Blind Impulse by Kathryn Loch Page A

ears.
    “ On your fe et.”  Geoff bellowed like a commander.  “And you call yourself a knight?  My squire could outlast you.”
    Alyna morbidly turned her head and watched Garin crawl to his feet and raise his sword again.
    “ Come on, Garin,” Simon shouted in the same tone.  “Don’t embarrass yourself.  Your father trained you better than that.”
    The battle continued.  Grunt, thunk, grunt, thunk.
    “ You’re getting sloppy,” Geoff snapped.
    Alyna was certain her father was the devil in disguise.
    But Garin’s back straightened.  Somehow he fo und the strength to once again take a well-balanced stance.  He hefted the sword and stilled his shaking arm long enough to bring it into the proper position.  For a moment, he achieved the perfection that he possessed when he first picked up the sword.  W ith a bellow, he launched a three strike combination to the dummy’s head, shoulder, and waist.  The blows crisp, powerful, and balanced.  Alyna witnessed firsthand why he had survived four years in the Holy War.
    “ That’s it!” Geoff shouted and finally rele ased her.  Garin dropped to all fours, his chest heaving as he sucked air into his lungs.
    Simon and Geoff knelt next to him.  “Water ed ale !”  Simon roared.
    “ Nicely done,” Geoff said and tugged Garin into a sitting position.  “You had me worried there.”
    Garin sti ll couldn’t speak.  A young lad brought a mug .  Simon held it to Garin’s lips and only allowed him a small drink.  “Not too much, you’ll make yourself even sicker.”
    Alyna could not bear to watch another moment.  This was too strang e.  Simon and her father had allowed Garin to drive himself past exhaustion, even pushing him to go farther.  Now they were praising his stupidity.  And she had been the one to start the whole thing.  Her hands clenched her skirts and she ran back to the k eep.
    ****
    Alyna had time to finish cleaning the remaining mess in their room before her father and Simon carried Garin through the door.  They stood on either side of him, his arms over their shoulders.  Poor Garin could barely stand.  Alyna moved out of the way while they cleaned him up and settled him in bed.
    “ I’ll fix his tea,” she muttered.
    “ No, Alyna,” Garin said.  His voice was soft but she also heard conviction.  “I don’t have a headache.”
    She blinked at him.  His head should be pounding mercilessl y.  She saw exhaustion lining his face but his blue eyes sparked vibrantly.
    “ Just let him rest today,” her father said.  “Make sure he gets plenty of water ed ale but not too much at a time.”
    “ Yes, sir,” she spat.
    Geoff frowned and she took an involuntary step ba ck.  She knew that look from childhood.
    “ Simon, stay with him a moment.”  His hand latched on her arm and he hauled her into the corridor.  “Insolence is most unbecoming of you, daughter.”
    She jerked away.  “What do you expect?  He could have killed himsel f with that foolishness and you only encouraged him.”
    Geoff rubbed the back of his neck.  “Alyna, I know many times you have seen me training but some things you did not see because I would not allow it.  This was one of them.”
    She frowned.  “You mean ever y knight does something just as insane?”
    His dark eyes sparked angrily but his face slowly melted into a wry grin.  “If they are worth their salt, yes.”
    Alyna threw up her hands.  “Why?”
    He sighed and leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his ma ssive chest.  “There comes a time in a man’s life, especially if he is a warrior, where he must push himself beyond his normal limitations.  Remember when Roger would stay up for days trying to perfect certain techniques?  You and Cecily never understood w hy but he wouldn’t go to bed until he got it right.”
    “ I remember.”
    “ With a knight - it’s the same principle but different method.  Exhaustion plays a huge role in battle. When the