“Alright, how about I make you a deal?” he says with a grin.
I know this isn’t going to work in my favor, but I also have a feeling I’m not getting away from it. “Fine. What’s your deal?”
He points to the suspended log. “You walk across that without falling off, and we’ll go play with some knives.”
“It’s a log.”
He gestures toward it. “Go ahead.”
“You can do it, Sabina,” Katherine cheers.
“Right. Yes.” I walk over to it and climb the stool that leads to one side. I grab the ropes that keep it suspended and step onto the log. I’m swaying right away, already having to grip the ropes to keep from falling off.
I might have made a mistake.
I wait for the log to slow so it’s no longer swinging as intensely and then take a step. I feel better. Like maybe I can actually do this. I let go of one rope and take another small step.I throw one arm out to steady myself. Then, I release the other rope. I’m balancing on the log. Arms out, I move another step. Then, another.
“This isn’t so bad.” I look over my shoulder and the log swings. Eyes wide, I struggle to maintain my balance, and I lose my footing and slip. I hit the ground hard. Mud splatters on my face. I wipe it from my eyes and mouth, but my hands are even more covered in the stuff. I lift the skirts of my dress to clear the mud from my face.
Brevan is laughing.
Katherine runs over to me. Her slippers sink into mud, making squelching sounds as she nears. She slides and crashes into me, knocking us both flat on our backs. I’m pretty sure there’s mud everywhere. And I mean everywhere.
Brevan looks down at us. “Need some help?”
“From you? No, thank you.” I try to sit, but I’m sinking and slipping. Katherine is doing the same. Reluctantly, I hold out my hand, and Brevan pulls me out of the mud pit. Then he helps Katherine.
“I’m guessing our lesson is over for today?” Brevan says.
There’s no way I could attempt that log again or climb a ladder or anything else for that matter in my mud-caked dress. It drags behind me, even heavier than usual.
“I need pants,” I tell Brevan. “I could do it if I had pants. And boots.” I lift my foot to show my stupid satin slippers, only to find that I don’t have any shoes on at all. They’re lost in the mud.
“So you do,” he says. “I’ll let Caiden know.”
“I’m going to take a bath. Do not follow me,” I say.
He drops into an exaggerated bow. “As you wish, Your Highness.” When he stands, he’s wearing the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on him.
I pick up the skirts of my dress so I don’t trip over them and head back to the castle. Katherine follows behind.
“I’m going to take a bath, too,” she says. “And I hope you’ll understand that I won’t be joining you for lessons again.”
“I don’t blame you,” I say.
Twenty-Three
“Nice pants,”Brevan says.
They’re too big, but I managed to get them to stay up. At least the boots fit. Some of the ladies already had boots for the colder weather and they offered them to me while I waited for some of my own. My feet are the same size as Antonia and Genevieve so when I destroy this pair, at least I have a second one. They’re not the same as what a legionnaire would wear, but I’m not going to be wearing a uniform if I need to fight.
“Want to start at the beginning today or are you ready to try the log again?” he asks.
“I understand that there’s a process to train a legionnaire, but I’m not going to be fighting a war. Can’t we skip this part?”
“No.”
I groan. I thought training might be helpful, but at this rate, I won’t learn anything of actual use before I need to get out of here.
