Although he would not show it, his heart swelled with pride every time his beautiful silver-haired Nexus refused to give in. A Nexus was a rare magical bond that compelled a couple’s magic to merge. Hugo had found only one dusty old book in the library that alluded to the bond, which indicated that two fae who bonded could become tremendously powerful if they had the chance to explore their pairing and each other’s magic. They could sense each other, power each other—love each other.
Trying to distract her, Hugo pushed out a small amount of magic. As it touched her face, a zing of energy passed into him. He smiled. She didn’t even stumble. No one else knew he had been doing this several times a day. When he’d started, it had distracted her but now she only grunted, did not fumble her block and sent a sharp stab of magic back at him. He felt it slap his face and his smile turned to a grin, which he swallowed quickly.
Tallo raised a brow, not missing a thing. “You really ought to take her to one of the training rooms and begin training her magic more thoroughly.”
“I am training her magic, and her ability to control it. She just doesn’t know it. If she did, she would panic and probably fry us all,” Hugo replied dryly.
“Well, that’s your department. I’ll leave you to it. I’m going to swap out her partner,” he informed Hugo before shouting for Reese.
Hugo began instructing the pair as soon as Reese arrived.
“No!” Hugo bit out harshly as Diamond dropped her guard too far to the left. Grabbing her arm, he moved it. “Here, your arm needs to be here. Don’t drop your guard too far.”
Her violet gaze met his. Thankfully he did not see so much anger or hurt in her eyes now. His belly tightened at her steady regard before she looked back at Reese. It seemed the soldier had become one of her regular training partners. Attion stood off to one side watching quietly. Occasionally he would catch Hugo’s eye, asking for silent permission to walk over and correct moves or give alternative counter attacks. Hugo could tell Attion would never again disrespect Diamond. The fae guard wanted out of his life as the Queen’s chattel as much as Hugo did.
Reese winked at Diamond as Hugo gripped her arm, moving the staff down slowly so she could follow the movements he made. Hugo smiled to himself. He’d seen the wink but chose not to punish Reese. Instead, he ignored his jealousy at their easy friendship.
“Again,” Hugo ordered brusquely.
Reese feinted left and swirled his staff. Diamond caught the feint, blocking and countering with a viciousness that always surprised Hugo. Reese grinned and blocked, swirled on the ball of his foot and swept for her ankles. Diamond jumped his staff, twisted and slammed her fist into his kidneys.
Hugo stepped back next to Attion, giving them room. Diamond’s body was toned and strong now; she also seemed to heal remarkably well. Possibly because of her fae blood, he mused. Regardless of the reason, he pushed her harder and harder each day, wanting to see how far her potential could go.
He didn’t understand her abilities, not really. Diamond had never had any training; he couldn’t comprehend how she could become so fast and so skilled in such a short space of time. He wondered if Arades Gillon had tutored his daughter before he died. Hugo remembered the fury in her face as she had killed the Seeker who had murdered her father.
Diamond had always denied knowing her father had been the primary general for Jack’s father. It seemed Arades Gillon had hidden his past in order to try and protect his daughter. Hugo pressed his lips into a tight line. General Edo’s betrayal nullified all those efforts.
Hugo wondered if Diamond still grieved for her father, if she had cried since that first night or if she still had nightmares. He gave a start. Reese had slipped through her guard again and jabbed her in her belly. She was leaning forward, spitting and gagging.
Attion strode over with a frown on his face. “Here,” Attion motioned as she straightened. Diamond did not pull away as he gripped her wrist and showed her a flowing strong block. “Now dip and turn,” he advised, and she tried again. Diamond nodded coolly and Attion returned to his spot, watching her movements closely.
A group of Jack’s trainee royal guards practised nearby. Hugo saw Tom doing his best not to watch Diamond, but he couldn’t seem to help it. Hugo grinned inwardly as Zane hit Tom hard on his shoulder with the flat side of a sword.
