Sorcerous Rivalry (The Mage-Born Chronicles Book 1)

by Kayleigh Nicol

  “Are we starting then?” Kestral asked, his monotone voice barely above a whisper.

  “Sure.” Kila widened her stance, hand to hilt. “A word of warning, though. Don’t hold back.”

  Kestral charged in a sudden fury, mud flying from his boots as he raced across the battlefield, sword whipping from its sheath faster than belief. Kila faced the charge with an uncanny calmness. She drew her own blade, a thin longsword, but as Kestral brought his sword down in a powerful, two-handed swing, Kila merely raised her other arm above her head.

  I gasped, certain I was about to see my sister lose her arm. Instead, the ring of steel on steel reverberated in the air as she caught Kestral’s blade on the back of her wrist.

  Kestral’s eyes widened in shock.

  Kila smirked. “Last warning against holding back.” Kila turned her wrist and flung her arm wide, sending Kestral staggering. “It’s no fun if you’re not fighting for real.”

  Kestral regained his stance, turning to face her again. Without taking his eyes from my sister, he called back to me, “Reshi, forget the plan. Stay out of this.”

  “No worries!” I called. Kestral glanced back, doing a double-take as he realized how far off I had moved. I wasn’t stupid. My sense of self-preservation was strong enough to let me know I wasn’t about to win against this apex predator.

  Kestral waited on Kila’s charge this time, bracing himself to meet a testing side-slash. Instead, Kila pivoted at the last second, changing her slash into a thrust. Kestral barely countered in time, stepping back to avoid the tip of her longsword. Kila pressed her advantage, slashing upwards, spinning her blade in a circle to counter Kestral’s attempt at a strike, then thrusting for his left side. Kestral parried again, backing up another step.

  I had never seen anyone push Kestral back on his heels like this before. He was usually the one to charge, press and keep advantage during a sword fight. This defensive fighting didn’t really seem to suit him. He couldn’t really lose, could he?

  Finally, as Kila drew back for a thrust, Kestral caught the tip of her blade along the flat side of his, throwing her off balance. Quick as a nightblack cat, Kestral leaned back and slammed his boot into her stomach, tossing her back several paces. Kila only grinned, pulled her sword back, and charged.

  Kestral darted to the side, his hand sneaking into a belt pouch. Kila moved her free arm, intending to block whatever Kestral might throw, but instead of aiming for her head or chest, Kestral tossed something small and low—a bolo. Steel balls connected by a wire. Kila hadn’t been expecting that. The bolo wrapped around her boots, sending her crashing to the ground. Kestral darted in, driving his blade point-down towards her throat. From where I stood, I could just make out Kila’s wild grin as she turned her sword, bracing the blade with her left hand and caught the point of Kestral’s sword in the groove on hers. She spun the sword, ripping Kestral’s blade from his hands and sending it flying. With both her hands on the naked blade of her sword, Kila thrust the pommel up into Kestral’s chest with enough force to toss him backwards—all from the flat of her back.

  Before Kestral could regain his feet, Kila made a sharp motion with hers. The wire snapped, freeing her ankles so she could leap to her feet. Blades. Blades on the instep of her boots, between the leather and the grip. They were narrow enough to be nearly invisible, but sharp enough to slice wire. I shivered, out and out terrified, as she advanced on Kestral. He had recovered his stance but not his sword. He unsheathed his heavy dagger, holding it behind him with one hand ahead, presumably to block a blow.

  Luckily, that blow never came. Kila spun rapidly to deflect the four knives I threw at her back. I was stupid. Not stupid enough to get close, but stupid enough to draw my sister’s attention. I gaped at the pure art of her movement to deflect the knives. As she spun with a dancer’s grace, she drew a second sword in her left hand, holding both swords and spinning them in a windmill of death, fast enough to knock the knives from the air.

  And then she advanced on me.

  With a gulp, I stupidly stood my ground, fae blades in hand.

  As Kila stalked towards me, a grim visage of a painful death, she stabbed her longsword into the ground and drew her second shortsword. Just my luck; my sister could dual-wield weapons just like me. At least she came at me slowly, not the same vicious charge she used on Kestral. Her first strike was a testing strike, meeting my blade hard enough to make it ring.

