Page 12 of Thorns & Fire
‘Tethers and Magical Bonds Throughout History.’
Wren stared at her sister.She knew there were magical bonds in existence, of course – she, Thea and Anya had shared one through their sovereign magic, throughfamily.From what she’d seen of the Warswords and their Tverrian stallions over the years, she’d assumed there was a magical connection there as well...The midrealms and the lands beyond were full of unknown powers; she just didn’t understand what any of that had to do with Torj.
‘What?’she said at last.
‘During the Gauntlet, when he was going mad with worry for you, he kept saying he couldfeelyou – your emotions, your magic...’
A shiver ran down Wren’s spine.‘We thought there was a sliver of my power trapped in his scars...’
‘It wasn’t his scars,’ Thea replied.‘He’d been looking into magical wounds with Farissa.’
Wren loosed a tense breath.‘I knew I had hurt him.I knew—’
Thea shook her head.‘When he talked to me and Wilder, he wasn’t describing pain...’
‘What, then?’
‘Connection.Abond,’ Thea answered, stressing the last word.‘I’d seen that book in Kipp’s room, so I brought it to Torj.Next thing we know, he was storming off to find Audra.Then you returned from the trials, and you were hurt...He didn’t leave your side for weeks.And I didn’t see the book again.’
‘That was the last you heard of it?’
Thea nodded.
Wren turned back to the waves, resting against the ship’s railing, shaking her head.‘What the fuck does any of that mean?’
Thea nudged her with her elbow.‘It means there’s areasonthe Bear Slayer did what he did.’
‘Keep your fists up,’ Thea barked at Wren across the deck of the ship.‘Remember, you need to protect your face, be ready to strike.’
Though Wren wanted to snap right back at her sister, she clenched her jaw instead and did as instructed, ensuring that her elbows didn’t drop.The physical exertion offered a reprieve from the onslaught of questions pummelling her mind.After her conversation with Thea the day before, she had thought of little else but that mysterious book.She had asked Kipp about it, but he’d insisted that Thea had taken it from his rooms before he’d had a chance to read it.The irony was not lost on her that the one time she needed vital information, she was as far away from a library as she could be.And so she had combed her memories of every past moment with the Bear Slayer instead, searching for traces of magic beyond her storm powers and his Furies-given abilities, finding nothing.
In the little time she’d known of the book’s existence, it had become her new obsession, Thea’s words echoing constantly in her mind.But it made no sense to her.She hadalwaysfelt connected to the Warsword.
Thea’s swinging fist brought her abruptly back to the present.Light on the balls of her feet as she’d been taught, Wren watched Thea circle her.They had started training together after the battle at Drevenor; it had been the only thing that got her out of her quarters each day.A minimum of one hour of daily sparring, as ordered by Audra, the Guild Master of Thezmarr.Truth be told, Wren would have attended with or without orders – never again did she want to feel helpless or rely upon the strength of a man.
Now, even aboard theSea Serpent’s Destiny, Thea was a relentless trainer.Wren hated to admit that it was paying off.She was getting stronger, faster,better.She knew she’d never match Thea’s skill as a Warsword, but she was no longer weak.
She swung her fist, hard, landing another blow to the padding Thea held up.
‘Good!’Her sister beamed.‘Really good, Wren.Just imagine it’s Torj’s face.’
Heat bloomed across Wren’s cheeks as she hit again.‘Shut up, Thee.’
‘Make me.’Suddenly, Thea lunged forwards, her right fist shooting out in a swift jab.Wren jerked her head back, the punch whistling past her cheek.She countered with a quick left hook, which Thea easily blocked with her forearm.
But Wren launched herself into a combination, sweat beading at her brow – jab, cross, hook, each punch met by Thea’s solid guards.The sharp smack of Wren’s knuckles against the padding had Kipp and Dessa cheering from the sidelines.
‘You’re doing well.Anya would be proud,’ Thea said warmly, clapping her on the shoulder.
For once, the mention of their sister’s name didn’t hurt; rather, it soothed something inside her.Wren returned Thea’s smile, the exercise having relieved her of that tension she constantly carried with her.
She waved to Dessa.‘Your turn!’
Wren gave her friend an encouraging smile as they swapped places.When she settled beside Kipp, she saw that he was grinning.
‘You’ll be the deadliest of us all before long, Your Queenliness,’ he quipped.
Wren rolled her eyes.‘You’re not sparring today?’
