Change of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) 📕

Siray smirked at Renhed. ‘I’m surprised it took you this long to find out I had survived.’

Renhed raised an eyebrow. ‘Alive and cocky—a good sign.’ She straightened and moved out onto the balcony, and Siraay pivoted again to face the view as Renhed joined her at the edge.

The rising sun was coating everything in an orange light that belied the freshness of the air, and the dark purple sky was rapidly shifting to a lighter colour.

The spymaster silently took in the view with Siraay for a moment longer before shifting back around to face the bedroom.

Most people would have assumed that the archon’s casual move was just so she could relax back against the short balcony wall, but Siraay knew better.

The spymaster was checking that they were alone.

‘I gather something else was holding your attention during the dark spans?’ Siraay asked directly.

Renhed nodded. ‘News spread quickly about your return to health—especially to Atalia.’

Siraay raised her eyebrows but didn’t turn. Better that they looked like they were having a casual conversation, and positioned as they were, any watching eyes from either direction would only be able to read one of their faces. ‘I take it she’s extremely happy that I’m completely recovered?’ Siraay asked dryly.

Renhed snorted. ‘Happy, no. Experiencing an extreme emotion … yes.’ The spymaster folded her arms. ‘I’ve been thinking that it might pay for you to go down and have a look at the newer soldiers. Inspect their training, identify the highly skilled amongst them. Maybe even choose a couple as your own personal guards.’

The archon said the last bit lightly, but Siraay angled her chin slightly and found the spymaster’s eyes were staring intently into hers.

A warning.

Siraay brushed a lock of her loose hair back behind one ear and turned to look back out over the city. ‘That does sound like fun,’ she agreed easily. ‘I’ll go inspect them this morning after my training session.’

Renhed nodded, although the surprise on the spymaster’s face told Siraay that the archon hadn’t expected her to feel up to training this morning.

Siraay hid a smile. Interesting to note that she had just educated the spymaster on her own strength. Even if, this morning, it was a lie. She still felt weak, of course, after her ordeal, but weakness was not an option here.

Sometime later, well after Renhed had departed, the rays of the rising sun were caressing her balcony when Siraay’s sevonix ears heard the quick intake of breath that told her that Trelar had arrived in her room—and was anxious.

She Changed back into her normal form, feeling stronger already for the time spent healing in her animal body, but she didn’t move from her position on the balcony.

And then came the sigh after Trelar realised where her lady was.

Siraay waited long enough to give Trelar time to creep to the balcony door before she said without turning around, ‘After training this morning, I will be going down to inspect the soldiers from the latest intake. I’m curious to see how their training has progressed.’

‘Yes, lady,’ came the soft reply.

Eventually, Siraay spun away from the view of a glowing morning and stalked inside, not even looking at her servant. Time to get ready.

***

As she faced Loce, her staff raised, Siraay asked, ‘I was really out for four days?’

He nodded. ‘Yeah. I overheard the healers talking—seems like yours is one of the longest cases they’ve ever experienced. But I still don’t quite understand what they were saying. They said you fought yourself?’

He attacked, and Siraay whirled her staff to deflect his blows, then let fall a barrage of her own.

She waited until they had broken apart for a moment before answering breathlessly.

‘Something like that.’ She really didn’t want to get into it. Wanted to forget it, actually. Never mind how the story of her battling for control against two versions of herself would sound to Chezran. Even to her, it sounded like she wasn’t in control. Weak. And weakness …

‘What are you doing after we finish up?’

Siraay’s keen ear picked up a note of desire in Loce’s tone—a note that only females who had experienced the attention of numerous males could detect. She hid her satisfied smile by spinning around and flinging her legs up into the air, her scissor-jump kick forcing Loce backwards to maintain his defence.

When she landed in a crouch, her left arm out for balance while her right still gripped the staff, Siraay said, ‘I’m going to go inspect the soldiers who were part of the group I came in with before I was awakened. I’m keen to see what the results are like after their training was intensified.’

She stood and nodded at Loce, lowering her weapon. That would do for the morning. Sweat ran down Siraay’s back and brow, but her muscles had enjoyed the physical release after being abed for so long. Yet it wouldn’t do to overwork them either.

Nor could she keep up the pretence much longer of being back to full health already.

As Siraay pivoted away from Loce and began walking towards the weapons rack against the wall, she waited for the question to come, and was just two paces away from the rack when he asked it.

‘Care for some company? I would be interested as well, especially as a number of them are soldiers we trained with when we were with the Resistance.’

A slow, knowing smile crept across Siraay’s face as she placed her staff into the vertical holder. Then she wiped it from her expression as she turned, a more pleasantly agreeable countenance now showing, and nodded at Loce. ‘Of course.’

***

Once they had bathed and dressed again, as agreed, Loce met Siraay at the foot of the grand staircase.

Watching her descend from his position at the foot of the stairs, his eyes stayed on her exposed midriff just a heartbeat too long, which she pretended not to notice.

Her dress was a burnished yellow, and the colour set off her