Page 40 of Bride of Fire
“And then what?” Feiyan returned her attention to something on the ground outside the window.
Jenefer crossed her arms. “I thought you agreed we should be preparing for battle.”
Feiyan bit her lip. “Aye, well, about that…”
“What is it?”
Feiyan motioned her over and nodded to the far end of the curtain wall, which enclosed a small practice field.
Jenefer peered down at the men on the field. There were only a dozen, but every one of them looked like a great beast, almost as large as Morgan. They were doing drills. Their feet pounded the sod as they advanced with their targes before them. In their powerful arms, the huge and heavy claymores sliced through the air as easily as a swallow’s wing. The blades flashed in the morning sunlight. A collective rumble rolled like thunder as they grunted and lunged, roared and thrust.
They might be lacking in number, and there was little coordination in their fighting. But they resembled a formidable pack of wild wolves. Capable of intimidating by sheer size and aggression. Brutal and bloodthirsty. Eager to tear their prey limb from limb.
Even bold Jenefer was taken aback by the sight. One warrior that size she could handle. With Feiyan’s help, she might cope with three. But even her expert swordsmanship and Feiyan’s clever agility were no match for this monstrous horde.
Still, she wasn’t about to admit defeat. She knew winning Creagor wouldn’t be easy.
“They don’t even have proper armor,” she scoffed. They fought in padded cotuns and trews, without armor plate or chain mail. “Besides, Hallie is going to bring the entire force of Rivenloch. No one can stand against Uncle Pagan’s army.”
“An army will be useless if the Highlander holds us hostage.”
“Then we’ll have to make sure he can’t.”
“And how do you propose we do that?” she said, gesturing again to the massive warriors below.
“You tellme.You’re always saying ’tis a matter of mind o’er muscle.”
Feiyan gave her an icy glare and backed away from the window. “I’ll have to ponder on it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must do mytaijiquan.”
Jenefer sighed. The strange exercises Feiyan did every morning seemed utterly useless to her. As far as she could see, they neither strengthened her body nor improved her aim. Sometimes Jenefer wondered if Feiyan’s old teacher from the Orient made her do them just for amusement.
She half-watched while Feiyan flexed her knees and swept her arms in wide arcs, turned slowly to draw strange shapes in the air and then sank into a lunge. But mostly Jenefer was intrigued by the practice going on in the yard below.
It was wise to know one’s enemy. And what better way than to observe that enemy as they trained for battle?
Of course, the Highlanders had no idea how soon they’d need those skills. Only she and Feiyan were aware that the men of Rivenloch were on their way.
She lowered her brows. At least, shehopedthey were on their way. It seemed like they should have been here by now.
She wondered how long ago Hallie had left. She trusted her cousin had made it to Rivenloch. She wouldn’t have let herself be waylaid by outlaws. And no matter who Morgan had sent to hunt for her, if Hallie didn’t wish to be found, she wouldn’t be.
Still, it troubled Jenefer not to be in control of the situation. Hallie was missing. Morgan was out of her sight. She was confined to this chamber. Worst of all, she had no bow, no sword, not even a dagger to face the oncoming threat.
She sighed.
Feiyan, focused on her movement, slowly separated her arms as if she were swimming through a bowl of pottage. Then she seemed to draw an invisible bow.
Suddenly the babe next door began to cry. Feiyan, startled by the sound, jolted out of her pose, making it look like she’d fired an invisible bolt from her invisible bow.
Jenefer couldn’t help but snicker. The babe must have finished his breakfast and was ready to begin his duties of disturbing the household.
Feiyan didn’t find it amusing in the least. Her exercises disrupted, she reacted by cuffing Jenefer on the shoulder with the heel of her hand.
Jenefer was surprised at the power behind Feiyan’s small fist.
“Hey!” she yelled, thwacking her cousin on the back of the head in return.
Faster than lightning, Feiyan seized Jenefer’s hand and gave it a painful twist.
