by Auryn Hadley
"Yeah," a man called from the back, "You're really a Black Blade?"
Sal stepped through the ranks of men until she stood before him. When his eyes shifted to hers, she pointed to her collar and the small stone pin that always rested there. It was a pair of swords crossed in an X. He nodded.
"No, the stories are not true. Tabloids and rumor like to inflate things, but yes, we really are that good," she said, as she returned to the front of the line. "One last thing. I am a soldier. I do not care if you're in the barracks undressed. I do not care if you feel awkward about my presence among you. I don't even care if you're fucking a whore on the mess table in front of me. When you're laying in the dirt scared you're about to bleed to death, I will be the thing that saves you. I am a soldier. Get used to it or get out of my damned army."
"Yes, sir!" the men called with enthusiasm this time.
"You're dismissed. Get me those reports."
The crowd before her broke up and the officers dispersed. She could only assume they were following her orders so made her way back to Jase's side. Before she reached him, he glanced over her shoulder. Sal reached down and scratched Hwa's neck, then hopped lightly onto the fountain, pulling her legs under her casually. Behind her, Ilija approached.
"Kais... damn it. What's the title?" he asked.
"Kaisae," Jase said coldly.
"Kaisae Luxx," Ilija tried again. "I want to apologize. I always thought the stories were a myth, you see. We don't have women in the ranks here, and I just assumed that the Lady Blade thing was some form of, well," he looked down, "you know."
"It's ok, Ilija. Live and learn, right?"
"Yes, sir. I just wanted to ask you if you have any advice for me. I'm not quick like you," and he looked at Jase, "or, sir, I assume like you." Then he shrugged and looked down at Sal, his size dwarfing both of the iliri. "If Terric already managed to take out one of our kings, I need to learn a few things, and hopefully quickly."
"I can du it," Hwa said from her feet. Ilija's eyes widened, but he did nothing more than take a deep breath and look back at Sal.
"Can you understand him?" she asked the soldier.
"Yeah, I think. Never thought I'd be talking to a wolf, but yeah."
Number two? Jase asked, and Sal nodded without breaking her conversation.
"Then he's probably the best one to teach you. Hwa's style uses a lot of power and precision. It would probably suit you well."
"Yer ra big gruy. Yer ca' kill much if roo move righ'," Hwa told him. "Kaisae, roo don' mind?"
"No. Thanks, Hwa. I'm starting to get a bit overbooked. And Ilija, you can find Hwa in the Palace, his rooms are next to mine."
"Thank you, sir." the Sergeant said. He glanced at Jase once and turned to leave before changing his mind. "Ahnor, sir, I – "
Jase said nothing, just watched the man. His expression was anything but friendly.
"They're already talking in the barracks, you know, about the Sergeant at Arms."
Sal rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "Jase, he's saying they're daydreaming about fucking me," she clarified, and the dark man blushed as he nodded.
The little assassin's cold expression changed like a switch had been flipped. "Is that all? Maast, man. What d'ya think soldiers have done since the beginning of time? Ya can tell 'em, though, that it is na me they gotta worry 'bout."
"You're not..." and Ilija looked between them.
Jase laughed. "Oh yeh. I am. Does na mean I care what they say. Is na my place to tell Sal what ta do, but if they offend her, she'll gut 'em." He laughed. "And yeh, tell 'em I said that."
"I will, sirs. Thank you," he said, then looked down. "And thank you, um, sir?"
"The grey is male, the gold female, but both are my soldiers, so sir will do," Sal assured him.
"Well, thank you, sirs. And my apologies again, Kaisae," Ilija said then walked away, his step lighter than it had been before.
Chapter 17
A little over a week later, Sal got the chance to see her troops in action. Jase and the grauori had been ambushing random units every chance they could get. She, however, had been stuck with the joy of going over old records and organizing the mess of paperwork left by previous commanders. She hated it. If she had to read another barely legible report, someone was going to die. Even the staff could tell she was irritated so stayed out of her way. That's why the door opening was met with a toothy snarl.
