from the other man drew Marik’s attention to him. In that one bare
fraction of an instant, Marik saw much while learning nothing.
In the firelight, the second man looked to be garbed
in dark clothing. Marik thought most of it was red. Certainly the man’s hair
burned with a color that nearly matched the flames in the hearth. The dancing
firelight made even his eyes look red. Crystalline red, scarlet as a
ruby, crimson as stained temple glass. Eyes sparkling in the firelight.
The man’s head jerked toward Marik as if he could see
the intruder watching him. Marik looked straight into those flashing,
jewel-red eyes.
The mirror shattered outward.
Fragments flew in every direction. Marik flung an arm
over his eyes and cried out as sharp edges cut his face. He instinctively
recoiled backward off the stool and crashed to the floor amidst shards of raining
glass.
“What in the hells did you do?” Tollaf screamed while
he charged across the room. His feet crunched over fragments of his onetime
mirror. He took one look at the frame. It contained only jagged silver teeth
around the edges. “Gods bloody damn it! Do you have the faintest notion how
much a mirror like this costs?”
The chief mage shot a furious gaze loaded with venom
down at his cursed idiot of an apprentice, expecting one of the fool’s flippant
remarks. His rage gradually abated when Marik remained motionless. “Boy?”
Kneeling, he rolled the young man over, feeling the blood from where he had
cracked his head against the stone floor.
Tollaf muttered under his breath as he walked out the
door. The Homeguard would haul him to the chirurgeons’ wing. What in the
hells had that damned fool done? Marik could not regain consciousness soon
enough for Tollaf, who would grill the disrespectful whelp alive. But with
that thought came a cold chill running up his spine. Whenever that happened, it
was usually a bad sign.
Chapter 04
Dietrik’s blow rang off Marik’s blade to the left, and
Kerwin dashed in from the side for a flanking strike. Unable to reposition his
sword in time, Marik twisted away out of range. Kerwin’s blade swept through
air. Marik landed in a defenseless posture, his rear sticking out as though he
had nearly pitched forward into a mud puddle.
A strike against his back sent him sprawling to his
knees. Landon’s blow stung despite his chainmail. With the target down, the
three backed off to prevent accidents.
Marik flipped to a sitting position. “I suppose
that’s enough for today. I’m too tired to work any longer.”
“Agreed,” Landon replied. “We’ll lose the light soon
as well. I lack the energy for a nighttime training session today.”
Kerwin stretched after sheathing his blade. “I don’t
think you need any more practice anyway.”
Marik glanced up. “Why?”
“Why?” Kerwin’s eyebrows shot into his hair. “Gods,
it took us a full minute to bring you down that time! I don’t know about them,
but I was nearly going full out!”
“Full out at your normal training level, you mean. We
never fight with our combat strength. I haven’t improved that much.”
Kerwin scowled. Landon seemed amused. Dietrik took a
seat next to Marik. “Our jolly lad never has been able to accept praise.”
Still irritated, Kerwin officially called it a day.
“I’m going to go see what Luiez’s cooked up. You coming?”
“Yes.” Landon departed the training area with Kerwin.
Marik persisted to Dietrik, “I don’t think I’ve
improved much. It doesn’t feel any different.”
“It sure looks different.”
“I’m still not used to this new sword yet.”
Dietrik shook his head. “Is that supposed to make me
feel better?”
“I don’t know. But I do know I’m not good
enough yet to be a B Class fighter.”
“That is the rank you hold.”
“Torrance gave it to me as a reward. The lieutenants
wouldn’t have
fraction of an instant, Marik saw much while learning nothing.
In the firelight, the second man looked to be garbed
in dark clothing. Marik thought most of it was red. Certainly the man’s hair
burned with a color that nearly matched the flames in the hearth. The dancing
firelight made even his eyes look red. Crystalline red, scarlet as a
ruby, crimson as stained temple glass. Eyes sparkling in the firelight.
The man’s head jerked toward Marik as if he could see
the intruder watching him. Marik looked straight into those flashing,
jewel-red eyes.
The mirror shattered outward.
Fragments flew in every direction. Marik flung an arm
over his eyes and cried out as sharp edges cut his face. He instinctively
recoiled backward off the stool and crashed to the floor amidst shards of raining
glass.
“What in the hells did you do?” Tollaf screamed while
he charged across the room. His feet crunched over fragments of his onetime
mirror. He took one look at the frame. It contained only jagged silver teeth
around the edges. “Gods bloody damn it! Do you have the faintest notion how
much a mirror like this costs?”
The chief mage shot a furious gaze loaded with venom
down at his cursed idiot of an apprentice, expecting one of the fool’s flippant
remarks. His rage gradually abated when Marik remained motionless. “Boy?”
Kneeling, he rolled the young man over, feeling the blood from where he had
cracked his head against the stone floor.
Tollaf muttered under his breath as he walked out the
door. The Homeguard would haul him to the chirurgeons’ wing. What in the
hells had that damned fool done? Marik could not regain consciousness soon
enough for Tollaf, who would grill the disrespectful whelp alive. But with
that thought came a cold chill running up his spine. Whenever that happened, it
was usually a bad sign.
Chapter 04
Dietrik’s blow rang off Marik’s blade to the left, and
Kerwin dashed in from the side for a flanking strike. Unable to reposition his
sword in time, Marik twisted away out of range. Kerwin’s blade swept through
air. Marik landed in a defenseless posture, his rear sticking out as though he
had nearly pitched forward into a mud puddle.
A strike against his back sent him sprawling to his
knees. Landon’s blow stung despite his chainmail. With the target down, the
three backed off to prevent accidents.
Marik flipped to a sitting position. “I suppose
that’s enough for today. I’m too tired to work any longer.”
“Agreed,” Landon replied. “We’ll lose the light soon
as well. I lack the energy for a nighttime training session today.”
Kerwin stretched after sheathing his blade. “I don’t
think you need any more practice anyway.”
Marik glanced up. “Why?”
“Why?” Kerwin’s eyebrows shot into his hair. “Gods,
it took us a full minute to bring you down that time! I don’t know about them,
but I was nearly going full out!”
“Full out at your normal training level, you mean. We
never fight with our combat strength. I haven’t improved that much.”
Kerwin scowled. Landon seemed amused. Dietrik took a
seat next to Marik. “Our jolly lad never has been able to accept praise.”
Still irritated, Kerwin officially called it a day.
“I’m going to go see what Luiez’s cooked up. You coming?”
“Yes.” Landon departed the training area with Kerwin.
Marik persisted to Dietrik, “I don’t think I’ve
improved much. It doesn’t feel any different.”
“It sure looks different.”
“I’m still not used to this new sword yet.”
Dietrik shook his head. “Is that supposed to make me
feel better?”
“I don’t know. But I do know I’m not good
enough yet to be a B Class fighter.”
“That is the rank you hold.”
“Torrance gave it to me as a reward. The lieutenants
wouldn’t have
Similar Books
