Other Worldly Ways (Anthology 1) Read Free Page A

art. Shaking my head, I politely inquired about Dalfar's single panther on his right bicep.
    "Tough at first, then I got used to it," he lifted his cup of Falchani black and drank. "Look, I have to get started now if I expect to make the first post by nightfall. I'm glad we met, Devin of the Mountain Hawk."
    With a heavy sigh, I watched him shoulder his pack and walk out of the cooking tent. Then, smiling slightly, I recalled that he wasn't wearing underwear and likely didn't own any.
    * * *
    "Up." The command was becoming familiar. I faced a woman this time, but Crane and Veykan taught me not to see gender when I fought. Crane even altered his appearance with power on several occasions, just to teach me what it was like to face a female opponent.
    After my initial bout of the giggles, Crane proceeded to beat me soundly in front of his twin brother, Dragon. I learned quickly to see only an opponent—gender didn't matter. "A warrior will take any advantage he can," Dragon informed me on a rare occasion—he always left my instruction to Crane and Veykan. "You must take care not to give an enemy that advantage. Instead, look for his weaknesses and use those to your benefit. You'll live longer." There was a reason Dragon was now First among the Saa Thalarr. He had the experience of command, as well as tactical expertise in the field.
    My female opponent fought with a single blade, just as the first two I'd faced. Wondering if I'd see a two-bladed warrior before getting ousted, I concentrated on blocking the warrior's blows. She was taller than I but in the end, two blades beat back the single sword.
    "Bout over," the officer called when I drove the woman past the boundary of the fighting square.
    "You fight very well," she offered her hand to me before leaving. I thanked her and nodded respectfully, as any good Falchani warrior should.
    * * *
    After a short trip to the nearest bucket of water for a drink, I wandered through the maze of fighting squares, watching the bouts still going on. A time limit of half a Falchani click was placed on the bouts. If the fight went to the limit, two officers had to make a decision on the winner. I watched as two bouts, both fought between warriors wielding two blades, were called because of time constraints.
    * * *
    "Up."
    I faced my first two-bladed warrior in my final bout for the day. Considering it might be my last bout in the Trials, I watched him carefully as he gripped both swords in his hands and came after me.
    This one taunted me as we fought. "How long have you been off your mother's breast?" he jeered. I ignored him and paid attention to his feints and blocks. He was weak—very weak—on his left side. No surprise, as he was right-handed. I focused my attack on that side, ignoring his insults. Those became fewer and farther between as he struggled to block my attack on his weak side.
    "Do not leave the fighting square," the officer warned as my opponent's heel came close. He attempted to rally against my attack, but his blows were going astray; his left arm was tiring.
    "Always press your advantage," Crane said. I did so now, my blades ringing against his in the heat of the Falchani sun as he labored to parry my strikes. The heel of his left boot scuffed across the line in a puff of dust as I lunged forward to tap his chest with my right blade.
    "Bout over," the officer called. Blowing out a breath, I watched as my opponent sheathed his blades and stalked away.
    I'd survived my first day of Solstice Trials.
    * * *
    If my math skills were correct, the first day had whittled the competition to a fraction of what it had been in the beginning. I stopped to watch a few bouts on my way to the shared tent—I needed a bath before going for the evening meal.
    With a clean, white gah, the rough bar of soap and a comb in hand, I walked toward the bathing tents. There would only be three bouts the second day; two in the morning, one in the afternoon. The same schedule would be used on the