Blood of the Guardian (38 page)

Nolan yanked back, sporting a new gouge. It hurt worse than a hornet’s sting.

The soldiers whooped a chorus of cheers.

Nolan flared his Healing, but Kardos jabbed again. He tried to dodge, doing his best to keep his powers in check. The only thing that kept him going was dishing out his fair share of damage as well.

Kardos was unpredictable. Every time Nolan assumed he knew what the blacksmith would do, he’d pull another trick. He was right about dagger fighting; there were no rules.

Nolan lunged in, using his long arms to his advantage.

Kardos staggered, cursing, his eyes blazing blue with Accuracy Shay.

An older woman, still attractive for her age, leaned over to touch Kardos’s sweaty arm, sealing his wound. Nolan sighed, relieved. It was risky using this much Healing for himself, let alone others.

Nolan trudged next to Alec and grabbed a towel to mop his head. “Enjoying yourself?”

Alec laughed. “Immensely.” He handed Nolan a mug of water. “Um, watch out.”

Nolan didn’t move fast enough, for the knife slid under his ribs. Nolan gritted his teeth, growling in pain.
What’s with the nightforsaken ribs?

“Pay attention!” Kardos scolded, probably for the twentieth time.

Nolan cursed as Kardos yanked out his blade. The soldiers, of course, all roared in thunderous approval. Some clapping. Some cheering. Money exchanged hands.
They’re betting against me?

Nolan surged his Shay, healing the wound.

Kardos came at him again.

Nolan threw up his hands. “Enough!”

Alec snorted. “Oh, Nolan.”

“Enough?” Kardos said, eyes on fire. Not anger, but stubbornness pounded from his emotions.

With a dagger in each hand …
Where did he get another nightforsaken dagger?
… Kardos went at him. Nolan threw up his arm, blocking his torso, trying to ignore the pain as it sliced his arm. Blood dripped to the dirt.

Kardos still pressed forward, stabbing upward. Nolan jumped back, trying to get some space.

“Fight back!” Kardos roared, still jabbing. Finally, Kardos dove at him, dropped one dagger, and used his arm to grab Nolan’s. He thrust, sinking the dagger into Nolan’s side.

Nolan’s breath left him. As soon as Kardos freed his blade, Nolan’s Healing took hold.

Kardos, who’d fought like a maniac just a moment before, casually stepped away, shaking his head with disapproval. “I could’ve went straight into your heart.”

As he caught his breath, Nolan noticed that more Rol’dan passed coins from one to another, laughing. Kael slipped a full money pouch into an inner pocket of his jerkin. Nolan blinked back shock.
Kael bet against me?

“Come back tomorrow, lad,” Kardos said. He held out his hand, offering it to Nolan. “Good fight.”

Nolan examined Kardos. It was as if he’d been in a war. Blood matted the hair on his chest. Swipes of blood coated his face, his arms, his legs. Nolan had gotten a fair amount of jabs in, but Kardos had done more. If Kardos looked that gory, Nolan didn’t want to know how much carnage covered him.

The room started to clear.

Kael smiled. “Brother! You fight well.” He eyed Kardos. “He fights better.”

“Profitable for you?” Nolan said, his voice laced with annoyance.

“Yes! Thank you!” Kael patted his jingling pocket. “I’ll be back tomorrow. You best make me lose my profit.”

“You’ll bet against me
again
?”

Kael threw back his head and laughed. “When you’re fighting against the bladesmith? Every time.” His smiled faded. “Why daggers? You’re already good with a sword.”

“The gypsy,” Nolan said.

“Ah, yes.
Her
. It’s a good idea.” Kael slapped Nolan’s arm and drew back his blood-coated palm. “Get cleaned up. You look like death.”

Alec approached, still pale and drawn.

Kael’s eyes traveled the length of him. “Should you be out of bed?”

“Probably not. But I can’t lie there anymore.”

