The Study of Fire (The Study Chronicles: Valek’s Adventures #3)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

V alek leaned on the fence, watching the soldiers train in the yard outside the castle complex’s barracks. It was day thirty-six of the cooling season, and his breath fogged in the crisp morning air. However, his thoughts warmed him. They were on Yelena and their last night together.

Yelena had revealed she would be allowed to travel to Ixia now that the Commander’s order for her execution had been nullified. Filled with joy over the news, he had said, “I’m looking forward to your first official visit as the liaison between Ixia and Sitia. But don’t wait too long. Please.” Valek had been only partially successful at keeping his pleading tone to a minimum.

A familiar ache throbbed in his chest at being parted from Yelena, but they both knew she needed to continue her magical studies. At least she had promised to visit soon.

“Fancy a challenge, sir?” Janco asked.

Valek’s thoughts jerked to the present. He turned to Janco, who stood with his partner Ari, and Maren inside the training yard.

“It depends,” Valek said.

Janco smiled at the familiar response. “On what?”

“Whether or not you can offer me a challenge.”

“Normally, I’d be insulted, but you have a point. Which is why I’m not challenging you alone.”

This was new. Valek straightened. “You’re not?”

“No. We are. All three of us.”

Interesting. “Is that allowed?” Valek asked.

“Nothing in the rules says it isn’t,” Ari said.

“There are rules?” Valek asked.

“Not officially.” Ari gestured to the soldiers in the yard. “But we all know that if someone beats you in a fight, they’ll win the right to be your second-in-command. You can turn down the challenge if you’re so inclined, and, if you don’t, the challenger chooses the weapon. That’s it.”

“There’s nothing that says we can’t team up,” Janco said.

“Nothing official,” Valek confirmed.

“So, make it official,” Maren said with a huff of impatience. “Decide if we can attack en masse or not.”

Valek had expected Ari and Janco to eventually team up and challenge him, adding Maren was a new wrinkle. It’d only been four days since they’d returned from their adventures with Ambassador Signe in Sitia, but Valek was well rested. The extra time spent in the Avibian Plains with Yelena had rejuvenated his body and soul.

He sized the three of them up. Long and lanky, Janco matched Valek’s height of six feet. Ari stood another four inches taller than them. He had broad shoulders and thick muscles that belied his flexibility. With her athletic build, Maren could hold her own. As usual, her long blond hair had been pulled back into a ponytail.

“How long does it take to decide?” Janco asked. “Can we fight you three against one or not?”

“You can, but there will be rules,” Valek said. “You can’t gang up on me. No tackling me from behind.”

“Gang up? Isn’t that what we’re doing?” Janco asked.

“It’s different. Your goal will be to disarm me, but two of you can’t grab and hold me while the other attacks.”

“That’s more like street fighting,” Janco said. “And that would be cheating.”

“Then you agree to my terms?” Valek asked.

“Yes, sir,” all three said in unison.

“Weapon?”

“Bo staff.”

Valek raised an eyebrow at Maren.

She shrugged. “It was a group decision.”

Interesting. Four people wielding five-foot wooden staffs would need plenty of room to maneuver. They would attract a crowd. And he’d have to set some new rules if the threesome beat him. Valek didn’t want large teams of soldiers attacking him.

The other soldiers had already sensed something unusual. They’d stopped training and were watching the exchange.

Valek removed his short cape and broadsword but left his uniform shirt on. He hopped the training yard’s fence and Janco handed him a bo staff before he, Ari, and Maren walked out to the middle. The area immediately cleared of people, but they didn’t go far. The onlookers formed a wide ring around the fighters. A heavy blanket of silence settled over everyone as the trio fanned out into a semicircle facing Valek.

All right then . Holding the bo in a ready position—horizontal in front of him with his hands about two feet apart—he moved closer to his opponents. There wasn’t a referee, so they waited for his signal.

“Begin,” he said.

Janco attacked first, moving fast as he swung his bo, aiming for Valek’s ribs. “Three against one, this is gonna be fun.”

Cries of encouragement sounded from the growing group of onlookers.

Valek jerked his bo upright and blocked the strikes while keeping track of Ari and Maren in his peripheral vision. It made sense for the three of them to spread out and try to surround him.

Ari disappeared from sight, Valek spun in time to counter an overhead strike from Ari. His hands and the wooden staff vibrated with the force of the blow. The crowd ooohhhed .

