Chapter 2

2

A man need not threaten you with a blade to declare himself an enemy.

~ Sandsteader Proverb

With the dagger pressed into her throat just shy of drawing blood, Kaylina didn't try to ram her elbow back into her attacker's chest again. Her first strike had glanced off what had to be chain mail under his shirt, and the man's grip had only tightened.

Spymaster Sabor's grip.

She couldn't see him behind her and dared not turn her head, but her captor wasn't tall enough to be Captain Targon. Besides, Targon greeted her with snarky comments about her irreverence, not blades.

"Where are you going, girl?" Sabor asked softly. Dangerously.

Kaylina hadn't seen the spymaster fight, but she doubted a person rose to such a position without knowing how to vanquish enemies. And just because he wanted to use her didn't mean he wouldn't hurt her along the way.

Since she'd already passed two latrines, she couldn't use that excuse. "Captain Targon wants to see me," she tried.

His office door opened wider, and he leaned out. "I thought you were right behind me, Sabor."

"I noticed we had a follower. She says you want her."

The turn of phrase made Targon's lips quirk up. "Oh, yeah. I summon her every day after lunch. She likes my sword a lot more than Sergeant Zhaniyan's."

"Is that so."

"Yup. She's good fun too. Lots of vigor and a screamer."

Kaylina clenched her jaw, unable to feel gratitude toward Targon for covering for her, if that was what the idiotic words were meant to do.

"According to the reports I've received, she's saving her vigor for Vlerion," Sabor said.

"I had no idea your spies were reporting on Trainee Korbian's sex life. Important to the kingdom, is it?"

"They like to be thorough."

"But they couldn't figure out that Jana Bloomlong was the one to deliver poisoned mead to the queen, not me?" In her predicament, Kaylina should have kept her mouth shut, but she couldn't help but bristle, even if she'd since been cleared of suspicion. At the least, the queen of the taybarri had vouched for her. Kaylina didn't know if Queen Petalira truly believed her innocent.

"Haven't your trainers taught you not to question your superiors, girl?" Sabor asked softly. "And to address those with power over you as my lord ?"

"No, they haven't mentioned it. Captain Targon finds me a delight in my natural state."

Targon snorted. "I keep telling Vlerion to flog some respect into her, but he's gone soft."

"Oh?" Sabor asked. "I'd heard anrokks made him hard."

"Well, not Sergeant Jastadar. This one on the other hand…" Targon smirked at Kaylina again, his gaze dipping to her chest.

A creak came from the stairs, and Targon didn't finish his sentence. That had to be the same board that Kaylina had stepped on, now announcing someone new coming up.

Sabor couldn't have known who it was, but he shifted to put his back against a wall, pulling Kaylina with him to keep her pressed against his chest and the dagger at her throat. She bared her teeth, wanting to jerk away, but such a movement would cause that blade to cut her.

On the stairs, Vlerion rounded the corner and came into view, his shirt in his hand, his bare chest still sweaty.

"Craters of the moon." Targon couldn't have seen Vlerion yet but must have guessed who it was. He stepped into the hallway, his lecherous expression shifting to concern.

As soon as Vlerion spotted Kaylina with the dagger to her throat, his blue eyes widened, and anger sparked in them. Anger and something more dangerous.

He sprang up the steps, skipping several as he landed in a crouch in the hall, like the panther she'd likened him to earlier. The growl that emanated from his chest was human but barely. It promised what he could become if he lost control, if the beast overtook him.

"It's okay," Kaylina blurted, hoping to keep that from happening. "I'm okay."

For a split second, she wondered if the kingdom would be worse or better off if he changed and killed these two men, the savage instincts of the beast keeping him from recognizing friend from foe. But he might not stop with them. There were dozens of innocent rangers in the headquarters compound, and the beast was a threat to her as well as everyone else.

Sabor remained calm, his only response to tighten his grip slightly. The blade pressed harder against Kaylina's throat, making her wonder if she'd spoken too soon. Maybe it wasn't okay.

"What is going on?" Tension radiated from Vlerion, his muscles taut and coiled to spring. Usually, he hummed a song that soothed him when the beast threatened to arise, but he didn't now, only staring at Sabor with rage in his eyes. Maybe he wanted to turn, to ensure he could protect her.

"Trainee Korbian invited herself up to eavesdrop on our conversation," Sabor said. "I cannot allow that. Nobody spies on the spymaster." The bastard sounded like he was smiling. He either loved courting danger or didn't recognize how much he was in. "Captain Targon informs me that you've been lax in flogging her and drilling proper respect into her."

