Chapter 28 #2
He uses my upward momentum to stabilize himself, grabbing me around the waist and pivoting his weight to the left leg.
He holds me off the ground, tight to him, our faces inches apart, our breath dancing.
I keep my eyes locked on his, defiant, and feel his body pressed against me.
It’s like being held by a tree. A warm, confusing tree.
“Whoo-hoo!” Eero says, clapping.
Gryphon releases me. I stand on my own two legs, which are surprisingly shaky.
He still hasn’t looked away, so I don’t, either.
His expression is one I’ve never seen before, at least directed at me.
Surprised delight? Before I can decide, his eyes take the slightest tack to the left and I hop to the right, avoiding the hand he thrusts out.
A lifetime of studying patients’ every move, anticipating their weaknesses, their needs, and their flailing limbs, has paid off.
To my everlasting surprise, I throw my head back and laugh. I feel strong, and I feel good.
“Did she learn that one quick enough for you, Gryph?” Eero teases.
My laughter melts as I realize I have no idea how Gryphon is going to react.
I nearly bested him in front of his trainees.
He might be outraged. His father certainly would be.
But to my relief, I see that he’s grinning.
It’s full and generous and flies straight to my heart.
For the second time this week, I consider that the boy he used to be, the friend of my childhood, might be standing before me.
“Yeah,” Gryphon says, chuckling. “That’s quick enough for me.”
I risk a glance at the others. Little Marie is open-mouthed, Eero mirroring her, and Oscar is shaking his head with a smirk. Meryl looks like she wants to hug me. Sal’s the only one who appears unimpressed. The reflex to make myself small again is automatic; it takes all my will to shove it down.
“Pair up,” Gryphon says, his smile gone as he returns to business. “Eero and Rose, Oscar and Meryl. Sal, you’re with me. Everyone watch us demonstrate before trying it on your own. Here’s how to use wrist locks to contain someone.”
Gryphon is placing his fingers on Sal’s trigger points and explaining the results. I’m thrilled to discover my medical training lends me a hand in this exercise, too. I bring Eero to the ground quickly and repeatedly. He gets in a few good locks on me, though.
“Sun and Soil, Rose, you’re pretty good at this,” he says as he rubs his elbow where he’s just landed on it. We’re both filthy and soon to be covered in bruises, but I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more alive. “You sure you don’t practice in secret?”
I offer him a hand up. “Oddly enough, Apothecary training helps a lot.”
Eero grins, displaying his easygoing nature. It’s clear why he and Jonas were—no, are—friends. They’re both even-tempered and big-hearted. But Eero’s a few years below us. In fact, wasn’t he in the same class as…
“It’s odd that Albert’s not around,” I say, trying to sound casual. “But I guess I don’t know him well. Were you two ever friends?”
Eero’s thick, dark brows knit together. “Not really. Why?”
Because I think I saw him lurking behind the chapel the morning my mother was killed. “No reason,” I say, pasting on a strained smile. “Just making conversation.” I reach into my pocket and give Lucky Bunny a squeeze.
Across the training ground, Sal gets a well-placed clamp on Gryphon, and he drops to his knees.
He lets her help him up and congratulates her, offering tips on how to refine her movements.
As much as I want to guard my heart, it does something strange to me to witness how generous he is with his knowledge.
I can’t imagine Gryphon’s parents being anything but furious to be bested by a mere villager. Where did he learn this grace?
As if hearing my thoughts, he looks over, his eyes holding mine in a way that feels like physical touch. I turn away, my cheeks flushed.
“You know,” Eero says, glancing between Gryphon and me, “if the two of you played like you were in love instead of, say, announcing to the entire village how much you hate each other in chapel, Misia and Jarek might give you both more freedom.”
He’s not wrong, but my stomach flips as I imagine broaching the subject.
Hey, Gryphon, want to build off that random angry kiss last night and act like we’re not allergic to each other? Maybe hold hands and smile into one another’s eyes occasionally?
“Switch partners,” Gryphon says before I can respond to Eero.
My breath hitches. Are he and I going to spar again? My skin starts humming.
“Oscar, you’re with Eero. Meryl, you move to Rose.”
I tell myself the falling sensation I feel is relief.
Meryl stands in front of me, a serene smile on her pale face. “So, you gonna kick my butt, too?” she asks in her raspy voice. Her expression is open, not a stitch of judgment in it.
“I’m having a good day,” I admit. “Beginner’s luck.”
“Maybe you can share some of it with me?” She smiles, then makes like she’s going to adjust her shirt but instead loops her arm around my neck and drops me to the ground.
The impact rattles my teeth. We wrestle for several more rounds.
I’m asking her to show me how she managed a wrist lock that blindsided me when I notice Gryphon leave the circle, striding into the cave.
He emerges a moment later holding a stack of straight, polished branches, each as tall as him and half as wide around as my wrist.
“Who wants a weapon?”
Eero whoops in joy.