41. Everly
Everly
Chapter forty-one
Kian and Tristan have been ordered to stay behind and guard me. I’m pissed to have been left behind, but dress in the battle gear Zaria had made for me. I am so glad to no longer be in men's clothes. These pants are molded to my legs and have special clips for my knives. The black long-sleeved shirt is loose, but the black corset that laces over the top of it is fitted. I turn to the mirror and smile as I make quick work of braiding my hair. By the time I’m finished, my arms are aching. My hair has grown at least a few inches since being here, and it’s so much thicker.
I run my hands down my body and twist left and right, taking in my reflection. I look badass.
At the sound of my whistle, Nymeria and Anika abandon their spots on the daybed out on the balcony and eagerly trot over to me. The wolves are incredibly tall, their heads easily reaching my chest, making it effortless for me to nuzzle their necks.
“Ready?” I ask them.
Silently, they head toward the door, and I shadow their movements, stepping out into the hall. Tristan and Kian take me in, their eyes widening in surprise.
“Well shit, princess. You look like a warrior,” Kian remarks.
I swallow roughly and pull my shoulders back. “It’s time to train.”
“Are you sure?” Tristan eyes me incredulously.
“Of course.”
The two share a knowing look before giving me a nod. Feeling more confident than I probably should, I lead the way outside toward the training arena. It’s mostly empty, with only a handful of soldiers sparring. A few cast cautionary looks my way, their eyes probing and assessing. The mate mark on the side of my face burns with their attention, and I release a sigh.
Nix comes flying over, a trail of glitter following in her wake. “I heard you were awake!”
“Nix!” I grin.
“Wow, look at you.” She whistles. “Sorry I’ve been MIA. Nero had me working on something with Silver.”
“Where is Nero now?” Tristan inquires.
“Human realm. Silly Puca went and swore to protect the Daughter of Light. He was only supposed to check on her for a close friend, apparently, but then he got attached.”
My mouth falls open in disbelief. “Wait, Nero can go to the human realm? I thought the gate was closed?”
Nix smiles, and the corners of her mouth curl up in an unsettling way. “Nero doesn’t need a gate. Neither does Silver.”
Umm, okay. I wish I knew that information earlier. “Who is the Daughter of Light?”
Nix shrugs. “Some goddess who is about to end some long-winded feud of bad blood between her family and another god.”
I blink several times at her cavalier tone. “How can you talk about something like that so calmly?”
“No skin off my nose.” Nix grins at me, putting those sharp teeth on full display.
“Right . . . ” I give her a long look.
How can the fae be so . . . unaffected?
Then I remember Nix’s words from when we first met: Us fae are selfish, spiteful, manipulative, and easily offended creatures.
Tristan starts walking off, calling over his shoulder. “Come on. You wanted to train. Let’s train.”
“Okay.” I nod.
Kian bumps my shoulder with his and grins. “I’ll keep your mind so busy you won’t even think of the prince once, and you’ll be too exhausted afterward.”
I roll my eyes at him and take off to do my laps, leaving him to catch up.
We drill hand to hand combat techniques for what feels like hours, sweat pouring off us as we move across the mat. Kian’s voice is a constant stream of guidance, pushing me to refine my skills.
Finally, he signals a break, and I collapse onto a nearby bench, gasping for air. Tristan’s grizzly face breaks into a rare smile. “You’re getting there, princess. Remember, it’s not about how hard you hit; it’s about how well you can control the fight.”
“Do you have to call me that?” I pant.
I don’t need both of them calling me princess.
“Of course not. I could call you consort.”
Kian shoves a bottle of water in my face, and I gratefully take it, glaring at Tristan. “Do not call me that.”
“Princess it is.”
Does he always have to be such a pain in the ass?
Tristan’s violet eyes sparkle, reflecting the light as he gently brushes a few strands of his dark hair away from his face. His beard is neatly trimmed, and it is evident that he had a restful night’s sleep, as the once-present dark circles under his eyes have completely vanished.
“Ready for actual swords today?” Kian asks.
I jolt, sitting up straight. “Really?”
“I need to see if you can handle the weight and keep your balance.”
Tristan snickers, the sound infectious, light-hearted. I turned to give him the stink eye, but am unable to stop my smile. It’s good to see him relaxed for a change.
“What's so funny?” I question.
“Nothing,” he replies, leaning back against the stand and crossing his arms. “This is just going to be fun to watch. And we won’t have to worry about you going anywhere for the next couple of days, because I doubt you’ll be able to move.”
I huff in annoyance, and Nix chuckles. “You’ll be fine. Zaria has a special tonic for your bath.”
“Don’t ruin my fun, fairy,” Tristan adds.
Nix pokes her tongue out at him, and I shake my head, standing on weak legs.
