The King's Guard

Chapter 42

The morning field was busier than usual. Rows of recruits stretched across the gravel yard, blades glinting in dull sun. Instructors barked orders, pairing squads against one another. The sound of sparring rang through the air. Iron clashed, boots slid, and voices rose in effort.

Kael’s squad stood near the centre, waiting. Jared was rolling his shoulders with a restless grin, Reyna tightened her wraps with calm precision, and Kyna… well, she stood quietly, her gaze fixed on the ground, as though the noise around her didn’t exist.

Darius’s voice cut across the field. “Pair up. Squads against squads. Don’t waste my time.”

Another instructor gestured. “Squad Twelve, you’ll take Squad Seven.”

Reyna muttered, “That’s us.”

Jared smirked. “Finally, something worth breaking a sweat over.”

Kael adjusted his grip on the wooden blade. “Just keep your head this time.”

“Please,” Jared said, “my head’s the sharpest thing here.”

Reyna ignored him. “Form up. Kael, left. Kyna, cover rear.”

Kyna turned to Jared smirking. “You better not be up to some mischief, Jared.”

“What if I am?”

“Please, save it.”

Reyna finally cut in. “You know what, Kyna? Just drop it. He knows what he's doing.”

“Just playing a little game, girl. You shouldn't be so worked up.”

“Indeed I shouldn't. Now get back to business immediately.”

Kael just watched silently and sighed, obviously irritated by Jared's insolence.

They faced Squad Twelve, four older recruits with heavier builds. Their leader, a tall boy with cropped hair, grinned. “Looks like we’re testing the new favourites.”

Jared raised his chin. “Favourites? You’re looking at the best squad in the yard.”

Reyna muttered, “Ignore him. Ready.”

The signal came.

Steel met wood as the squads collided. Jared rushed in too quickly, blade swinging wild. Kael cut across to block a strike meant for him. Reyna held the line with steady parries. Kyna stayed at the edge, watching.

The tall boy pressed against Kael. “You don’t look so sharp up close.”

Kael gritted his teeth, holding ground. “Neither do you.”

They traded blows, wood striking wood, sparks of effort tightening Kael’s arms. Jared shouted from the side. “Reyna, he’s mine!”

Reyna snapped back, “Stay in formation, idiot!”

Kael risked a glance. Jared was already off-balance, struggling against two opponents.

“Cover him,” Reyna ordered.

Kael forced his opponent back a step, shifting toward Jared. The clash was messy. Then Kyna moved.

She slipped between them, quiet as breath. Her blade didn’t swing. It looked like it suddenly appeared. One moment she was at Jared’s side, the next behind his attacker, striking low. The recruit staggered, caught off guard.

Jared blinked. “What the—?!”

Kyna’s voice was even. “You’re welcome.”

The tall boy shouted to his squad. “Don’t break! Hold!”

But Kyna was gone again. She blurred, a flicker of shadow across the gravel, reappearing behind another recruit. Her strike landed before he turned.

Reyna froze for half a beat. “Shadowstep.”

Kael had heard the term whispered. Rare and dangerous. Moving faster than the eye could track, slipping from one space to another. He hadn’t believed it until now.

The field quieted as more eyes turned. Recruits faltered mid-strike, staring.

“Focus!” Darius’s voice cracked like a whip.

Kael snapped back into the fight, pressing his blade hard enough to send his opponent stumbling. Reyna capitalised, sweeping his legs.

Squad Twelve collapsed in less than a minute.

Jared dropped his weapon with a laugh. “Did you see that? We wiped them out.”

Reyna glared. “We didn’t. She did.” She nodded toward Kyna.

Kyna lowered her blade, breathing steady. She didn’t meet anyone’s eyes.

The instructor stepped forward. “Squad Seven, victory.”

A murmur spread across the yard. Other recruits whispered, glancing at Kyna.

Jared strode to her, grinning. “You’ve been hiding tricks from us. Not bad.”

She gave him a flat look. “It wasn’t for you.”

Reyna cut in. “Where did you learn that?”

Kyna adjusted her grip. “Home.”

“That’s not an answer,” Reyna pressed.

“It’s the only one I’ll give.”

Kael watched her carefully. The way she shifted her weight after using the ability, the slight tremor in her fingers, there was a cost to it. But she hid it well.

Another squad stepped into the ring. Darius motioned for Squad Seven to remain.

“Again,” he said.

