Page 30 of A Warrior's Heart

Nereus lurched forward, bringing his sword down toward my head. I knocked it aside with ease and pivoted to meet his second blow. As our blades locked in the air, Nereus gritted his teeth and pushed with all his weight. A dazed look appeared in his eyes.

“Enough.” I stepped back and lowered my sword. “You need water and rest.”

“I’m fine.” Nereus shook his head, as if to clear his vision, before looking at me again. His eyes struggled to focus. “You said a warrior must fight through discomfort. Sore muscles and a bit of sun won’t stop me, sir.”

“I also said you were to follow your commander’s orders, did I not?” I quickly swatted at his blade, knocking it from his hand. “And my order is for you to rest for now. We will train more later.”

“Yes, sir.” Nereus bent to retrieve his sword and stumbled a bit. His falter had nothing to do with his exhaustion though. It was a direct result of his clumsy footing.

I suppressed a sigh.

Troy padded over and handed Nereus a mug of water. The young warrior thanked him before gulping it down. Troy glared at me, as if to shame me for working Nereus too hard under the blazing sun. Another set of eyes locked on mine too.

Ervin.

He stood against the main mast, one leg propped behind him. The breeze ruffled the short strands of his black hair and swept across his face covering. Blue eyes pierced through me, his gaze unwavering.

“Something you’d like to say?” I asked. Throughout our journey thus far, the assassins had kept to themselves and stared, as if we were beneath them.

“You’ve trained him well,” Ervin said. “But he doesn’t have the spirit of a true warrior.”

“You know nothing of his spirit,” I responded with an edge to my voice. I moved my eyes to Nereus, who had found shade beneath the stairs leading to the upper deck. He was out of earshot of our conversation.

“Out of all the men in Avalontis, why did you bring him?”

“I trust him at my back,” I answered, wiping the sweat from my brow. “And I trust very few men.”

“Do you trust him not to lose his head?” Ervin stepped toward me, his gait slow but steady. “I’ve seen men like him over the years. Young. Naïve. They are driven by the need to prove themselves, and thus, they are impulsive. And they are always the first to tuck tail and run when in battle.”

“Nereus is no coward.”

“But heisa fool.”

Growling, I strode forward. “You will hold your tongue, or I will remove it for you.”

“I’d very much like to see you try.” Ervin’s eyes gleamed with a smile. He was enjoying getting a rise out of me. “I’ve heard stories of you. Malik, the mighty captain of the king’s army. Revered by all of Avalontis as a war hero and feared by all who opposed King Triton. Yet, you led your men straight into a trap. Refresh my memory, how many lost their lives that day? Close to five hundred, correct? And your lover amongst them.”

My fists clenched at my sides. Gods help me. I wanted to tear his head from his shoulders and kick it into the sea for the sharks to feast upon.

“You lost not only your rank after that battle, but your pride as well,” Ervin continued. “Along with proper use of your left leg. I admit the injury has healed well, though as you trained earlier, I noticed how you favored your right side because of it.”

Ervin might be first lieutenant of the assassin force, but his behavior showed his immaturity. Taunting men served no purpose other than to make yourself feel more superior. Men who truly believed in themselves didn’t need to do such a thing. He had much to learn if he planned to lead men someday.

“Is there a point to all this rambling?” I asked. “Or do you just like the sound of your own voice?”

I noticed, then, that the other five assassins had crept closer, three behind Ervin and one on each side of me. More bully tactics. Reif appeared behind me but kept a distance. Without a doubt, I knew he’d back me up if necessary. But I knew it wouldn’t come to a fight. Ervin was loose tongued and arrogant, but he wasn’t a complete fool.

“I say it to ask this,” Ervin said, narrowing his blue eyes. “Why did the king choose you to lead this mission?”

Ah, so that’s it.His feathers were ruffled because he hadn’t been chosen instead of me. He and his men were only there now because I’d requested for them to be.

Ervin continued, “If King Triton assigned this mission to our unit, we’d already be at our destination. Instead, we’re wasting time on this ship while you associate yourself with lowly humans, one of which who used to butcher our kind.” He glanced at Kellan at the helm, and even without seeing his mouth, I knew he was snarling. His eyes then returned to me. “I wonder if you will fail your men again, oh mighty captain.”

“Enough,” a stern voice said from the right.

Ervin instantly went down on one knee and lifted an arm to his chest.

Lorcan strode forward, his head high and his green eyes lethal. He looked so much like King Triton in that moment that it took me aback.