Page 19 of Queen of the Shadow

“Unless you’re too weary,” she said.

He grunted a nonanswer before picking up his pole and striding back from the sand pit to where Scáthach had begun her vault much earlier that morning. He gripped his pole exactly as she had, bent, and sprinted to the pit. His pole hit the X. His launch was as powerful as hers had been. His legs stretched up, up, up, and his body twisted gracefully before he arched back to land on his feet, knees bent, exactly as Scáthach had.

The warriors erupted into cheers as Cuchulainn met Scáthach’s gaze. His eyes shined with surprised joy. “I did it!” he said.

Scáthach smiled. “You did. Now, tell me, how could you use the vault feat in battle?”

Cuchulainn’s eyes widened with understanding. “I could breach the walls of a castle or vault over a moat or spear-lined ditch.”

“Or tar set aflame to trap you,” said Fergal.

“Or you could vault over a stream that has become too swollen to cross safely,” offered another student.

Cuchulainn nodded enthusiastically. “Indeed.”

“Yes, exactly. Now take a break and get some water,” Scáthach said. She mouthedwell doneto Cuchulainn as the students and Uathach congratulated him, and then they all jogged to the water barrel to wash and drink.

“He’s a fast learner,” Tabiti said as she joined Scáthach on the practice field.

“He is,” she said.

“The other students seem to like him.”

“They do,” Scáthach agreed. “And for more reasons than his physical prowess. He cheers them on and he doesn’t bluster or brag about his abilities.”

“Not yet he doesn’t,” said Tabiti.

Scáthach turned to her friend. “Why don’t you like him?”

“It’s not that I dislike him. I don’t trust him because of the ease with which he moves through life,” Tabiti admitted, keeping her voice low.

“Neither you nor I can possibly know what his life has been like until now,” Scáthach said, surprised by the judgment in her friend’s voice.

“Of course we can. He’s a young man who, from the time he was a boy, has been the darling of Ulster. He’s a man born into royalty. He’s beautiful and talented and beloved. How difficult could his life have possibly been? The way the bard tells it, Cuchulainn is charmed.” Tabiti met Scáthach’s gaze steadily. “He’s never had to fight off a dozen men to keep from being raped. He’s never had to outperform every man in his territory just so he would be accepted as a warrior.”

“I hear you, and I don’t disagree. I also don’t wish to judge him before he has shown us who he truly is.” She rested a hand on Tabiti’s shoulder. “I would ask you to do the same.”

Tabiti sighed. “I know what you’re asking is the right thing to do, but it is difficult.” Her lips twisted into a sardonic smile. “As I may have mentioned before, it is much easier to live as my people do in Scythia—apart from men.”

Scáthach grinned. “You may have mentioned it a time or twenty.”

“So, you’re moving on to the underwater feat this afternoon?” Tabiti asked.

“Actually, we’re moving on to it now.”

“No midday meal first?” Tabiti frowned. She enjoyed aiding Scáthach and Uathach in teaching the underwater feat. It was her favorite of the feats.

Scáthach raised a brow. “Hungry?”

“Always,” Tabiti admitted. “But I’m thinking of the students, too. You know how much energy the drills for the underwater feat take. They’ll need food to recharge.” Before Scáthach could respond, Tabiti jerked her chin up toward the castle battlements.

Scáthach followed her gaze to see the distinct outline of a man holding a harp. “Has he been watching all morning?”

“Notallmorning. He doesn’t rise that early.”

Scáthach sighed. “Had my mother not told me to say yes to the bard, I would have sent him on his way after last night.”

Tabiti lifted a shoulder. “Well, he’s going to make up ballads about the training whether he’s actually here or not. Maybe he’ll be more accurate now.”