Page 168 of A Vow of Embers

“My allegiance is still to the goddess,” I said.

“Yet you break her vows.”

I hadn’t, not yet. But none of this was her business. I didn’t owe her an explanation.

“We’ve already done this dance,” I told her, intending to walk away.

She held out her staff to block me from leaving. “If you do not keep your vows, then you are no longer my sister. Which means I am not under any obligation to not harm you.”

I understood what she wanted. To fight me. I welcomed it. I had wanted to hit somebody for a long time. “I have never been your sister. And this time I’m not drugged, outnumbered, and I no longer have to hide my background. I think you’ll be surprised at how this turns out for you.”

She didn’t seem at all intimidated. She shrugged her cloak off and dropped her staff. She withdrew her sword and I pulled out my xiphos, preparing myself. My adrenaline made my heart pump faster and I shifted my balance, waiting for her attack.

She reached out and tried to tap the hem of my tunic, but I blocked her. “Do you think dressing this way makes you better than me?”

“No, I think my ability to beat you in combat makes me better than you.”

Then she began her attack, and every time she swung or thrust at me, I was there to block her. I was very grateful that I had resumed drinking the fountain water or this might have been a quick fight that ended in my death.

Our blades went back and forth, and instead of just defending myself, I used the training Antiope had given me and made Artemisia sweat. I was the first one who drew blood, my xiphos grazing against her forearm.

She gasped and stopped when I did that, surprised. She let out a yell and came at me again, swiping and hitting at me. She was frenzied in her attacks but I had been waiting for this opportunity and continued to meet her every time she advanced. I flicked out again and managed to get a short cut on her cheek before she deflected.

Everything I did seemed to infuriate her and she was relentless. Her rage made it easy to outthink her, and I used my sword to push hers down to the ground, holding it in place while I kicked her in the chest.

Even though I had disarmed her, she didn’t care. She came at me with her fists, and all the honor Demaratus had instilled in me said I couldn’t fight an unarmed opponent with my blade. I decided it might be more rewarding to punch her face. I tossed my xiphos down.

Fist fighting was different, as it was less about technique but so much more satisfying. Hitting her in the face worked out a great deal of my aggression. She got in a good blow to my ribs and I headbutted her, which broke her nose and hurt my forehead. She elbowed me in my chest and I grabbed her by her shoulders and spun her, intending to toss her to the ground.

But before I could complete the maneuver, I felt hands going around my waist. Antiope was pulling me away while one of her guards grabbed Artemisia and didn’t let her move.

“I thought you said the next time we fought, I wouldn’t survive the encounter,” I taunted. My chest heaved from the exertion but I reveled in the fact that I wasn’t as easy a target as she had believed me to be. That I could hold my own.

“Take Artemisia back to her room,” Antiope said to the guard while still holding on to me. I didn’t struggle and waited.

Once they were gone, Antiope asked, “You just can’t help yourself, can you, Lia?” But she said it like she was proud.

“I didn’t start the fight.”

Antiope released me. “I know you didn’t. But now might be a good time for you and your sisters to return to the palace. I don’t wantArtemisia’s adelphia to get any ideas about trying to seek revenge on her behalf.”

She was right. I picked up my xiphos and put it back in the sheath. “It was good to see you again.”

“Good to see you, too. Make sure you keep your left side protected. You sometimes drop your shoulder when you fight. You’re doing well. Keep your training up.”

I wondered how long she had stood there and watched the fight before she decided to intervene.

Taking her advice, I rounded my adelphia up and told them what had happened. They were all upset on my behalf but agreed that we should go.

Walking through the archway reminded me of when I’d stood there with Xander, him demanding that I marry him while I had discovered how deep and longstanding his deception had been.

It didn’t surprise me to see him waiting a bit beyond that spot for me. This time I went to him willingly.

His arms were crossed over his chest, something he did when he was annoyed. “Did you win the fight? The one I felt?”

“Sorry about that. I would have won but it got broken up.”

“It was very difficult to stand here and not go in to help you.”

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