Page 40 of Bearing Secrets
“Why what?” Klebra’s hands were clenching and unclenching into fists with a rapidity suggesting he was about to have a stroke.
That would certainly be convenient. Still, I don’t want to push him so hard he loses his grip on his sanity. Do I?
Maybe just one more.
“Why what, what?”
“Don’t play games with me! You know perfectly well what I’m saying.” The vein in Klebra’s head was throbbing visibly now, a sure sign he was about to lose his temper. Again.
“I’m asking you why would I go to the Queen and say that? Why am I giving up the position of Captain?”
“Because I told you to.”
Kirell had never had the highest of respect for Klebra’s intellect, but he was starting to wonder if maybe he’d still been giving the man too much credit. There was no way he could be this dumb.
Could he? To assume Kirell would just do as he said? Nobody in their right mind would believe that.
Unless someone had already given them the idea that I would.
Someone else had put Klebra up to this. They were manipulating the shifter, trying to convince him he was more powerful than Kirell, that he could order the other man around and expect those orders to be obeyed.
Preposterous. You’re overthinking this. Klebra is just an idiot.
In situations like this, Occam’s Razor was often applicable: the simplest answer was likely the correct one. Kirell was probably just being paranoid, an allowable instance after everything that had happened to his House in the recent week.
“Well? What are you waiting for?”
He regarded Klebra. “I’m not going to do that.”
“Yes.” His challenger for the position came a step closer. “You are.”
“Intimidating me isn’t going to work.” He crossed his arms and affected a bored stance.
“You will go to the Queen and decline the nomination. You will tell her I am the rightful Captain of the House.”
This time, Kirell did snort, dropping his arms and facing Klebra directly, letting his emotions show. “Rightful Captain? You weren’t even a House Guard. How does that make you the rightful Captain? I may not have wanted the position, but I was nominated to it, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before I thinkyoucan do a better job.” His voice was icy cold, filled with a fury he hadn’t known he possessed.
“You are a liar,” Klebra hissed. “You aren’t fit for the position. You have no mate.” He paused. “You’re also a traitor.”
Kirell couldn’t help himself. He punched Klebra square in the face. No warning, no threat. Justbam, suckerpunch. Cartilage and bone gave way with a sickeningcrunchand blood began to flow a moment later, spraying everywhere as Klebra reeled backward, eyes wide. First surprise, then pain, then rage flashed across the injured shifter’s face.
“Aw, shit.” It was all Kirell had time to mutter before ducking a wild retaliatory swing.
While his foe didn’t seem to be all there in the intellect department today, his combat skills weren’t lacking. Kirell’s duck took him directly into the path of Klebra’s rising knee. Throwing himself to the side, he avoided the worst of the attack, taking a glancing blow off his cheek instead.
The evasion cost him not only the chance to retaliate, but also his balance, and Kirell went down hard, landing on his back. He had a split second to see Natalia’s terrified face peek out from under the bed before rolling to the side as Klebra stomped down on his face. Wood shattered and the irate shifter howled as he put his foot right through the floor.
Kirell got to his feet. “Idiot,” he muttered as Klebra yanked his foot free, ignoring the damage the split ends did to his leg, ripping open skin as he pulled against the boards.
“Traitorous swine!”
“Oh. We’re back to that, are we? You know that’s a lie, because if you had any proof, you’d have already gone to the Queen with it. Let’s just call this for what it is, a power play by you, that’s gone horribly wrong.” He didn’t wait for an answer, instead wading back in, blocking a painfully telegraphed left jab before taking the blow from Klebra’s right.
Stop thinking he’s attacking you wildly.
Kirell fell back, holding his ribs. They ached from where the fist had landed. Whatever else Klebra was, he was sure good on his feet. Kirell had his own strengths, but he wasn’t a martial artist, not to the same level. For a moment, he wondered where Klebra had learned such moves, since he wasn’t a soldier of the House, but there was no time for that. Not if he wanted to avoid getting his ass handed to him in front of Natalia.
“You’re mine,” Klebra snarled, already proclaiming his victory as he closed, fists up by his eyes like a boxer. “This bout is over.”
