Curse of Stolen Flame (Firebird, #1)

CHAPTER 25

That evening, Jasper and Kindra dined together, just the two of them. Kindra had been nervous about it at first, because the last time they shared a meal together, it had ended with Jasper storming out and Kindra’s pride wounded. She’d been worried that this would end similarly.

But they were different now. Or at least, they were trying to be.

So far, the meal had been surprisingly pleasant. Of course, the food was incredible, the roasted meats and vegetables as delicious as ever.

It was Jasper that surprised her. Specifically, it was the fact that she was actually enjoying his company.

She knew they’d been steadily growing closer despite their arguments—especially after last night. But now, with a truce between them and a better understanding, some of the fraught tension had eased, although the tension they’d felt when they’d been mere inches away from kissing each other remained.

That, rather unfortunately, was not going anywhere.

“I heard you beat Tess in a match today,” Jasper said, breaking the comfortable silence that had stretched between them as they ate.

“Yes,” she replied, slicing into a piece of pork. “Just barely, though.”

“The guards were talking about it earlier,” Jasper informed her, shooting her a grin. “None of them could shut up about it, in fact. They also couldn’t stop talking about how you demanded to spar with half the Royal Guard.”

Kindra shrugged, swallowing her mouthful. “I figure it’s as good a way to prove myself to the king as any. And it’ll be good for me.” She offered up a dry smirk. “Haven’t had many opportunities to just spar with people, you know? ”

“It seems you and I are the opposite in that regard,” Jasper mused, leaning back in his chair. He sipped on his goblet of wine. The setting sun cast an orange glow over him; Kindra desperately tried to ignore the way it highlighted his cheekbones and sharp jaw. “I spent a lot of time sparring and not nearly enough doing the real thing.”

“You went to Grydmarth, right?” she asked. At his nod, she continued, “What was that like?”

He shrugged. “Fine, I suppose. Some parts of it were wonderful: the library, the sword masters, and, of course, getting to live off the castle grounds.” His lips quirked upward in a smile that lacked warmth. “But a lot of it was not to my liking. Antone and Sebastian fared much better there.”

“Why’s that?”

“Grydmarth is, ultimately, meant to churn out people for a fierce army. Future generals, like my brothers, powerful fighters for the frontlines...” He gestured to himself. “And I am not either of those things.” He didn’t seem to be self-deprecating as he spoke. Just matter of fact.

“You’re a master swordsman, though,” she blurted, remembering what she’d overheard some of the guards saying about him while at the training grounds and what Jasper himself had said about his skills.

Jasper’s mouth twitched again in a smile—this time a real one, and her cheeks burned.

“Is that what they call me?” When Kindra didn’t answer, he nodded. “I am, yes. Received the highest score in my class at Grydmarth for it—higher than anybody in the last decade, actually.” He couldn’t keep the hint of pride out of his voice at that.

“So, why are you not more active in the army, like your brothers?” Her disdain for the older princes, Antone in particular, overpowered her trepidation surrounding Jasper, and she added, “You are clearly a superior fighter.”

And superior in just about every other regard, too, she was discovering.

Jasper’s mouth opened in shock, delight dancing across his features. “Such flattery, Kindra! I’m honored.” Though his voice was light, it wasn’t mocking. Kindra’s face flushed again.

Jasper continued, his smile fading, “To answer your question, I’m not more actively involved with the army because my brothers do not want me there, and my dear father doesn’t care enough to contradict them. Antone and Sebastian do well enough—neither of them excelled in anything, but they’re decent strategists, and with the sharper minds of the other generals around them, they haven’t totally doomed us. Yet.”

“It’s a shame,” Kindra admitted, “that they don’t involve you more, and only seem to call you in when it’s an emergency.”

He nodded in agreement. “It is. Though they mock my affinity for books, that kind of intelligence is useful in a war room. I think, deep down, they know that, and that’s why they still bring me in during dire situations. They also lack the ability to interact with most people without looking down their noses at them, making them fairly useless when dealing with the general population. That’s why Helena and I handle most of the forward-facing affairs instead.” He shrugged and took another sip of his wine. “They also really hate that I’m a better swordsman than the two of them combined.”

She smiled, not doubting that for a second. “Did you ever spar with them?”

Jasper laughed. “Oh, yes, many times. They loved sparring with me when I was young and scrawny—half of the time they’d forgo the swords and just pummel me with their fists.” Something dark crossed his face, but it was gone in a heartbeat.

