A Sword of Fortune and Fate: Dare Valari Book 1 Read online

  A Sword of Fortune and Fate

  Dare Valari Book 1

  Devyn Jayse

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Exclusive Offer

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Thank You For Reading!

  Acknowledgments

  A SWORD OF FORTUNE AND FATE

  (DARE VALARI BOOK 1)

  THE DARE VALARI SERIES BOOK 1

  Devyn Jayse

  A Sword of Fortune and Fate

  Book 1 of the Dare Valari Series

  Copyright © 2017 Devyn Jayse

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover design by Natasha Snow.

  To my parents.

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  1

  The blade's sharp edge missed me by a finger's breadth.

  I jumped back before it could bite me. I needed to be faster, or I would soon be nursing a serious wound.

  Before the weapon could threaten me again, I raised my own weapon and surged toward my attacker. He was quick and parried my offense. We were moving so quickly that all I saw was the silver of his blade and gray of his uniform. Sounds of metal echoed through the hall as our swords clashed.

  My opponent was relentless, striking quick heavy blows against my blade. I blinked against the sweat dripping into my eyes. Wiping it away was out of the question as I was concentrating so hard that I couldn't even shake my head to disperse it.

  Heavy footsteps sounded against the stone floor, rushing toward us. I risked a glance to see who was coming. Two telltale gray uniforms appeared around the corner--more guards. The racket we had raised with our sword fighting had alerted them. If they decided to join their fellow guard, I would soon be embroiled in a three-to-one fight. Those were heavy odds, but I had dealt with worse before.

  I turned my attention back to the guard fighting me. His training showed in the controlled manner of his swordplay. His gaze was determined and his mouth grim. He kept pressing me, trying to back me into a corner. The only way I would win the battle was to do something unexpected. Without a second thought, I pivoted on my heels and sprinted toward the oncoming guards.

  "Stop!"

  "You still haven't gotten me!" I called back at him, even as I made a strategic retreat. The two guards slowed their running to a leisurely jog when they saw who we were.

  Just Tobin and Dare.

  It wasn't common to see a guard and noblewoman sparring openly in the halls of the castle, but most of the guards had gotten used to seeing Tobin and I sword fight. We had been badgering most of the older rank and working on our sword skills from the age of eight. I wasn't going to let that change just because Tobin had realized his dream and joined the ranks of the King's Guard.

  I reached the guards quickly, grinning widely. Justus and Alana were two of my favorites. They had been part of the handful of guards who had trained me in swordplay.

  "Looks like he almost cornered you there. I'm disappointed, I thought I taught you a few things," Justus said. He wasn't wrong. Justus had taught me most of my dirty tricks, instructing me that winning the fight was more important than playing by the rules.

  "So did I," Alana said. She regularly requested that the five guards attack me at once so that I could handle overwhelming odds and learn defense from every angle. Alana was the more serious of the two.

  "I have to let him think he almost got me, what with him being a King's Guard and all," I replied. "How would it look if I beat him into the dust every single time?"

  Many of the guards were impressed at how seriously I took my training even if they didn't allow me to practice against them. Most were too fearful of my father's reach to humor my interest in swordplay.

  Approaching me warily, Tobin risked a sideways glance at them. He was still holding up his sword, for he knew better than to lower his defense, but he looked slightly embarrassed. "Dare, if we continue, we'll get in trouble."

  "Call this part of your training." I edged toward him, looking for an opening to strike. "After all, what if I had been an intruder? Or a thief? Or a blasted Kedun?"

  "I'm off duty." Tobin gave the duo another abashed grimace, not wanting them to think he was shirking his responsibility.

  "You're still in uniform." Justus drawled, enjoying Tobin's discomfort.

  Alana raised a delicate eyebrow.

  Tobin wasn't wrong. It was a risk if anyone saw us, but the castle grounds were huge, and we were in a less-utilized part of the castle, with little chance of running into nobles. Frankly, even if the king and queen should happen to cross our path, they wouldn't make a fuss at what they would perceive as horseplay. They might frown at me, but they wouldn't ban me outright from practicing with swords.

  Only two people would have rebuked me if I was caught running around with a weapon in my hand: my father or the prince.

  Of the two, I wasn't sure which would be worse.

  "We're only in trouble if the prince sees us. He's the only one we have to hide from. And at this time, he's still abed. He won't be up for hours yet." I let out a loud laugh, my blood pounding in my ears.

