The Tales of the Wanderer Volume One: A Book of Underrealm (The Underrealm Volumes 4) Garrett Robinson (poetry books to read TXT) 📖

“I think you should present Li for Kun’s test,” I said. “I have seen her against the others. No one can match her speed, and few even come close.”

Mag pursed her lips, but after a moment she shook her head. “I do not think so. She has the skill, but something is missing inside her. Her attention wanders as often as her gaze. Nimble feet and quick hands are all well and good, but a true warrior needs something more.”

I frowned and paused in feeding Oku a scrap. “What more do you think she needs?”

“A killer instinct,” said Mag. “She never presses the fight hard enough, even when she has an advantage. And when she is on her back foot, she all but gives up. She knows her foe is not really trying to harm her, and it makes her complacent. No matter how many times I tell her to take things more seriously, she does not muster the fire she needs to truly crush her foe.”

Oku had been waiting patiently for me to finish handing him the bit of gristle I had pulled out of my bowl. I fed it to him and scratched him behind the ears. “That is mayhap a good thing while that foe is another trainee,” I said, “but I see your point. Let us hope she can summon that instinct upon the battlefield and survive such a test. But who, then, gives us the best chance?”

Mag was silent for a moment, and then she gave a slow nod as if answering a question in her mind. “Dibu,” she said. “If anyone can secure our position with the Mystics, I think it will be him.”

Dryleaf’s bushy eyebrows shot up. “Dibu? He seems a good man, from the brief conversations we have had. Yet I thought he had not touched a blade until just under a month ago.”

“That is true,” said Mag. “Yet now he nearly matches Li’s skill. I noticed on the second day that Tou seemed to favor him, and soon I saw one reason why. I think if I focus most of my efforts on him, he will surpass Li. He certainly has better instincts. Though he is only training, he never lets up until his opponent is defeated.” A small smile crossed her lips. “Or until he is defeated. After all, I sometimes train with him personally.”

I chuckled. “There is the modesty I have missed in you.”

She scoffed. “As if such a malady has ever plagued me.”

“How have things been with you, Dryleaf?” I said. “You have been often in Taitou, and also wandering around the army’s encampment. Have you learned anything interesting?”

“Nothing I think would be especially helpful,” said Dryleaf. “I am making more progress in the town than in the camp, but there is less information there than here. My best sources are at a house of the Guild of Lovers. They are always glad to welcome a skillfully told story or a good singing voice. And of course, many within Kun’s army visit them often, including some of the Mystics. But you know lovers.”

“Not particularly,” said Mag, smirking.

I chuckled. “They are reticent with their clients’ information, is what he means,” I said. “And well they should be.”

“Indeed,” said Dryleaf. “They will tell me only harmless little items—interesting, but not especially useful, and with no names attached. Everyone knows Kun is training this army to go and fight, but no one knows where, or when, or for what purpose. He could mean to march on the capital, but I do not think so. He does not have enough troops.”

“I agree,” I said. “I still think our first guess is the best one. He means to pursue the Shades.”

“And that means he is our best chance to find Kaita,” said Mag. Her bowl was empty, and she placed it on the ground beside her as she leaned back on her hands. Oku immediately began to lick it clean. “We must win Kun’s trial. Let us hope that he does not deliberate overmuch on his choice of a fighter. If he thinks the trial will be easy, and that any of his Mystics can defeat our champion, he may carelessly choose someone Dibu can overcome.”

I worried about Kun more and more as the days went on, however. He had begun to come around our part of the camp often, looking in on us as we trained our squadrons. He never failed to be exceedingly polite, and I never saw his broad smile falter. “How goes the training?” he would ask, and I would grit my teeth and reply, “Excellent, Captain. You can see for yourself how they are improving.” And Kun would inspect the practice dummies and nod in approval.

He would even go to one or another member of my squadron and give them pointers. “Notice how Albern raises his elbow higher than you? That gives his draw more strength, and it shifts the string less when he looses the arrow. Try to match him.” Even if he did not wish us to remain in his company, he seemed determined to gain as much benefit as possible from our instruction.

Of course, he took even greater interest in Mag’s swordfighters. He would pace around the edges of her practice rings and call out advice or encouragement as the bouts went on. It made some of the soldiers quite nervous. Li, in particular, did not at all enjoy his presence, and her attention wandered even more than usual. Once, she almost dropped her sword when Kun barked at her to press her attack. I began to understand why Mag did not think Li was the best choice.

Yet Kun seemed to have the same opinion that I had held at first. As the days wore on, he focused most of his attention on Li. He observed her evident skill with the blade and the way she toyed with her opponents rather than finish them