“Concentrate or suffer!” Zane advised, grinning widely as Tom swore at him. “And respect your senior officers, boy!” The big fae raised his sword and swung an attack.
“Stop calling me boy!” Tom growled, retaliating viciously.
Hugo turned away from the pair; he was pleased Zane hadn’t given up on Tom. Clearly, he still coveted the younger man as a mate. Hugo silently wished them luck and turned back to Diamond.
He watched for any sign of weakness. There was none. He stood further back, scrutinising her, arms folded over his broad, leather encased chest. A thought occurred to him, and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Maybe she doesn’t have any human blood either, that would explain a lot. Hugo loosed a controlled long breath. Diamond’s father had definitely been a fae warrior. But he didn’t know about her mother; maybe she had been something else entirely.
His eyes followed Diamond closely as she executed an elegant spin. Using the moves Attion had taught her, she elbowed Reese in the back before throwing him with ease and skill over her shoulder.
“Enough,” said Hugo firmly. “Reese, you may re-join the others.”
Reese jumped up. “Yes, commander,” he said, saluting before clasping forearms with Diamond. He jogged off to re-join the squad.
Hugo did not react. Despite his jealousy of Reese, he was pleased the men and women of this squadron had taken Diamond to their hearts. Human, fae or mixed blood, it did not matter to these Rhodainian soldiers. They would all fight for their prince and for each other, even die for each other if necessary. It lifted his heart to know Diamond had their support.
Seconds passed, then with a jolt, Hugo realised he was staring at her face, but he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away. He thought her so beautiful; from the moment he had laid eyes upon her, his magic had reached out for hers. Eyebrows as silver as her hair, long lashes outlining her large violet eyes. Her nose was small and slightly upturned at the tip; her lips full, possibly too big for her face—but they were so soft and...
Diamond coughed. A flush crept onto his face as she cocked a silver eyebrow at him. Hugo shrugged and gave her a sheepish smile. For a moment she looked stunned. Devilment took him. He slipped off his armour and tunic and dropped them at his feet then stepped over the pile, knowing his shirt clung to his body. Her wide eyes travelled over his flat belly, muscled chest and broad shoulders. He grinned as she flushed. Perhaps she wasn’t so angry at him after all. Now all he had to do was encourage her to realise that—and trust him.
“Basic combination, attack and defence,” he ordered, holding her gaze as he stepped closer than necessary. Slowly, he pulled the staff from her hands before giving her a sword.
Attion grunted and walked away to spar with the squadron.
Hugo and Diamond paid no attention, lost to everyone but themselves.
Chapter 5
The days blurred. Hugo moved into the barracks, using that as an excuse not to fly with her in his arms from her room in the palace to the training ground every morning. In truth, he found it hard to ignore the tension between them, not to mention the way their magic merged more each day. Holding her close every morning without showing her how he felt was becoming impossible.
The bitter cold made Hugo shiver as he waited outside the gates to the training ground with Attion. He wanted to push Diamond’s magic further today, throw more at her and test her reaction. He needed to see how confidently she could stop him. Attion knew his plans; together they had formulated the report that would be delivered to the Queen tonight. Attion would detail Diamond’s physical progress, but they had both agreed the Queen should not know Diamond could summon her magic wi
thin the confines of the city. It was safer for everyone if the Queen believed Diamond impotent under the influence of the ancient shield, like all other magic wielders.
Hugo’s heart stumbled, his thoughts completely leaving his head. Jack’s horse approached the barracks. Sitting behind Jack, with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, sat Diamond. Hugo could not hide the sudden rage that rippled through him at the sight of her holding another man.
The prince reined in and steadily met Hugo’s eyes before nodding a greeting. Diamond slid to the ground, cringing slightly, her cheeks flushing when she saw Hugo’s anger. Jealousy and pain raged for supremacy, and he couldn’t help the snarl that curled his lips. His reaction was immediate. His fists curled, and his whole body shook with rage. He clamped down on the urge to break Jack’s jaw, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.
