Chapter 1

Thirion

The Obsidian Falcon knocks gently against the dock with each wave rolling in from the sea. I trace her intricate ebony railing and feel the swell of excitement from the crew as they get ready to set sail. Where the wide open sky kisses the horizon lies adventure. 

“It’s so big,” I say to no one. 

Kezio joins me at the bow. His brow furrowed in consternation and his sharp ears tilt back as he silently stares with me his displeasure. He’s been my friend and protector for as long as I can remember, and I know he has my best interest at heart. “Everything is prepared,” he says briskly, and I can sense that he intends to say more. 

Instead, he purses his lips.

I hate when he goes silent. It means he thinks I’m making a mistake. I toss him a wry grin. “What’s wrong, Kezio? Don’t like the ocean?”

“I don’t like Rheglath’s haste,” he corrects gently, his jaw working as he glances to that distant horizon. “Your uncle seemed keen on getting rid of you.”

“That’s ridiculous,” I say in turn. Kezio knows to be honest with me. Any other commoner might find their head removed by being so candid. But he and I have a singular friendship in a culture that demands a rigid hierarchy. “You heard him,” I say. “This quest is of the utmost urgency. How else are we to gain the upper hand over these barbarians?”
“You’ve never even met an orc.” His dark eyes land on me. “And Kaynvu is no place for a noble boy, no matter how dire the circumstances. You could get yourself killed.”

“Boy?” I echo, my grin broadening. “Need I remind you I’ve already celebrated my twenty sixth year? By all standards, I am a man now.”

“And with no inheritance to show for it,” he finishes, his irritation washing over me. “You are at the mercy of your allowance. That does not sound like any man I have ever known. A boy, you are.”

My cheeks burn at his accusation, but he is right. 

Maybe, I took this quest to prove to my uncle, once and for all, that I am worthy of my father’s estates. When I return with the orc chieftain’s concubine, he will have no reason left to withhold my inheritance.

“Thirion,” Kezio says, rousing me from that tired daydream. “This is no game we’re playing. Lives are at stake, especially yours. You’ll need to be ready, if you’re going to face a camp full of bloodthirsty orcs. Do you know what they do to dark elves on Kaynvu?”

His words dampen my elation. “That is why I have you.”

“I cannot always be there to protect you.”

I take in the glittering ocean, the morning sun glancing off the waters as if to dazzle anyone that dares look too long. “You don’t have to,” I say. “I am proficient in the blade and can hold my own in a fight.” 

“Are you?”

The question hangs in the air, and though the crew is occupied with their duties, I can feel their interest piquing. Their attention presses in on me, that familiar sense that I can’t shut out. It irritates me now, like the buzzing of unwelcome flies. 

I push the feeling down and nudge him with an elbow. “I remember your lessons, Kezio. Do you doubt your own tutelage?”

That seems to shake him of his foul mood. “You royal brat.”

My laugh is full of mirth as I put a hand to the hilt of my sword and step into a defensive stance. “You doubt me, old friend!” I say in jest. “Draw your weapon and let me prove it to you! It seems you need a reminder.”

Something akin to amusement passes over his face. “As you wish, my Lord.”

The sailors make way for us as we draw our weapons and circle one another. It is a dance we both know all too well, and our strides might appear, to an outsider, painstakingly coordinated. But I know how his eyes flit in the opposite direction he intends to strike, a feign that can be fatal to his enemies. 

And I know how the long muscle in his thigh leaps before he lunges.

He seems calm, collected, but I know he is poised to attack, his movements almost invisible to the naked eye as he cuts forward, straight towards my heart. I dodge with a swift parry, and draw the sharp end of his blade up before shoving him back several steps. “What? No warm up today, master swordsman?” 

Our swords clash impressively. His nose is nearly pressed to mine as we struggle for dominance. “You need to be ready, student, or that pretty head will get lopped off!” His counter kick sends me reeling against the railing, and I barely have a chance to roll away before his sword comes down again.

I grip the hilt of my own sword and bring it up to block attack after attack with blinding desperation. The sailors are no longer even pretending to ready the schooner, simply watching us as our strikes are a frenzied blur of activity. They are amused even as I’m fighting to survive my teacher and friend.

Kezio is going hard on me, I can tell.

His emotions are flowing through me, of frustration and deadly intent. I think he really means to kill me, and even as my limbs tire, I wonder how long I can hold him back before he finally finds a gap in my defenses. 

With a sweeping strike, his sword shears the end of my platinum hair as I spin to dodge. “Kezio!” I shout, my arms quivering as I block another heavy jab. “Do you intend to end our journey before it has begun?!”

Kezio says nothing, battering me with heavy blows.

That’s when something inside of me wakes. It’s subtle, like an undercurrent that swells beneath a great wave. He is not my friend at this moment. He is my enemy. And if I do not win, then I will die by the pointy end of his fine blade. 

My nostrils flare as I find my footing, no longer playing.

I can see how his assault is meant to wear me down, going in hard before falling into a defensive posture. He circles me like a predator who has found its prey, and is only waiting for it to surrender. Even the gleam in his eye is keen and unfriendly.

There’s a lesson to be found where our swords connect. 

Sweat beads on my brow as I stand my ground, winning some and losing it just as quickly. I’ve never seen Kezio so utterly focused on anything, and for the first time in my life, I am frightened of him. 

He is a terrifying force. 

Still, I cling to what he taught me and smack his sword away before going in for his throat. A dagger appears in his other hand as he blocks, a surprised smile finding him as his eyes light up. “Better,” he says, forcing my sword hand down and raising his weapon to strike again. 

I spin away and duck as his swing goes high. On my next swallow, I am grateful to find no blood. Even the magic in my veins would do nothing to prevent my untimely demise. I am not through with this world. Not yet.

His grin turns down as he storms at me. “What have I told you?” he warns, cutting down my attempts to block. He knows he’s made me tired, and his victory is nigh. “Never-” Our blades ring with magic when they clash. “-ever-” He sets me off kilter, so that I fall on my ass in front of the whole crew, my sword skidding away from me on the Obsidian deck. Kezio brings the sword to my throat, his victory complete. “-turn your back on the enemy.”

There’s a breathless pause. 

Kezio’s hard expression softens, and his vicious blade drops. He offers me a hand up. “Don’t ever forget that, and maybe you will survive.”

I accept it on a relieved exhale, my heart pounding in my ears. 

The crew goes about their business with renewed focus, and the sail is opened to catch the sea breeze. I stand by the Kezio I’ve always known. “I won’t,” I murmur, though the wind sweeps the sentiment away before he can hear it.