He was not alone.
A statuesque elf with chalcedony hair and
eyes rose as I came into view. Not in the respectful, a lady
entered the room way, but in a way that led me to believe he wasn’t
happy to have me, or anyone, find him there. He held a long staff,
gripped so tightly his knuckles whitened, and he was dressed in
casual traveling clothes that didn’t seem to fit his posture.
I found myself questioning
whether it were a disguise, and then I chastised myself for
wandering around in ridiculous thoughts so often. They were
watching me.
Stupid brain
fog
.
I stood there for a moment, unsure if I
should leave the room after I had so obviously interrupted or
pretend I had a mission and make my way to Ruby’s room. I clearly
wasn’t welcome there. Neither spoke. I lowered my gaze to the floor
and took the shortest route to Ruby’s door, closing it behind me
after a hasty entry.
I heard Chevelle speak to
his guest. Asher, he had called him.
Why
couldn’t I have heard them before I came out of my room?
Ugh
. He was leaving. I thought Chevelle was
trying to persuade him in some way, but the man was short and cold
in his responses. Quiet, too. I imagined he didn’t want me to hear
them. Paranoia. I heard the front door close as I flopped on the
bed.
I jolted upright when Ruby’s
door opened a few seconds later. It was Chevelle. My courage was
gone again. He seemed to be waiting for me to speak. I tried, “I’m
sorry I interrupted…” He nodded.
Did he
mean I
had
interrupted or it was okay? Ugh. Why did it tear me up so bad
just to be
around
him?
He walked slowly toward the bed, glancing
around at Ruby’s things on the shelves and walls, and then beside
me. I hadn’t even noticed anything was there. I hurriedly peeked
down to see what it was. Nothing of consequence, I was glad. And
then he sat on the bed beside me. I forced myself to continue
breathing and kept my gaze down, knowing a flush was coming.
He reached out and placed a hand under my
chin, bringing my face up to meet his. The flush that followed was
not from embarrassment. Heat flooded my neck as he spoke my name.
“Frey.”
“
Yes.” It was all I could
manage in this particular situation.
His eyes held mine and I could swear he was
searching for something. He opened his mouth to speak, but the door
of the wardrobe flew open.
“
Oh.” Ruby giggled the
tiniest bit. “Excuse me. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She seemed
especially pleased she had, however.
Chevelle’s hand dropped and I could see out
of the corner of my eye his face was hard and he was once again
wholly irritated.
Ruby continued, “Steed said
you had a guest so I just used the back…” She trailed off when his
stare didn’t soften. But she smiled, “You know, you
do
have your own
room.”
He stiffened and stood, not at all amused by
her implication.
Ruby began gathering things as she spoke,
pretending she hadn’t noticed his attitude. “So how did it go?”
He relaxed a little but his mood didn’t rise
in the least. “We shall see.”
“
Indeed,” she purred.
“Indeed.”
He didn’t look back at me as he left the
room, he simply directed Ruby to take me with her when she’d
finished. She seemed more than happy to comply and I was in no
doubt we would be training again. I slid the hawk sculpture into my
pocket.
She hummed a tune as she gathered, throwing a
cloak at me in the process. I tied it around my neck and drew the
hood up. “Want me to carry anything?”
She eyed me as if I was
entirely absurd. “Well, if you would
like
to, I can find something for
you.” Ugh. Stupid Ruby. She turned and grabbed my arm beneath the
cloak, yanking me solidly behind her as we left the house through
her closet. She replaced the cover that hid the entrance and
grabbed a quiver of arrows from the ground before she pulled me
forward again.
“
What are those for?” I
asked, indicating the arrows, fully afraid they would somehow be
used in my training.
“
They are arrows, Frey.” She
was really on a roll today. I shook my head and she laughed. “We
are leaving them for Rhys and Rider to find.”
“
Are they
poisoned?”
“
Yes.”
I considered that. “Did they use all the ones
you prepared last night?”
She laughed. “You’re silly, Freya. It’s fun.”
The way she pronounced my name, like it was dear to her, made it
harder to be angry with her. But I made the effort.
“
It’s not entirely my
fault,” I huffed. And then I was sorry I'd said anything, mentioned
the fog. I didn’t need to defend myself to her.
“
I know,” she said, “but
it’s still fun.” I wondered if she did know. Like everyone before.
I pushed the thought from my head.
“
I thought the dogs were
their weapons of choice,” I said, cringing a bit as I remembered
their demonstration.
She laughed again. “Wolves, Frey.”
“
Wolves,” I
repeated.
“
And they aren’t
weapons.”
“
They don’t use them to
attack?”
She spoke like she was
explaining to a child. “Yes, the wolves attack. But not as weapons.
Not by command of the elves. The wolves attack who they
want.
Protect
who
they want.”
“
They don’t control
them?”
“
No, silly. No one
can
control
animals.” She cocked an eyebrow speculatively at
me.
“
But…”
“
Okay, well, sure, you can
lead an animal. You can turn your horse and guide him on the path
but that is simply pushing their heads and encouraging them with
the click of your heels. But you can’t make them choose to take
you; it just doesn’t work that way. You can’t get into an animal’s
mind and make them…
behave
the way you want them to.”
“
But the dogs…
wolves
… follow them. They
had them do a demonstration and…”
“
No, Frey. The wolves do
not
follow
the
elves. The wolves protect them by choice.”
“
By choice?”
“
Yes. And I have seen them
tear an elf apart as quickly as defend them.” I shivered. “Rhys and
Rider were saved by the wolves once. They think the animals
understand.
They
follow the wolves, you see. That is why they are here.” We
were at the ridge and she dropped the quiver by the rocks before we
climbed over and down.
