The Unknown Man: Book 1 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series by J.G. Gatewood Page A

motioned for his foe to begin the attack. The soldier bowed, reset, and immediately charged. The soldier displayed lightning-fast speed, making it evident he needed to switch up his tactics for this fight. He parried the initial lunge, spun, and counterattacked but the solider met it with a parry. He hadn’t expected it. Before the soldier could attack, he feigned and swung back with a blow that would have knocked men twice this soldier’s size on their backside.
    He couldn’t believe how he didn’t have to think about his movements. They came naturally and he relied on nothing but pure instinct. The battle went on testing their endurance and skill.
    The repeated blows to his sword wrung down his hands, irritating his wound. With the pain, he decided to end this now. He attacked, parried, lunged, parried, spun, and attacked; all the while, he drove the soldier back. With the soldier up against the fence, he thought he had him cornered, but his opponent blocked the attack with his sword and spun, switching positions with the man. He thrust the practice sword against the man’s chest.
    The man dropped his sword knowing he had been defeated. His hand didn’t help matters. The irritation grew. He removed his gauntlet, and clutched it.
    The pain became too much and he dropped to the ground, still clutching his hand. He rolled over onto his back and opened his visor. His foe dropped the practice sword and slowly walked over, almost with a swagger. When he drew close, he removed his helm. Golden brown hair cascaded over the soldier's shoulders, revealing a beautiful face. The soldier had porcelain white skin, with red pouty lips, and blue eyes. The face was breathtaking, and nothing the man had seen before compared. He wasn’t a man at all, but a woman; and a beauty to behold at that. This explained the smaller stature. A smile crossed her lips as she reached out her hand to help him up.
    “I gather from your look I’m not quite what you expected.” She chuckled. “Don’t feel bad. Many soldiers have fallen to my sword. I’ve been training since I was four years old.”
    He removed his own helm, and blonde curly locks dropped to his shoulders. His eyes were bright blue, with a young, clean-shaven face, and a chiseled jawline. He was quite the male beauty as well, and not what she expected. “I thank you for the compliment.” He bowed his head. “Who do I have the honor of speaking with?”
    She smiled before responding, “I’m Liniana, the daughter-heir to Havenbrook.” He seemed startled by her words. “I understand I’m to accompany you to Riverfell.” She glanced down and noticed how he clutched his hand. “Are you hurt? “ She reached out to him.
    He outstretched his left hand and offered it toward her. “You’re burned... and it’s infected.” She looked the wound over before speaking again. “I can do nothing to heal the burn—it will still exist—but I can take care of the infection.”
    She clasped both of her hands over the wound and uttered words he didn’t understand. He felt a numbing sensation as it covered the wound. After a moment, she removed her hands. The burn still existed in the form of a scar, but the irritation and infection had disappeared.
    He shifted his glance from his hand to her. “You’re a healer?” His glance flew back to his hand in amazement. He flexed it and felt no lingering discomfort at all. “I don’t understand. How can you fight, and be one who heals at the same time? Don’t they contradict one another?”
    She shuffled her footing while she looked at him and said, “My father believed anyone who would one day inherit the throne should know how to fight with the sword, uphold what we believe in, and protect those who believe in us.” She turned around. “It wasn’t until last year that the power of the light filled me and I realized I could also heal. We’ll have plenty of time for discussions, though, Riverfell is a month’s journey.” She turned