“I’m surprised you stayed put so long.” Kael strode toward the door, and several officers saluted him. “See you tomorrow.”

Kardos had already returned to his place at his forge, his hands gripped around a pair of tongs. The woman who’d been healing him leaned over a chair, chatting. Kardos smiled.

“Who’s that?” Nolan asked.

“Her?” Alec smiled. “Her name is Grace, I think. She’s nice.”

Kardos laughed at something she said.

“I can’t believe he’s working after fighting.”

Alec snorted. “Father never slows. He’s always the first to rise and the last to sleep. Sometimes I wonder if he sleeps at all.”

Kardos laughed again while the woman leaned in. Nolan dipped into their thoughts, just a little, and smiled.

“Going to make me stand here all day?” a voice said.

Nolan turned. Kat stood at the door, leaning against the frame. Nolan’s leather straps, laden with spikes, were tossed over her shoulder. His white tunic and scabbard were clutched in her hands. Since he’d returned to Faylinn, he’d hardly seen her. She’d been busy being a soldier while Nolan had hidden in his room trying to deal with other things. But seeing her now made his insides warm. He’d missed her.

“I’m going to head to the castle,” Alec said.

“You need help?” Nolan asked.

“Not from you! You’re a mess.” He nodded toward Kat with a sly grin. “Go ahead. I’ll be fine.”

Nolan knew he was lying. He could barely walk. He would struggle to get back, but Alec would be okay with the struggle.

“All right,” Nolan said. “I’ll check on you later.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Alec limped off, smiling at Kat before stepping out the door. “Take your time.”

Kat pushed off the wall and stepped toward Nolan.

“Thanks,” he said, holding out his hands for his things.

“No way,” she said. “You’ll ruin everything.”

For the first time, Nolan examined himself. A thin coating of blood nearly covered him. Some dried, some still wet and sticky. His hands were worst of all. “Suppose you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right,” she said. “Come on.”

He followed her out the door. Twilight had fallen. Had he battled all day? His stomach rumbled, reminding him he’d skipped dinner.

“You can eat after,” she said. She must’ve heard his stomach too. Instead of the castle, Kat strode toward the gate.

“The castle’s that way.”

She laughed. “The maids would skin you alive if you tracked blood around the place. Follow me.”

Awkward stares and whispers followed them. She turned, cutting across the width of the field. Nolan could still feel Empathy Shays on him, and orange lights of Perception Rol’dan watched from the walls of Faylinn. Kat kept on walking, not speaking, as they cleared the end of the wall.

She kept going until the sea broke into view. The wind had a bite, but the gentle waves reminded him of a time when things were a lot simpler.

She grinned—then she started stripping her clothes.

The smile dropped from Nolan’s face. “W-what are you doing?”

“I can’t get my uniform all wet, can I?”

Nolan looked around the shore. They were alone. “Crows, Kat. The water is probably freezing.”

She didn’t answer, only tossed her tunic aside with a flourish.

Nolan swallowed hard and tried to look away, but he couldn’t. Why wasn’t he stopping himself? He couldn’t let this happen. Why should he give her false hope when the two of them could never be a couple? He couldn’t allow it, for her safety. He wasn’t human. But even as he reasoned with himself, he couldn’t pry his traitorous eyes away.

In short order, she undressed to her undergarments. Thankfully, she left those on as she ran into the waves. She squealed as she hit the water.

“Come on!” she said.

Nolan looked around and found the shore empty. He pulled off his boots but left his breeches on. They were coated with blood anyway.

He walked into the waves, gasping as the icy water hit his skin. He’d gone swimming a lot growing up, but he usually didn’t do so this early in the season. Whatever fatigue he had was suddenly sucked away. Finally, he waded to her. She bobbed in the waves up to her neck.

“You’re a mess.” Her hands brushed over his chest.

He gasped and stepped back. “I can get that, thanks.”

