Page 15 of The Storm of the Empire

She shot me a glare but then didn’t even look at me again until near the end of the warm-up. She’d paired off the rest of the class, leaving only me without a partner—again. “You’re with me,”she said curtly and with no inflection of familiarity.

“Me?” I pointed at myself. “A second time as your partner? Thank you for the honor.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” she said and charged me.

I barely got my practice blade up in time to avoid being rapped over the head.

Her blows rained down, and while I deflected most, she got in a couple of really good hits, and I had no time reset or get in a single attack. I realized quickly she’d gone easy on me the first day. She moved faster than seemed possible. Finally, my instinct took over, and I quickened, flowing through my blocks while turning an attack on her. She deflected it easily, but her expression twisted into a smile.The first I’d seen since our night together.

“Dare I say I earned back some good will?” I whispered, hoping only she was paying attention.

“Don’t push your luck. You have a lot to learn.” She redoubled her effort.

I spun and dodged out of the way, freeing up my blade to come at her from behind. She barely got her blade around to block, clearly not having expected it.

“Don’t we all?”

She hissed, showing her teeth, but beneath the flare of anger, there was amusement. I don’t know how I knew it was there, but it radiated between us the same way our chemistry did.

Hazel landed another blow, getting me right in the ribs when I extended myself too far on an attack and didn’t guard. I drew in a sharp breath but pushed through the pain, advancing on her. I found a weakness and finally broke through her defense to nick her with the tip of my sword. Her brows lifted, but her lips twisted into a growl while she got her guard up, locking her hilt with mine. She shoved closer, locking us face to face. I was quite a bit bigger than she was and could probably have out muscled her if I wanted to, but I held back, wanting her close.

She grunted and shoved me again. I gave half a step, arms burning with the force of holding her off.

“One area you can’t beat me,” I gloated a bit.

“Don’t count on it.” She hooked her leg around mine, sending me falling backwards. I slammed into the mat, and she landed on top of me, knocking the wind from my lungs.

But I didn’t stop. I’d suffered far worse in my previous life.

We rolled, grappling for the upper hand, blades still locked. Finally, my size paid off, and I ended up on top, pinning her.

My cock pressed against the pads, and I was thankful for them because I did not want her to know kicking my arse turned me on as much as it did. I grinned, casting my mind back to when I had her under me in other circumstances and the taste of her on my tongue. I licked my lips at the memory and tasted blood there instead from when she’d caught me in our fall.

Suddenly, I was no longer in the training room, in the palace, or in the city.

I was thrown back to a memory of a time when I did anything I had to in order to survive.

Blood stained my lips,and I swiped at it, my head spinning. I hadn’t seen the blow coming. The male had backhanded me out of nowhere, and I bit down the urge to fight back. I was here for my survival. I could not forget that. Insolence would have me thrown out, or worse, they would be done with me and turn me into one of those undead creatures.

“You are to listen and obey, nothing else, or you’ll be replaced by someone who will. Am I clear?”

I stared at him, desperately wanting to spit in his face and leave this life behind, but I had no choice but to show compliance. These fae were dangerous, and if I did not obey, I felt sure I would soon be dead.

He snarled and raised his hand to strike me again. The sleeve of his tunic fell back as he did, exposing the mark of those in charge. A brand I had seen on a few fae’s arms during this journey, marking them as some kind of higher rank in the network.

So I’d been stupid enough not just to answer back to a superior but to onemuchhigher up. I must have a death wish. Goddess save me.

“Yes, sir,” I said with as much respect in my tone as I could pretend to have. The simpering subservient act was sickening at times, but I’d do whatever it took. I would survive this.

The fae lowered his hand.“Get on with it then.”

The symbol.

A sun.

It was branded into the wrists of those higher up in the organization, and I suddenly realized where else I had seen an image like it. It was the center piece of the symbols printed onto the sacks and crates used to transport the Dragon’s Bane through the network. It had to be the symbol of the organization itself.

Maybe rather than looking for that one priest I’d recognized, I should be looking for signs of the organization inside the temples. Maybe the sun was a clue as to which priests were involved. If I could find evidence of the symbol somewhere, I might find myself a way back into the network.

---