The sword reflected in the sunlight. Without a second thought, Serena seized Ethan’s hand and flung him to the side, just as the attacker’s sword came crashing down.
The clash of steel rang sharp in the air as Serena blocked the blow with the sword she had wrenched from Ethan’s grasp moments earlier. The force of it jarred her arm, making her stumble back a step, but she gritted her teeth and shoved forward, forcing the man to retreat a pace.
She feigned a high strike, lifting her sword to bait his defense- and he took it, raising his blade instinctively.
Without hesitation, Serena dropped low and swept his legs out from under him with a swift kick. The man hit the ground with a dull thud, and Serena was on him in an instant, the tip of her sword pressed firmly against his throat.
A groan escaped her as she pinched the bridge of her nose, frustration and the pounding ache beneath her scalp making her dizzy. She shook her head, trying to clear it, and turned just in time to see Ethan rushing toward her, eyes wide with alarm. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novelFirｅ.net
"Miss, you’re okay!" he gasped.
Serena rose from the man sighed, gazing into the boy’s worried eyes.
"Ethan, I did not mean to throw you so roughly," she said apologetically.
Before Ethan could reply, a hearty laugh filled the heart of the training ground. It came from the man who had been about to strike her. He stood up quickly, putting his sword back into its sheath.
Serena glared at him, her posture tight and defensive. He had a silver streak running through his dark hair and deep eye bags that made his face look perpetually drawn. Her sword stayed poised in her left hand, not quite ready to trust his easy going demeanor.
"For someone to block a blow from me with only one hand on their sword..." The man let out a low whistle, clearly amused.
Serena’s eye twitched. She cast a sharp look at Ethan, who promptly found the ground far more interesting.
"What was that about?" she demanded, voice sharp. "You could have killed me!"
The man merely shrugged, patting the scabbard where he had kept his sword. Then, without ceremony, he turned his head and spat on the ground, the wet sound making Serena wrinkle her nose in disgust.
"You are alive, are you not?" the man said nonchalantly.
Serena’s hands trembled a bit; the adrenaline was distracting her from the slight ache in her wrist. It had been donkey ages since she had carried a sword before.
"How do you sneak up on someone like that?" she pressed, voice tight. "What if I hadn’t had a sword to block you?"
The man clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes with theatrical annoyance.
"I saw the sword in your hand- well, in his," he said, jabbing a thumb at Ethan. "And what business would you have being in Ficus if you couldn’t use a sword?"
It dawned on Serena that he thought of her as a soldier. She lifted a brow. She was wearing a flowing, embroidered dress- the furthest thing from the tunics and breeches the other women sported around the training grounds. Was this man completely mad?
"So you would’ve struck the boy instead?" she snapped.
Behind her, Ethan quietly edged further into her shadow, practically shrinking in relief. He silently offered prayers to Lunara for sending this angel with golden hair to protect him and instruct him with kindness.
"He is a man," the man replied, his voice rising with hers.
At that point, Serena could not explain what overcame her. She pointed the sword under his chin and stared right into his eyes. All that went through her mind was how this boy could have been helpless if she had not been there at the right time.
"You shut your mouth," she said in a low voice.
The woman kept the sword fixed under the man’s chin, grazing his Adam’s apple. She turned slowly to meet Darius’ gaze, who looked horrified to see her.
The look in her eyes made his breath catch.
Her green eyes, which he had come to know as either lively and gleaming or dulled with quiet sadness, now held something entirely different- something wild. Darius felt as if he were staring into the eyes of a cornered and feral creature. The sight sent a shiver down his spine, not out of fear, but a sharp, dark thrill he could not explain.
He had been running towards the commotion, seeing Serena briefly block the man’s sword and swipe him clean off his feet.
Alexander shoved past him, breaking the spell. His connecting palm to the man’s chest was enough to send him stumbling back.
Her heart twisted painfully. Why had Darius looked at her like that? She sighed and let the sword fall to the ground.
"Louis," Alexander’s sharp voice cut through the tension. "Have you lost your sense of self?"
Louis glanced between them, his expression flickering from irritation to something almost amused. He scoffed, a low, humorless sound, then barked out a laugh.
"Your wife, huh?" Louis said with a sneer, looking Serena up and down with disdain. "Is that why you’ve dressed her up so pretty?"
"No wonder," Ethan muttered behind Serena. She heard his words and spun around, causing him to look at the rack behind them.
"What? No, this is the ambassador from Crimsonclaw," Alexander announced.
The blood from Louis’ face seemed to be sucked out, and the man looked frightened. He stuttered before straightening himself and bowing low to Serena.
She swallowed, acutely aware of the pressure building at the back of her eyes. Serena needed to get away and breathe properly.
"Accept my sincerest apologies, ambassador. I was not aware," Louis stammered, his voice rough with poorly hidden fear.
"Please just... give your men the dignity of not sneaking up on them," Serena said.
She brushed past Alexander, who looked briefly stunned. The stiff set of his shoulders told her he hadn’t expected her to let Louis off so easily. Serena caught Ethan’s wide, guilty eyes and managed a tired, strained smile.
"Don’t forget what I told you," she murmured to the boy.
Serena walked on without stopping. Alexander caught up to her.
"My lady," he said, almost tripping over his own words, "I deeply apologise for that squad leader’s behavior. What punishment would you want him to receive? Name it, and it will be done."
Serena glanced at him from the corner of her eye, disbelief flashing across her face. She clutched the folds of her gown tighter in her fists.
"Nothing," she said, voice flat. "You’ve done enough, Alexander."
She stopped briefly, blinking against the stinging in her eyes, and took a slow, steadying breath.
"Please send your Alpha over to me," she added.
Alexander’s steps faltered, but he quickly recuperated and nodded. "Yes, of course, my lady."
Serena was not even sure where she was going, but she just had to be away from these people.