Page 25 of To Wake a Kingdom

“Are there other women in your army?” I asked, desperately curious now.

He shrugged his wide shoulders. “Some. Anyone who wants to put in the training necessary to join my ranks is welcome.”

“Why?” I’d never heard of such a thing.

“Why not? Women are more than capable of learning to fight. Em is one of the best in Estria with a sword.”

I considered that for a moment, his words thrilling me. An army with female soldiers felt like a bridge to an entire world I had no idea existed. How might my life have been different if I’d ended up like Em instead?

“I’m no teacher,” Em said, biting into a piece of bacon. “Don’t have the patience for it. Besides, everything I know I learned from Ronan.”

Ronan’s beautiful face broke into a shit-eating grin. “I’m averygood teacher.”

“And rather arrogant.” I sat back and crossed my arms, though I was definitely warming to the idea.

Unfazed, his smile didn’t falter. “Do you want to learn or not? Or shall we find you another tree, Little Lion?”

“Yes. I want to learn,” I said, biting out the words like I’d torn them from marble.“And don’t call me that.”

“Say ‘please’.” He mimicked my stance, arms folded. My glare should have melted him into the ground, but alas, there he sat, looking smug and sexy and exactly like what I didn’t need right now. But, if I had any hope of besting Mare, I needed more than a knife and the clumsy swing of my sword. Ronan might be my only hope. I could control my thoughts around him. I wasn’t an animal.

“Please,” I muttered through gritted teeth.

“Now, was that so hard?” He stood and scooped my sword in his large hand. “First lesson: don’t leave your weapons lying around for anyone to take and use against you.”He headed for the door and then stopped. “Coming?” Not waiting for a reply, he left the room, forcing me to scurry after.

“Where are we going?” I asked when I’d caught up.

“We need space. Gideon will have our hides if we mess up his kitchen.”

For now, I ignored the implication that my kitchen had somehow become Gideon’s. Ronan continued walking, stopping in the throne room and spinning to face me, sword held aloft.

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “This way.” This time, he followed me to the castle’s ballroom. The floors were covered in creamy marble, shot through with pink and teal and purple. One wall was taken up by a single mirror that ran the entire length, while the opposite one gleamed with intricate gold inlay. A dozen sparkling chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their pewter arms cradling hundreds of creamy candles. Large arched windows looked out at each end of the room, filtering in blue light as the snow continued to fly.

“Will this do?” I asked, planting my hands on my hips.

“This will do.” Ronan looked around. “I don’t suppose this room has seen too many sword fights.”

I shrugged. “Actually, my Uncle Baylor used to get drunk here all the time and challenge everyone to duels. Even my ninety-eight-year-old grandmother.” Ronan lifted an eyebrow as the corners of his mouth ticked up. “Besides, there are no rules anymore.” The words slipped out unintentionally, rippling through the atmosphere like a magic spell. My world had been turned around. Everything had changed. Even if I stopped Mare and got my second chance, nothing would ever be the same. A warrior standing in my ballroom, teaching me how to use a sword, was proof enough of that.

He watched me, perhaps sensing I needed a moment to collect myself.

But I began to wilt under his intense gaze, green eyes lighting me up like a torch. “Well, stop staring at me, and let’s get on with it.” I intended for it to sound breezy and teasing, but the words came out breathless. As I flicked my braid over my shoulder and squared my stance, I was rewarded with a smirk that did everything it could to weaken my carefully assembled resolve.

For the rest of the day, Ronan pummeled and battered me through drills and exercises, insisting I repeat the thrusts and parries over and over until my limbs grew shaky and every cell in my body hummed with energy.

It became clear he was as good a teacher as he’d claimed, and it didn’t take long before I could block some of his blows and even fight back.

Noah and Em drifted into the ballroom, calling out pointers and correcting my form as they shouted ribald remarks to their friend. It was obvious how much they all adored each other, and I sensed a fierce, unwavering loyalty bound them.

“Show her how you handle a sword, Ronan,” Em called, shaking with laughter.

“I think it’s the lady who wants to handle the sword, don’t you think?” Noah asked, in the snooty way of noblewomen out for an afternoon stroll through the garden.

“If by ‘sword’ you mean ‘cock’, then yes, Noah, that’s exactly what I think,” Em replied, and they both collapsed into hysterics as Ronan rolled his eyes at them.

They were trying to embarrass me, and it worked, the truth of their jesting too close for my comfort. But I’d also hung around Captain Andrick enough to overhear similar teasing among my father’s guard and understood they were trying to include me in their circle. The gesture warmed me. I had always been the cursed girl existing on the edges, a ghost preparing for her inevitable departure. There’d been no point in getting too attached to my presence, and no one had ever included me like that.

Under normal circumstances, I was sure they’d never talk like this around me, but no one was under any illusion these were normal circumstances.

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