Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows, #1)

by Devney Perry

He lunged, another overhead strike, and rather than stand tall, I shuffled backward, tripping over my own godsdamn feet. I fell right on my ass. Hell. This was hell. The Guardian glowered down at me, his frustration as palpable as the rain. He pointed the sword at my face, and for a moment, I wondered if this was it. If he’d tested me, deemed me unworthy, and would rid Turah of a weak princess. The blade’s tip was a whisper against my forehead as he used it to pick up a curl of my soaked hair. The dye was washing out. I could practically feel the brown coating my cheeks. My shirt. It would mix with the mud, making me look as dirty as I felt. “I said don’t fall.” He pulled back his sword, and the curl fell to stick to my face. “Ready to quit?” I couldn’t quit, no matter how much I wanted to say yes. “Never.” “Good.” He waved me to the center of the ring. “Your first instinct is to retreat. You must stand your ground. Move to the side. Create an opening to strike. But do not go backward. You’ll just land on your ass. Again.” “Move to the side. Got it.” I pushed to my feet, taking one heartbeat to breathe. Then I pointed both knives toward his smug face. “Ready.”