Page 198 of Forcing Fate

Pulling Korzak’s spare cot near the hearth, I sat, warming my cold limbs. Rafe climbed to the loft and shrugged out of his cloak. I boldly watched him. We were alone, after all. No one else had returned.

He bent over to pick something up, and I had a fleeting moment to appreciate the way his trousers clung to his thick thighs. Biting my lip as he stood, I tried to tamp down the desire that coiled low in my belly. Nothing would happen. We wouldn’t let it. He descended the stairs with a long, slender item wrapped in a sheet. I eyed it curiously, wondering what it was. It looked like a staff, but why would he have a staff in his loft? He sat on the cot beside me and handed it over.

“Happy Solstice.” His voice dropped to a low rumble.

My brows rose with surprise. He bought me something? Now, I was positive it was a staff. If he were to buy anyone anything, it would be a weapon.

It wasn’t unbearably heavy, but had some healthy weight to it, versus a lighter training staff. I tore the sheet off, eagerness getting the better of me. The sheet fell to the floor, and I sucked in a breath at the item that Rafe deemed appropriate for a Solstice gift.

A spear—not a staff. Black metal wrapped the light wood handle and curved up the shaft in an intricate design. Delicate and feminine. I slipped the sheath from the head, and my mouth opened in silent awe.

The head was long with a tapered, double-edged blade. The steel was beautiful, polished to a shine. A strange hue shimmered with the gray, a blue tint, as if something more than plain steel had been forged into it. Wrapped around the socket where the blade met the shaft was a white braid finished with beautiful green beads. I traced my finger along the strands and looked at Rafe accusingly.

“Aye, it’s yours.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a small smile.

My breath caught. He saved my hair from when he cut it. Did he know from that time, I would join his Tennan—that a spear would suit me far better than any other weapon? Did he plan this that long ago?

“Up.” He stood and jogged up the stairs two at a time. “Clear the center room,” he called.

I grinned like a fool and sheathed the spear. I pushed the cots along the walls, clearing the space. It wasn’t a huge area, but it was at least fifteen paces in diameter. Large enough.

Rafe hurried back, and I eyed his three blades as he approached. He carried his arming swords that he normally sparred with, as well as a longer blade. By longer, I mean it was as long as I was tall. Its hilt was the same as the others, wrapped in a simple black leather.

I readied my spear and tossed the sheath on a nearby cot. Rafe braced his twin blades and stepped into position. I smiled and planted my feet, lowering the tip of my spear.

“Let’s go.”

He didn’t wait for me, but rather launched an offensive attack of his own. He twisted, lashing out, and I cringed, using the shaft of my spear to block. It was brand new! I mentally complained, but this was what it was designed for.

I spun with him, locked in a dance of blades. Firelight licked at our shadows, and I matched him blow for blow. I whirled, throwing in my own attacks, ones that he had to dance away from the force of. I warmed quickly, the movement and fire from the hearth heating me through. My skin grew damp from exertion. I noted the sweat beading on Rafe’s upper chest, pleased that I was not the only one expending myself.

He finally parried a blow and dropped his sword, grabbing my spear shaft with his bare hand. In a quick movement, he jerked me to him and wrapped his arm around me, pinning me against him. I panted, breathing hard as I surrendered to his hold. He looked down at me, fire burning in his eye. His chest pumped as he sucked needed air into his lungs and I felt something dangerous draw tight between us.

“Now would have been a good time to use your bandit breaker,” he whispered, his voice rough.

“Perhaps… if I wanted to escape,” I gasped.

He bit out a curse and released me, spinning away. I grinned—I had gotten to him. Pulling myself back, I wiped the sweat from my temple. He sheathed his blades and drew his longsword. It was nearly as long as my spear, and I took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh.

He moved into a new stance and nodded. “Again.”

This time, my skill seemed less efficient. His reach matched mine, robbing me of any advantage. I danced with him, trying to call his bluffs and parry his strikes fast enough to get a hit in. Moving quickly, my arms shook, and I gasped for air, taking in his every move. I swung my spear, deflecting a blow, and charged into his opening. He held out a hand, but I swung the spearhead at it, and he snatched it back. I rammed my shaft to his neck and shoved him against the wall.

He dropped his sword, and I blinked up at him, gasping for breath. My arms were extended, keeping the shaft in place. I couldn’t hold him for long because of the height difference. He looked down at me, relaxing against the wall, and smirked.

“Good girl,” he said, throat jostling the spear with his words.

I quirked a smile and waited. “Now would be a good time to free yourself,” I said, knowing I was wide open.

Something poked me under my ribs and I peered down to see a knife at my tunic.

“I am,” he said with a wide grin.

I heaved a breathless laugh. He was good.

The door to the fortress crashed open, and we both whipped our heads as the howling wind shrieked in.

Jamlin stumbled inside, glancing up at us, and froze. He blinked, taking in the scene, and cleared his throat. “I’d hate to break up whatever this is, but Korzak is stuck in a drift and I can’t get him out.”

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