Steed, Anvil, and Grey greeted us before we
resumed training. I tried to keep my mind off the wolves, off the
reason we were training, off the encounter with Chevelle, off all
of the terrible things it kept returning to, and I was grateful for
the fog again. I was getting better, though still not good enough
to avoid being battered, let alone win any matches. The long days
of constant fighting were making me tired. We took a break and I
leaned back on a rock, staring at the sky as I rested.
Chevelle walked me to the
edge of a tall peak. The rock mountain ended in a sheer cliff,
straight down into haze. He looked into my eyes like he saw
something there, like he really
knew
me. We gazed out over the cliff, at the horizon…
endless. I felt his hand on my back and closed my eyes, relaxing
into the comfortable feeling. He pushed me with full force and I
opened my eyes as I flew off the cliff, falling straight down. I
stared back at him as he stood, watching me fall, nothing but open
sky above and below. I couldn’t imagine why he’d throw me from the
cliff, couldn’t think of the magic to stop myself, couldn’t see
when I would crash into the base, the rocks below.
My arms flailed as I jerked awake. They were
all staring at me.
“
Frey?” Ruby
asked.
I grappled for breath. “Just a dream.” They
laughed.
“
What about?” Ruby was more
interested.
I glanced at Chevelle, a few paces away, the
same concerned expression as they waited for my answer. I only
shook my head.
My chest still hurt from the
fear. I sat up and took a drink from the flagon. Wine. Didn’t
anyone drink
water
anymore? Grey sat beside me. I tried not to seem
shocked.
“
Ruby a little hard on you?”
he teased. I smiled. “She’s only trying to help, you know.” He
spoke with tenderness and I recalled their touch nights
ago.
I made an effort not to be too obvious about
my real curiosity. “You’ve known her long?”
“
Forever.”
The way he was gazing at her when he spoke
left no doubt.
She noticed us watching her.
“Ready to get back to it, then?”
Ugh
. I struggled to my
feet.
“
Ruby, how long do the
effects of the dust last?”
“
Depends.”
Was I so ignorant or did everyone think it
was funny to make me drag answers from them? “On?"
She laughed. “Don’t worry. The dreams will
get better.”
“
They will get
better
or they will go
away?”
She laughed again. “Depends.”
We were facing each other once more, ready to
begin another round. “Want to try a weapon?”
I wasn’t sure. It could work against me,
literally. I tried procrastinating. “Why use arrows if you have
magic?”
She had that “Frey, you’re an idiot” look
again. “Magic uses more energy the farther away you try to focus
it. And it is less accurate. And you are more visible. And…”
“
Okay.”
She smiled. “Any more questions or can we
begin?”
“
Fine. What sort of weapon
did you have in mind?”
That was another question
and her smile widened. Her hand stretched out to the side and a
long silver sword landed in her palm. She righted it, twisting the
blade for me to see.
Hot apple pie, this
was going to hurt.
“
There are a few things you
need to remember when using a blade,” she instructed. “First of
all, always go for the fatal attack. If you merely wound someone,
well, someone with magic, they will use the last of their power to
stop you. Cut off their head or puncture the lung and heart. Never
mess around.”
I imagined myself decapitating someone. I
laughed as I realized my mind placed Fannie there.
Ruby didn’t look like she
could think of anything funny about what she’d said, but she
continued. “
Secondly
,” she smiled, “don’t cut yourself. These things are
sharp.”
She started to toss the sword to me but then
reconsidered and handed it over, making sure I had a good grip on
the handle. There were intricate designs carved on the handle and
runes etched in the blade. It wasn’t as heavy as it appeared. I
moved it around a bit; it seemed to be weighted, balancing nicely
in my hand. It was pleasant, I swung it tip first in a figure
eight, slashing at the air. I didn’t know if I could actually cut
through someone’s neck, though. “Ruby, how do you intend to teach
me with this? I mean if there’s no messing around, just lop your
head off and all?”
She laughed. “Don’t worry, Frey. I think I
can handle it.”
“
I’ll do it.” Chevelle’s
voice startled me. I was absorbed in our conversation, unaware
anyone was listening. I glanced around and realized
everyone
had been
listening. It dawned on me what Chevelle had said as they all
circled around to watch.
Ruby smiled at him and I
became suspicious she had set this up. A long sword was already in
his hand. He approached and raised it, expertly gripping the handle
with both hands.
Uh oh.
Fear rushed through me and I wrapped my fists
around the handle, praying I could protect myself. A smile was the
only warning Chevelle gave me before his blade was cutting through
the air. Instinct took over and I flung my arms up to block his
swing with my own. The metal clashed and I felt the shock vibrate
through me even as the peal pulsed through my ears. I pulled the
sword back just as he was striking again and I twisted to block
another shot. I straightened and raised it back, it felt powerful
to hold it, just before release. I smiled as I swung at him, sure
he would stop me but still enjoying being the attacker instead of
victim.
He twisted his blade around
mine; a metallic screech filled my ears as he knocked my strike
aside before he came back at me. We continued, blow after blow, the
repetitive clank forming a pattern in my head. Chevelle seemed to
be enjoying himself as the exercise increased in intensity. I found
I was as well, I’d taken no direct beatings like my other training
and I wasn’t getting as tired.
No
magic
. I could see why they used
weapons.
Chevelle pushed harder, assaulting me with
faster and stronger swings. I was able to defend myself if I
focused. I could hear murmurs of approval from our audience. I
enjoyed that. I concentrated hard and began throwing a few hits of
my own in with the blocks. Our swords clashed repeatedly, neither
of us hitting the mark. I was certain he could have, but confident
I was blocking well.