“Indeed.” The older vampire produced a small brush and a tube filled with blue gel. “You will squeeze some gel on the floor and scrub it with your brush until all the dirt is removed. You will clean ten stone squares of the floor. You will remain here until your task is complete.”

Helen took the little brush and the tube, held her head high, and went inside.

Behind her Maud saw another figure on the floor with an identical brush, his left arm in a plasticast. Vampire justice knew no mercy.

“She will be fine,” Karat told her. “Come.”

They strode ten yards down the hallway to the large wide-open doors. Beyond the doors lay a lawn of turquoise grass flooded with golden sunshine and bordered by ornamental trees. A three-foot stone wall encircled the lawn, clearly part of a parapet. Beyond the wall, across the stretch of empty air, towers and castle walls rose. They were on top of a mid-level tower.

Vampire women sparred on the grass with practice weapons. Several others watched the sparring. To the side a table stood with refreshments. A typical Ladies’ Communal. They would beat up on each other for an hour or so, then drink and gossip. Maud had quite enjoyed Communals before she became a pariah. Once she had proven herself, they were a nice way to catch up with everyone. Today wouldn’t be pleasant. Today they would throw her to the dogs, expecting her to cringe and submit. It was a test, one she had to pass.

Tradition dictated that both genders stayed away from each other’s Communals. She was on her own.

Karat stopped by the rack of practice weapons.

“We’re going to do this nice and easy,” she said under her breath. “You and I will spar, then we will drink some fruity drinks and go back. Don’t worry.”

They really didn’t think much of her.

Maud tried the first sword. Too heavy. Too long. Too short. Weighted wrong. The polymer weapons resembled their counterparts down to every minute detail, but they couldn’t cut armor. The main danger lay in being bashed with one. A skilled thrust could also cause internal injury despite the armor.

Strikes with practice weapons did leave a red mark, which would fade with time or cleaning. It was an easy way to keep score and many Communals resulted in a long examination of red marks and whether or not the wound would be fatal if a live weapon had been used. The edges of the practice swords weren’t exactly sharp, but you could draw blood with one. She’d done it before, just three days ago, when Arland and she had sparred aboard his destroyer. The Marshal had been fascinated with the concept of the buckler and they had spent a good three hours slicing at each other.

There. She found a blade similar to her own. Karat selected a longer, heavier sword, then eyed Maud’s choice and went for a shorter blade. Really, now.

Karat strolled to a spot in the grass and hefted her blade. “Don’t worry.”

Maud positioned herself. “I don’t see any vampires from the other Houses here.”

“This is a Krahr affair.”

“I feel so flattered to be invited.”

Karat swung her blade and took a deliberately slow lunge.

Maud looked at her. “I’m not going to dignify that with a parry.”

Karat straightened and hissed, “I’m trying to help you.”

A red-haired vampire marched toward them, green eyes blazing.

“There is a vampire walking toward us and she looks like she’s about to run us over.”

Karat glanced over her shoulder. “Faron’s piss.”

“Is she here for you or me?”

“You.” Karat stepped into the vampire’s path. “Lady Konstana. You’re interrupting.”

“Lady Maud!” Konstana pointed her sword at Maud. “Your mongrel child broke my son’s arm.”

Oh. That.

“I wonder if you would be so kind as to demonstrate to me how she did it.” Konstana bared her fangs.

Around them other people stopped sparring and moved aside, clearing the space. They had an audience now.

“Konstana,” Karat growled under her breath. “She is human and a guest.”

“As you wish,” Maud said.

“Step aside, Karat,” Konstana ground out.

A muscle jerked in Karat’s face. “Do not presume to order me.”

“Alvina,” a female voice said.

Karat froze.

To the right of them, behind Karat, under a copse of trees, four older vampire women stood. The one who spoke was tall, with broad shoulders and a mane of blond hair cascading all the way past her waist. Her plain practice armor hugged her figure. Her gray eyes were cold. Maud looked into them and saw ice.

“Let our guest partake of the Communal,” Lady Ilemina said.

Karat moved out of the way.

