At first Adalia watched then helped the younger ones learn their individual weapons. Archer had a passion for bows and arrows and he had passed that to the third youngest child, the others favored knives just as much as she did. Novia was excellent with a blade. Adalia wondered whether her brother knew what his future bride was capable of. She had to admit that beyond the perfectly braided hair and made up face, Novia was lethal with a sword.
Archer stepped into the center of the ring, in the battle field, with Novia. He was teaching her how not to lose her footing in a close combat. He charged at her, tried to knock her off her feet but it looked like Novia could read every movement he made. She jumped, blocked and charged. Not once did her foot step out of the ring. Adalia awed at the way Archer looked at his sister. It was a look of pride and accomplishment.
Once the younger ones were done, it was Archer and Adalia’s turn in the ring.
“You are very kind with your siblings,” she watched his hands as they spoke.
“They are big part of me,” he smiled.
“What are you training them for? I don’t see why the little ones should be here,” she and Randi were the only ones who were allowed on a mock battle ground. The younger ones were taught with wooden blades and cushions to make their landings on the ground smoother.
“They need to learn. Now more than ever,” he said the last part in an almost whisper.
Adalia felt a pang of guilt surge into her heart. But she wasn’t going to allow herself or Archer to think about the idiotic sacrifice he had made on her behalf. Once she had gotten Archer’s rhythm pegged down, Adalia charged him and in ten seconds she had him flat on his back. But he was back on his feet in a fraction of a second. They fenced into the bushes and into the garden, calling a large audience to gather around them. They didn’t notice until Archer had Adalia flat on her back and him on top.
There was a roar of applauds, then Lionel’s voice pierced through. “Very good, I hope that by the time the week ends Archer would have changed his mind about leading the scouts and marriage. You are an asset and would make a perfect daughter in law and queen,” he winked at his son then walked back into the stone palace.
Archer got to his feet and pulled Adalia up with him. “Sorry I didn’t mean to-,”
“Hurt me?” Adalia cut in a scornful look on her face. “Are you apologizing because I’m a girl?”
“No, I was going to say, I’m sorry for getting you dirty,” he winked at her. “I know you are more than capable of handling any bodily harm I may have caused you.”
She was happy that he didn’t treat her like a porcelain doll, but miffed that he didn’t care if she was injured.
“That’s not a nice thing to say,” she frowned.
“What do you mean?” Archer was confused. He was treating her exactly how he thought she wanted to be treated, like a man. He thought he should irritate her a bit more. With his fist he brushed against Adalia’s jaw, making her groan out in pain.
“What do you think you are doing?” Her hand went up to her face and cupped where his fist had left a dull red spot.
“What are going to do about it?” He giggled then turned around and began walking away.
Adalia took this as a challenge. She flexed her shoulders and let her wings sprout out from under her skin. “I’ll show you what I’m going to do about it,” she took a couple of paces back, then in three long strides she pushed herself into the air, her wings pulling and pushing the air at her sides. Adalia swooped over Archer, hooked her feet under his armpits and lifted him into the air with her. Adalia went straight up into the air. When she felt she was high enough she made a loop and tossed Archer into the air.
***
Archer had heard her mumbling a couple of things to herself. But never had he thought that he would be in the air without the support of his own wings. That a girl would dare challenge him by making him look helpless and her having all the control. But he liked it. His insides lurched as he was tossed into the air. He didn’t deploy his wings just yet. Archer was dropping and fast. He had the pleasure of seeing Adalia’s eyes bulge out in fright when he got close to the ground. When he thought he was close enough his wings shot out and in a second he was right beside Adalia.
“Why would you do something so stupid?” she wanted to punch him. But she couldn’t risk lunging at him, startling him and meeting his razor sharp wings. The wings were fun but they were also a weapon.
“The rush,” This was what he could control. To him, dropping from the sky and having those delicate couple of seconds for him to fly back up was something he could control. In that pocket of time he controlled his life and his death.
“That wasn’t funny,” she was smiling but she didn’t find the whole idea of Archer dying to be hilarious. “You want to fly with me?”
He looked into her smiling eyes and all he wanted to say was yes. But his tongue was caught by the beauty in her wings. He wondered how they would look in the moonlight, but then he remembered. He had seen black wings in the moonlight, they weren’t hers but Xander. She was with him that night, flying with him. He couldn’t bear the thought of having left over. She had already had this experience with another man.
Archer’s wings stopped flapping. He froze and his wings were just as still as he was. Archer dropped to the ground but the air beneath his wings eased his way down. His feet touched the ground in a loud thud and a cloud of dirt rose around him. Adalia followed him down. Wondering what she could have said to disturb their tranquil moment together.
“What is it?” She followed him behind. But as much as she tried her tiny feet couldn’t match his long strides. Adalia let her wings out. She jumped midair and landed right in front of Archer. She used her wings to block his path and pulled him into them. It was like they were in their own little pocket of privacy.
Adalia didn’t drop her wings and Archer didn’t dare try to get through them. Archer skimmed his gaze over her then swallowed hard. She watched him, her gaze sliding down from his intense gaze to his jaw. Taking in the slide of his Adams apple then his broad full shoulders. She felt her stomach dance with nerves.
Adalia pressed her eyes closed then sucked in a quick breath determined to clear her head. “We need to talk,” she opened her eyes slowly to find him gazing at her. Her eyes were trying to look everywhere but at him but thanks to her impulsive thinking there was nowhere else to look.
***
“Look at me,” Archer wanted to gaze into her dark eyes. They always had a way of holding him in a moment. He loved seeing his reflection in her eyes because it made him feel like he was the only one she saw. He bit into his lower lip when a thread of sweat rolled down her neck and into her cleavage.
Adalia looked up and met his gaze. His eyes darkened with emotion and she felt a visceral tightening in her stomach. “Ohm… yeah,” her eyes round up when he lifted his hand to her cheek. Her breath caught as his head lowered to hers. Their lips were inches from each other when an alarm rang in her head. What the hell was she doing? Adalia tucked her wings in her back and ran away.
Archer watched as she ran from him. He felt a tight knot form in his chest as sadness twisted through him as realization sank in. She wasn’t his. Adalia belonged to someone else.