"I think ya need ta play, kitten," Jase said, peeking his head into her office. "That big human is in the unit we're testing t'day."
"Ilija?" Her ears perked up at that.
He tilted his head slightly. "I did na remember his name, but yeh. He's on the King's guard, so figured ya'd wanna see if they can hold us off."
She shoved the newest stack of papers to the side. "How big's the unit?"
Jase withdrew a wooden dagger from behind his back. "Twenty. Care ta dance, Kaisae?"
"Oh, yeah."
She snagged the blade from his fingers and headed through the door. Like always, he was right beside her. Paperwork could wait. It was her job to make sure Dominik Jens lived long enough to sign an alliance with the Conglomerate. That meant giving him the best protection she could find, or training the backwards fools how to become good enough to die before the King took a hit. Either way, these men had to be the best. If they couldn't learn – and fast – she would replace them. If they could? Well, she had an elite team that needed more than just one man on the roster.
The Dorton military base had a moderately sized training area on the far edge of the Palace grounds. Supposedly, out of sight of any nobility. Granted, Dom was anything but noble. When she and Jase reached the grassy field, Sal wasn't shocked at all to see a cluster of pastel dresses and arrogant fops meandering around. In the center of it all was the King.
"Kaisae!" he called, waving her over.
Sal obeyed leaving Jase behind. "Your Majesty?"
"What are we doing today?" He motioned to the green-clad soldiers working in formation. "Yesterday, your grauori almost caused a stampede in the cavalry. Planning anything like that today?"
The man was overly amused at the failure of a unit. To him, this was little more than an excuse to enjoy himself. Before Sal could answer, Dom smiled over her shoulder at one of the women, completely distracted. Clasping her hands behind her back, she cleared her throat.
"Sorry," he muttered, dragging his eyes back.
"While you may be playing, sire, I'm trying to make sure these soldiers know enough to keep your ass alive." She tilted her head slightly. "So no, I'm not going to tell you my plans."
"Sal," he said, lowering his voice and gesturing away from the group. "I've been informed that I need to meet women of my rank. These are the most eligible of the lot. I'm just trying to make sure my guests are entertained."
She let him lead her away. He gently placed a hand on her shoulders and steered her toward the bare branches of a tree. The mud around its base ensured that none of the overly dressed snobs would follow. It was also far enough away that no one could listen in. Maybe the King was a lot better at playing politics than he'd first suggested.
"Don't care for your admirers?" she asked, trying to understand the disparity between his scent and his smile.
He chuckled. "Am I that transparent?"
"No, but I can't think of a good reason why your peers would want to soil their shoes, sire." Her eyes dropped to his overly practical boots.
"Dom," he reminded her. "Kaisae, I know nothing about the military. Well, I take that back. I know that there's officers and soldiers. I've been informed that Anglia is the only country that still fights honorably. The archer you moved downstairs said that means we die a lot. I'm out here trying to learn. My council is here trying to find me a wife."
"Your country's tactics are outdated," she informed him, cutting right to the point. "Your nation lines up and waits to die. Everyone else on the continent tries hard not to get our citizens killed. Sire – "
&
nbsp; He cut her off. "And you're teaching these men how to do that? To survive?"
"Exactly, and not always in the nicest way. Guerrilla tactics, it's called. Honor requires that Anglians stand still and wait for an arrow to kill you. My style means that you hide behind the rock, tree, hill, or whatever until you get a clean shot and can win the war. Right now, the only way your men have a chance is if we force the enemy to come at us head on."
"So how do I help?" he asked.
An idea began to form. Sal canted her head slightly, gauging the distance between the King and his guards. "Do you trust me?"
He chuckled. "Is your husband going to kill me?"
"Mate," she corrected without thinking, "and it's not his place." She waved that away. "Dom, I'm not here to inflate your ego – "
"Everyone else is." He tipped his head to a woman smiling over at him. "All of them are just here to convince me to ruin their honor so they can guilt me into marrying them. Half of them would be thrilled with one of these bastards I'm supposed to be so good at producing."
