Chapter 30 #3
“By friendly you mean a challenge, right?”
“Mmm, perhaps.”
“Challenge accepted.” We shook on it—closest to target wins.
We shot three sets of ten. I won one, he won two.
“You’re both strangely and impressively good at this.”
“I lost.”
“True, but you lost against me, and not by much. I can tell you why you lost.”
“You can?”
He gestured for me to ready my bow. “You put too much effort into the firing bit and sometimes you take too long. Remember what I told you, do not let your mind take over before letting go.”
I nocked an arrow and lifted myself—arm out, pulling the string towards my face with the other.
I stiffened as he grabbed hold of my elbow and my waist, adjusting my posture.
“Relax,” he whispered. But he came so close—if anything, I tensed.
His cool breath fanned against my neck, my own hitched. “Let go,” he murmured close to my ear.
I was about to do that when Eldric startled the shit out of me. My arrow flew off course, hitting sandstone. Aegir snorted.
“You missed big time there,” Eldric kindly pointed out.
“Yeah, thanks to you.”
“You can only blame yourself. Distraction is what leads men to their downfall in war.”
I scoffed at him.
“He’s right,” Aegir said, as if he wasn’t also the culprit of my distraction.
“I’m afraid Obstacle is going to have to wait,” Eldric said. “The king has invited us to watch the marble tournament with him and later join him for dinner.”
“Marble tournament?” Aegir asked, looking my way.
“It’s the most boring thing to ever exist. It goes on for hours and hours. You’re going to want to shoot yourselves with this,” I said, waving my bow. My bow.
“Sounds wonderful,” Aegir replied flatly. “This king is getting on my fucking nerves. He’s a stubborn mule—always inviting me here and there, yet he always finds some excuse to evade my questions. He’d better listen today cause this alliance is—”
Eldric’s bellow had me flinching. “Have you completely lost your mind?”
“What?” Aegir shrugged.
Eldric took one giant stride towards him while pointing at me. “You told her?”
“Relax. She’s a trustworthy confidante.”
“Don’t you realise the danger you’ve put her in?”
“She basically figured it out on her own, and I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“Can you stop talking about me as if I’m not here? And just so it’s clear, I support any plan that could free the Ilmans.” I always had.
“The games start soon. We’d better not keep the king waiting,” Eldric grumbled, giving me a weird stare as if he didn’t know what to do with me.
“Did you take care of our men?” Aegir asked.
“They’re packing as we speak.”
“Good.”
“You know the usual routine. Don’t slack off,” Eldric ordered. He reminded me of Mounir’s vicious words. Except Eldric’s were not filled with hate and apprehension. His tone of voice kind of reminded me of the way the Sand Priestesses used to urge us to learn during the teachings.
I lost myself in a deep stretch, smiling as I counted my blessings.
I honestly didn’t know what I would do with myself if these two left without me.
But this time—this time, I wouldn’t allow someone to leave my life like that.
I had asked Semuel if he would take me with him.
He told me that where he was going was not safe for me.
I did not prod, or beg, or fight. This time, I would try harder, push harder. I would not take no for an answer.
But for now, they both left me. And I didn’t slack off.
I did my utmost and finished my routine in excellent time.
Training was of course followed by a long ride with my favourite mare.
Then I decided that I needed to refine my shooting skills, especially if I were to beat those two.
The inexplicable feeling of shooting with my own bow struck the right chord—a chord that I had not known existed.
My own bow, which I’m sure was the most beautiful bow in all of Lyrantheia.
After a much-needed bath, I plopped myself on the side bench and started assessing the uniforms. My uniforms. I looked at their flaws, at the reasons that had them sent to the seamstress, and put aside those that were the least damaged. I would bring my sewing kit tomorrow and start mending them.
It was peaceful, quiet, sitting down and watching the sunset next to my beautiful, healthy mare. My bow and my book at my sides.
I made my way back to the castle hours past dusk. My crunching footsteps and my grumbling belly were the only sounds around me. The sudden ache in my stomach reminded me that I had barely eaten anything all day. I was so distracted that I forgot to be hungry. Well, that’s definitely a first.
So before returning to my room, I decided to sneak a small snack from the pantry, like the bad old days.
I was replacing the key in its hiding spot when I was startled at the sound of the kitchen door clicking shut.
My heart leapt when I heard the bolt slide in its place followed by a snick.
Only one person carried keys in this wing.