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Word got out that I was going to beat up my older brother. The small training field was full of employees, including the trainers for the special forces and Asriel.
The three trainers stood together at the front lines, looking a little too eager. Ashbust looked all too happy to see my demise.
Asriel was talking to a cute guy—one of the lecturers—and his eyes met mine. He broke out into a big grin and waved.
I waved back before going into the middle of the field to meet my brother. Gaerlan had daggers similar to my own resting on his hips. He wore loose shorts and a reddish-brown top.
“Full out?” he asked.
“Give them a show?”
He nodded. I smirked and held my hand out for a fist bump. He returned it, and we both took seven steps back like we were about to do a shootout duel.
No one talked. I was pretty sure half of them didn’t breathe. They were going to see something they rarely had the chance of seeing: a Neutral family showdown.
Gaerlan looked completely relaxed, but I wasn’t fooled. All too often he had beaten me. I blamed the fact that I rarely went out into the field. My mom was too worried about my safety to give me very many missions. The only time I could was when I begged my father for one. He was of the opposite viewpoint, thinking I needed more real-life experience if I wanted to keep myself alive. Oh, the showdown between my parents every time he let me go on a mission. Those were the epic ones for the history books.
My lack of experience didn’t mean I didn’t know how to fight and kill. Hand-to-hand, I was more useless than not when it came to Naturals. But put a sharp pointy weapon into my hand and they better run, and run fast. I liked to consider myself a weapons expert. Unfortunately that was a claim my brother had too.
The one thing I knew I was better at against my brother was speed. I had always been faster than him, and today wasn’t going to be any different.
“First to yield has to go streaking tonight,” I said.
“Challenge accepted, baby sister.”
Not wanting to drag this out, I charged.
We fought hard. Gaerlan hit harder, but I had more endurance, and I was faster. I had a way of not being where he thought I’d be when his dagger swung down at me. He went for a feint, but I knew better, and instead of dodging left like he wanted, I stepped into him and rammed my knee, aiming for his family jewels.
He knew better and twisted so I hit his thigh instead. We fought brutally. When our blades clashed, neither of us saw a sibling, but an enemy. Someone who needed to die. Neither of us held back and Gaerlan trusted me enough to take what he could dish out. He knew I could. I had enough tricks up my sleeve to make up for what I lacked.
I lashed out with my magic as he swung his blade toward my gut. My magic hit its mark, knocking his hand so that it missed me. With narrowed eyes, he swung, I dodged, moving away from him. He quickly followed it with a swift kick meant to decapitate me.
The magic in the area drew into him, and I brought my daggers up across my chest in time to take the hit. It shoved me back a few feet, but I managed to stay standing as my daggers absorbed the magic.
“That’s new,” Gaerlan said.
I grinned. “A little something I picked up from a warlock. You’re going to have to try harder, big brother.”
My teasing worked as he gathered more magic. It took enough of his focus to do it, that I used it against him. Pushing as much magic as I could into my legs, I ran at him at my fastest speed. Videos once showed that when I did this, I disappeared. One moment, I was a few feet away from Gaerlan. The next, I was in front of him, ramming the handle of my dagger into his head.
I jumped away as he went down. It should have knocked him out, and it would have if my opponent wasn’t Gaerlan. He had protective charms on his person somewhere, protecting his body against real harm.
Huffing, I berated myself for not following through. I should have kicked him in the nuts. Maybe gouged his eyes out. Something. I was way too nice.
Magic exploded out of Gaerlan and slammed into me. I flew back, landing on my side. Pain stabbed into my hip, and I was pretty sure my chest caved in. Air escaped my lungs and stayed away.
I gasped, staring up at the warm blue sky, briefly wondering what I was doing there.
“Adeelah.” Gaerlan’s face popped into view, and he frowned down at me.
“Yield,” I said. It wouldn’t be the first time I ran around outside naked. At least this time, the police weren’t going to be there to try to arrest me for indecent exposure.
“What the hell happened?” Gaerlan said. “That normally doesn’t do shit to you.”
I sat up slowly and rubbed my chest. Others came over and I clenched my teeth. I couldn’t say anything if they were all here.
“I didn’t react fast enough,” I said, trying to dismiss him.
He held out his hand. I grabbed it, letting him pull me to my feet. I winced at the ache in my chest.
“You’re hurt,” Gaerlan said.
“No, I’m fine.”
“You didn’t heal?” Rophan asked.
I groaned. Darn him for opening his sensuous mouth.
“What do you mean?” Gaerlan asked, whirling on the guard.
“Better run far and fast,” I warned Rophan.
Neither of them looked amused.
“What is going on?” Gaerlan asked, red starting to crawl up his neck, something that only ever happened when he was furious.
“She had a match with Rorke and got hit.”
“Rophan, why do you only talk when I don’t want you to?” I asked.
Gaerlan’s gaze went over and met Archon’s. He scowled and turned to go after him. I grabbed his arm and stopped him. “Stop it,” I snapped.