  "And your father?" Tobin asked.

  My father would growl and chastise me because he wouldn't think it was appropriate for his eighteen-year-old daughter to be disheveled in public. He also wouldn't appreciate me practicing a useful skill. It wouldn't matter that I could hold my own against most of the trained guards with my sword skills. He would forbid me from picking up a blade again and order me to go to my rooms and spend my time selecting matching colors for needlework.

  Meanwhile, Prince Jasper would condemn us just because he enjoyed it. He delighted in doling out punishment, whether deserved or not. Usually, I tried to stay out of his way, which was easy to do since I knew his habits. Right then, he would've been in bed, still recovering from the last night's excesses.

  Tobin dropped his guard. At that moment, I lunged toward him. He let out a muffled curse as he shielded against my attack. I laughed, and we continued our mock battle.

  "Seems like he's getting the better of you, Lady Darelynn," Justus said.

  "Never!" I protested, knowing Justus liked to rile me up.
/>   "Watch your left side. You keep it exposed," Alana offered.

  "Why are you helping her?" Tobin asked, his breathing shallow as he swung his sword at me.

  I smirked at him. "They can spot a better swordsman when they see one."

  "If you're the better swordsman, why are they offering you tips?" Tobin shook his head at my logic.

  Instead of replying, I rushed him and made him take a couple of steps back. After a few sword swings, we stood catching our breaths for a moment.

  Tobin shook his head, spraying sweat at me. His serious face changed as he smiled, which was like the sun coming out. I could feel an answering grin on my own face. He would complain, but I knew he loved our battles as much as I did.

  They were the best part of my days. Ever since he had become a member of the King's Guard, I had seen less of him, but I used those impromptu battles to keep my skills sharp and spend time with him.

  Despite the difference in our social status, we had grown up together. Tobin's mother had been my mother's best friend. Everyone had gossiped when his mother had gotten married, saying she had married beneath herself, but she had been in love with Tobin's father and still was. Their marriage was ideal in my eyes. They went through life as partners, and she never regretted her decision.

  I knew I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with Tobin. I liked no one in the castle more than him. Life was always a little more interesting with Tobin around. Of course, my father would never approve. My sister had married the most eligible man in the kingdom, and I would have to marry what he considered the second best. My marriage would have to be advantageous and useful. A King's Guard was not someone my father could consider.

  I believed my sister had married well enough for the both of us, though. Tobin was the one and only future I saw.

  The problem was that if I wanted to be with him, I would have to do something about it because he would never ask me. He wouldn't want to be the reason my family splintered. He had seen what his mother put up with and didn't want the same for me. He had his pride.

  I didn't need pride. I needed laughter and adventure and love. I'd rather marry someone who made me laugh than someone with a powerful station and a head full of court schemes.

  "Are you surrendering?" he asked.

  "Call it a strategic retreat!" I said as I inched away from him.

  Tobin grinned. I twisted and ran under his arm, headed for the hall. I heard him yell after me as I was about to turn the corner.

  I looked back at him, raised a hand in farewell, and gave him a wink.

  Then I turned around the corner and collided with someone. He let out a grunt but stayed standing while I fell backward to the ground onto my tailbone, grimacing at the pain.

  I looked up. The handsome face with its high cheekbones winced at the collision.

  My sister's husband gazed down at me.

  He recovered quickly, pulling himself together and standing up straight. The pain on his face was quickly removed by recognition. His eyes lit up in wicked pleasure as he realized who had crashed into him.

  His full lips parted into a wide smile showcasing his perfect teeth. "Well, well, what do we have here?"

  My heart sank.

  He was the last person I wanted to see.

  The prince.

  2

  Prince Jasper sneered down at me. "Why are you running around the castle like a hoyden?"

  Instinctively, my hand reached for the dropped sword.

  "What's this? A sword?"

  I cursed myself silently for drawing his attention to it, not that he would miss it, but he hadn't noticed when I first dropped it.

  His eyes shone with glee. "You know the penalty for carrying a blade in my presence, don't you?"

  Tobin heard the last of the prince's speech as he caught up with me, rushing around the corner. "That's my sword, Your Highness. I was on my way to get it sharpened."

  The prince raised a finger, and Tobin fell silent. His eyes fell on the blade in Tobin's hand and glanced back to the one in mine. I wished Tobin hadn't said anything. The prince was almost quivering in delight. I could see him planning Tobin's punishment. He didn't like anyone disagreeing with him.

