Blazes!
He released his eye and tried to open it, but it was already swollen shut. He couldn't see. Those tiny little fists… They fit right into his eye where a man's fist couldn't possibly reach.
"Y'all right, Yer Hignuss?"
Achan spun around to see Brien, his scraggly thief from IceIsland, shadowed by three others. Heat flooded into Achan's face. Caught being bested by a woman.
"You want I should teach that healer lad a lesson?" Brien asked.
Achan relaxed and reminded himself that no one knew Sparrow was a woman. "No. Thank you, Brien. The lad is finally growing into his boots. Been trying to toughen him up for a while now."
Brien and the soldiers chuckled and wandered off. Achan stewed beside the moat until his violent shivering forced him inside. He stormed though the dank keep and up to his room, adding his own small river to the damp floors.
Everyone was already there.
One look from Sir Gavin and the old knight rushed forward. "What happened? Did you fall in the moat too?"
Achan studied Sparrow out of the corner of his eyes. She stood by the window, hugging her shivering arms. He unlaced his doublet and pried it off, doing his best to act nonchalant. "Sparrow bested me. For the first and last time, mind you." He peeled his tunic over his head, wadded it into a ball, and pitched it at Sparrow. It whacked her in the face and she squeaked. "Well done, Sparrow."
"Yes, well done, minnow!" Kurtz said.
"Gracious, don't kill him, Vrell." Sir Gavin's mustache curled. "We can't show up in Armonguard with a black and blue prince. Go easy next time."
Laughter rang out.
Achan shot Sir Gavin a bland look. "Fear not for my well being. It is I who'll no longer be going easy on Sparrow." He spun around the room, trying to locate his pack with one working eye. He fixated on Sparrow's pale face and cast her a challenging, one-eyed stare.
She grinned, a smile that vitalized her whole face despite her tangled, wet hair and dirty cheeks. Achan's stomach zinged.
"I assure you, Your Majesty," she said, "I do not need you to go easy on me. I can take anything you toss my way."
35
For an hour that afternoon, the knights and Achan discussed the future. The plans for leaving the next day, what would happen in Carmine, and of course, more discussion over Achan's future bride. The knights talked, actually. Achan simply sat, overwhelmed, stewing and daydreaming-even dozing at one point. Thankfully, Sir Gavin dismissed him early. Achan entered into his chamber to see Sparrow standing at the window that overlooked the courtyard below.
Her eyes widened. "Forgive me. My new room does not have a window. I thought you were meeting with the knights, so…"
Achan closed his eyes and peeked through Sir Gavin.
He is too young to marry, Sir Eagan said. Why not focus on a long betrothal? Give him time to get used to the idea a bit more.
What's to get used to? He can figure it out, he can. If he needs help, he's got me, eh?
Thank you, Kurtz, for your offer, but that is not what concerns me.
Achan pulled away from the discussion and sighed. "Aye, they're still…talking. Sir Gavin excused me. The conversation had begun to annoy." He didn't want to explain the ongoing debate over who he should marry. For here stood Sparrow and he could no longer see her as anything but a pretty young woman in trousers. A breeze from the window blew a wisp of ebony hair across her alabaster cheek.
She smiled and brushed the strand away.
What folly. Why was he such a fool where women were concerned? Why did he continually choose the wrong ones? Why couldn't he simply accept his position with grace and marry whomever the knights ordained would be best?
He recalled what Poril had always said of his stubborn spirit. Ah, yer a fool, yeh are, boy. Had to smart off. Had to fight back.
Achan had never liked being ordered around.
"Are you well, Your Highness?"
Sparrow moved to the center of the room. Her wide green eyes were fixed on him, her slender eyebrows pinched together.
"As well as anyone in my position would be, I suppose," he mumbled.
She walked toward him, toward the door. She was leaving? Achan reached out and grabbed her elbow. He let his grip slide down her arm and caught her hand. A tingle danced up his arm. "Where are you going?"
"I- " Her cheeks tinged pink. "I–I should not be…"
Achan pulled her close and reached up with his free hand to tug out the thong in her hair. With both hands, he combed her silky hair around her sweet face.
Her lips parted, her breath a tremor on his neck. He held her warm cheeks in his hands and drew his thumb over her lips, marveling at the softness of her skin.
What could she be thinking? He didn't dare look inside, for fear it would ruin this moment.
He tilted his face down and closed his eyes. She inhaled a sharp breath and tensed beneath his hands. His lips pressed against hers. They were soft and sweet like honey. Warmth shuddered through him as her breath mingled with his, entered his mouth and seized his soul.
She grabbed two fistfuls of his tunic and tugged him closer, deepening the kiss. Her hands snaked up the back of his neck, into his hair, and held tight.
A door clicked shut. Sparrow turned to stone in his arms. Achan broke away and found no one there. He frowned, uncertain if the noise had come from the door to his room or Sir Caleb's. He turned back barely in time to see Sparrow's hand flying toward him. It struck his cheek with the force of a cham bear. He staggered sideways to keep his balance.
He set his hand to his cheek and found the skin hot. "What was that for?"
She blushed, her eyes liquid with tears. "I would think it would be obvious."
He sucked in a deep breath but could think of no obvious answer. "First my eye, now this? For not wanting to kill, you're a violent woman, Sparrow."
She propped her hands on her hips. "Never kiss a girl without asking first."
"Why not?" He massaged his smarting cheek.
"Well…because…it is rude. She might not want you to."
"How am I supposed to know that? I've never kissed anyone at my own instigation."
Sparrow raised her eyebrows. "You kissed Jaira."
Curse Jaira Hamartano to the Lowerworld forever. "That doesn't count."
"Beska?"
"She kissed me." Looking back, something occurred to him. Sparrow had been jealous.
Her voice wavered. "Not even Gren?"
Achan shook his head slightly, feeling odd to be speaking of Gren. Why did girls have to talk so much? He met her eyes and grinned. "May I kiss you, then?"
She shrank back. "Absolutely not!"
He stiffened, as if she'd slapped him again. "Is this because I spared Polk? I'm sorry, Sparrow. Prison is fairer than death. Esek had been threatening his family."
Her scowl faded. "You have a kind heart. It is not a thing to apologize for."
"Why, then?"
Her brows pinched. "Because I am not a wanton woman. I explained that fully out-"
"It was only a kiss. Don't get your britches in a bind."
She pursed her lips and huffed through her nose. "My britches are not in a bind. I do not expect you to understand having been raised by… Well, I am simply not the kind of girl who kisses a man she does not intend to marry."
Marry? Could he marry Sparrow? It was laughable. He could imagine Sir Caleb's response to the idea. "Well, what if-"