“He hurt you.”
“We were having a friendly match. If it makes you feel better, I won.”
“It doesn’t.”
“He has to call me Mistress,” I added.
“Still doesn’t help.” Gaerlan’s hands were fists at his side, his grip on the magic around us tight. He was ready to lash out, even at this distance.
I jumped in front of him, forcing him to break his gaze and look at me. “Then how about the fact that you’re his boss? Does that help.”
A sinister smile stretched across Gaerlan’s face. “You know what, baby sis, that does help. Now let me see.”
“See what?”
“Your wound.”
I glanced around at all the people gathered, listening and looking too curious for their own good.”
“Here?” I asked.
“You didn’t tell me you were hurt, so yes, here.” Gaerlan looked around at the crowd. They were inching closer. “Clear out!” he bellowed, power in his words. They all stiffened before the majority of them scattered, some of the stronger people like Asriel and Archon giving us space.
Rophan waved his hand and the air shimmered as a ward was placed around us. “They won’t be able to hear anything.”
“You’re so kind,” I said, making sure every syllable dripped with sarcasm.
“Adeelah,” Gaerlan said in a tight voice, all his patience gone now.
I sighed and pulled down my shirt.
“What the fuck?” Rophan asked, leaning closer.
I cleared my throat. “Excuse you.” I raised my eyebrow and gave him an incredulous look. He seemed to realize what he was doing, staring down my shirt and at my boobs. An adorable blush colored his cheeks, and he snapped up, straightening his posture in an almost militaristic stance. His eyes dipped down my shirt again since he was taller than me. The red in his cheeks deepened.
My brother was the one to clear his throat this time.
“Sorry.” Rophan tried to hide his embarrassment with a cough and met my eyes. “Why hasn’t it healed? It’s been a couple of days already. It looks worse.” He fought so hard to not look again.
I barely suppressed my laughter at his discomfort. Who would have thought the all-powerful warlock would be so easily embarrassed. Made me wonder what his past history with females was.
“Her ‘gift’ has an unfortunate side-effect,” Gaerlan interjected. “She isn’t able to heal as well as she should have because of it.”
I had to give my brother props. He had a way of weaving the truth and the lies together to create a confusing mess of excuses.
“Yes, what he said,” I said.
Gaerlan elbowed me.
I rubbed my side, faking being hurt. “Ow, that hurt, big brother.”
He rolled his eyes.
Rophan watched us with a frown. “Why didn’t you say something?” he asked me.
“I don’t see you going around sharing your deep dark weaknesses,” I said defensively.
He clenched his jaw and then forced his body to relax. “You’re right. I don’t.” He glanced around.
“I’ll go get a salve to help heal it,” Gaerlan said. “And we will look into hiring a healer we trust.” With that, he stalked away. As he passed by Archon, he leaned toward him and said something. Archon’s eyes widened, and he nodded before looking down.
“Come on,” Rophan said.
Rophan was silent as we walked back to my apartment. I thought he wasn’t going to say anything until he grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop.
“Adeelah.”
I met his eyes, trying to interpret his expression. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Did an ympe sneak up on me and draw on my face? They’re sneaky bastards. I told them they wouldn’t get away with it ever again.”
That seemed to break through whatever thoughts were going through his head. “An ympe drew on your face?” he asked in surprise.
“I guess he had cause for it.” I shrugged. “I did set up a trap that involved an overpowered fan and sending it flying into a huge spider nest.”
He shook his head. “I’m afraid to ask.”
“So one didn’t manage to draw all over my face?”
“No, Adeelah.” He sighed. “Next time you’re hurt, tell me.”
I blinked as realization dawned on me. That expression he had worn was concern. He had been concerned for me. Worried. Afraid. All those emotions I never expected to get from him. I reached up and rested my hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my palm. Strong and steady.
“Okay,” I said.
“Okay?” He frowned.
“What?” I asked.
“I didn’t think it’d be that easy,” he muttered.
I smiled. “I’m a very rational person. And on my good days, I’m agreeable. You’re lucky today is a good day. I got to yell at reporters and then beat up my brother.”
That brought a laugh out of him, one of those deep chuckles that reverberated in your chest. My smile widened as the sternness slipped away from his expression. I wanted to bathe in his laugh and smile. I’d never heard or seen it before and it did funny things to me, heating my body. If I were a kitty, I’d purr in delight. Not able to do that, I settled on a goofy smile instead.
“Damn, Adeelah, I don’t know what to do with you half the time.”
I laughed. “Don’t worry, I don’t know what to do with me either.”
“Come on, let’s get back. If your brother gets there before we do, he’s going to beat my ass, and I don’t want to have to fight him.”
Poking his arm, I asked, “Afraid you’ll get your ass whooped.
His grin was feral as he said, “Yeah, from your father after I beat Gaerlan.”
I laughed again as we finished the walk back to my place. I hadn’t felt this lighthearted with Gaerlan since, well, never.
He had a nice smile.