"Dom."
"Sal, they throw themselves at me. Every single woman in this palace thinks that if she can just get into my bed -"
"Dom!" She grabbed his arm, making him look at her. "I'm thrilled that you're getting laid. Look. I'm only here to test your guard and make sure they can truly protect you."
But the King wasn't listening. He'd already warmed up to his subject and had a captive audience. "I think what I hate most about noble women is that it's never just for fun. I mean they flirt. They do their best to seduce me, but it's always to get another step ahead. Women! Can you believe they're trying to get equal rights? Equal!"
A growl was slowly building at the back of her throat. "Yes, because if they could own their own land and earn their own wages, then maybe they wouldn't have to crawl in your bed."
He heard the disgust in her voice. "Oh. I hadn't thought of it like that."
"Just stop and think about what you'd be willing to do if you had no other options." She looked over, judging the distance between herself and the guardsmen. "What would you have given up last year to be where you are now?"
"I didn't want to be king," he said softly.
She nodded. "But you wanted to be more than you were. I think everyone does."
"Yeah," he huffed around a laugh. "I wanted to be respected. Funny how I got a crown on my head, but I'm pretty sure I still don't have that. Now I'm just the idiot they try to manipulate to make themselves look better."
"I bet that's exactly how their wives feel, too." Her eyes flicked to where Jase was standing with the grauori. "So what would you be willing to do to get the respect you want, Dom?"
He followed her gaze. "What are you thinking, Sal?"
"Answer the question."
"Um..." He shifted in place, the scent of shame barely detectable under his cologne. "In all honesty, I have no idea. I've never been given the chance."
She nodded slowly, sending a thought to her pack. "I know exactly how that feels. Do you trust me, sire?" In the back of her mind, she felt Jase and the grauori agree.
"Yeah," he breathed. "I think I do, and I have no idea why."
She lifted her white eyes to his, meeting his gaze like an equal. "Because I'm the only other person you know who had to fight for everything I took from them. Sire, I will not hurt you. Try not to scream."
Then she moved. In a fluid motion, her right hand pulled the steel dagger from the sheath behind her back. Her left tangled in the King's shirt, spinning his back toward her as she kicked the back of his knee. He stumbled, but it was enough. While the rest of her pack rushed through the nobles toward her, Sal pressed the flat of her blade to the King's throat, dragging him back toward the tree.
In the distance, a woman screamed. That's exactly what she'd hoped.
Soldiers began yelling orders. The nobles scampered out of their way. Jase ducked out of a man's grasp before spinning to form a line between her and the Anglian soldiers. Hwa and Roo lined up at his side. Sal chuckled under her breath.
"Relax, Dom," she said. "Fifteen seconds until your guards get close. You're just playing the bait, and I want them to think you're truly under attack."
He nodded against her dagger.
Like a wave, the soldiers rushed them. Hwa and Roo fought like beasts. Teeth, claws, and fists, they focused on disabling their attackers more than hurting them. Jase kneed one man in the gut, slinging him away just to crash into another. The King's guard were trying to fight like they'd been taught, but it would never be enough to take down the Black Blades – not even a small part of them.
Then she caught a whiff of human sugar. Releasing Dom, she spun, pulling her ears close to her skull. Three men had managed to flank her very insecure position. One of them was Ilija. Sal just lifted her lip and snarled.
"Let him go, Kaisae," Ilija warned, shifting his sword in his hand.
Sal glanced between them. This would have been easier if she could kill them. Leaving them alive meant she had to be careful with her hits. "Haven't you learned yet, human?" she asked. "You will never be able to beat me."
"Maybe not," Ilija agreed, moving closer, "but you will not harm my king."
The man to the left lunged, forcing Sal to pull her eyes away. Hacking with all his might, he swung at her shoulder. Sal ducked, twisting her body to slide in behind him just to crack the back of his head with her pommel, but another took his place. This one wasn't going to be as easy.
