Page 145 of The Warrior
“What’s wrong?” Khan asked.
“I’m not a coward.”
“I never said you were.”
“Solo said it.”
Boulder, who sat next to me, elbowed me. “Don’t worry about it. The boy doesn’t know half of what you’ve done for this country or the people you love. If he’s lucky enough to do a tenth, people will call him a hero.”
“He sees things as black and white,” I muttered.
“Didn’t we all when we were his age?” Boulder asked.
Khan lifted his glass and looked thoughtful. “Pearl says that I still do.”
“I’m starting to think Pearl is right about a lot of things,” I said with a raised eyebrow.
“Told you.” Khan laughed.
I kept looking at Solo with my eyebrows drawn close.
“Solo, come here for a second,” Khan called to the young man. Four children had to get off the bench for Solo to get out, but he came to stand next to our end of the table, his head bowed down in respect for his ruler. “Lord Khan.”
“About what I said before.” Khan pushed his plate away and leaned his forearms on the table. “Laura just pointed out to me that we should expect cultural clashes between the Motlander brides and the Nmen. Archer tells me you want to become a warrior, and that you’ll be going into the army when you’re done here. Is that true?”
“Yes, Lord.”
“You still have six months left at this school and in that time I’d like you to have a private mentor to take full advantage of your potential. With training you could become the greatest warrior this country has ever seen.”
Solo’s eyes flew to me. “Greater than Magni?”
“I doubt it!” I said dryly and was annoyed with Khan for putting thoughts like that into the head of the young man.
“That depends on Magni.” Khan shifted his focus to me. “Could you train Solo to become better than you?”
“I’m already as good as Marco,” Solo interjected. “Soon I can take Archer too.”
“Yes, I heard.” Khan had that mischievous look in his eye that meant he’d already made up his mind about something. “That’s why I would like Magni to be your mentor. If he thinks you’re good enough, he might pick you for his Huntsmen.”
I snorted and crossed my arms. “The boy doesn’t have what it takes. He’s too arrogant and self-absorbed.”
With his black eye narrowed in determination, Solo turned to me. “I’m prepared to work hard and do whatever it takes.”
“You think I’d be your mentor after you insulted me in front of my wife?”
Laura’s hand squeezed my thigh under the table, but I wasn’t done grilling Solo. “Being part of the Huntsmen requires deep loyalty and extraordinary fighting skills. We only pick the fiercest, bravest, and most intelligent warriors.”
“I know, sir.”
“No, you don’t know, Solo! You think it’s a glorious job, but it’s dangerous and scary.”
“I’m not afraid.” The young man fisted his hands and looked straight into my eyes.
“You’d have to go on secret missions, sometimes without warning to the people you love. Sometimes you’d be gone for a month.”
Solo frowned and his eyes glanced over to Willow, Hunter, and some of the other children who were all following the situation.
“Was that where you were, sir, on a secret mission?”
