Myrin and I faced one another in the center of the room, and a determined glint filled her gaze. “Ready?”
“Absolutely.”
***
I was not ready.
A groan left my throat as I was thrown back onto the grass, a surface that wasn’t nearly as comfortable as one might think. My arms were sore and shaking, and the morning sun beat down through the glass, creating a toasty atmosphere in the training yard.
“You held out longer that time!” Myrin chirped enthusiastically, and I huffed out indignantly.
I had not, but I appreciated the support. Myrin said something to Barnabus, who I was finding she often talked to, as I let my daggers drop into the grass. After nearly two hours of training, I had come to the realization that there was no way this woman wasn’t ever going tonotkick my ass.
She was so skilled in combat, it was unreal.
In a way, I was glad she was kicking my ass because it showed me my weak spots. While they wouldn’t try to purposefully, I had a feeling my men were holding back while training me. I knew they would worry about hurting me, but Myrin did not seem to suffer the same concern.
In between the whole kicking my ass thing, she had also taught me a few useful things about using my lighter weight and momentum to counter attacks from those larger than me. The Empress also taught me how to move in short spurts of enhanced speed around my attacker to catch them off guard.
While I was still getting the hang of it, the advice she was giving me was invaluable since I was still getting used to all the new physical aspects that came along with being a dhampyr. It was clear that the key to being useful on the battlefield was using my speed and strength to my advantage since blunt force and direct attacks wouldn’t cut it.
Realistically, while I was now on a more level playing field with a male vampyre than I had been as a human prisoner, there would still be differences. So being able to fine tune my abilities with Myrin’s assistance left me feeling more secure in my ability to defend myself. My respect for Myrin shifted as well. I could no longer simply regard her as a ruler. She was also awarrior.
She insisted I had natural strength between my newfound confidence and determination, but she didn’t seem to realize how amazing she was. I had never looked up to someone the way I did her.
“I’m grabbing us some water and then I want to try some sword sparring,” she called out as she sauntered across the training yard from me. “I know you prefer daggers, but you never know what situation you will be caught in or what you will have to use around you.”
I offered a grunt before sinking against the ground fully, taking the moment of rest to take deep, steadying breaths.
When a flap of wings sounded, I turned my head to find that Barnabus had landed a couple of feet away from me. The weight of his stare was almost…expectant. I frowned slightly, unsure of what he wanted. I didn’t think he was the type of pet that expected treats. Hell, I wasn’t sure I could consider him a pet…I mean, Myrin not only talked to him like a person, but his gaze was creepily intelligent. Then again, considering he had orchestrated my breakout from that ship, I suppose it wasn’t that surprising.
“I never thanked you.” I sat up, drawing my knees against my chest and facing him, leaving my daggers next to me. “I wouldn’t have gotten out of that ship if it wasn’t for you or your friends.”
Barnabus made a few clicking noises, and I smiled. It was almost like he was responding…maybe he was.It appeared he understood Myrin to an extent.
I tilted my head in thought. “Can you understand what I’m saying?”
I tried to not overthink how ridiculous I probably sounded, talking to this bat like he was a person.
Barnabus made two clicks. Okay…well, that meant something. I think.
“I am going to take that as a yes.” I had a hard time trying to contain the smile trying to split my lips.
Barnabus made several clicks and flapped his wings in what almost seemed like a silly movement, drawing a full smile from me. I guess itwaspossible that I could see the appeal of having an animal companion around all the time.
Myrin approached us, holding two containers of drinking water. I groaned, pushing to my knees and stumbling as I stood. Her gaze was fixed on Barnabus, though she quickly turned her curious eyes on me. There was something in her expression I didn’t understand.
“Are you talking to him?”
I shrugged. “Sort of, I was talking out loud more than anything. I was thanking him for saving me. He made clicking noises back at me, so I wondered if he understood me.”
Myrin’s gaze jumped with amusement as Barnabus made a loud click and flew back up toward the ledge he’d been perched on for the duration of our sparring session. I felt suddenly embarrassed as I really thought about my words. “I know it probably seems silly—”
“Not silly,” Myrin interrupted before nodding for us to walk toward the wall of weapons. “I think you will find over time that Barnabus is not normal by any standards.”
I definitely believed that.
“Take a sip of water and then grab that broadsword with the leather hilt,” she instructed, motioning to the weapon at the far end of the rack.