  “Oh, those are pretty.” Kila eyed my daggers the way most women eyed diamonds. “Fae made?”

  I grunted, turning her shortsword off my dagger. “Yes.”

  She wasn’t even slightly winded from her fight with Kestral, which I found disconcerting.

  “Have you figured out their secrets yet?” she asked, knocking both daggers to the side and trying for a thrust to my neck. I crouched low before slashing at her with both daggers, forcing her blade back.

  “What does that mean?” I asked, trying to find an opening.

  “This.” Kila feinted left, making me dodge right. She tossed one sword to the ground and grabbed my wrist in the same fluid motion. She twisted my wrist behind my back until I thought it might break. As my dagger dropped from pain-numbed fingers, a boot slammed into my back between my shoulder blades, sending me crashing into Kestral, who had been attempting to retrieve his sword while I had Kila distracted. Not only did he not recover his sword, but it took precious moments to untangle ourselves from each other. By the time I could look up at Kila, she had my dagger in her hands and both shortswords sheathed.

  “Absolutely beautiful.” She smiled at her reflection in the silver. “You don’t know anything about these weapons, do you?”

  “Ah, well,” I hesitated. “It’s not like I’d tell you if I did.”

  Kila glared at me darkly. “There’s nothing I hate more than seeing a beautiful weapon in the hands of a fool.” She held the dagger in one hand and placed the palm of her other hand against the blade near the hilt. She slid her hand up the blade, somehow elongating it into a stiletto blade. I think I would have sat there gawking while she stabbed me with it if Kestral hadn’t thrown me clear of her thrust. Kila came after me, despite Kestral racing to recover his sword.

  “If you can’t use them, you shouldn’t have them.” Kila came at me in truth this time, stiletto whistling through the space where I had been standing. It was all I could do to keep dodging backwards, still amazed at what my dagger had become. As Kestral prepared a strike to her back, I attempted to keep her attention.

  I darted forward, catching the delicate blade on my remaining dagger while Kestral charged with a sideways slash. Her eyes locked on mine and she smiled. Using her left hand, she drew the shortsword on her left hip, but only halfway. Braced against her hip and its sheath, the sword blocked Kestral’s blow, the recoil setting him back a pace.

  “You’re a demon!” I gasped.

  Kila laughed.

  I captured the stiletto within a pointed-wave of my dagger and yanked it free of Kila’s hand. She released it easily enough, rocking back a step to grip the hilt of the bastard sword over her shoulder. The stiletto spun, and I grabbed it by the hilt. Instinctively, I clanged the blades together near their hilts and the stiletto snapped back into its original shape. Kila released her shortsword, gripping the hilt of the bastard sword in two hands.

  “Come,” Kila said, settling into a defensive stance.

  Kestral came at her from the left, I slipped a step behind her. In a beautiful display of swordsmanship, Kila defended against the both of us, wielding a sword that I was sure I would have trouble lifting, never mind using. She turned Kestral’s sword aside time and again, and neatly sidestepped each of my attacks, sometimes with the barest margin for error. A few times my blades scraped her chainmail, but they never found flesh.

  Finally, Kila managed to shove Kestral back far enough to turn to me. I ducked her first swipe but caught the backswing. Luckily, she had turned the blade, using the flat side to slam me sideways
into Kestral. With an irritated grunt, he elbowed me behind him, holding his ground between my sister and me.

  Kila smiled, spun her blade then sheathed it over her shoulder with a flourish. “Well, I’m amused. I’ll buy the first round of drinks tonight.” She turned her back on both of us, walking calmly to collect her longsword from where she had left it stabbed into the earth.

  Kestral and I exchanged a startled glance.

  “So . . . you’re going to help us?” I asked, mind reeling to catch up.

  “I said I’ll listen to you try to convince me over drinks.” Kila twirled her longsword, leaned it back against her shoulder and looked back at us. “You coming?”

  Kestral looked at me and shrugged. “Quick to flare, quick to burn out.”

  “Right. Star of fire and pain.” I took a breath and sheathed my daggers. “Drinks sound great. But . . .”

