Minstrel's Serenade by Aubrie Dionne Page A

extended the branch so the leaves at the end tickled Nip’s nose. He yearned to let the boy win every time, but a false sense of triumph would teach him nothing, and real battles loomed. “You’re dead.”
    “Horred’s Gambit.” Nip pushed the branch away and kicked a rock.
    “Never sacrifice your guard for a venture as risky as extending your entire reach to pierce another’s man’s chest. You’re taking the bait like rainbow trout in a stream.”
    Nip nodded and sniffed. “I’ll never be a warrior like you. I’ll never kill a wyvern or avenge my family. Or Thunderhooves. I couldn’t save them.”
    “Hold your griffon’s tails, little one.” Bron ruffled his hair, thinking back to his own training and his reasons for choosing the warrior’s life. “If you become a warrior, you’ll save more people than you could ever count. You may even save someone you love. All you need is courage and someone to believe in you.” Bron crouched down to eye level. “You have both.”
    The boy wiped his eyes. “Who believed in you?”
    Bron’s gaze lingered on the cottage hugging the hillside. “A very special lady. Someone who recognized not only who I was but who I could grow up to be.”
    “Who’s gonna do that for me?” Nip swung his sword at an overhanging branch and the tree rained pink blossoms around them.
    The hairs on Bron’s arms stood on end. This moment meant everything to Nip. His actions would define the course of the boy’s life with a push in the right direction. This orchard was Nip’s tournament coliseum, and he needed a figure that mattered to lend him hope. Bron walked over and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. If a queen could bother herself with a farmhand, then a warrior could kneel before a lost boy. “I am.”
    Bron knelt before him in the piles of pink blossoms as though he knelt before a future king. “A warrior’s life is one of selfless sacrifice. You swear to protect and defend without retribution, giving your life to keep those around you safe. ’Tis not an easy path, but it holds great worth and satisfaction. If this is what you desire, I’d like to offer you an apprenticeship.”
    Nip chewed on his lower lip. “What would I do?”
    “Learn how to fight, follow in my footsteps, maybe one day, join the Royal Guard, like I did as a boy.”
    The boy’s eyes lit with fire. “You are certain?”
    Bron nodded and pointed to the boy’s chest. “The only uncertainty lies here. You must vanquish your self-doubt if you choose to accept.”
    Nip breathed in, his small chest rising as if he seriously considered Bron’s challenge and all the implications that came with it. The boy had to crave adventure in his heart, or his sword would never strike true.
    Nip held his breath for several seconds before releasing it. “I accept.”
    Bron nodded and pulled the boy close to him. Nip froze in the warrior’s arms. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around Bron’s neck and hugged him back.
    Movement on the cottage porch caught Bron’s attention and he straightened, loosening his hold.
    “What is it?” Nip stood on his tiptoes, peering between the cherrywood branches.
    Bron stepped forward, pulling the boy with him. “The queen. She’s beckoning.” His body tensed. Had the kobolds found them? Had Valorian’s condition taken a turn for the worse? Was Danika all right?
    Bron’s heart pounded in his chest as he lifted the boy and ran through the orchard. Sybil’s placid face came into view, telling him nothing. As queen, she’d learned to hide behind a mask of confidence. Could she be employing such a tactic now?
    Bron reached the stairs and lowered the boy to the ground. He sank to one knee. “My Queen.”
    “Sybil. You must call me Sybil.”
    Bron nodded. He’d never utter such a blasphemy as long as he lived. “What is the matter?”
    “It’s Valorian.” Sybil waved her hand to the cottage.
    A thousand thoughts crossed Bron’s heart.
    Sybil’s face cracked into a pensive