Page 7 of A Warrior's Heart

Sweat caked in my hair, and my arms weighed heavily. But I kept going.

I might not be as strong as Malik or Reif, but I excelled in archery. I very rarely missed my target and was quick on my feet. I’d even learned how to shoot two arrows at once.

Yet, Malik thought me weak. A burden.

Anger boiled in my veins, and I ran to retrieve my arrows from the dummies before taking position and shooting them all again. I did this several more times, releasing twenty arrows and retrieving them afterward.

As I took aim at the middle target, I heard a noise behind me and flung around, arrow still positioned on the string.

Malik put his hands up, eyeing the arrow aimed at his throat. “Easy.”

He stood at six feet and seven inches, had short, raven black hair, and his orange eyes glowed. He was a mountain of muscle and power. A protector.

I lowered the bow. “What do you want?”

“You’re angry with me,” Malik said, a crease forming in his brow. “Eva warned me that you might be.”

“Of course I’m angry!” I pulled the arrow back on the bow and released it without looking at the target. I knew I’d hit the dummy in the chest.

“Calm down.” Malik barged forward and removed the bow from my hands.

He was so close that I felt the heat coming off his large body, and tingles moved along my skin.

Malik had been part of my life ever since I was a child. He’d become Lorcan’s personal guard, and with Lorcan being my best friend, that meant Malik had been around me all the time too. When my parents were slain, King Triton had taken me in and given me a home in the palace.

Lorcan was gone. Eva and Malik were leaving soon.

It wasn’t fair. I didn’t want to be alone.

“I want to go with you.” My voice sounded pitiful, even to me.

“I cannot risk your life, young one.”

“Why?” My anger told me to push him away, but I found his warmth too comforting. Too safe. “I’m an asset, and you know it. You recall the battle in Black Hallows? How I not only saved Reif’s ass several times butyoursas well?”

His orange eyes darkened a bit, and he grabbed my wrist. “I could not bear it if…” He released me and stepped back. “Take my word, Troy. This will be dangerous.”

“More dangerous than battle?”

“Perhaps.” Malik snatched the dagger from the holster on his hip and began to slowly turn it in his hand, staring off into the distance. “At least in battle, you know what to expect. This mission will be different.”

“And you can’t tell me what the mission is.”

His sigh was barely audible. “The human king is searching for something. A weapon of legend. If he finds it, life as we know it will end. Our home here in Avalontis could very well be destroyed. Many lives will be taken. To avoid such a grim fate for our people, it’s imperative for me to find it first.”

“A weapon of legend? What is it?”

Malik’s jaw tightened. “I cannot say. The fewer who know, the better.”

“Please.” I stepped forward. “Allow me to go with you. I can help.”

“No.”

“I’m not a child, Malik,” I snapped. “If you’re worried about my safety, it’s a risk I’m willing to take. And if your decision is based on me being a burden, I can assure you that’s not the case.”

Something flickered in his eyes, and for a moment, I thought I had convinced him. But then he shook his head and moved farther away from me. “The answer is no, Troy.”

“Then why are you here?” I balled my hands into fists. “Why come see me?”