Out of options, and time, apparently, I bent at my waist and lunged at him.
Only to be thrown through the air into the crowd watching. They parted as I fell. I landed on the ground, hard, a jolt of paingoing up my back. Maybe I wouldn’t even make it to the front lines at all.
“I would say nice try, but I would be lying.” Askel brushed his hands together, like touching my body made them dirty. “When you dive at someone, you want to go for the legs, not the midsection. That way they can’t push you out of the way easily, and you are more likely to knock them over. This is also the reason why we train a strong fighting stance, so if someone dives at your legs, you are less likely to find yourself in trouble.”
I brushed myself off, rising from the ground just in time to see another soldier demonstrate the move properly, Askel ending up on his back on the ground.
“See this?” He cleared his throat, thanking the soldier who had knocked him over. “This is how your opponent should end up.” He turned back to the crowd. “Once they are down you should knock any weapons they still have away, and sit on their chest if possible so you can hold their arms down, or reach for their neck if you can. For training purposes, if you get your hands on your opponent’s neck, you win. Then you switch. Now go.”
A flurry of activity broke out as men everywhere dove at their opponents’ legs. I turned back to Askel, who had a gleam in his eye, but it was too late, he was already diving at my legs.
I pinched my eyes shut and braced for impact.
CHAPTER 15
The impact never came, and when I finally mustered up the courage to peek through my eyelids, there was one particularly large, dark-haired man standing off to the side. I recognized the tattoos peeking above the edge of his uniform.
Otho was here.
“Yes, sir?” Askel asked, his entire demeanor transformed from just moments before, his back straightening and his lips pressing together as he turned to face his boss.
“Mr. Potson’s stuff has arrived. I request he go put everything away so it doesn’t clutter up the bunks.”
Askel frowned, but motioned for me to follow Otho.
My mouth was dry, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the way Otho’s lips remained turned down at the corners as he led me away from the other soldiers, or because he had rescued me yet again.
I didn’t say anything as we walked inside, and just as I was about to ask a question, sure we were out of earshot of the other men, I spotted my bunk.
More specifically, I spotted who had been assigned to bring me my things.
Leif.
I picked up my pace, both relieved and excited to see him, for reasons I wasn’t even 100 percent certain of. Maybe it was just because he was familiar, or something.
I was so focused on reaching Leif, that I didn’t notice that Otho hadn’t entered the room with me. And it wasn’t until I was standing toe to toe with Leif that I realized he had disappeared entirely. Presumably back to his office.
“Hi,” Leif whispered. “Can I give you a hug?”
I nodded, and then I was pressed to his chest, the stress of the last day melting away.
“Are you okay?” he whispered into my hair.
“As okay as one can be,” I replied with a sigh, finally pulling back from our embrace. “Collum?—”
“Is fine,” he assured me, as he held out the sack to me. “She was in your room when I went to collect your things.”
I tilted my head to the side. He must’ve gone early in the morning before Adis called her to read.
“Oh.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there when Adis came,” he whispered, reaching up to place his hand on my cheek. I leaned into his touch. There was just something so comforting about the way his skin felt on mine.
Even if it wasn’t meant to last.
“It’s okay,” I whispered back. “I’m glad I could take the fall for everyone.”
He shook his head. “You shouldn’t have had to.”