“Jasper, that’s awful,” Kindra said. Once again, her heart softened with understanding for him. After Antone’s behavior towards him yesterday, she wasn’t at all surprised to learn that Jasper had grown up being a punching bag for his brothers.

“Of course it was, but that’s why I’m the swordmaster of the family, and they are not.” He grinned with satisfaction. “The first time I beat Antone in a match, he and Sebastian had been gone for several months at Grydmarth. I spent every waking moment they were away training with the Royal Guard. When they waltzed into the ring demanding to fight with their little brother, they were very unprepared. It only took a couple rounds before both of them stormed away, and we never sparred again.” A pause. “Honestly, that’s about the only time I can remember my father being proud of me. ”

Before Kindra could respond, he gestured to her. “And you? What was your training like? I know you learned the ways of your magic on your own, but what about your schooling?”

She scrutinized his voice for any trace of scorn, any suggestion that her upbringing was inferior to his. When she found none, she replied, “There was an older woman in Harthwin who had once studied at one of the academies—the one in Dewport, I think.”

“Ah, yes, Miralt Academy.” Jasper nodded for her to continue.

“Right. Well, I don’t know how she ended up in Harthwin, but she’s been our equivalent of a teacher for as long as I’ve been alive. She made sure all of us could read and write and taught us about the history of Alverin.” She smiled sheepishly. “She also did her best to teach us some mathematics as well, but I never took to that too much.”

“You are not alone in that,” Jasper replied. “I struggled with it too.” He regarded her with a keen interest that made Kindra fidget in her seat. “So, history, mathematics, what else? Any literature?”

Kindra narrowed her eyes. “What is this, an interrogation?”

He shook his head rapidly. “No, no. I apologize. I’m just curious, that’s all. Forgive me if I seem overeager.”

She relaxed a bit. “Fine,” she relented. “I got to read some literature. But we didn’t have a library. It was just Ms. Padalyn’s—that’s the teacher—her personal collection. She tried to find ways to get more books for us, but unless she made the journey to Mistbarrow or Bridgewood, it was hard to come by new titles. I acquired a few books of my own over the years, but only a dozen or so.”

Jasper nodded thoughtfully. “I am glad that you had access to what seems to be a quality education.”

Again, an opportunity to mock her, but he sounded entirely serious. Still, Kindra didn’t quite trust it. “I’m sure you’re relieved to be marrying somebody literate.”

“Of course I am.” He gave her an exasperated look. “Aren’t you relieved to be literate as well?”

He had her there. She took a long sip of her wine. “Sure I am. Makes life a lot easier.”

They sat in silence for a moment. It was not quite awkward, but not quite easy, either .

Jasper broke it. “I wish you would trust that I don’t think you’re beneath me because of your background.”

“I never said that,” she said defensively.

“You don’t have to say it, Kindra.”

She worried her bottom lip. She had been quite obvious with her distrust. “Why would I?” She shrugged. “I have no official schooling. I don’t hold a certificate from one of the academies. I was taught by an old woman in my tiny village of not even a hundred people. The farthest I’d traveled before you showed up was to Mistbarrow.” Jasper opened his mouth to interrupt but closed it when she held up a hand.

“So, with all these marks against me, why wouldn’t I expect you—a prince who graduated with distinction from the greatest academy in Alverin; somebody who has traveled hundreds of miles across our kingdom, who has had access to all the knowledge and training anyone could ask for—why would I not expect you to look down on me?” She cocked her head as she looked at him. “ I know that I am smart and capable, despite what some people may say are shortcomings. But why would I expect you to know it?”

Jasper considered her words, regarding her thoughtfully. When he finally spoke, his words were soft, but serious. “I know we’ve already talked about this, but I really do not put myself in your shoes as much as I ought to.”

“You don’t,” Kindra agreed, then conceded, “But it goes both ways. I also don’t consider you as much as I should.”

“Oh?”

She nodded. She’d avoided saying this last night when she apologized, but it was necessary. Before she lost her courage, she said, “It was easier to believe that because you are royalty, your life has been devoid of hardship. And in all the material ways, it has been.” Jasper nodded his agreement. “But you…”

She looked down at her plate, pushing around the few remaining bites with her fork. “You have had your own struggles, just as I have had mine. And I’ve realized that we actually have more in common that I initially thought—or wanted to believe.”

She glanced back up at him, and found that he was smiling at her, that delicate, reverent look back on his face. She fidgeted under his gaze. He raised his glass in a toast, just for them. “Well, here’s to considering each other, Kindra.”

She raised her glass in response. “I’ll drink to that.”