The Art of Courts and Lies (Book 1 in The Gifted Trilogy)

38- A Band of Sisters

"Are you sure this is the best idea?" Katrina muttered from beside me, arms crossed as she watched the eight girls slowly filter into the training room. Some of them studied the room with wary glances while a few pair of eyes immediately landed on the two kings who were currently standing in the middle of the fighting ring.

"You saw what happened yesterday, right?" I gave her a pointed look. "Some of these girls have never held a weapon in their lives. And if this next trial is anything like the last-"

"So your brilliant idea is to arm your competitors with the skills they need to survive so that they have a better chance of outliving you?" Her tone was dry and cold. "I'd consider it a noble act if it wasn't so stars-damned stupid. It doesn't matter how hard you try to protect them. Only six are making it out of this alive."

"If you're so against the idea then leave" I snapped at her, gritting my teeth. "You don't have to be here, you know."

"Of course I do" she scoffed. "Who else is going to teach these girls how to disarm a competitor?"

"Me" I replied pointedly.

"Don't flatter yourself, snowflake." She sent me a predator smile. "There's a reason Kesserian has never allowed you to fight against me in weapon combat."

Before I could even open my mouth to respond, Kesserian silenced the room by bringing his hands together in a thundering clap. Grinning towards the new arrivals, he spoke in a light voice. "Thank you for joining us today ladies. We're glad you could all make it."

"Why are we here?" Briar got straight to the point, raising a brow as she examined the two kings in front of her. Marlowe stepped forward and gestured to himself and Kesserian.

"You're here because we want to help equip you with the skills necessary for you to survive the Garner for as long as possible" he put it simply. "Wren came to us and asked for us to branch out our services to the rest of you so here we are."

"Are you offering us all of the services you provide for Wren?" the girl Leighton replied boldly, sending a suggestive look towards Kess before bringing her attention back to me.

I clenched my jaw as a few of the girls let out giggles. Behind me, Kess began to speak in a tone of forced politeness. "We are standing here, willing to help teach you how to fight back." His gaze broke to me. "But I refuse to train anyone who does not take this seriously.

"In all of the Garner's history, we've never had a group of girls larger than six survive four complete trials" he went on. "We have never had participants that fought to keep each other alive. That banded together rather than ripped each other apart. I cannot say if the way you ten work together is truly wise, but it is admirable." He stepped down from the fighting ring and moved until he was standing by my side.

"So as long as you want to learn how to fight, I will gladly help. But if you're simply here to play gossip and poke holes in each other, I'd suggest leaving immediately and instead visiting the women's parlor. There are plenty of noble ladies there to satiate your rumoring appetite."

A taut silence fell upon the girls as Leighton sent me an apologetic look before staring down at the floor. Marlowe finally broke the silence, rubbing his hands together as he glanced over the group of girls.

"Now," he declared. "Shall we split you all up into two groups?"

*****

Kate's face was scrunched in concentration as she gripped the side of her chair in a white-knuckled grip. Her body was practically trembling in her seat as she let out a grunt from her effort.