Free Tanza by Amanda Greenslade Page A

of their human Sleffion-kin, with the exception of Ciera. As the emperor he lead the skyearls and was due the same level of respect as the high commander. He was allowed to give orders to human commanders and lower ranks, but among skyearls he was free to ask anyone to do his bidding. If a conflict arose between an order from the high commander, or a monarch, and Ciera, the skyearl was honour bound to obey the human because ultimately the skyearls were in service to all humans. I wondered what authority I was entitled to simply by being Ciera’s kin. Until I knew more about the Defenders I decided not to test it.
    When Benzar called an end to the seminar, Sarlice and I walked to the Tolite barracks in the new part of town. Tivac had arranged a series of sword-fighting lessons for me, and Sarlice had offered to help.
    ‘Do we have to do this?’ I moaned. ‘I’ve never been one for structured learning.’
    ‘It’s about time you learned how to wield your new sword,’ Sarlice jibed. ‘My Tolite-kin is a warbow, yet I can still best you at sword-fighting.’
    I rested my hand on the hilt of my Tolite-kin. There was an answering tingle from Fyschs, but nothing resembling coherent thought.
    A porter at the barracks directed us to the adjacent sparring room, an immense chamber with hard, yellow dirt packed into the floor. A couple came out to greet us, introducing themselves and Miya and Harlan, our trainers. They each wore loose pants and a tight suit of upper-body armour. Where Harlan was blond, tall and broad, Miya was dark, short and squat. Despite their differences both of them were experts with a sword. Their Tolite-kins gleamed at their sides; Harlan’s was a black broadsword and Miya’s was a razor-sharp rapier.
    There were two other learners, two young Lantaidian men named Salthan and Mach. Salthan, who was rangy and olive-skinned with curly black hair, wielded a steel shortsword with a ruby set into the pommel. Mach was a heavyset man with a gold-coloured broadsword. I nodded to them as we were introduced, then we each fitted our own armour from the rack against the wall.
    Before we began, Harlan inspected each of our weapons, commenting on the quality of their make. Sarlice explained that she was here to help me and showed him her simple steel longsword. When Harlan saw my Tolite-kin, he whistled.
    ‘It’s a pretty weapon,’ he observed. ‘If looks can kill, you might be in luck. It would have been made by Alguhzal. He’s creative when it comes to swords.’
    ‘I don’t know,’ I replied. ‘It appeared on my belt when I came through the Tanzan chasm.’
    ‘Alguhzal puts four or five weapons into the chest every year,’ Harlan explained, ‘or at least he did when he was in Watercrag. Since he’s been here in Lantaid, his production has slowed.’
    ‘The chest?’ I queried.
    ‘Tolite weaponsmiths make many weapons to sell, but ten percent of their work is offered up to Krii,’ Harlan said. ‘The weapons go into a magical chest, which can never be opened. They appear months or years later with new Tolites who pass through the Maitulae.’
    ‘The Curtains of Battle,’ Sarlice explained, ‘which must have been integrated with the barrier shield since the Tolites came here.’
    ‘Yes,’ Miya agreed. ‘The Maitulae is governed by Krii. It is he who chooses when to bestow a Tolite-kin and which weapon suits each person.’
    ‘I’ve never been great with swords,’ I stammered.
    ‘If Krii is to be believed, you will be,’ Miya said.
    ‘Do you know his name yet?’ Harlan asked.
    ‘He is Fyschs,’ I declared.
    Harlan stroked the flat of the blue blade and tapped one of the gold teeth sticking out near the end.
    ‘You and I will spar first,’ he announced. ‘You others watch closely for his weaknesses.’
    We wrapped our blades with bandages so as to draw no blood. Harlan and I bobbed our heads to each other, then he came at me with strength and speed. He got through my guard easily,