The King's Guard

Chapter 48

The training hall was mostly empty by evening. Oil lamps burned low along the stone walls, throwing stretched shadows across the sparring mats. The air smelled faintly of sweat, iron, and the chalk dust recruits rubbed into their palms.

Reyna stood in the centre, rolling her shoulders. Her braid had loosened during drills; stray strands clung to her forehead. She looked at Kael with the kind of focus that ignored exhaustion.

“You’re late,” she said.

Kael stepped onto the mat. “You’re early.”

“That’s why I’m better than you.”

“Better?” He raised an eyebrow, setting his practice blade against his shoulder. “Remind me who won the last set.”

“You got lucky.”

Kael smirked faintly. “Call it what you want.”

She pointed her blade at him. “Less talking, more proving.”

They circled.

The clash came fast, wood striking wood in a sharp crack. Kael drove forward, but Reyna angled aside, twisting his wrist and nearly sending his blade flying.

“Still slow,” she said.

Kael reset, narrowing his eyes. “Or maybe I’m letting you think that.”

She lunged. He parried, barely. The sound rang through the hall.

They broke apart, breath quickening.

“Your guard drops every time you shift weight,” she said.

“Yours drops when you smirk.”

Reyna gave him a flat look, though the edge of her mouth curved. “You notice that much?”

“I notice everything about you.”

The words slipped before he thought them through. Silence pressed the edges of the hall.

Reyna tilted her head, studying him. “Everything?”

Kael’s grip tightened on the hilt. “In a fight,” he said quickly. “I mean in a fight.”

She exhaled through her nose, amused. “If you say so.”

They closed again. Reyna’s strikes came sharp, efficient, her rhythm relentless. Kael blocked, countered, then slipped under her guard, their shoulders colliding.

The impact left them closer than either intended. Her breath brushed his cheek.

Neither moved.

“You should finish the set,” Reyna said softly.

“You first,” Kael murmured.

Their blades lowered almost at the same time, clattering to the mat.

For a long moment, neither spoke.

Finally, Reyna broke it. “You’ve been different since the last mission.”

Kael looked down at his hands. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not. You barely sleep. You grind through drills like punishment.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“Liar.”

The word landed flat.

Kael forced a breath. “I see him every time I close my eyes. The rebel. The one I…” He cut himself off, jaw tightening.

Reyna lowered her blade completely. “It’s okay, Kael. Say it.”

“The one I killed,” Kael said quietly.

The silence after was heavier than any strike.

Reyna’s voice softened. “You did what you had to do.”

“Doesn’t feel that simple.”

“It never does.” She sat on the edge of the mat, patting the spot beside her. “Have a seat if you don't mind, please.”

Kael hesitated, and then dropped down beside her.

They stayed quiet, the lamp flames guttering.

Reyna nudged his shoulder. “You think too much.”

“And you don’t think enough.”

“That’s why we work.”

Kael gave a faint laugh, but it faded quickly. “Do you ever… miss someone so much it feels like you’re carrying them with you? Every step?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Who?”

“Liam,” Kael said. “My closest friend I told you about earlier back home. He was reckless. Stupid. Loyal. When people whispered about me, he punched one of them bloody just for saying it out loud. He never asked questions. Just stood there, daring the world to come closer.”

Reyna listened without interruption.

“He left,” Kael went on. “His family moved. I haven’t heard from him since. And now, after… that rebel…” Kael shook his head. “I keep thinking Liam would hate what I’ve become. Or maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe he’d laugh and tell me to stop whining. I don’t know. I can’t know.”

Reyna leaned back on her hands. “Yeah, you've told me this before. Pretty sure he was your anchor.”

Kael nodded slowly.

“Then use the memory,” she said. “Don’t drown in it. Let it keep you steady.”

Kael glanced at her. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Talk like you’ve lived ten lives.”

Reyna gave a short, humourless laugh. “Because I’ve buried enough for two.”

The weight in her tone made Kael pause. But she didn’t elaborate.

Instead, she said: “If Liam was as loyal as you say, then he wouldn’t care what you’ve done to survive. He’d care that you’re still here.”

Kael studied her profile in the half-light. He wanted to say something, something more. The words sat on the edge of his tongue, dangerous, waiting.

“Reyna, I…”

The training hall doors creaked open.

“Never mind. It's nothing.”

A voice rang out. “Well, isn’t this cosy.”

Jared.

He strolled inside, arms folded, smirk cutting across his face.

Reyna stiffened but didn’t rise. Kael clenched his jaw.

“What do you want?” Kael asked flatly.

“Relax. I’m just here to check if our squad’s golden pair has been rehearsing their dramatic duets again.” Jared walked onto the mat, glancing between them. “Looks like I was right.”

Reyna’s eyes sharpened. “Leave.”

“Touchy,” Jared said, grinning. “What did I interrupt? A confession? A secret? Or just Kael whining about his nightmares again?”

Kael stood. “Don’t start.”

Jared stepped closer. “Why not? It’s fun. Watching you play soldier while Reyna props you up. Without her, you’d crumble.”

Kael’s fists tightened. “Say that again.”

Jared tilted his head, pretending to think. “You’d crumble. You’re nothing but her shadow.”

“Fuck you, Jared!”

“Oh, of course I will. Trust me, you'd love it.”

Reyna stood too, stepping between them. “Enough. Both of you.”

Jared’s smirk lingered. “Don’t worry, Reyna. I’ll leave your little project intact. For now.”

He leaned close to Kael as he passed, voice low enough only for him to hear. “But one day, I’m going to break you. And I’ll enjoy it.”

Then he was gone, the doors creaking shut behind him.

Reyna let out a breath through her teeth.

Kael stared at the doors, jaw still tight.

“Don’t listen to him,” Reyna said.

Kael didn’t answer.

“Kael,” she pressed.

Finally, he looked at her. His eyes were shadowed, but steady. “I won’t give him the satisfaction.”

Reyna nodded once. “Good.”

They sat back down, blades forgotten on the mat, silence thick but shared.

This time, Kael didn’t try to speak what hovered on his tongue. The moment had slipped away, replaced by Jared’s shadow.