Aghat Mai. She blocked me, and then, at the very last moment, she just tilted her staff away. ”
Her eyelids fluttered open. The midday sun hit her eyes with brightness that made her wince. Damn it, did I just let Raishan knock me out in a practice fight? Her eyes slowly focused on Mai ’ s face leaning over her. She saw his shoulders relax as he met her gaze.
“ Are you all right? ”
She could hear the relief in his voice. Damn it, how long was I out?
“Sorry,” she said. “ It was entirely my fault. ”
“I ’ d say so. What were you thinking, picking a staff of this weight against an opponent of his skill? ”
She shook her head, ignoring the throbbing in her head that felt worse from the movement. “ No, not that. I wanted a good workout. It ’ s…” She paused. It’s the Kaddim. They can disable me in a fight. There was no way in hell she was going to say this out loud. If she did, it would make it all true. Worse, the feeling of relief she felt at the fact that she hadn ’ t actually been pulled anywhere as it initially seemed, made it all even more unsettling.
Could the mark she carried enable the Kaddim to whisk her away through their time vortex? She shivered, clenching Mai ’ s arm, his muscle reassuringly hard under the silky sleeve of his shirt.
Mai ’ s gaze darkened. She knew he understood her without words. Seeing his expression, a mix of anger and concern, made her want to cry. Did she have to give up everything, including her fighting skill, because of the damned link?
“ Are you feeling better? ” Mai asked.
She nodded, using his hand for support to sit up. Her head ached. She winced as she felt around her temple. Damn it, I must have a huge bruise.
Raishan knelt in front of her, frowning with concern. “I ’ m so sorry. I should have done better. It was just so … unexpected. ”
She smiled. “It ’ s all right, Aghat Raishan. No harm done. ”
His eyes hovered on the side of her head, suggesting otherwise. She took a breath as she rose to her feet, steadying herself against Mai ’ s arm.
“Let ’ s go inside, ” Mai said. “ You need to have this bruise seen to. ”
She lowered her eyes as she followed him, sensing the unspoken words behind his brisk tone. He wanted to know how the hell it was possible for someone of her skill to get knocked out in a practice fight, even if she had been fighting a Diamond with a very heavy staff. She wanted to know that too, even if she probably wasn ’ t going to like the answer. Worse, she couldn ’ t escape a feeling there was something else he wasn ’ t telling her, something they must have discussed in the council chamber after she left. Were things even more complicated than she already thought?
6
Control
The Keepers ’ quarters consisted of a long suite of rooms, opening into a large but cozy sitting area with tall armchairs arranged around the massive fireplace. Mai settled into one of these chairs, instantly receding into the background. His stillness made him appear nearly inanimate, but his alert eyes followed Kara ’ s every move.
She winced as Magister Egey Bashi ran his fingers over her temple.
“ I really think you shouldn ’ t make such a big deal out of it, ” she said. “It ’s just a bruise. I’ ve had those before. ”
The Keeper exchanged a look with Mai.
“ The bone is intact, ” he said. “It ’ s the concussion I am more worried about. ”
“ I have no concussion, Magister. I would have noticed, wouldn ’ t I?”
Another glance passed between the two men.
“ How long were you out, Aghat Kara? ” the Keeper asked.
She shrugged. “ Fifteen minutes, at most. Right? ” She looked at Mai, who nodded. “ Really, don ’ t you think you are overreacting? ”
“ You were knocked out in a practice fight, ” Mai said. “ I know Raishan did everything humanly possible to stop his hand. This makes the whole incident bloody disturbing, don ’ t you think? ”
She held his gaze. He
Her eyelids fluttered open. The midday sun hit her eyes with brightness that made her wince. Damn it, did I just let Raishan knock me out in a practice fight? Her eyes slowly focused on Mai ’ s face leaning over her. She saw his shoulders relax as he met her gaze.
“ Are you all right? ”
She could hear the relief in his voice. Damn it, how long was I out?
“Sorry,” she said. “ It was entirely my fault. ”
“I ’ d say so. What were you thinking, picking a staff of this weight against an opponent of his skill? ”
She shook her head, ignoring the throbbing in her head that felt worse from the movement. “ No, not that. I wanted a good workout. It ’ s…” She paused. It’s the Kaddim. They can disable me in a fight. There was no way in hell she was going to say this out loud. If she did, it would make it all true. Worse, the feeling of relief she felt at the fact that she hadn ’ t actually been pulled anywhere as it initially seemed, made it all even more unsettling.
Could the mark she carried enable the Kaddim to whisk her away through their time vortex? She shivered, clenching Mai ’ s arm, his muscle reassuringly hard under the silky sleeve of his shirt.
Mai ’ s gaze darkened. She knew he understood her without words. Seeing his expression, a mix of anger and concern, made her want to cry. Did she have to give up everything, including her fighting skill, because of the damned link?
“ Are you feeling better? ” Mai asked.
She nodded, using his hand for support to sit up. Her head ached. She winced as she felt around her temple. Damn it, I must have a huge bruise.
Raishan knelt in front of her, frowning with concern. “I ’ m so sorry. I should have done better. It was just so … unexpected. ”
She smiled. “It ’ s all right, Aghat Raishan. No harm done. ”
His eyes hovered on the side of her head, suggesting otherwise. She took a breath as she rose to her feet, steadying herself against Mai ’ s arm.
“Let ’ s go inside, ” Mai said. “ You need to have this bruise seen to. ”
She lowered her eyes as she followed him, sensing the unspoken words behind his brisk tone. He wanted to know how the hell it was possible for someone of her skill to get knocked out in a practice fight, even if she had been fighting a Diamond with a very heavy staff. She wanted to know that too, even if she probably wasn ’ t going to like the answer. Worse, she couldn ’ t escape a feeling there was something else he wasn ’ t telling her, something they must have discussed in the council chamber after she left. Were things even more complicated than she already thought?
6
Control
The Keepers ’ quarters consisted of a long suite of rooms, opening into a large but cozy sitting area with tall armchairs arranged around the massive fireplace. Mai settled into one of these chairs, instantly receding into the background. His stillness made him appear nearly inanimate, but his alert eyes followed Kara ’ s every move.
She winced as Magister Egey Bashi ran his fingers over her temple.
“ I really think you shouldn ’ t make such a big deal out of it, ” she said. “It ’s just a bruise. I’ ve had those before. ”
The Keeper exchanged a look with Mai.
“ The bone is intact, ” he said. “It ’ s the concussion I am more worried about. ”
“ I have no concussion, Magister. I would have noticed, wouldn ’ t I?”
Another glance passed between the two men.
“ How long were you out, Aghat Kara? ” the Keeper asked.
She shrugged. “ Fifteen minutes, at most. Right? ” She looked at Mai, who nodded. “ Really, don ’ t you think you are overreacting? ”
“ You were knocked out in a practice fight, ” Mai said. “ I know Raishan did everything humanly possible to stop his hand. This makes the whole incident bloody disturbing, don ’ t you think? ”
She held his gaze. He
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