The King's Guard

Chapter 30

The practice yard was slick with rain from the night before, mud packed flat where squads had drilled all morning. Blunted swords leaned against the racks, but the weight of steel wasn’t what set Kael on edge. It was Jared, standing across from him with his usual half-smile, rolling his shoulders like the whole thing was a game.

Darius stood at the edge of the circle, arms folded. “Pair work today. Kael. Jared. You’re together.”

Jared raised an eyebrow. “That supposed to be punishment for him or for me?”

“Both,” Darius said. “Blades up.”

Kael tightened the strap of his gauntlet and stepped forward. Jared sauntered in, twirling his sword once before gripping it properly.

“Don’t hold back,” Darius said. “Either of you. If you can’t learn to fight alongside each other, you won’t last outside these walls.”

Jared grinned at Kael. “Hear that? Don’t hold back. Not that you ever really know what you’re holding.”

Kael ignored the jab and raised his weapon. “Ready.”

The clash came sharp and fast, steel on steel ringing through the yard.

Jared pressed forward, testing. “You’re stiff. Thinking too much again.”

Kael deflected, stepped back, swung low. “At least I think.”

“Big words for someone who freezes when it counts.”

Kael’s jaw set. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I do. Everyone saw it.” Jared shoved him back, their blades locked. “Reyna had to cover for you. Again.”

Kael twisted out, struck at Jared’s shoulder, forced him to stumble. “Keep her out of it.”

“Why? Because you can’t stand the truth?”

Their blades crossed again, heavier now. The rhythm quickened. Kael’s breath grew ragged, but he didn’t step back.

From the edge, Kyna called out, “You two are supposed to be training, not gutting each other.”

Neither answered.

Jared lunged, blade a fraction too sharp for blunted practice. Kael caught it just in time, sparks flashing as the edge scraped his guard.

Kael’s voice came low. “You’re using a live blade.”

Jared smirked. “Guess we’re skipping the warm-up.”

Kael shoved him hard, the sound of metal grating as their swords dragged apart. “This isn’t a joke.”

“Sure feels like one,” Jared shot back, swinging again. “You…me…pretending we’re a team. Everyone knows where this ends.”

Kael blocked, teeth gritted. “Where?”

“With you breaking. And me cleaning up after.”

Kael’s strike came faster than before, a sharp diagonal that forced Jared back two steps. “Not this time.”

The ground slickened under them. Mud sprayed as they circled, blades ringing.

Kyna stepped forward, voice sharper now. “Enough.”

Jared didn’t pause. He swung high, Kael ducked low, their shoulders colliding. Both grunted, locked close, breath harsh.

“Face it,” Jared whispered against Kael’s ear, “you don’t belong here.”

Kael shoved him off, blade aimed high enough that Kyna swore under her breath. “Say that again.”

Jared’s grin widened. “Gladly.”

Their swords clashed once more, harder, heavier, neither giving. The crowd of trainees had gathered at the edge now, murmuring, waiting for Darius to step in.

But Darius stood still, arms folded, eyes narrowed.

Kael’s strike slipped through, the blunt edge smacking Jared’s ribs. Jared hissed, staggered, then answered with a sharp cut that grazed Kael’s cheek.

Blood welled, thin but red.

Kyna pushed forward, blocking between them. “Enough! Drop it!”

Jared shoved against her shoulder. “Stay out of this.”

Kael’s chest heaved. “Move, Kyna.”

She didn’t. “Not until both of you stop acting like children.”

Jared spat mud from his mouth, eyes locked on Kael. “He wants to prove something. Let him.”

Kael’s grip tightened on his sword, but he didn’t move. His cheek stung, warm blood sliding down his jaw.

Darius’s voice finally broke the air. “Stand down.”

Neither Kael nor Jared lowered their weapons.

“I said stand down,” Darius repeated, stepping into the circle. His presence cut the noise flat. He looked between them, voice steady. “If you can’t fight together, you’ll die together. Simple as that.”

Kael lowered his blade first, chest rising and falling with effort. Jared followed, slower, jaw clenched.

Darius’s eyes lingered on Kael’s cut, then on Jared’s smirk. “Report to the medics. Both of you.”

Kael turned away without a word. Jared gave a mocking bow, then followed.

The circle dispersed, but the silence lingered.

In the medic’s tent, the healer dabbed at Kael’s cheek with a rough cloth. He winced but didn’t speak. Jared sat on the other cot, rolling his shoulder like he’d won something.

“You bleed easy,” Jared said.

Kael didn’t look at him. “You talk too much.”

“Better than sulking.”

Kael’s voice was flat. “Better than cowardice.”

Jared’s grin faltered, just for a beat. “Careful, Estaran.”

Kael finally turned, eyes sharp. “Why? You going to run and tell your father?”

The air between them snapped taut. Jared leaned forward, voice low. “Say that again.”

Kael didn’t blink. “Tell your father.”

Jared’s hand twitched against his knee. “You think you know something about me? You don’t. You’re just another stray picked up to fill numbers.”

“Maybe,” Kael said quietly. “But I don’t need a name to stand on. You’d collapse without yours.”

Jared’s jaw tightened, his smile gone. For a moment it looked like he’d swing, but he stayed seated.

The healer cleared his throat loudly. “Both of you out. I don’t get paid enough for this.”

They left in silence.

Outside, rain had started again, thin drops pattering against the stones. Kyna leaned against the wall, arms folded.

“You’re both idiots,” she said.

“Noted,” Jared muttered, stalking off.

Kael lingered, wiping the last of the blood from his cheek.

Kyna studied him. “You let him get to you.”

“He pushed first.”

“And you answered. Doesn’t matter who started. Darius was watching to see who finished.”

Kael frowned. “So what, I’m supposed to just stand there and take it?”

“You’re supposed to be smarter than him. That’s the point,” Kyna said, her voice low. “Jared doesn’t care if he loses. He just wants to drag you down with him. If you let him, he wins.”

Kael exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Feels like I can’t win either way.”

“Not true. You win by lasting longer. By knowing when to swing and when to hold back. That’s what Darius is testing.” She tilted her head. “You’re too easy to read when you’re angry.”

Kael exhaled through his nose. “Then I failed.”

Kyna shook her head. “No. You just showed him where your edges are. Now he knows exactly when you’ll snap.”

Kael looked at her. “And you?”

She gave a faint smile. “I already knew.”

That night, the barracks were restless. Jared bragged loud enough for half the squad to hear, soaking up their laughter, their cheers. Kael sat on his bunk, silent, turning the memory over again: the blade, the words, the cut.

Darius’s voice echoed still. If you can’t fight together, you’ll die together.

When the noise finally thinned, Jared slid back into their room, smirking. He leaned against Kael’s bunkpost, too close, the swagger still clinging to him.

“You sulking?” Jared drawled. “Or just brooding because you had me under you and didn’t make the most of it?”

Kael’s jaw tightened. “Get out of my space.”

Jared only grinned wider, dropping onto his own bunk with a theatrical sigh. “Admit it, you liked it. The heat, the blades, the way we move. Almost like a dance.”

Kael ignored him, stripping his gauntlets, laying them out one by one.

But Jared’s voice lingered, low, teasing. “You’ll figure it out, Kael. You can hate me all you want, but out there…” he snapped his fingers, soft in the dark, “...we’re fire and tinder. You burn. I burn. Can’t change it.”

Kael closed his eyes, but Jared’s words stayed.