Even with the cold water, a blush rose to his face. He plunged under, and the shock of cold promptly cleared his head. He came up and pretended she wasn’t there as he cleaned his chest, his arms, and his face. Red stains tinted the water before they were washed away. He raised his eyes, meeting her intense gaze.

“Kat—”

“I can’t help it,” she said. “You’re so beautiful.”

She closed in. He wanted to step away, but his feet were rooted. Before he could speak, she reached for him. Nolan’s breath hitched; he grabbed her wrists, holding them. “So this is why you like me? Because I’m … beautiful?”

She leaned forward, her wrists still in his hands. “Oh, Nolan. I liked you before you changed. When I watched you fight the first time … So graceful. So powerful. So dangerous. Then you showed me mercy.”

The way she tilted her chin to him made him loosen his hold on her wrists. She didn’t hesitate but slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, inches from her lips. “And then, when you attacked the castle, you could’ve killed them all but didn’t.” Her lips nearly touched his, her breath warm in the cool air. “And then you gave your life for that cad brother of yours—”

Nolan yanked back. “Oh, come now. Kael isn’t
that
bad.”

She snorted. “He’s bedded nearly every woman in the Rol’dan. He’s self-centered. Hotheaded. Stubborn—”

“
Nearly
every woman?”

She winked. “Not me.”

Leaning in, her lips were against his, her fingers twining in his hair. He’d kissed her once before when he’d absorbed Megan’s dream. But now, his feelings weren’t coerced. The sensations were all too real.

Waves splashed, hitting their bodies. Salty water sprayed on their joined lips.

He pulled back, groaning. “Kat. I can’t. We can’t.”

“I know,” she said, her voice breathy. “Megan told me.”

Reality smacked him back into focus. “Megan … told you?”

“Emery talked to her this morning, about the danger of having the baby. The whole incident with Rikar brought up a lot of things.”

“He talked to her?”
Finally.
“But how do you know about all of this?”

“She was upset and needed to talk. We’ve become pretty good friends.”

Nolan scowled. “And what does this have to do with us?”

“She said you were probably worried about … being with women, because you are so much like a Guardian.”

Nolan crossed his arms over his chest. Megan was quite insightful.

“We’re just kissing. We don’t have to do anything else.”

“You’re okay with that?”

She laughed, throwing her head back. A drip of water trailed down her neck. “Oh, Nolan. Just because I think things, it doesn’t mean I’d really
do
them.” She bit her lip. “As lovely as you are, it’s not worth risking death.”

He nodded slowly. She understood, thank Brim.

They’d drifted closer to the shore and stood only waist deep in the waves now. The moon shone fully tonight, allowing them to see each other quite well. Hesitantly, he dropped his eyes, and his breath stopped.
She’s the one who’s beautiful.
He pried his eyes free and found her watching him.

His face reddened. “Kat—”

“Shh.” She put her fingers to his lips. “Kiss me again.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

“PUT YOUR LEGS APART.”

Kat did as she was told but leaned against him, glancing over her shoulder as one side of her mouth curled upward.

Nolan stepped back, putting some distance between them. She was so … distracting. “Come on, Kat.”

“Why?” she asked, pouting. “I’m terrible at this!”

Nolan tightened the strap of the throwing spikes he’d attached to her. “It’s good to learn more than one skill.”

“Says the man with six powers. You’ve got Accuracy!”

She sighed dramatically and yanked a spike from the chest holster. Palming the throwing spike, she gave it a flick. It twirled, end over end, then wobbled, and disappeared somewhere in the weeds, missing the tree altogether.

“We should try the sling instead,” Nolan thought aloud.

“See! Even you think I’m hopeless!”

“No, I don’t!” Nolan lied. “All right … a little. But anyone can improve. Maybe there’s a book on thrown weapons in the king’s library. If you just practiced more, I’m sure you could improve.”

“A book?” She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “And why would I want to practice something I won’t use? I can just use my sword.” She slapped the hilt of her weapon, as if giving it emphasis.