Read Online Without a Front by Fletcher DeLancey - Free Book Online Page B

effort, and for just a moment she saw not her friend but a vanquished opponent. Then her head cleared and she stepped back, retracting her blade.
    â€œIt seems I need no tricks after all. You were kind enough to leave yourself wide open.”
    Micah bent over to retrieve his sword and took his time brushing off the sand before thumbing the grip control. “You mistake my kindness for inferior skills. I left myself open in order to build your confidence.”
    She snorted. “Yes, you’re famed for your kindness.”
    â€œYou’re out of practice, and it would have been detrimental to your confidence had I thoroughly beaten you on your first attempt. Obviously, my duty is not to destroy your mental preparedness, but to increase it.”
    â€œAh. So you allowed your hand to be numbed out of a sense of duty?”
    â€œQuite so.”
    â€œIf you’re going to tell such outrageous lies, you must learn to front better. I can see right through you.”
    â€œYou see what I want you to.”
    Tal laughed and clapped him on the back. “Come, my good and very deluded friend. I’ll buy you a drink to make up for your loss.”

CHAPTER 7 Darzen Fosta
    Â 
    Every morning after her run Tal now enjoyed a sparring session, sometimes with Micah, sometimes with one of her Guards. The resentment she had felt for her Guards shifted into appreciation for their skills and even their companionship, and one night she invited Micah, Gehrain, and several of the senior Guards to her cabin for a game of tiles. She matched them drink for drink, laughing and remembering a time when she had done this far more often. Perhaps she needed to get back to that younger version of herself.
    The next morning she remembered why that was a bad idea and decided that today’s run was going to be at a later time. Much later.
    Her second awakening was kinder than the first, and with a sense of happy anticipation she rose and pulled on her running clothes. The colorizers took mere pipticks to apply; by now the routine was second nature. She left her porch looking like one more runner on the beach, pleased when two Guards magically appeared behind her before she had gone ten steps. Even though her schedule was off this morning, they were prompt and professional. Then again, neither Micah nor Gehrain would allow anything else.
    The air had less of the tang than she was used to from her dawn runs, but the extra warmth of the sun made up for it. In fact, she mused, it was rather pleasant to run this late in the morning. Maybe she would change her schedule.
    The dawn runners had finished their exercise long ago, and she found herself among an entirely different group. They all nodded at her, emanating curiosity and interest at the new person in their midst. As she overtook and passed one runner, she sensed more than the usual interest. If she wasn’t mistaken, the redheaded woman behind her was having distinctly sexual thoughts.
    Tal smiled; she hadn’t felt that in a while. At least not this kind of interest, which was purely physical and not mixed with desire for the power and prestige that came with her title. This woman, whoever she was, had no idea that she was ogling the Lancer of Alsea. And Tal intended to keep it that way.
    She slowed her pace enough for the other runner to catch up and flashed her a smile when they drew even. “Good morning.”
    â€œMorning.” The woman’s long, red hair was pulled back in a tail, bringing her gray eyes and unusually narrow facial ridges into sharp focus. Tal hadn’t seen cheekbone ridges like that in some time and found herself staring at the graceful curves.
    â€œI haven’t seen you here before.” The pleasant voice jolted Tal out of her rather rude assessment. “Did you just arrive?”
    â€œNo, I’ve been here a nineday. But I usually run earlier than this.”
    â€œWhatever for?”
    Tal laughed. “I see you dislike