When the red cleared from his vision, Hugo snapped his eye open. Jack stood right in front of him. Hugo looked down at his friend, a snarl still on his lips.
Jack squared his shoulders and looked up, his brown eyes serious and steady. “What do you expect? She is a beautiful woman. If you want her for yourself, you need to fight for her, just like any other male would fight for the one they want. I know she still feels something for you, but she does not trust you. Gain her trust again, Hugo, before someone else steals her heart.”
With that, the prince vaulted back on his horse and trotted away.
Hugo felt ready to explode with frustration after spending the day near Diamond, igniting then smothering her magic, followed by letting it flare and play. He wanted Diamond more than he had wanted anything else in his entire life. No matter how many times he reminded himself she was better off without him, he couldn’t make himself leave her alone. He had taken Jack’s words to heart. He wanted Diamond to trust him again. It would mean so much to share with her his plans to reach out to the rebels and the red-winged fae.
Hugo daringly let his touch linger as he brushed a drop of perspiration away from her temple with his thumb.
“That’s enough for today,” he said, his voice shaking a little. “You have tested me as deeply as I have you. We both need a break.”
But despite his words, he couldn’t stop himself stepping closer. His fingers slipped into her hair, cupping the back of her head. Tension and magic simmered between them. His head dipped slowly towards her. Gods, I want to kiss her, so much! Her eyes widened, and her soft lips parted, but it was the surprised gasp from that beautiful mouth that brought him back to his senses. With a soft, frustrated growl, Hugo reluctantly released her and stepped back. His eyes bored into her.
“You should leave,” he ground out.
“Y-yes, I should,” she stammered. “Goodbye.” Red-cheeked and flustered, she hurried from the training room.
Hugo groaned loudly and swung a powerful punch at the nearest padded board, splintering it in two. He felt ready to burst with tension, and he needed to work it off. Hard. He went in search of Attion.
Bare-chested and sweating, the two fae warriors circled each other, honing in on the other’s every move. Armoured wings glinted in the shafts of sunlight glaring through the training hall’s high windows.
“If being near her does this to you, why don’t you tell her of your feelings?” grated Attion, leaping sideways into the air and flipping elegantly. He landed and slammed a punch into Hugo’s kidneys.
Anticipating Attion’s attack, Hugo spun and lashed out with his armoured wings, then snapped a fist into Attion’s jaw. The other warrior rolled with the blow, spitting blood from his mouth as he dipped and spun on his haunches. With his leg outstretched, he tried to take out Hugo’s feet. The move was faultless—if doomed to fail.
Hugo leapt into the air and landed far enough away to call a halt to their match. These sparring sessions were building a fragile respect between the two warriors; however, Attion was right: their fights were more brutal when Hugo had been with Diamond.
“How can I?” Hugo growled, shaking his head. “How do I tell her and then keep her focused on saving this city? We both know that if the Queen learns of my interest, she will either kill Diamond or keep me from Diamond’s side. Then how do I stop the Queen from harming her?” He raked a hand through his damp hair, ignoring the beads of sweat that ran down the muscles of his chest. “Gods dammit! My life is one long lie!”
“Commander! You are the one who told me we could escape our lives, lives wrought of destruction and death. ‘Help me train her and keep her safe, and together Diamond and I will have the power to destroy our immortal Queen.’ That is what you said,” Attion pointed out.
Hugo saw ice creep into the elite guard’s eyes, the brown looking more green in the sunlight.
“Was that a lie, shadow demon? Is your Nexus bond with Diamond a lie? Is your claim that this half-blood is the most powerful magic wielder you have ever seen a lie?”
“No!” barked Hugo. “She is the most powerful magic wielder I have ever seen. When we merge, it feels so right, like we could do or be anything,” he breathed, unaware his eyes had closed as he remembered the feel of their magic entwining in a dance that could bring joy—or utter destruction.
