“Same,” I said, already standing.
Cayden extended his hand. “If he wants to talk, he can come to us.”
I raised an eyebrow. “The Architect? Come to us?”
Cayden made a scrawl and gently put it on top of his TB, which sucked it in and sent it off. “Yes. The Architect.” Cayden stood. “I’ll join your fight classes today.”
I studied his TB.
“Oh, the message was for Xan, on your behalf as well,” Cayden promised. “Now, I need to move either toward Quinn or under your instruction, which Quinn could not stop raving about.”
A dopey grin pulled at my face. Quinn said nice things about me.
Cayden raised an eyebrow. I grunted and puffed out my chest, owning my smile, before marching us into the foggy world. The final participants of my morning training were hurrying into the training yard. Promising trainees and enforcers dressed in blacks mingled for a brush-up on close combat strategies in confined spaces. In two days, we’d raid the first of the underground cellars.
With Cayden planting himself on the outskirts, I started the session. “Remember, the tunnels will be dark and narrow,” I bellowed. “Your movements need to be short and precise. I know we spend a lot of time on sword work and bows here, but daggers and hand axes are your friends in close quarters.”
I demonstrated the first drill and got the group going. Not two minutes later, Xan, the Architect, dressed in his simple trainee uniform, joined my drill.
‘Your doing?’I asked.
‘Yup,’Cayden said without explanation.
I wanted to step in. The Architect wasn’t just a man; he was the idea of the world I wanted to live in. But he was also Xan, who’d somehow failed The Pit Master’s test. Maybe a little training would be good for him.
I refocused my attention on the class, walking the training yard and correcting forms. It took me another thirty minutes to notice a woman at the back. Not as short as Quinn, she was still well below average height, with an ample chest that bounced with each messy swing of her ax. Her brother jerked his head, telling me to move on. I did, changing the drill to one that worked well with your back to a wall.
My gaze drifted to the woman again. Like everyone, sweat poured down her face. She was working hard, though she clearly had no background in fighting. I didn’t recognize her. Dark,almost black hair plastered to her face and neck. Regardless of skill, I liked seeing her in our ranks. It made me miss Quinn. Xan had immediately put Quinn in one-on-one training to help her catch up. Should I recommend the same?
My Fight class came to a close. Cayden walked over to Xan, who had dropped to the ground, breathing hard. I left them to it and stepped toward the woman. Her brother slid in front of me.
“Jefferson’s picking the strike team for the tunnels this afternoon. You won’t be a part of it,” I mostly said for her brother’s benefit. “But, if Fight is the direction you want to go, I want to encourage you. Would you like a one-on-one tutor? Um, I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”
“Calista. My name is Calista, and my family’s so small it’s not worth mentioning.” The woman slid around her brother. “Will it help me get closer to Quinn? Maybe be on her honor guard?”
I blinked. “Um, what?”
Calista touched her abdomen. “Brit’s cycling. Quinn made it happen. She had to. There’s no other explanation.” She looked hopefully up at me. “If I can guard Quinn next, maybe she’ll fix me, too.”
I blinked at her, then glanced at her brother. He ducked his head, but a glimmer of hope also filled his eyes.
“Did Brit tell you she’s cycling?” It wasn’t the right question, but Quinn didn’t even know what she’d done. This shouldn’t be common knowledge.
Calista blushed. “No. I, um, overheard them talking.”
I raised an eyebrow.
Calista shifted uncomfortably… was she lying?
“Didn’t take much asking to piece it together,” she said quickly. “It had to be Quinn. Being from the past and with her crazy crystal magic. I want the same chance Brit had.” She clenched her fists in front of her. “I don’t care how hard I have to work.”
I rocked on my heels, lost. Ezra’s trick came to mind: when in doubt, call Xan.
‘Bring Xan. Now.’
‘We’re in the middle of something. It can wait,’Cayden responded.
‘No, it sure as fuck cannot,’I snapped back.