Ari’s next strike aimed for Valek’s temple. He ducked under it and spun again. He needed to keep all three in front or to the sides of him.

Maren tried to sweep his feet, but he jumped onto her weapon, forcing it to the ground. The maneuver pulled the weapon from her grasp, and he shuffled close, jabbing the end of his bo into her solar plexus. Loud boos filled the air even though he hadn’t hit her too hard; just enough to knock the wind from her lungs and push her to the ground, keeping her out of the fight for a few minutes.

How hard to hit his opponents was his biggest problem. He didn’t want to break bones or cause any concussions, but he needed to slow them down. Ari and Janco immediately stepped between Maren and Valek, protecting their teammate.

They attacked in sync, aiming for Valek’s ribs. The noises of the onlookers dimmed to a mere buzz as he backpedaled out of their range. No longer swinging their weapons, Ari and Janco pursued him. Perfect. Valek planted his back foot and charged toward them. Surprised by the sudden change in direction, they hesitated for a fraction of a second. Long enough that when Valek swung his bo, they couldn’t properly block it.

He hit both of them on their wrists. Then he snapped a front kick to Janco’s bo. It flew from his hand. However, a kick to Ari’s bo was unsuccessful. Considering the corded muscle on Ari’s forearms, it wasn’t a surprise. While Janco scrambled after his weapon, Ari charged—an alarming sight—like a bull focused on a big red bullseye that happened to be on Valek’s chest.

Rhythmic clacking sounded as Ari attacked with a series of hard strikes that threatened to crack Valek’s staff. Rib, rib, temple, temple, rib, temple. Uppercut. Valek jumped back and Ari’s bo grazed his chin instead of catching him under his jaw. Too close for comfort.

Movement to his left alerted him. Valek ducked but he wasn’t fast enough. Maren’s bo slammed into his shoulder. Before the pain could register, Janco tried to sweep his legs. Valek lifted his right foot, letting the weapon hit his left ankle. Pain raced up his leg. He set his foot down and trapped the bo between his ankles. Spinning, he yanked it from Janco’s grip again. Ari and Maren backed up as it swung around.

Valek caught sight of the Commander standing in the crowd. Oh lovely. I better up my game and put on a show. He went on the offensive.

Increasing the speed of his attacks and blocks, Valek kept moving. At one point, he planted his bo and used it to support his weight as he did a series of spinning kicks, hoping to crack their weapons and knock them off balance. Ducking and weaving, he shuffled in close, limiting his opponents’ ability to swing, but allowing Valek to rap their knuckles. He also aimed for their thumbs and wrists. Too bad they figured out his strategy.

“Back off,” Ari ordered, and they spread out. “Initiate phase two. Janco, you’re up.”

Phase two sounded ominous. Instead of attacking together, Ari and Maren stepped back, letting Janco engage with Valek. Janco poured on the speed, managing to get a few good solid hits to Valek’s torso. Valek wasn’t sure what was more alarming, the speed or the silence. For once, Janco didn’t sing out his rhymes. It added a deadly intensity to his attack.

Just when Valek tuned into the cadence of the fight, Janco stepped back, allowing Ari to take a turn. The big man’s hard blows didn’t get through Valek’s defenses, but each strike sent a wave of fatigue through his arms. When Maren replaced Ari, Valek realized their scheme. They planned to tire him out, while they rested. Waiting to implement this tactic until mid-fight was a genius move. If they’d started with one-on-one, he’d have had plenty of energy to defeat them.

Knowing their strategy didn’t help Valek at all. He cursed under what was left of his ragged breath. They did another round of one-on-one.

“Phase three,” Ari said. They attacked together.

Valek scrambled to block and dodge as his collection of bruises increased. His energy leaked at an alarming rate. No longer on the offensive, Valek was fighting to survive. His world shrank to the movements of the weapons and the sound of wood clacking wood.

In the middle of the melee, Ari dipped down and swung his bo toward Valek’s ankles. Valek mistimed his jump, and the staff swept his feet out from underneath him. He landed hard on his back. The impact rattled his bones and knocked his bo from his hands. Valek looked up in time to see three bo staffs aimed at his neck, the ends less than an inch away from his skin. The threat was clear. One move, and they could crush his windpipe.

“Concede?” Ari asked.