soldiers turn back to their own concerns, Aurelia swipes her sleeve across her forehead. “That’s enough of a session for me today. I’ll see you again tomorrow.”

“You did well, Your Imperial Highness,” Evando says. “It won’t help anyone if you push yourself too hard.”

I fill another glass from the pitcher for my empress. “Water, Your Imperial Highness?”

Aurelia smiles at me obligingly if a tad crookedly. When she comes over to receive the drink, she drops her voice so no one but me will be able to hear. “I was managing all right.”

“Hmm. But you manage a little better when we combine our skills. I want the army as impressed as you deserve.”

“I’m not sure I can say I earned it if it’s with help.”

“And didn’t you earn my help?” I tsk at her teasingly, but my own words have lit a glimmer of inspiration in my head. “Bastien and I did accomplish some interesting things by combiningourskills. I wonder if that’s an area of possibility we haven’t delved into enough. The Coteans think collaborations between gifts are worthy of an entire school.”

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