“Then the prince is right. Fight for her or you will lose her. Find a way to earn her forgiveness and respect, then seal your bond with blood. Not just for yourself, but for the innocent people of this kingdom.”
Hugo huffed a laugh. “Since when did you become so bothered by the lives of the innocent, spy?”
“Since a half-blood and a shadow demon made me realise I could have more than death and killing in my life. Let’s hope I wasn’t mistaken.” Attion cocked his head and contemplated Hugo. “Your magic is obviously worth more to the Queen than your death, or she would have taken your magic years ago and dumped your body in an alley. The Queen will keep you alive, even if you do declare yourself to the magic wielder.”
Hugo snorted. “How the tables have turned. The guard who was ready to kill both of us a few weeks ago is now the only person who knows how tightly Diamond holds my heart.”
Attion regarded him steadily, then did a most unexpected thing—he smiled. “Yes, I do, don’t I, commander? Maybe I could use that to my advantage in some way.”
Hugo smiled back. “Careful. Your sense of humour is showing. Don’t go and destroy our reputation as cold-hearted killers.”
“Hmm, you’re right. I really shouldn’t do that, because then you would have nothing to hide behind, and your female might realise you care.”
“My female has a name, Attion. She fights with as much determination as you do, she is smart and tenacious and she never gives up. Those are admirable traits that deserve respect from any warrior, including you.”
A thoughtful look on his face, Attion contemplated Hugo. “You can become shadow and death, but you are weak when it comes to that female. You made a deal with me for my life and now I will make one with you. Your heart and soul belong to her. Find a way to get her to trust you again; make her strong enough to defeat the Wraith Lord, and I will use her name with honour.” Attion placed a fist on his chest, bowed slightly and left.
How swiftly time changes things, reflected Hugo, too shocked by Attion’s words to react to that unexpected gesture of respect.
Chapter 6
Although Hugo had taken charge of Diamond’s training squadron, it was time to appoint a captain. Reese was the clear choice. He was not the biggest or strongest among the soldiers or warriors, but he was a decision maker. He supported his comrades but was willing and able to put down anyone with a smart mouth. More importantly, the others deferred to Reese to speak for them. In short, they trusted and respected him.
With that decision made, Hugo stalked toward Diamond. Despite Attion’s regular jibing about pursuing Diamond, Hugo really didn’t know how much he could push her.
Her back was turned to him, and she was laughing with some of the squadron. It was nice to see her relaxed and happy. Unable to prevent himself, he pushed his magic out to
touch her. She turned to face him, her eyes locking onto his. Smiling, she cocked her head to one side. The others saluted and made their way back to Tallo.
“Are we sparring with weapons or magic today, commander?” she asked, violet sparkling in her eyes.
Hugo allowed his face to soften when he smiled back. “Why, both of course,” he answered. “I need to see if I can distract you again.”
Her cheeks flushed at his reference to the day before when he had deliberately nipped and stroked every available patch of her exposed skin with his magic. Eventually she had become so distracted, she had left herself open to an ankle sweep, thus finishing their session staring up at him from the ground.
Hugo’s heart constricted when he saw hope softening her features. She allowed him to intertwine his magic with hers. He did not hide his pleasure at that contact. The feel of her magic caressing his face and sliding up his stomach simultaneously jolted him into inhaling sharply and blinking in surprise. That reflex cost him. The little minx launched an immediate attack, almost knocking him off his feet with a wave of power that rattled his ear drums.
Hugo was pleased her confidence in her magic grew more each day. He could sense her fear lessening, even if he still had to occasionally subdue its wildness.
Hugo’s stomach tightened at the thought of his Nexus meeting the Wraith Lord in battle. Diamond was physically strong and could fight skilfully, but on the battlefield death was only one misjudged strike or stumble away.
When the sun’s rays became tinged with orange, Hugo realised how much time had passed. Silver strands floated free of Diamond’s braid and blew across her face. As she swore and thrust those strands back impatiently, her hands shook with fatigue. His eyes narrowed but he realized his muscles were shaking too.
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