Vlerion clenched his jaw so hard that Kaylina heard his teeth grind together.

"Put the knife down, Sabor." Targon lifted a hand toward the men. "You're not going to kill a girl you want to use, and I'm not going to be able to stop him if you push him over the edge."

"As an aristocrat sworn to defend the crown and serve the king and his superiors, Lord Vlerion shouldn't be on any edges around me," Sabor said coolly, not taking his gaze from him.

" Vlerion isn't the him I'm talking about, and you know it," Targon said.

Vlerion's jaw clenched even harder, the tendons in his muscled neck standing out. The dangerous heat in his eyes threatened to shift into more, a fiery inferno that would bring the beast.

Would Sabor be too stubborn to back down? His body was also taut with tension, his knuckles tight around the hilt of the dagger. Maybe he did recognize his predicament.

Targon was tense too, not looking like he knew whether to jump in and try to separate the potential combatants or if he should back into his office and let events unfold as they would.

"Why don't we all relax and put our weapons down?" Kaylina suggested. "The grand opening of my meadery and eating house is this week, and I would prefer to serve my patrons without a bloody gash in my neck. I'd invite you all, but the cursed castle still isn't fond of rangers. I suppose it might not have a problem with a spymaster. We're offering ten percent discounts on opening night to anyone who comes and orders a flight of mead to sample."

Sabor and Vlerion were too busy with their staring battle to respond. Vlerion didn't even seem to see Kaylina—only the threat to her.

"Haven't you had that grand opening a couple of times now?" Targon asked, going along with her attempt to infuse some lightness into the situation, to calm both men.

"Just once, but someone rudely lit our castle on fire. And then the Kar'ruk invaded the city, so we had to wait a few weeks to try again. Funny how people aren't in the mood for drink and festivities when there are dead in the streets."

"Yes, funny."

Sabor growled softly, sounding almost as animalistic as Vlerion, and lowered his dagger. He released Kaylina by shoving her toward Vlerion while shifting farther away from them, keeping the blade ready in case he needed it.

"If he turns, that's not going to save you," Kaylina muttered. "I've seen him kill a horde of Kar'ruk warriors."

At the time, the beast had been dusted with a magical powder that conveyed invisibility, but it had still been an impressive feat.

Sabor eyed Kaylina with irritation as Vlerion took her arm and guided her to his side.

"The rangers are going too easy on you, girl," Sabor said. "Don't forget that you're a commoner, druid blood or not."

"You sure about that?" Targon asked. "Maybe the druid who screwed one of her hot ancestors was a prince."

"The Daygarii didn't have royalty. Teach her some respect, Vlerion. If you and Targon don't flog her for her insolence, I will." Sabor lowered his dagger but didn't put it away as he walked toward Targon.

He had to pass Vlerion on the way, and Vlerion reached out. Sabor whirled, turning the blade toward him, but, as fast as he was, Vlerion was even faster and caught his forearm, halting it before Sabor could bring the blade to bear.

"If you touch her," Vlerion said, his earlier fire replaced by ice, "or cause harm to befall her, I will kill you."

Kaylina had seen the beast arise numerous times now, and she recognized that the threat hadn't passed. Vlerion's emotions were still flaring. Could the spymaster not tell that?

Sabor tried to twist his arm free but failed. That didn't keep him from glaring defiantly back at Vlerion. "I'm the last man you want to threaten."

"No, I am the last man you want to threaten."

"Attack me, and you'll meet the same fate as your brother."

Vlerion's eyes narrowed. "If you admit to me that you somehow orchestrated that, I'll kill you right here." His muscles bunched, his grip tightening on Sabor's arm, and another growl rumbled from deep in his chest.

Though it felt like sticking her hand in a furnace, Kaylina eased closer to him and rested her hand on his back. She stroked his hard muscles, his bare skin, attempting to soothe him.

"There are others in your headquarters besides these two," she murmured, trusting he would understand what she meant.

Vlerion wouldn't forgive himself if he turned and killed Jankarr, Sergeant Zhani, and other rangers who'd done nothing to deserve the beast's ire. He also considered Targon a friend, even if Kaylina questioned that choice.

"I know," Vlerion said tersely without looking away from Sabor. More softly, he repeated, "I know."

He was trying not to turn, but it was hard. So hard. Kaylina stroked him gently, making sure there was nothing arousing about her touch. She wanted only to soothe.