The next fight began.

This time, Squad Twelve’s replacements kept their distance, wary of Kyna. Jared charged anyway, shouting as he swung.

“Don’t let her spook you!” one recruit yelled.

Reyna sighed, blocking a strike meant for Jared. “One day you’ll learn.”

Kyna vanished again. A flicker, a blur, then she was behind their line, scattering them.

“Unfair!” a recruit shouted, stumbling back.

Jared laughed. “Life’s unfair, friend!”

Kael fought steadily, letting Reyna’s commands guide his movements. But his eyes kept flicking toward Kyna.

Each Shadowstep left a faint distortion in the air, like heat waves. He caught them when he looked directly, and each time she reappeared, her shoulders dipped ever so slightly.

After the match ended, Darius raised a hand. Silence fell.

“Enough,” he said. “Squad Seven, dismissed.”

They moved to the edge of the yard, breaths still heavy.

Jared clapped Kyna on the back. “Seriously, that was something else. You could take on half the yard alone.”

Kyna stepped away from his hand. “Don’t touch me.”

Reyna frowned. “You could’ve told us.”

“It wasn’t relevant,” Kyna replied.

“Not relevant?” Reyna’s voice sharpened. “You think hiding skills from your squad makes sense?”

Kyna’s eyes flicked to Kael. “He didn’t tell you everything either.”

The words hung heavy.

Kael stiffened. Jared caught it. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Kael said quickly.

Reyna narrowed her eyes. “Kyna—”

But Kyna was already walking away.

Jared muttered, “Creepy.”

Reyna turned on him. “Better creepy than reckless. She just saved you twice.”

Jared scoffed. “I had it handled.”

Kael finally spoke. “No. You didn’t.”

Jared rounded on him. “You’ve got something to say?”

Kael held his gaze. “Yes. Stop pretending you’re carrying us when you’re the one getting carried.”

The silence between them was sharp.

Reyna stepped between. “Enough. Both of you. We’re not doing this here.”

Darius’s voice carried from across the yard. “If you’re finished bickering, report back tomorrow. Some of you need lessons in humility.” His eyes lingered on Jared.

The squad walked off in uneasy silence.

In the barracks that evening, Jared wouldn’t let it rest.

“You think you’re better than me?” he asked Kael, voice cutting across the room.

Kael didn’t look up from his journal. “I don’t think. I see.”

Reyna sighed, setting down her boots with a thud. “Stop. Both of you. Every night it’s the same.”

“That’s because every night he starts it,” Kael said, still writing.

“Every night you rise to it,” Jared shot back. He sat up on his bunk, leaning forward, eyes sharp. “You act like you’re untouchable. Like the Rift makes you untouchable.”

Kael finally raised his head, gaze steady. “The Rift doesn’t make me anything. It unmakes everything else.”

The words hung heavy.

Reyna muttered, “Kael—” but Jared only grinned wider, as if Kael had confirmed something for him.

Kyna entered quietly then, carrying a small bundle of herbs wrapped in cloth. She ignored the argument, moving with calm precision as she set them on her bunk.

Jared’s eyes flicked toward her. “Perfect. Shadow girl and Rift boy. What a team.”

Reyna snapped, sharper this time, “Shut up, Jared.”

But Jared wasn’t done. “Tell me, Kael, when she steps into the dark and you tear open the air… what happens if one of us gets caught in the middle? Think either of you would even notice?”

Kael’s voice was low. “Try me and find out.”

Reyna shot him a warning look. “Kael…don’t.”

Kyna finally looked up from her herbs. Her tone was quiet, but it cut clean. “Say it louder, Jared. Maybe you’ll believe it.”

Jared’s smirk faltered. He held her stare for a long second, then gave a scoff and lay back, folding his arms as though it hadn’t mattered.

Reyna blew out a breath. “Unbelievable. We’re supposed to be a unit.”

“Units don’t break this easily,” Kael said, shutting his journal.

“And yet you two seem determined to prove me wrong,” Reyna muttered.

Silence settled after that. The sound of Kyna crushing leaves into a small bowl filled the space, soft and deliberate.

Kael leaned back, but his thoughts weren’t on Jared anymore. They were on the way Kyna had moved, how the shadows had bent when she entered, the air itself folding just slightly around her form.

Later, when the others were asleep, Kael sat by the window, watching moonlight stretch across the yard.

He whispered to himself, “Shadowstep…”