  Kestral sheathed his sword before addressing Kila. “Velyn has Cera’s power of far-sight. If Reshi moves in the open, he’ll be found.”

  Kila shrugged. “Isn’t that the point? Dragging the others out into the open so we can kill them?”

  Kestral frowned. “What about other hunters?”

  Kila gave us a feral grin. “No one will kill him for his bounty while he’s with me. The soldiers and townsfolk all know me here. They won’t touch one of mine without my say so.”

  “You mean I can actually walk into a town as me?” I ran up beside my sister before Kestral could protest. “He’s been keeping me in a shapeshift form every time we even get near other people. Stars, I miss real conversation!”

  Kila laughed, sheathing her sword as she led the way back to town. “That’s probably what kept you alive until now. Right, hunter?”

  “It’s Kestral.” He followed just behind us. “Are you sure he’ll be safe?”

  “Sure.” Kila shrugged. “As safe as any of us are.”

  “So, no one tries to kill you any more?” I asked, keeping pace with Kila. “When Kestral asked around for you, they told him where to find you.”

  “Oh, they won’t get in the way of a hunter.” Kila grinned. “They trust I won’t die so easily. And the villagers and the army both like having me here. I am keeping foreign invaders from crossing the border, after all.”

  “Even the army knows you’re here?” Kestral asked.

  “Know? Rust, they pay me to be here!” Kila laughed. It sounded bright and cheery, which somehow seemed wrong, considering the splashes of blood on her boots. “I can’t fight in the army because of my bounty, but that that doesn’t stop them from paying me as a mercenary. They can’t turn down a single fighter on this front or Viaparaiso wins.”

  Kestral grunted before falling silent. This was probably a lot of information for him to consider. He lagged a step behind Kila and I, deep in thought.

  “Hey, if you’ve been here awhile, do you know where I can get more of these?” I flicked a throwing knife from my sleeve and showed it to her. “I’m down to my last two.”

  “Sure, but wouldn’t it be better to use these?” A triangular dagger no longer than her palm appeared in Kila’s hand as if summoned by magic. “You could keep almost three times as many in the same space as those long knives.”

  “Well, sure, but the tiny ones are harder to aim and don’t cause as much damage,” I replied, trying not to appear put off at how quickly Kila had armed herself. “I don’t have to aim as precisely with the long ones.”

  “Suit yourself.” Kila shrugged and the tiny dagger disappeared. I think I saw her tuck it beneath her leather-and-steel gauntlet, but the motion was hard to follow. “Afterwards, you should let me teach you how to fight.”

  “Teach?” I sputtered. “I held my own just fine!”

  “No,” Kestral called from behind us. “She went easy on you.”

  My mouth gaped and I turned to Kila’s smirking face.

  “Your hunter—Kestral was it?” Kila glanced back over her shoulder to see Kestral nod. “—is right. I only used testing strikes against you. I had to hold back to keep from accidentally killing you.”

  I looked away, hiding my embarrassment. “Why not just kill me then? Why play with us?”

  “I was only playing with you, little brother. Your hunter is quite good.” Kila tossed a smile over her shoulder. I don’t think Kestral looked up to see it, though. “But if I killed you here, your power would disperse. I didn’t want that to happen.”

  “You don’t like magic, do you?” Kestral asked, voice soft.

  Kila stopped and looked back at him.

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense.” Kestral met her blood-red gaze and held it. “You never use yours. You don’t want Reshi’s magic. I would wager you’ve gained more power than you wanted with the deaths of your two siblings.”

  Kila’s jaw tightened, as did her grip on one of her swords. “It’s true. I hate magic. That will be part of the deal I make with the both of you.” She turned back towards the village-turned-military-outpost. “But let’s discuss it over dinner. That last fight really worked up my appetite.”

  “That’s the first thing you’ve said that I’ve agreed with.” I grinned and trotted alongside her, Kestral following behind.

  I imagined that at one point this village had looked as prosperous as the village where Kestral had found me. Now it was ringed by a log palisade with three gates, each manned by several uniformed soldiers. Beyond the wall were barricades of sharpened logs to stop a cavalry advance. Banners flew at every corner of the wall, noting which noble families had troops in residence. The village had been enlarged to encompass the army storehouses and barracks. Kestral had only been allowed entrance by his credentials as a former soldier and current mage hunter seeking Kila’s bounty. Anyone other than local farmers or licensed merchants were usually turned away.

