But my point that I would like to make before we start all of this is that I don’t want to be a knight. I mean, that whole life, it’s just not me. Ok, all set? Then let’s go.
Chapter One: Talen
It was a lovely day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, it was as clear as clear could be. I hated it. I guess my former (and I say former only to assure Sparhawk and Co., I still am, in many ways, a thief) life as a thief has engraved into my bones the love of the dark and the night and the foggy, rainy days. That was the best time for business, after all. You tried to steal something in broad, clear, daylight and they’d put you away.
Remember how I said I was still in many ways a thief? Well, I was exercising this belief on this ravishing day, trying to sneak off the practice courts and relax in the shade. Honestly, you’d think that after eight years in training, I would have gotten somewhere. But no, I was still outside, sweating and panting with a sword in my hand with the other Trainees. But not for long.
No wonder Sparhawk is so old, if he had to endure all of this training before he was a Knight. That would explain him being grumpy, too. Or, perhaps, that was due to Danae.
The Prince Consort’s pretty little daughter was far from little any more. I remember when she was born, and now she’s nearly sixteen. I guess I’m getting old. I’m almost thirty. Can you imagine, me, thirty? I was sure I’d die before now. But Danae…Danae was reason to fret. And I don’t fret often, believe me.
Sparhawk has already told me my task once I become a Knight – to protect Danae. Seriously! It’s not like the girl’s already got a billion guards to protect her, she’s gotta have me too.
Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl. Danae’s my friend, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes she stares at me when she thinks I’m not looking, and it really scares the shit out of me. You know why? Because that's the way a cat looks before she leaps onto a mouse. And I think I'm the mouse. And I hate being a mouse even more than I hate being a Knight.