The brand on the back of her hand warmed, and she imagined magic flowing through her fingers, helping relax him, calming the curse. It might have been her imagination that she had any power to do that, that any magic came from the brand, but Vlerion's muscles loosened ever so slightly. He released Sabor.

For an instant, defiance twisted the spymaster's face, and he looked like he would do something dumb, like slashing at Vlerion with his blade, but he smoothed his features and sheathed his dagger. Unfortunately, he also looked at Kaylina and squinted thoughtfully.

A question he'd once asked of Targon came to her mind: Do you think she can control him?

She didn't shake her head or do anything to indicate she could guess what he was thinking. Vast relief flowed into her when he left them, walking toward Targon without another word. The spymaster stepped into the captain's office and disappeared from view.

"Keep her out of trouble, Vlerion," Targon said, less an order than the suggestion of a friend who knew how disastrous that showdown could have turned. The concerned look in his eyes suggested there might yet be disastrous repercussions.

Would Sabor take out his anger at the situation on Vlerion? On her? By some less direct means than a confrontation with a dagger?

"It is… difficult." Vlerion wrapped his arm around Kaylina.

"Yeah, who knew an anrokk could be such a handful?" Targon managed a smirk. "Sergeant Jastadar is such a loyal ranger who never gives me any trouble."

"I knew the day I met her," Vlerion said.

"The day she hit you in the back of the head with a sling round?"

"Precisely."

"Get in here, Targon," Sabor said.

Targon lifted his gaze toward the ceiling before turning, entering, and shutting the door firmly behind him.

Vlerion shifted to face Kaylina, his attention fully on her for the first time. He slid his other arm around her, pulling her close and inhaling her scent.

Aware of his raw power wrapped around her, of the appeal of him—her protector—Kaylina had to resist the urge to press herself against Vlerion and kiss him. Or maybe slide her tongue over the swell of one of those hard muscles.

"This is just as dangerous," she whispered.

"I know." He nuzzled her ear and cupped her ass, making her ache with desire for him, before releasing her and stepping back. "To my great lament."

He looked her over, his eyes hungry, then turned away. This time, she caught him humming softly.

Her heart ached for what he had to endure—and the shared frustration for both of them.

"If you want to eavesdrop with me, I know where access to a secret passage to Targon's office is," she said quietly, though she didn't know if one could get in through the sewer exit or not.

Vlerion grunted without turning around.

Maybe she shouldn't have said anything. Vlerion might be too noble—in all senses of the word—to stoop to activities such as eavesdropping. She realized he might have suspected that was her intent when she'd left the arena, and that was why he'd come up here in the first place. To stop her.

"I do appreciate you coming to help," she said, "but you might have made an enemy of Sabor there. It would behoove both of us to listen in on that conversation."

"The sewer exit is one-way," Vlerion said. "Short of using explosives, you could not enter from there."

"Are explosives not a valid way to gain eavesdropping access?" Kaylina almost pointed out that the Virts, the rebels hoping to overthrow the monarchy, used black powder frequently, but he knew that well and didn't approve of their methods. She didn't either, not against people, but she wouldn't be above blowing a hole in that stinky sewer tunnel.

"Not if one wants the people being eavesdropped on to be unaware of one's presence." Vlerion turned, more composed, with his shoulders less tense, and regarded her thoughtfully.

"If it's not appropriately noble and honorable to listen in on conversations, you could leave me here and return to your training. I'll just…" Kaylina looked down the hallway. "See if there's a latrine up here."

"While pressing your ear to Targon's door?"

"Yes, naturally. They might be discussing the location of the facilities right now."

Vlerion shook his head, donned his shirt, and pointed at the stairs. "Come with me."

"Aren't you curious about what they're discussing?" She pointed to herself, then to him, to imply it was about them.

Maybe he'd been too busy defending against three opponents to notice Sabor looking back and forth between them in the practice arena.

"Come," Vlerion repeated, pausing at the top of the stairs to make sure she followed, "or I will carry you."

"You know women love it when you give them orders." Kaylina cast a longing look over her shoulder toward the closed office door, but she believed Vlerion would pick her up and tote her out, so she followed him.

"That was a threat, not an order."

" Such an improvement."

He looked back at her again.

"My lord," she added, then smiled at him.

He sighed, looking like he might hoist her over his shoulder, whether she followed or not.

Attempting to appear properly respectful, she followed and gave him no reason to do so. Meanwhile, she schemed up ways to slip away in time to catch the tail end of that conversation.