swung a blade.
A woman dressed in the male Rol’dan tunic and breeches stepped forward. Her hair hung down her back in a thick braid. She was in her middle years and much plainer than the girl who’d broken Alec’s legs.
“I am Captain Rohonin,” the Rol’dan said. “Today, we will search for the Shay of Speed.”
As she explained the marvelous attributes of the Shay of Speed, and how it was superior to any other dumb power sect, another group of Rol’dan approached.
General Trividar crossed the field, but all heads turned to the man beside him. King Alcandor, the supreme ruler of Adamah, had visited them after all.
Alec’s jaw dropped.
King Alcandor wore a uniform not too unlike the Rol’dan soldiers—leather breeches and a tunic—except instead of a leather jerkin, he sported an expensive-looking vest. His ground-length cloak billowed behind him, reflecting light in the golden fabric. A crown, of sorts, rested against black hair. It was more of a circlet—three intertwining gold bands with an unusual stone set in the center of his pale forehead. The stone changed colors with every movement he made. His ice-blue eyes scanned the group, pausing intermittently on a person from time to time.
Nolan mumbled something Alec didn’t understand, and then he darted around the outside of the circle and ducked behind a group of nearby Rol’dan.
“What’s that about?” Taryn asked.
“I have no idea. He’s been acting funny all morning.”
Taryn didn’t seem too worried, for her eyes drifted back to the king. Alec pressed his lips together. He guessed some might think the king was handsome. Several of the other girls whispered to each other, giggling. Alec should hate him—that’s what his father would want. But curiosity pulsed through him. His father told him King Alcandor never aged—he looked exactly the same as when Father was a boy. There were also tales that claimed he was centuries old. Crows! How did a man live that long and still look so young?
“Have you seen the king before?” Alec asked.
“No,” Taryn answered. “He’s not what I expected.”
Alec grunted. “Me either.”
“You may continue, Captain,” King Alcandor said as he took a place next to the other Rol’dan.
Captain Rohonin blushed, then regained her composure. Even she acted like an idiot.
“You will be first,” she said to a dark-haired boy across the circle.
He sauntered forward, looking to his friends. Alec folded his arms across his chest and grinned. This would be good. As soon as the boy turned, Captain Rohonin thrust a sword into his hands. He had barely enough time to move when her sword crashed against his.
The boy backed away, flinging his sword in pathetic swipes as he tried to block the captain’s blows. Occasionally, her sword would meet flesh and the boy would yelp.
Golden light shimmered in the captain’s eyes. Her Speed increased until her blade was nothing but a blur. When she stopped, the dark-haired boy lay curled on the ground, his arms and legs covered with numerous cuts. A trio of Healing Rol’dan surrounded him and got to work.
Unlike a normal duel where the crowd cheered their favorite to victory, this group fell uncommonly silent. As the trial continued, Alec shook his head at each pathetic attempt. He hadn’t realized how intense his training had been. Every mistake was obvious and every failed block absurd. And as each person lost, Alec got more excited for his turn.
The captain scanned the group. Her eyes locked on Alec’s. She opened her mouth to speak, but the voice of the king spoke instead.
“One moment, Captain.”
Captain Rohonin turned from Alec, gave a tense bow of her head, and stepped aside.
King Alcandor stepped forward and strolled through the inner circle of the competitors, occasionally stopping to examine someone, then continuing on. Then the king walked straight to Taryn and smiled.
“What is your name, my dear?” he asked.
“Taryn Trividar, Your
A woman dressed in the male Rol’dan tunic and breeches stepped forward. Her hair hung down her back in a thick braid. She was in her middle years and much plainer than the girl who’d broken Alec’s legs.
“I am Captain Rohonin,” the Rol’dan said. “Today, we will search for the Shay of Speed.”
As she explained the marvelous attributes of the Shay of Speed, and how it was superior to any other dumb power sect, another group of Rol’dan approached.
General Trividar crossed the field, but all heads turned to the man beside him. King Alcandor, the supreme ruler of Adamah, had visited them after all.
Alec’s jaw dropped.
King Alcandor wore a uniform not too unlike the Rol’dan soldiers—leather breeches and a tunic—except instead of a leather jerkin, he sported an expensive-looking vest. His ground-length cloak billowed behind him, reflecting light in the golden fabric. A crown, of sorts, rested against black hair. It was more of a circlet—three intertwining gold bands with an unusual stone set in the center of his pale forehead. The stone changed colors with every movement he made. His ice-blue eyes scanned the group, pausing intermittently on a person from time to time.
Nolan mumbled something Alec didn’t understand, and then he darted around the outside of the circle and ducked behind a group of nearby Rol’dan.
“What’s that about?” Taryn asked.
“I have no idea. He’s been acting funny all morning.”
Taryn didn’t seem too worried, for her eyes drifted back to the king. Alec pressed his lips together. He guessed some might think the king was handsome. Several of the other girls whispered to each other, giggling. Alec should hate him—that’s what his father would want. But curiosity pulsed through him. His father told him King Alcandor never aged—he looked exactly the same as when Father was a boy. There were also tales that claimed he was centuries old. Crows! How did a man live that long and still look so young?
“Have you seen the king before?” Alec asked.
“No,” Taryn answered. “He’s not what I expected.”
Alec grunted. “Me either.”
“You may continue, Captain,” King Alcandor said as he took a place next to the other Rol’dan.
Captain Rohonin blushed, then regained her composure. Even she acted like an idiot.
“You will be first,” she said to a dark-haired boy across the circle.
He sauntered forward, looking to his friends. Alec folded his arms across his chest and grinned. This would be good. As soon as the boy turned, Captain Rohonin thrust a sword into his hands. He had barely enough time to move when her sword crashed against his.
The boy backed away, flinging his sword in pathetic swipes as he tried to block the captain’s blows. Occasionally, her sword would meet flesh and the boy would yelp.
Golden light shimmered in the captain’s eyes. Her Speed increased until her blade was nothing but a blur. When she stopped, the dark-haired boy lay curled on the ground, his arms and legs covered with numerous cuts. A trio of Healing Rol’dan surrounded him and got to work.
Unlike a normal duel where the crowd cheered their favorite to victory, this group fell uncommonly silent. As the trial continued, Alec shook his head at each pathetic attempt. He hadn’t realized how intense his training had been. Every mistake was obvious and every failed block absurd. And as each person lost, Alec got more excited for his turn.
The captain scanned the group. Her eyes locked on Alec’s. She opened her mouth to speak, but the voice of the king spoke instead.
“One moment, Captain.”
Captain Rohonin turned from Alec, gave a tense bow of her head, and stepped aside.
King Alcandor stepped forward and strolled through the inner circle of the competitors, occasionally stopping to examine someone, then continuing on. Then the king walked straight to Taryn and smiled.
“What is your name, my dear?” he asked.
“Taryn Trividar, Your
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