Avery had no interest in attempting to learn to fight in a war that she didn’t give a fuck about. But here she was. If she turned down Savine’s insistence that she fight, Savine might send her away. Then what would she do? She’d be some ferocious fae goblin monster’s next meal.
The training area was roped off from a segment of the prairie. They approached a tent where male and female Latian warriors gathered. Kyla made eye contact with Savine, who seemed to not trust Avery enough to walk herself over to the training area.
“Savine! Avery! I’m so happy to see you,” Kyla said in her lilting voice.
“I’m just making sure Avery makes it here safely. I’ll be back to bring her to my tent after practice,” Savine said and turned without saying another word to Avery or Kyla. Great. She was basically a four-year-old being dropped off at karate practice.
“Avery,” Kyla said as she reached her hand out to touch Avery’s. Avery pulled her hand away from Kyla. “I’m so sorry for tampering with your emotions. It was wrong of me, and I mishandled your grief.”
“Yeah,” Avery replied. There wasn’t much Kyla could say to make what she did right. “What you did was a gross violation, and I still feel disgusted with how you tried to take away my grief.”
“Is there anything I can do to gain back your trust?” Kyla asked. Her eyes looked sad, and her shoulders slumped slightly.
“Just get me through this training so I can go back to my tent.”
“Yes, okay. Would you like to train with me today, or would you prefer someone else?”
Avery thought about it for a moment, but before she spoke, that creepy fish woman came up behind Kyla.
“Ah! The little mouse is out with the predators. Avery, are you looking for a sparring partner?” The fishy lady smiled with her creepy sharp teeth as she assessed Avery. Her squinting purple eyes made Avery assumed she was judging her, most likely on her disheveled appearance. She hadn’t done anything for her personal care in a few days now.
“What’s your name again?” Avery asked. She crossed her arms, trying to look a bit more formidable. Gaelyn. She knew what it was, but wanted to give the fishy lady a jab.
“Gaelyn. Kyla, do you object to us sparring?” Gaelyn asked as she assessed Avery.
“Not if Avery doesn’t object. You swore to her safety, so you’re a safer choice than some of the other warriors.”
Both women gave Avery a pointed look. She had been coerced into this training, so why not fight someone who could flay her open with her teeth?
“Sure. Let’s get it over with,” Avery replied with a shrug. Had she ever fought someone? No. Did she want these immortal monsters to know? Nope. Kyla was right, though. That same strange light entered her when Gaelyn and the others swore to protect her, so what harm could she cause?
“First, we’ll do some warm-up drills before we get to sparring. Come join us, Avery.” Kyla motioned toward the group of fae who were already lined up and ready to go through Kyla’s practice. The drills were basic calisthenics, not much different from what any human would do to warm up. So far, so good.
Even though her body moved stiffly and ached, and her mind was lost in her grief, Avery felt a bit more like herself as she worked through the motions with the surrounding fae.
When it came time to choose a weapon, Avery chose the one she was most familiar with. The axe. This axe’s shaft was shorter, and tighter than the one she was used to using for working trail crew, but the feel of it was right.
The axe in her hand sent her back to a hot summer day in Montana. She had been out on the trail for four days and still had two more to go. Her muscles screamed at her as she dug the Pulaski into the dusty, hard-packed ground on the side of a steep mountain. The forest was thick with trees and underbrush. If she fell, her body would slap into a tree in seconds. As she hacked roots and tore out rocks from the new trail, Avery could see a thunderstorm approaching fast from the south. Before she knew it, she and the small team of trail builders were getting soaked. While everyone else sought cover, Avery stood directly in the downpour with her arms stretched as she let the rain wash the four days of dust off her body. The scent of the rain-drenched forest came rushing back to her.
Savine.He smelled exactly like that moment.
And this axe? It felt in some strange way, like a link between her life in Montana and her life in Latiah.
“Okay, Kyla, I’m going with an axe,” Avery said.
Kyla cocked her head, studying Avery. Reading Avery’s emotional reaction to the weapon. “Interesting choice in weapon. Have you used one before?”
“Extensively, but not for hurting someone. I built trails in the mountains over the last few summers,” Avery said with a shrug.
Kyla assessed Avery’s stance as she held the weapon. “When I was healing you, I wondered how you were so strong for such a small person, and why your hands were so calloused. You, being a manual laborer, makes sense.”
Avery never considered herself a manual laborer, but she wouldn't argue now. Maybe that’s what she was? A woman who preferred to work hard with her hands than to be inside. Her hands had the callouses to prove it. Her sister always had been better with her brain. That and getting her stress out through yoga or running instead of hacking away at rocks and underbrush on the side of the mountain.
Morgan.
Would Avery ever know if Morgan’s steady presence still existed? Her breath caught in her throat.
Kyla’s gaze let Avery know she sensed Avery’s pain. She snapped back into the world around her.
