Morwen Thorne had never seen a man hit someone the way Sir Ollie hit the first guard who stood against them inside Lothian Manor.
She'd seen sparring. She'd watched the knights of Dunn Barony train in the practice yards since she was old enough to climb the fence and perch on the top rail with her legs dangling while Cadeyrn poked her in the ribs to make her fall off.
She'd seen her father, Sir Brennus, take a blow to the helm during a mounted exercise that left him sitting in the dirt with a dazed expression on his face, and she'd watched Lord Liam spar with his father's best swordsman until both men were gasping for breath and grinning like boys.