Kian grins as he looks down at my legs. “You good?”
“Totally.”
Kian looks like he doesn’t believe me, but I just need to get moving again. Passing me a sword, he moves away and waits for me to follow. My hands instinctively adjust their grip, adapting to the weight they now bear. It was much different from the wooden swords we had been using.
“Ready?” he asks.
I give a nod, expecting him to ease me in, but he doesn't. Kian rushes me immediately. Alarmed, I instinctively recoil as his sword swings toward me, the sharp sound of metal cutting through the air. I barely manage to evade the first attack when he swings again, and I react just in time to block his attack.
Kian shakes his head, a soft sigh escaping his lips. “Faster.”
Determination fills my veins, and I narrow my eyes, taking a deep breath. We both step forward simultaneously, swords clashing. The force of the impact jars my arms, and I try not to wince. We both pivot away and immediately lunge at the same time coming face to face, this time our swords lock together.
“Good. Again.” Kian steps away.
The sun bears down on us, casting long shadows that dance with every movement. Beads of sweat trickle down my forehead, stinging my eyes, but I can’t afford to blink. Kian isn’t letting me catch my breath.
With a swift parry, I deflect his strike; the vibrations coursing through my arms. My muscles scream in protest as we circle each other.
I am hell-bent on getting stronger; I know I need to. It seems no matter how hard I try, I can't shake the image from yesterday’s vision from my mind, and it's making me feel sick to my stomach. I know, deep down, a darkness lies on the horizon, and it’s coming for me. For all of us.
“Concentrate!” Tristan barks.
“Shut up!” I snap.
I focus on Kian, watching for the slightest opening. Kian steps forward, and I counter with a quick sidestep, narrowly avoiding the deadly edge of his blade. The world seems to slow as I step forward, my sword slicing through the air with perfect precision, but he blocks with lightning reflexes.
“Impressive.” He gives me a wink.
We clash again and again, each strike fueled by adrenaline. My breath comes in ragged gasps, and my arms tremble from the relentless exertion. But I can’t back down. Not now.
I take deliberate steps sideways, my sword held in front as we circle each other. Kian winks at me again, his calm demeanor still there, though I can make out the sheen of sweat on his forehead, which fills me with a small sense of satisfaction.
Kian deftly feints to the left, tricking me as he swiftly moves from the right, expertly sweeping my feet from under me. The impact of hitting the dirt sends a rush of air escaping my lungs, leaving me momentarily breathless. With a determined glare, I stare at Kian, his sword poised at my throat. The scent of the earth lingers in the air, mixing with the faint smell of sweat.
With a confident smile, Kian sheaths his sword, his dimples adding charm to his expression. “That was amazing. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
I grunt, letting go of my sword and closing my eyes. My chest heaves with exhaustion, and my body throbs with pain as I blink up at the sky.
Kian looks down at me, his body casting a shadow over me. “You okay down there?”
“Peachy.”
Nix flies over, landing on his shoulder. “I don’t think a tonic bath is going to cut it.”
Kian chuckles playfully and holds a handout for me.
I push it away. “Can’t. Not yet.”
Tristan walks over and slaps Kian on the back. “You’re an excellent teacher.”
“Not just a pretty face, eh?”
Tristan shakes his head and stares down at me, curiosity shining in his periwinkle eyes. “You did well. I’m surprised. Are you sure this is your first time with a sword?”
I draw in a deep breath and slowly let it out, my hands resting at my sides. I’m about to say, of course, when a memory pops into my mind. It was Valric going through defense maneuvers with me; I was only four or five. My father had gifted me a sword for my birthday, and I wanted to learn.
The sudden clicking sound startles me, and I instinctively blink. Kian is squatting down, snapping his fingers in front of my face.
“There you are,” he sighs.
“Back it up.” With a forceful shove, I push him away and fight against the weight that keeps me down as I struggle to sit up. “I’m good. Something from my past just came back to me.”
“What was it?” Nix floats down to land on my knee as I cross my legs.
“My paladin. Valric. He was teaching me how to use defense moves with a sword. So, answering your question, no, this wasn’t my first time with a sword.”
Tristan blinks, his expression frozen in disbelief. “Your paladin was Valric? The Valric?”
“Umm . . . maybe?”
Nymeria and Anika make their way over, nudging me back and forth. I groan, my energy depleted. I am too scared to even try to lift my arms. “I think I’ll just sleep out here tonight.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” Tristan grumbles, bending down and lifting me from the ground and placing me on my feet. “You need to walk it off.”
Nix stops in front of my face. “I’ll let Zaria know to prepare the bath.”
Before I can thank her, she’s gone. Tristan’s arm is still around my waist, keeping me steady on my feet, my arm around his shoulders.
“Soon we will have to train you with magic.”