I was to train with the Stav Guard. With Kael.

Emi was in the corridor when I emerged from my chambers.

“You wake before the sun now, yet all other days you are a petulant child when I try to rouse you.”

I didn’t even fight the grin. “Kael and I used to spar as children. This almost feels normal. I’ve missed it.”

The sparring fields were dotted with Stav. Most had removed their tunics and battled one another with dull blades, bearded axes, or practiced footwork with captains.

Near a rack of daggers and knives, Kael wrapped his wrists.

“Ly.” He waved, grinning. “Ready to fall on your ass?”

I plucked a stiletto knife off the rack, spinning it in my hand. “Darkwin, prepare yourself. You are about to become the mockery of the Stav Wing tonight.”

I tightened my grip on the hilt of the sparring blade. Kael had a kind heart, but he was a warrior. As a jarl’s son, even disowned as a bastard, he’d been taught with wooden blades at his earliest steps.

We backed away from the racks onto the field.

Kael struck hard and with purpose. Swift, deliberate, and unseen.

The edge of his practice blade came down on mine. My shoulders throbbed from the attack, but I spun out. Kael struck again; I parried. He jabbed; I sliced. When he ducked, I attempted to knock him off-balance. With his elbow he slammed me between the shoulders, but I kicked at his ankle, causing him to stumble.

I hooked an arm around Kael’s neck and managed to get him to his knees. My weight was not enough to drag him down completely, and he was actively pushing me away.

From the edge of the field more than one Stav had stopped to watch. Emi shouted her horror and disgust on my form, then would switch to her annoyance with Kael.

“Darkwin, are you Stav or not? Why are you still on the ground?” She shook her head.

I grunted and tugged, trying to get Kael to fall. He managed to hook his arm under my knees and flipped me onto my back. I wheezed when the breath fled from my chest. When I opened my eyes, cool steel was leveled against my neck.

I froze.

Roark stood over me, chest bare from the waist up. Planes of hard muscle from his shoulders to the sharp carve of his hips that disappeared beneath his low-slung trousers added a touch of heat to my pulse.

Kael laughed and backed away. “If you meet ravagers or Skul Drek, Ly, they’ll come at you from all sides.”

You closed your eyes. Roark crouched, his hand over my face. Never close your eyes in a fight.

Roark leaned closer, his fingers moved deftly against my cheek, a sign the Sentry was whispering. Fight me.