Nolan’s shoulder, making the scribe gasp and whirl around.
Nolan relaxed. “Alec.”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. Thought you saw me coming.”
“I’m fine.” Nolan glanced at the lodge again.
“So, uh …” Alec said. “The king arrived last night?”
Nolan frowned as he continued to stare at the lodge.
“It’s true?”
Nolan shrugged. “I’ve never known him to come to the tournament before, but it’s possible, I guess.”
“So you don’t know?”
“No,” Nolan said.
As they stepped off, Alec matched Nolan’s stride. Unfortunately, Nolan knew no more than himself. As they walked toward the morning gathering, Nolan kept glancing back to the crowd. He was usually so calm, but today he acted like a bear might jump out and maul him.
“How are you doing, anyway?” Nolan asked. “I heard you had quite a fall at the Strength challenge yesterday.”
Alec grimaced. “Um, I’d rather not talk about it.”
“At least you didn’t get into any arguments.”
Alec snorted. “I suppose.”
They continued in silence before Nolan finally said, “Are you ready for your next challenge?”
“Well, I’m ready for the nightforsaken thing to be over with, that’s for certain,” Alec said. “Then I can go home to normal life.”
“Your life is anything but normal, Alec.”
“It’s normal enough for me. Besides, I miss the sword. I feel as if I’m going soft.”
Nolan laughed. “Soft? Try being a scribe.”
As they continued on toward a grassy hill, a mischievous smile crept on Nolan’s face. “As soft and girl-like as you’ve become, you might have to shake the dust off of your sword arm today.”
Alec stopped. “Swords?”
Nolan answered with a grin.
“We’re being tested with swords?” Alec asked again. He felt like he’d just inherited a fortune.
Nolan shrugged in response, but the mischievous grin on his face answered his question. “Don’t forget that this is to test for the Shay of Speed. Even on a good day, you can’t best them.”
“I’m used to losing,” Alec said. “Father beat me all the time. But at least I won’t be helpless. These nightforsaken trials make you feel like you can’t do anything .” Alec quickened his steps. He’d lose, but he’d make a good show doing it. For once, he couldn’t get to the trials soon enough.
***
When they arrived, most had already assembled in a large circle around a grassy hill. Taryn wasn’t hard to spot with her golden curls.
“Hey,” Alec said, “Taryn’s over there.”
Nolan didn’t seem to hear, he was so distracted. Alec waited, then he nudged him to get his attention.
Nolan gasped and whirled toward him.
“It’s me,” Alec said, hands up defensively. “Crows, Nolan. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just worry about your challenge.”
Even though he hadn’t known Nolan very long, Alec knew a lie.
Taryn brightened when they approached.
“Hi, Taryn,” Alec said. “How have your tournaments been?”
Her violet eyes met Alec’s. “Better than most. I seem to be getting away without a scratch. Even in the Accuracy trial, the arrows missed me completely.”
“That’s quite an accomplishment,” Nolan said.
“I know! If I didn’t know any better, I’d think someone was protecting me.” A strange expression passed over her face, and she darted a quick glance toward the Rol’dan. General Trividar spoke a few words to his soldiers and then disappeared with his Speed.
“I’m sure it’s all luck,” Taryn said. “I can’t imagine coming away from this sword trial without a scratch. You would know, wouldn’t you, Alec?”
At first Alec wasn’t sure if she was criticizing or complimenting him. But from the admiration on her face, he guessed it was the latter. Alec cleared his throat, excitement churning in his stomach. He wiped his sweaty palms on his legs. Even though he struggled to put two words together when around her, Alec couldn’t wait to show her how well he
Nolan relaxed. “Alec.”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. Thought you saw me coming.”
“I’m fine.” Nolan glanced at the lodge again.
“So, uh …” Alec said. “The king arrived last night?”
Nolan frowned as he continued to stare at the lodge.
“It’s true?”
Nolan shrugged. “I’ve never known him to come to the tournament before, but it’s possible, I guess.”
“So you don’t know?”
“No,” Nolan said.
As they stepped off, Alec matched Nolan’s stride. Unfortunately, Nolan knew no more than himself. As they walked toward the morning gathering, Nolan kept glancing back to the crowd. He was usually so calm, but today he acted like a bear might jump out and maul him.
“How are you doing, anyway?” Nolan asked. “I heard you had quite a fall at the Strength challenge yesterday.”
Alec grimaced. “Um, I’d rather not talk about it.”
“At least you didn’t get into any arguments.”
Alec snorted. “I suppose.”
They continued in silence before Nolan finally said, “Are you ready for your next challenge?”
“Well, I’m ready for the nightforsaken thing to be over with, that’s for certain,” Alec said. “Then I can go home to normal life.”
“Your life is anything but normal, Alec.”
“It’s normal enough for me. Besides, I miss the sword. I feel as if I’m going soft.”
Nolan laughed. “Soft? Try being a scribe.”
As they continued on toward a grassy hill, a mischievous smile crept on Nolan’s face. “As soft and girl-like as you’ve become, you might have to shake the dust off of your sword arm today.”
Alec stopped. “Swords?”
Nolan answered with a grin.
“We’re being tested with swords?” Alec asked again. He felt like he’d just inherited a fortune.
Nolan shrugged in response, but the mischievous grin on his face answered his question. “Don’t forget that this is to test for the Shay of Speed. Even on a good day, you can’t best them.”
“I’m used to losing,” Alec said. “Father beat me all the time. But at least I won’t be helpless. These nightforsaken trials make you feel like you can’t do anything .” Alec quickened his steps. He’d lose, but he’d make a good show doing it. For once, he couldn’t get to the trials soon enough.
***
When they arrived, most had already assembled in a large circle around a grassy hill. Taryn wasn’t hard to spot with her golden curls.
“Hey,” Alec said, “Taryn’s over there.”
Nolan didn’t seem to hear, he was so distracted. Alec waited, then he nudged him to get his attention.
Nolan gasped and whirled toward him.
“It’s me,” Alec said, hands up defensively. “Crows, Nolan. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just worry about your challenge.”
Even though he hadn’t known Nolan very long, Alec knew a lie.
Taryn brightened when they approached.
“Hi, Taryn,” Alec said. “How have your tournaments been?”
Her violet eyes met Alec’s. “Better than most. I seem to be getting away without a scratch. Even in the Accuracy trial, the arrows missed me completely.”
“That’s quite an accomplishment,” Nolan said.
“I know! If I didn’t know any better, I’d think someone was protecting me.” A strange expression passed over her face, and she darted a quick glance toward the Rol’dan. General Trividar spoke a few words to his soldiers and then disappeared with his Speed.
“I’m sure it’s all luck,” Taryn said. “I can’t imagine coming away from this sword trial without a scratch. You would know, wouldn’t you, Alec?”
At first Alec wasn’t sure if she was criticizing or complimenting him. But from the admiration on her face, he guessed it was the latter. Alec cleared his throat, excitement churning in his stomach. He wiped his sweaty palms on his legs. Even though he struggled to put two words together when around her, Alec couldn’t wait to show her how well he
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