Maud walked a few steps farther to the right, giving herself room.

“After I break your arms, you will apologize to me,” Konstana said. “For taking up my valuable time.”

She was about two inches taller, probably thirty-five pounds or so heavier than Maud, and the way she held her sword indicated the South technique, which meant she would favor slash attacks. Right or left, that was the question. Strike from the left would be better. It was a more powerful attack.

Maud tipped her sword up and checked the point. “Is it a habit of House Krahr to waste time with empty threats?”

Konstana charged, slashing from left to right, aiming for a cut across the chest. It was a good slash, fast and deadly. Maud parried, letting the force of the attack slide off her blade, caught the woman’s wrist for a second, yanking her arm into the perfect position, let go, thrust her own sword under Konstana’s forearm, and rolled her sword arm up and over Konstana’s, trapping the vampire’s sword in her armpit. It happened so fast, Konstana had no chance to react. The redirected momentum of her own strike twisted her, and she went down to one knee, Maud’s right hand on Konstana’s wrist, her left flat against the elbow, locking it.

“You asked me how my daughter did it,” Maud said. “She did it just like this.”

She hit the elbow. The elbow capsule popped with a loud crack as the sheath around the joint tore. Konstana cried out. The women around them winced and made sucking noises.

“Exactly like I taught her.” Maud let go and stepped away.

The vampire woman struggled to her feet, her arm hanging useless, and swiped the sword from the ground with her left hand.

“Well fought, Lady Konstana,” Maud said.

The vampire woman unhinged her jaws. “Well fought, Lady Maud.”

“Well,” Lady Ilemina said. “That was quite stirring. I feel myself in need of some exercise. Lady Maud, perhaps you would indulge me?”

Crap, crap, crap. Maud bowed. “I’m deeply honored.”

“Of course you are.” Lady Ilemina walked forward.

Six feet six at least. Close to two hundred pounds. Like watching a tank approach.

Thoughts skittered through Maud, running too fast. There was no way to back down from the fight. Throwing the fight wasn’t an option either. They had too many eyes on them, and Ilemina would definitely view it as an insult. Winning the fight wasn’t an option, even if it was possible, which it wasn’t. She couldn’t humiliate Arland’s mother. She couldn’t let herself be humiliated. It would kill any chances she had for being accepted, and after last night she wanted Arland more than ever.

What to do? How do I handle it?

Arland’s mother was the Preceptor of House Krahr and she got there because she was the best leader. Vampires led from the front. That and the two-page list of titles behind her name meant she would be a superior fighter. Her strength would be overwhelming.

Maud tested the sword one more time, warming up. She was well trained, but in a contest of pure strength, especially against a vampire knight with decades of experience, she would lose. She relied on surprise and dirty tactics, but thanks to Konstana, the cat was out of the bag and the open grassy lawn presented no opportunity for ambush, which meant she had only two things left in her corner: speed and endurance.

I have to outlast her. That’s my only chance. Outlast her and exit the fight with some grace.

Ilemina turned sideways, the blade of her sword held parallel to the grass, raised her hand, and motioned with her fingers.

Oh great.

Maud thrust, light on her feet. Ilemina parried and struck from above. Maud spun around, avoiding the blade by a hair, and slashed at Ilemina’s chest. The point of her blade grazed the armor, drawing a bright red line for everyone to see.

“First blood!” Karat announced.

Crap.

Lady Ilemina laughed. It was the sound of pure menace.

Maud went cold.

You’ve got this. You can do this. Arland’s been the Marshal for the last six years, with Nexus being his first major command, which means it’s been six years since Ilemina really had to get her sword dirty.

Arland’s mother charged. Her blade came crashing down, impossibly fast. Maud dodged. Before she had a chance to counter, Ilemina reversed. It was a beautiful move, but Maud had no time to admire it. She dodged again, dancing around Ilemina.

Strike, dodge, strike, dodge.

Thrust. Maud parried, angling her blade, directing most of the force downward. The kinetic punch reverberated through her arm all the way into her shoulder. Ow.

A direct hit would break her bones. Maud was sure of it.