At the dawn of mercy, the Geist brought forth the city of Sanctuary, and it was here the first Verdunn was blessed.
“What’s a Verdunn?” I’d asked Bria that first day when she’d handed me the passages from the Book of Prima to memorize. I was practically greedy to finally get my hands on at least portions of the tome Cosmo had deemed important enough to necessitate learning how to read.
“We are,” she’d replied with a smile. “It’s the name of our race, or so it was, in the old language.”
I struck out at Dante again and the blade narrowly missed his thigh. He smirked at me, something like pride in his gaze. I couldn’t suppress my grin. It felt good to be on the offensive for once. Dante hadn’t knocked me completely on my ass for a few weeks now. I was improving.
The separation of gods and man created a pain so deep, the Verdunn feared they would never recover from the severance. And thus, the Trials were created.
He struck. I raised my blade to meet his, and the shrill whine of metal rang throughout the courtyard.
The Trials were a way for the Verdunn to prove themselves worthy of rejoining the Geist, to show they could rise above the separation and become one once more.
He forced me back a step and whirled away. I followed, keeping my rapier at the ready. He lunged, I parried. He retreated, I attacked. We became locked in an endless dance of steel against steel, his eyes narrowing, watching my left arm for the twitch he’d informed me always occurred before I struck. I lashed out, swinging my right arm around. He raised his blade, but only just in time.
He who is worthy of the Tenth Trial is worthy of Pavos. He who proves himself to the Geist earns his spot among them.
If you’re trying to distract me, it’s working,Dante’s masculine drawl interrupted my thoughts. I narrowly avoided his blade as he lunged toward me, the point aimed at my right shoulder. I rolled out of the way just in time, whirling to find him smirking at me.
You can hear me?I asked. I hadn’t beentrying to communicate with him.
Every moment of every day, Adrian. You really need to learn how to block off your mind. That, or stop reciting those dull passages. You’re giving me a headache.
I spun away from his blade once more, bringing mine up to meet it. Metal rang out through the courtyard again as our blows brought us face to face, our noses only inches apart.
Is that why I hardly ever hear your thoughts?I asked, pushing my blade against his. I used the momentum to twist away as he slashed out again.You block me out?
All the time.
Why? How?
I assumed you didn’t want to hear every thought that entered my mind. Or maybe you do wish to hear my internal debate about which sandwich I plan to eat for lunch, how Bria’s latest passages are putting me to sleep, when I should shower, shave, or go to bed. Although, I hardly have any thoughts at all anymore given that my head is so full of yours.
I launched my own assault, which he avoided easily enough, knocking each blow aside effortlessly.
You hear my every thought? All the time?
In a panic, I remembered all the times I’d appreciated his muscles during these very training sessions, all the mornings I’d noticed how his tee shirts rode up a little higher when he stretched, the evenings when I’d encountered him in the hallafter he’d showered and his hair was wet, water dripping into his radiant green eyes. My cheeks burned at the realization that he’d heard my thoughts thewholetime and he’d said nothing. My eyes grew wider as I realized he was hearing menow.
His lips spread into a wicked grin again.
Every word, Adrian,he whispered against my subconscious.
Jaw clenched, I lunged for him again. He slid deftly to the side, his low chuckle in my ear as he struck again.
How do I do it?How do I block you out?
Feel the bond between us and push it down.
Push it down?
Bury it down deep. Somewhere you can find it again when you need it but deep enough that your surface thoughts, any fleeting ideas that come to you throughout the day, aren’t sent directly over to me.
I nodded, focusing on doing just that. I could visualize our connection in my mind’s eye well enough. It had become more obvious, more present, in the last few months. But I would need more concentration than I could currently allow given our sparring.
I slashed out at him again, but he met my blade with his own, metal singing.
“Enough,” Myrine snapped.