  Which was why it surprised me when the army commander himself greeted Kila at the gate.

  “How many did you slay today, Killer?” the commander asked affectionately.

  “More than I could count.” Kila grinned and gave the commander an off-handed salute. Behind me, Kestral took an at-rest military stance.

  “There was a hunter looking for you last night. Did he . . .” The commander trailed off, puzzled, as he noticed Kestral and me standing behind her. “Are you taking prisoners now, Kila?”

  Kila laughed. She reached out and dragged me forward. “This is my brother, Reshi, and his mage hunter. Former eastern-front soldier, if I’m not mistaken. They’ll be staying with me for a short while.”

  “Ah, well,” The commander shifted uncomfortably, grimacing as he met my eyes.

  “If any hunters come looking for him, just direct them to me.” Kila let my arm go. I rubbed the spot where she’d held me; I was sure there would be bruises. “They won’t stay long, and I’ll keep them from causing trouble.”

  The commander sighed. “I guess having two mage-born in residence is just as bad as having one. I’m not protecting you, you understand?” He turned to address me directly. “My men won’t stand between you and a hunter.”

  “That’s fine.” I grinned and pointed to Kila and Kestral. “That’s what I have them for.”

  “Maybe,” Kila added. She held her hand out to the commander. “My wages?”

  The commander unclipped a leather pouch from his belt and tossed it to her. “Thanks for the help today, Killer.”

  “It’s a pleasure. Really.” Kila tied the bag to her belt and led the way into the village. “I stayed at the Rickety Stool yesterday, so tonight I think I will stay at…” She turned slowly, glancing up and down the town’s main street. “The Drunken Fish. If you want to keep Reshi safe, you should stay there tonight, too.”

  I nearly wept. The Drunken Fish was one of the nicer inns in town. The night before we had stayed at a single-story inn off the main road and I thought we would die from the terrible food alone. The Drunken Fish would have music and dancing and I wouldn’t have to hide in an animal form.

  Kes
tral held his hand up, drawing Kila and I to a halt. “We don’t have the funds to stay there. Besides, my horse and belongings are still at the Dark Iron Inn.”

  Kila laughed. “If they haven’t been stolen already. I wouldn’t stay at the Dark Iron for all the stars in the Canvas.”

  Kestral glared at her. I shrank behind my sister. I did not want to stay in that dismal, creaking inn another night.

  “Look, you want to keep Reshi safe? You’ll want to lodge with me. People here know me, and they know not to dust me off. Once they know who Reshi is, someone might take a chance at his bounty.” Kila flicked here eyes up and down, taking in Kestral’s worn out boots to his battle-worn leather armor. “If you really can’t pay, I can cover you both for the night.”

  “We graciously accept!” I wasn’t going to let Kestral take this chance away from me. It had been too long since I had interacted with anyone besides him. “Let’s go get Shan and your stuff and we’ll—”

  Kila reached out and caught the collar of my shirt, stopping me in my tracks. “Didn’t you need knives? I’ll take you to my weapons merchant.” She hooked a thumb at Kestral. “You go get your horse and bring it to the Drunken Fish.”

  “No.” Kestral’s voice was like ice: cold and unmoving. “Reshi stays with me.”

  “Why? Afraid he’s not safe with me?” Kila grinned tauntingly. “If I wanted him dead, I would already have his blood on my sword. I can keep him safe for you.”

  Ice blue eyes locked with mine. Was he asking me what I wanted to do?

  “I do need more knives,” I said, trying to twist my shirt out of Kila’s grip. Failing that, I tried to look casually comfortable. “And Shan hates me anyway. You’ll probably have an easier time collecting him without me.”

  Kestral met Kila’s eyes. “If anything happens to him . . .”

  “Ooh, I’m starting to wonder if this isn’t just about his bounty.” Kila smirked. “He’s safe with me. Stars’ Honor.”

  “You’re not in the army any more.”

  “Neither are you.” Kila arched a brow at Kestral.