With a sword in one hand and a stick in the other, he kept her moving, pushing her away from the King. Ilija was moving in behind him to cover Dom. She couldn't let them win! This was her plan, even if it wasn't well thought out. Behind her, Jase and Hwa were busy with the rest.
But Roo wasn't. She leapt between Dom and Ilija, her lips pulled back to show a mouthful of feral teeth. That left Sal able to concentrate on the man before her. She feinted, pretending to dart closer only to shift to the side, but he was ready. The stick crashed into the side of her arm hard enough to make Sal stagger. Without thinking, she slashed at the man's waist with one hand. Her other closed on the stick. Humans always thought size equaled strength, but they were wrong. She pulled.
The rough bark scraped as it was wrenched from his grasp. She swung again – this time more wildly – weaving to avoid his strikes. The guard had his eyes locked on her chest, gauging her next move by her body position. That meant he was good. Unfortunately, that meant she had to put a little effort into this. Sal swiped at him again, but this time, she followed with her body, forcing her way inside his guard.
Her teeth sank into the leather across his arm, giving her purchase. Then she threw herself to the side. She might not be big, but her body weight was enough to pull the man to the ground. Mud splattered, seeping through the rings of her mail and into the pants beneath. She didn't care. All she had time to focus on was the guard. The broad edge of his sword cut into the soft ground beside her, and she jerked at him again before letting go. Her fist took the place of her teeth.
Wrapped around her heavy steel dagger, the thick gloves were enough to pummel the poor guy. She punched. His shoulder, his neck, then finally she got a good hit at his temple, and the soldier's eyes rolled back in his head. Sal shoved herself from the ground, heading right to Ilija.
Roo was on him. Hwa had taught the man to fight with power, but he stood no chance against the speed of the females. Roo jumped, rolled, and twisted out of the way. He couldn't manage to do more than splash more mud across both them and the King. But unlike Roo, Sal had no time left for fancy footwork. She charged in just like Ilija had done to her that first day. He never stood a chance.
At the last minute, she jumped, hitting him in the chest with all her weight. Her legs clamped around his sides. One hand hooked under the back of his helm, then she let her momentum carry her over. As the pair fell, she twisted, managing to wrap one arm around his throat just before they toppled to the ground.
"Yield," she ordered, "
or I'll choke you out."
"What?" he gasped.
She tensed her arm, tightening the hold on his neck. "Yield, Sergeant."
"Do it," Dom insisted.
But she was squeezing too hard. Unable to answer any other way, the big guy slapped at the mud, spraying both of them as he signaled his surrender. Sal carefully relaxed her arm, unsure if she should trust him.
"Sire?" he croaked.
"I'm fine," Dom assured him. "Filthy, but fine."
Ilija finally nodded. "I yield, Kaisae."
From the other side, Jase chuckled. "Good call, man. I think ya may have just passed."
Sal patted his shoulder and pushed back. "Yeah, I'd say so. Hwa, Roo? You two ok?"
I am, Roo promise.
Hwa was grinning, still standing over an unconscious guard. Maybe I should train more of them.
"Ya should," Jase agreed. "Yer student's the only one na ta get knocked out."
Sal jerked her thumb at the man she'd struggled with. "I need the name of that guy, too. With a little training, he'll be deadly."
"Caein," Ilija said. "Other one's Danku, but he's only a first year."
That caught Sal's attention. "Any good?"
Ilija nodded. "That's why I asked them to help. We thought you'd flipped, Kaisae. Had no idea this was one of your little tests."
"Yeah." She found her feet then offered the soldier a hand. "Wake up your friends, then escort the King back to get clean, if you would?"
"Yes, sir." He turned to obey.
"And big guy?" she called to his back. "Tomorrow your lesson will be against me."
He paused, then turned back. "Thank you, sir. So far you're the only one to keep putting me on my ass. Good fight, Kaisae." He snapped a professional salute, thumping his fist against his heart in the Anglian style. Even covered in mud and grime, Sal knew that man was exactly the kind of soldier she'd been looking for. She was going to have to keep her eye on him. Oddly, spending time with a human didn't seem that bad.
