Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1)(63)

“But Grei Heks said that all will be lost if we don’t produce an offspring.”

“Can we at least rescue the Krigers first? Once that’s done, I’ll consider it.”

He drummed the stick against the side of the rock. “Very few are lucky enough to marry for love. Marriages are political alliances, insurance policies, or money driven.” He threw the stick on the ground. “I want to end the curse and free Nelebek. I won’t take any chances of something going wrong.”

“I get that. But you must understand that I’ve only thought of you as a friend and not in any other capacity.”

A small smile spread across his face. “Is the thought of marrying me really so unappealing to you?”

“That’s not it. If Grei Heks says it will happen, then won’t it happen naturally?” Although, I couldn’t see our friendship developing into something more.

Vidar laughed, the sound bitter. “Kaia, there is nothing natural about the life I’ve lived for the past hundred years. No one is going to alter the course of my life again. I’m going to make sure things happen the way they’re supposed to from here on out. If that means we have to marry and have a child, so be it.” He stood and stormed away.

When I first discovered I was a Kriger, deep inside of me it felt right, as if a missing piece of my life was finally in place. The idea of marrying Vidar seemed as if I was falling over a cliff to a jagged, rocky valley below.

***

The rest of the morning, Anders and I practiced various moves. After a midday meal, we sparred with one another until I was comfortable using the bo staff in a fight. By changing my grip, I could tailor it for use in either close quarter or long-range combat. Before long, it felt like an extension of my limbs.

“You’re ready,” Anders said. “Tomorrow you’ll focus on connecting your power to the bo staff’s magic.”

With any luck, the task would come to me as easily as using the weapon had. I didn’t want to burn down half the forest in the process. Or worse, hurt someone.

“You need a break,” Anders said. “Are you up for a little adventure? Or would you rather head back to the cave?”

“I could use a little fun.” The idea of returning to the cave and facing Vidar wasn’t very appealing right now.

“Follow me.” We headed deeper into the forest, the trees becoming denser, blocking out the sunlight. The sound of pine needles swaying in the wind sounded all around us. After walking about half a mile, the trees abruptly ended, revealing a small lake. A fifteen-foot waterfall fed into it. The water flowed quickly, splashing through a narrow channel at the other end, dumping into a lake below.

Anders stripped off his leather vest, shoes, and socks while I did the same.

“Um,” he awkwardly said, running a hand through his hair. “Would you mind if I removed my undershirt? I don’t want to get it wet.”

Oh. The water was clear, and he wouldn’t be concealed. My body felt like it was suddenly next to a fire as heat coursed through me and my face turned red. The prospect of seeing him half-naked made me uneasy. If this were Vidar, would I feel the same way?

“Kaia?” he asked, waiting for my answer.

“No, I don’t mind.” I shouldn’t mind, couldn’t mind. This was Anders, an assassin, and Vidar’s best friend.

In one swift motion, he pulled his shirt above his head, tossing it to the ground near his boots. He went to the edge of the water, and the sun glistened off his back, exposing crisscrossed lines that permanently scarred his body. A sick feeling emerged in the pit of my stomach.

He dove into the water, surfacing a minute later. “It’s rather cold,” he said. “Definitely not fed by a warm spring.”

The image of his scars was seared into my mind. Did he get them from his years as a slave? Or when he trained to be an assassin? Or was it something else? I knew very little about him.

“Are you coming in? Or are you just going to stand there?” he asked.

I fidgeted with the end of my sleeve, shifting my body weight from foot to foot. “Turn around,” I demanded. Anders raised his eyebrows and complied. I removed my pants and jumped in the chilly water.

“Can I look now?”

“Yes.”

“What did you do?” he asked as he examined me. His eyes widened. “You don’t have pants on.”

“No.” I went under the water again. It was utterly clear and several fish swam by. I resurfaced and said, “Pants are hard to swim in.”

He shook his head, and then started swimming toward the shore.

“Where are you going?”

He grinned. “Wait and see.” After climbing out of the water, he headed into the cover of the trees. A few minutes later, he appeared at the top of the waterfall. I waved to him, and he jumped, plunging under the water. A moment later, he came up with a huge smile plastered across his face. “You should try it.”

It looked fun, but I didn’t want to climb up there with my bare legs exposed.

Sensing my hesitation, Anders taunted me, “What? Kaia—the mighty Kriger—afraid of heights?”

“Oh, please. It’s not that high.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

I bit my lip and glanced at my clothing sitting near the shore.