with his knife.
He started to reply, but a wave of pain had him clenching his teeth and he turned away from the table.
“Talon!”
Ignoring the roar of his father, Talon stumbled away. Then he was in his room, locking the door and uncertain of how he’d made it there. His fingers trembled as he tried to undo the buttons of his shirt. He lost only one this time and threw the shirt in a heap on the ground, the bandages joining it as his wings sprung free. Throwing his head back he opened his mouth as if to scream, but held the sound in. Falling to the ground, his hands and knees drew in the cold of the floor, but it didn’t reduce the heat that raged through him.
As soon as he was past the worst of the pain he staggered to his feet. Taking his sword from under his bed where he stored it, he pulled it free from the scabbard. He slashed at the canvas he’d started, to replace the one he’d burned. It was an improvement. A knock at the door had him spinning to stare at it, sword still raised, wings cloaking him.
“Talon?”
“Go away, Lacey.”
“Are you well?”
He groaned, lowering the sword. Why had she followed him? Couldn’t they all leave him alone?
“Talon?”
Not bothering to answer, he focused on retracting his wings. Resting his sword against his legs, he pulled on his shirt to hide the ridges on his back, doing up the buttons with shaky hands.
“Talon?” She knocked lightly on the door.
Not bothering to put away his sword, he ripped the door open. “What?”
Lacey stared up at him for several moments before she smiled. “You planning to use that against me?” She nodded towards the sword.
“I never attack an unarmed person.”
“I’m not unarmed. I have a dagger in my boot.” The smile remained in place.
Talon relaxed a little. “That hardly seems fair. I’ll wait until you have a sword.”
“I’m willing to make do with the dagger. I miss training every day.” Her eyes rounded and her smile was replaced by a gasp as she covered her mouth with her hand.
“Your memory’s back?”
She shook her head. “No, but I remembered something.” Her horrified expression was replaced by a grin. “I actually remembered something. Maybe it’s starting to come back.” She frowned. “I can’t think of anything else though.”
Talon continued to watch her, trying to figure her out. She was either telling the truth or a really good actress. There was one thing he could test. “Tomorrow.”
“What?”
“I’ll organise a sword for you to use tomorrow. We can practice in here.” He gestured behind him. “It’s more than big enough.” He was surprised by the look of excitement that entered her eyes.
“Really?” At his nod, her grin returned. “I can’t wait.” She started to turn away then faced him again. “Are you certain you’re well?”
Talon ignored the question. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“They argued about you when you left.”
“They argue about me when I’m there too.”
Her expression was serious as she stared silently at him. Then her smile returned. “You might want to wear armour. I plan to win, whatever it takes.”
“I’ll see if I can find some armour in your size. I never lose.”
She grinned and with a nod, sauntered back to her room, glancing his way before she entered and closed the door behind her.
Talon continued to stand in the corridor a moment longer before he closed his own door, surprised to find he was actually smiling. She better be as good as she said. It had been far too long since he’d had someone to practice against and he could hardly wait for morning to arrive.
Chapter Fifteen
Brianne
The next morning, Brianne parried an attack, adrenaline coursing through her. “Is that the best you can do? You’re not even trying.” She had woken at daybreak and it had taken all her willpower not to knock on Talon’s door and demand they start immediately.
Talon smiled lazily, his attack not much more energetic. “I
He started to reply, but a wave of pain had him clenching his teeth and he turned away from the table.
“Talon!”
Ignoring the roar of his father, Talon stumbled away. Then he was in his room, locking the door and uncertain of how he’d made it there. His fingers trembled as he tried to undo the buttons of his shirt. He lost only one this time and threw the shirt in a heap on the ground, the bandages joining it as his wings sprung free. Throwing his head back he opened his mouth as if to scream, but held the sound in. Falling to the ground, his hands and knees drew in the cold of the floor, but it didn’t reduce the heat that raged through him.
As soon as he was past the worst of the pain he staggered to his feet. Taking his sword from under his bed where he stored it, he pulled it free from the scabbard. He slashed at the canvas he’d started, to replace the one he’d burned. It was an improvement. A knock at the door had him spinning to stare at it, sword still raised, wings cloaking him.
“Talon?”
“Go away, Lacey.”
“Are you well?”
He groaned, lowering the sword. Why had she followed him? Couldn’t they all leave him alone?
“Talon?”
Not bothering to answer, he focused on retracting his wings. Resting his sword against his legs, he pulled on his shirt to hide the ridges on his back, doing up the buttons with shaky hands.
“Talon?” She knocked lightly on the door.
Not bothering to put away his sword, he ripped the door open. “What?”
Lacey stared up at him for several moments before she smiled. “You planning to use that against me?” She nodded towards the sword.
“I never attack an unarmed person.”
“I’m not unarmed. I have a dagger in my boot.” The smile remained in place.
Talon relaxed a little. “That hardly seems fair. I’ll wait until you have a sword.”
“I’m willing to make do with the dagger. I miss training every day.” Her eyes rounded and her smile was replaced by a gasp as she covered her mouth with her hand.
“Your memory’s back?”
She shook her head. “No, but I remembered something.” Her horrified expression was replaced by a grin. “I actually remembered something. Maybe it’s starting to come back.” She frowned. “I can’t think of anything else though.”
Talon continued to watch her, trying to figure her out. She was either telling the truth or a really good actress. There was one thing he could test. “Tomorrow.”
“What?”
“I’ll organise a sword for you to use tomorrow. We can practice in here.” He gestured behind him. “It’s more than big enough.” He was surprised by the look of excitement that entered her eyes.
“Really?” At his nod, her grin returned. “I can’t wait.” She started to turn away then faced him again. “Are you certain you’re well?”
Talon ignored the question. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“They argued about you when you left.”
“They argue about me when I’m there too.”
Her expression was serious as she stared silently at him. Then her smile returned. “You might want to wear armour. I plan to win, whatever it takes.”
“I’ll see if I can find some armour in your size. I never lose.”
She grinned and with a nod, sauntered back to her room, glancing his way before she entered and closed the door behind her.
Talon continued to stand in the corridor a moment longer before he closed his own door, surprised to find he was actually smiling. She better be as good as she said. It had been far too long since he’d had someone to practice against and he could hardly wait for morning to arrive.
Chapter Fifteen
Brianne
The next morning, Brianne parried an attack, adrenaline coursing through her. “Is that the best you can do? You’re not even trying.” She had woken at daybreak and it had taken all her willpower not to knock on Talon’s door and demand they start immediately.
Talon smiled lazily, his attack not much more energetic. “I
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