Read Tainted for Free Online Page B

reach each time afterward to wipe my face off.  It wasn’t long before I could testify why sports people wore headbands on their foreheads.
    I heard Ian yelling for the other guard he favored lately and took the liberty to disappear.  His name was Eric and was at least six foot six and strong!  He was very good at throwing a battle axe, I heard, and now had the visual proof to back it.   He was the same guard I'd met a few times and exchanged smiles.
    Hidden around the corner. I threw the helmet off after only twenty minutes and flung my wet, sweat drenched hair in every direction wet dog style. 
    “Very impressive,” a male voiced said.
    My hair slapped back aimed for who just invaded my privacy.  “What do you want?  And why did you follow me?”  Great, he knew.  He would tell Ian .
    “I won’t tell him if you don’t want me too.  But I want to congratulate you.  You did well.”
    He was being a facetious toad.  He would find a way to let Ian know. 
    “How did you know it was me?”  Dumb question.  My dense, mindless side of the brain should have realized he couldn’t be tricked.  The majority could read my mind and I know there were a few times it leaked out.  I wasn’t perfected yet.
    He pointed to his head. 
    “Well, keep it to yourself.”  And stop keeping tabs on me.
    He stared at my armor in various places, “You don’t have to prove yourself.”  He folded his arms across his chest in the traditional Pike stance I’ve come to recognize. I scanned his appearance that mocked my own noting his clothes weren’t rumpled.  His skin only glistened and his hair was still the perfect Pike hair he always had even on the range.
    “Yes, I do!”  And I stomped off not giving him time to reply.  I did however finally reach a conclusion that I hadn’t seen or noticed.  Ian had been in a funk when we first came to court.  I assumed it was the boy meets girl phase and nothing else mattered that made him ignore his pastimes and teaching the new recruits.  So seeing him here with the range and knowing Pike and he were sparring every morning before dawn actually excited me.  He was happier.  And I sure loved watching him do all of it.  Especially when he loses his shirt. 
    Again the next day in my full-out armor disguise, I was standing before the dagger range hoping Pike would let me be.  I was wrong, as always.
    Ian didn’t pay much attention to me and that got my goat. After all, I was a supposed new recruit.  Pike snickered a time or two when he could get away with it.  Ian was helping another guard in full gear like myself, but stopped when I released my arrow and missed on the next weapon rail.  Dang!  
    Pike’s head snapped in my direction hearing my slur.  Double dang!
    Of course, Ian saw that arrow.  The one this new guy missed.  He strutted up to me in guy to guy mode and proceeded to tell me why I missed.  It was funny to hear his advice as told to another man.  I found this fascinating.  Even the tone of his voice was huskier.  Manly man sounding!
    I pulled back my next arrow and the bow pinched against the metal on my hand.  I let out one tiny incy wincy yelp, but both Ian and Pike heard it.  Ian stood taller and shot his hand to his chin, narrowing his eyes.  Pike came to my rescue. 
    “Your armor needs cleaning.  Maybe you ought to head out.”
    Thank you.
    He nodded.
    I followed orders for both reasons, to obey and because I was afraid to mess up again.
    When I thought for sure I was safe, not caught red handed, I started shredding the gear. The greaves section of my armor on my legs were being difficult to remove as they were practically stuck to me like glue. My hair was sticking straight out in five directions. I had the gear off fast and was heading into my bath pulling my towel to me when I was brought to a halt by stepping right into Ian's boots.  He didn’t have a face I could read so I waited trying to keep my own the same and not looking at