Nik lunged and parried with Faust. He edged in with his weight and shoved Faust.
Faust stumbled and hopped back, sword up to catch another swing, the clang vibrating against his teeth. He’d forgotten Nik was all brute force. He threw his weight forward and charged, kicking up the dirt.
Nik skipped back with quick and light steps, grinning. He fell away and spun into a swing, grinning at the strike that Faust scored. The wind blew Nik’s short hair into a mess, and he narrowed his gaze. “You’ve been practicing.”
Faust grew aware of the way Ignas watched his every movement, eyeing his legs and lower back. “Of course I have! I am not you.”
Nik smirked and leaned back enough for Faust to lose his footing and kicked him in the chest.
He groaned and ducked, the wind nipping at his hair. Faust lunged and swiped at Nik’s leg, but he dodged. Faust rolled away, his arm up to block a sharp kick.
Nik settled on his feet, watching Faust roll away in the dirt.
Faust coughed and shook his head.
“Why do you fight to keep him?” Nik pointed his sword in front of him.
Faust bit his lip. He didn’t want to say it was just to keep him away from Nik. That was only part of the reason. There was something about Ignas he couldn’t explain. His desire for Ignas to be his scorched through his veins in a way he refused to ignore. Faust lunged. “He is my escort.”
“Then fight hard,” Nik baited and swung again. He didn’t let up, pushing Faust back with each swing. He kicked Faust away again and stood ready. “I will enjoy his company.”
Rene huffed at the pair. “Lord Arcus, stop toying with him. If you intend to be half-hearted about your keep on your escort, you will lose.”
Faust stood again and drew his second blade.
“Can you even use two swords?” Nik taunted. “Last I checked, Captain Martel taught no one those skills.”
“Then you have nothing to fear,” Faust said.
Nik sprinted forward.
Faust swung to block with one sword, balancing his weight, and concentrated on pooling magic into his sky stone. Wind shoved his older brother away, and Faust pursued, second sword aimed.
Nik gritted his teeth and blocked, his boots sinking into the ground. “I see . . . my dear brother . . . has been keeping secrets!”
Faust leaned back and kicked.
Nik coughed but tackled Faust instead.
Faust hit the ground hard with a gasp for breath. He focused on his earth stone, and roots breached the ground, shoving Nik away.
Nik flipped back and jumped around the moving roots.
Faust made the roots drop down and jumped from root to root. He used it to propel himself into the air.
Nik followed, jumping on a passing root, stabbing his sword forward.
Faust crashed against Nik’s blade with great force and sparked magic into his water stone. Ice cracked along Nik’s sword.
Nik gasped.
Faust swung his second sword, snapping Nik’s blade in half. The force of his swing sent Nik tumbling back to the ground.
“Stop him!” Rene shouted.
Faust’s stomach dropped.
“Concentrate! Just like the wooden block.”
Faust concentrated. The roots dropped in a rush back into the ground, and his sky stone floated. If he threw too much force into it, his brother would have the same fate as the knights of the castle. The wind flared and rushed down, catching Nik.
Nik cracked his eyes open as he floated.
Faust heaved, balanced in the air, his sky stone in front of him. He touched down, the dirt crunching under his boots.
“Well,” Nik laughed, “I suppose he is yours.”
Faust let the sky stone fall silent again and Nik dropped with a groan. He lifted his hand and the sky stone fell into his palm, butting against the hilt of the sword in his hand. He hooked the stone back in place and sheathed his swords.
“You have succeeded in controlling your magic again.” Rene clapped. “Now fix the ground. It shouldn’t appear like there was a battle here.”
“What?” Nik dusted himself off. “You mean he could have cut me to pieces?”
Faust looked away and concentrated, his eyes closed.
“I would have caught you,” Rene reassured.
Nik scoffed. “It seems there is much to explain. We should relocate to a safe place in the city. The knights will search the forest if we stay any longer.”
The wind brushed against Faust’s clothes and hair, billowing out in a burst of pressure and the sound of distant laughter. He reached out, and something brushed against his magic deep in the ground.
“Lord Arcus?” Rene called.
Faust continued to feel the air with his magic, his earth stone flaring to life at his hip. The wind swirled, and a pleased laughter hit his ears, as if it meant to encourage him.
“What is it?” Rene took a step forward, the dirt crunching under his boots.
Faust moved his hand out in a silent order to stop. He concentrated harder, and the ground rumbled, the rocks dancing. Whatever it was, it demanded that he move it from its burial. He grasped the mass of magic and raised his right hand up fast, his eyes snapping open.
Roots jutted from the ground and burst through the dirt and rock with a loud rumble, cradling a silver and gold chest, constructed from robust metal and without a lock, within the roots.
“A chest?” Nik asked
“Why was something like that buried here?” Rene asked. “It appears to be from the olden days.” Rene looked closer at the chest curled up in the massive roots.
Faust willed the roots to slither back into the ground, and the chest rested on the disturbed soil. He walked toward the mysterious chest, excitement bubbling at the idea the chest could contain something from the distant past.
Rene sighed and lifted his earth stone to finish the task at hand.
Nik caught Faust by the shoulder. “Wait. Let Rene look at it first.”
Faust pouted.
“It could be dangerous,” Nik said.
“Prince Nik is right,” Rene said and put his earth stone away. “How did you know it was there?”
Faust tilted his head. “I felt it. Magic surrounds it.”
“I don't feel anything from it,” Rene said. “We shall carry it back and examine it.” He walked over to a tree and snagged a few branches. Rene used his magic stone to create sturdy bindings to carry the chest without touching it.
Faust didn’t think it was dangerous.
Ignas walked over to Faust. “So, I am yours?”
“Yes,” Faust punctuated, his ears hot with embarrassment. “You better remember that, too.”
“I shall, gorgeous.” Ignas’s lips twitched into a smile. He stroked Faust’s gloved hand, kissing the top of it. “Perhaps, I should take us to a suitable room?”
Faust stood still, unable to form a coherent thought, the strange warmth sinking into his skin again.
Rene threw his sky stone out in front of him and knocked Ignas away with wind.
Ignas laughed and skid to a halt by Zara, who simply chuckled.
Nik raised his eyebrows. “If he wants action, why not let him?”
“The king will not approve,” Rene said.
Nik laughed. “He won’t approve of anyone.”
Faust grabbed his cloak and threw it on.
“I prefer you without that,” Ignas said.