  "It's my sword!" I insisted, finding my feet. I clutched it so hard I could have bent the metal.

  "It isn't, sir," said Tobin.

  The prince's eyes darted between the two of us. I could see we were only making our situation worse. His lips twisted in pleasure. He opened his mouth to hand out our punishment, and I tensed, knowing he would hurt Tobin to get at me.

  "Do you take responsibility for this hellion?" Prince asked Tobin.

  "Yes, sir." Tobin replied quickly.

  "No," I argued.

  Prince Jasper smiled at me knowingly, and I suppressed a shudder.

  "You're a little old for swordplay, aren't you? Or are you the right age? Do you play with his sword often?" His gaze traveled up and down my body.

  My skin crawled as he looked me over. I repressed a shudder, clenched my teeth, standing my ground.

  I could sense Tobin bristling at the prince's implied insult. He couldn't do anything. He shouldn't have done anything. The prince enjoyed tormenting those who couldn't fight back, daring them to cross the line so he could toy with them.

  "I've learned all my tricks from him. Remember when I managed to defeat you?" I said, keeping the prince's attention on me and distracting him from Tobin's growing anger.

  Prince Jasper gave me a dark look. He didn't like to be reminded of when I'd put him to the floor in front of his tutor and other minor nobles. He had instigated it when he first saw me practicing with the guards. He had pointed and laughed at me and then insisted I get in a ring with him and demonstrate my sword skills.

  I had put him on the floor in an embarrassingly short time.

  He punished me later for that, but letting him know I was better than him had been worth it.

  "You've always been unnatural for a woman," the prince said. "Your father and sister have been lax with you. Maybe I should have a word with them."

  I tried to keep my face still, but he saw he had gotten to me. The sneer was back on his face.

  "I should probably discuss arrangements for your marriage with your father. I have quite a few suitable candidates for a woman of your temperament. They could take a hand at breaking your willfulness and tame you into being more natural." His eyes were gleeful with spite.

  I stayed utterly still, and Tobin was barely breathing, but it was too late. We had drawn the monster's attention. Pretending invisibility was pointless.

  My mind scrambled to figure out what to do. He knew, damn him. He knew. He would make a point to find someone who would make me miserable. My father would try his best, but he wouldn't say no to the prince, who was brilliant when it came to his little tortures. He would find the right person to make me unhappy while making it appear that he was looking out for my welfare and elevating my station. If the king and queen liked his idea also, my father would be powerless to oppose them. My only chance to stop myself being bartered away in a terrible marriage would be to end the situation right then, but I didn't know how. A sense of helplessness overcame me.

  Panicked, I looked at Tobin.

  The prince's smile grew wider. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.

  "Jasper, I see you managed to find my sister."

  I turned to find my sister, Gwen, approaching us with several of her ladies-in-waiting. I saw her look of concern before she concealed it behind a smiling facade aimed at her husband. Her hand rubbed her bulging belly. I could tell from the slight hitch in her breath that she had hurried to find me. She must have done so as soon as word had come to her that her husband had left his chambers.

  I felt a twinge of regret. I was forever causing trouble for Gwen. She had tried her best to raise me, but she had a hard time of it, for I was willful where she was docile. Nonetheless, she always tried to protect me from her husband.

 
; "Hello, dearest." Prince Jasper reached for her hand and gave it a kiss.

  He was all manners, suddenly. The physician had warned against upsetting my sister. She was having a difficult time carrying the child, and everyone was concerned and eager to protect the health of the future heir of the kingdom, even his maniacal father.

  "Darelynn, you're needed," my sister said. "We're composing a tapestry, and you do have an eye for color." She spared a glance for my friend. "Tobin, I believe the sword master told you to take the blades to the blacksmith this morning. It's nearly midday. You'd better hurry."

  Tobin scrambled and collected both weapons. With a last worried glance at me, he scurried off, knowing we wouldn't have a better chance to flee the ire of the prince.

  I raced ahead of my sister and rushed to my rooms. Away from the hearing of the ladies-in-waiting I cursed the day the prince had been born.

  Some time later, my sister walked into my chambers alone. "You look a mess."

  I didn't have to find a looking glass to know what I must have looked like. My long, unruly hair had made its way out of its braids, and wisps of dark hair were stuck to my face from the exercise, my angular cheekbones red from exertion.

  "He brought up marriage." I threw myself on to a love seat and started pulling out pins from my hair.