Page 1 of Lucie
Chapter 1
Practice
“Keep your head up, Luc! Keep your eyes on your opponent!”
“Iam!”
The wooden sword grazed the top of his head as it swung above him. If it had been a real sword, it would have shorn away some of his hair.
Lucien retaliated with a side lunge, but Mattox was quicker. As his older brother slapped aside Luc’sweapon, the vibration jolted painfully up his arm. Immediately, Lucien lunged forward, aiming for Mattox’s legs. Again, the older man managed to deflect the practice sword, arcing it at the last split-second to strike Lucien on the hip.
“Point, Mattox. Score three to one. Game to Mattox,” Reasoner announced.
Both men backed away to stare at each other, one breathingmore heavily than the other. Lucien narrowed his eyes at his adversary who outgunned him by four inches in height and twenty more pounds in muscle.
“Sloppy work, Luc. Your lack of concentration will get you killed one day,” his brother remarked with a noticeably derisive tone.
Lucien gritted his teeth. These past couple of years, ever since he’d joined the ranks ofthe guards, Mattox rarely ever praised him for anything. If the man spoke to him, it was almost always some form of criticism, and he was getting tired of it.
“It’s not my fault I don’t have your superiority,” he snapped back.
Mattox’s red eyes went slightly lighter in color. “You bear the same genes as I do. Quit using that paltry excuse for your failings.”
“I may have the same genes, but anyone can see the ones that give you and Misty your edge are missing in me. And you can’t deny that fact!”
His side ached where Mattox’s sword had struck him. By tomorrow he’d be covered in bruises where he’d taken hit after hit during their practice. But for now he refused to let his sibling know of his discomfort.
“Your abilitiesare there, little brother,” Mattox rebuked him. “They’re waiting to come out, but you won’t let them. I’m just trying to help you become the warrior you were born to be.”
“By constantly deriding me?” Lucien shot back.
“Hold it! Hold it. No one’s deriding anyone,” a beloved voice intervened.
Both men turned to see their mother striding toward them. He noticedshe wasn’t carrying a weapon other than the ballock she always wore the way other women wore jewelry. Because she had no bow or sword, that meant she hadn’t been practicing, which was the main reason why the soldiers left the safety of the barricaded walls. Lucien wondered why she was here.
When she reached the couple, they bowed their heads for her kiss to their cheeks. Straightening, Lucienwatched as she eyed him from top to bottom, then turned to Mattox.
“Your father is needing you in the main hall.”
“What for?”
Attyraised an eyebrow, and Lucien secretly smiled. It wasn’t often that their mother gave them that look. It was as close to a scolding as they’d get.
“Take it up with your father,” she responded. “Now go!”
Handing his practice sword to the next soldier waiting his turn, Mattox took off at a trot.Attyremained with Lucien and watched her eldest hurry away.
Lucien tossed his mock weapon to another nearby soldier. “How about me? Should I also go?”
In reply, she waved for him to follow, and together they headed back toward the compound.
“I wanted tospeak to you alone,” she admitted. “That’s why I sent Mattox ahead.” She gave him another glance. Her worry reflected in her blue-gray eyes. “I’ve been hearing gossip that bothers me, so I decided to come straight to the source.”
He frowned. “What kind of gossip? I haven’t told anyone about anything. You know me better than that. I would never betray your or Dad’s trust.”
She gave a little shake of her head. The setting sun glinted off her deep blue hair, reminding him once again how her special abilities were evident by her outward appearance. Just like they were with Matt and Misty.
“This has nothing to do with betraying our trust. Your father and I believe in you explicitly. No, when I said you were the source, I didn’t mean you were theinstigator. I meant you were the topic.” She slipped an arm around his, and they matched strides. “Lucien, I hear you’ve been demeaning yourself for some time now.”
