“I dinnae intend tae,” Duncan answered. “But whether ye remain or ye go?—”
He reached for the second sword, lifting it from the rack before offering it to her.
“Ye will learn tae protect yerself.”
Elaina blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
“I…” She glanced down at the weapon, then back at him. “That isnae necessary.”
“It is,” Duncan said simply.
She hesitated. “I am a healer,” she added. “Nae a fighter.”
“And yet,” he replied, “ye were nearly taken in the middle of a crowded market.”
The words struck. Elaina’s jaw tightened slightly.
“That wasnae because I couldnae defend meself,” she said. “It was because I was stopped.”
“And next time?” Duncan asked.
Silence followed. Because there would be a next time. They both knew it.
He stepped closer, placing the sword into her hand despite her hesitation. It felt heavier than she had expected.
“Next time, ye’ll be ready,” he promised and she knew he meant it.
Elaina looked down at the weapon, her fingers curling uncertainly around the hilt. This was not her world, not the one she had chosen. But neither was the danger that followed her.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet his.
“And ye think this will make a difference?” she asked.
“I ken it will,” Duncan replied.
There was no doubt in him. That, more than anything, made it difficult to refuse.
Elaina exhaled softly. “Very well.”
A faint flicker of approval passed through his expression.
“Good.”
The sword felt wrong in her hand. It felt too heavy, too long and too alive, in a way she did not understand.
Elaina adjusted her grip again, her fingers tightening around the hilt as though force alone might give her control over it. It did not. The weight pulled unevenly through her arm, her balance shifting with every movement, and her stance was uncertain despite her effort to steady it.
“Ye’re holding it too stiffly,” Duncan said, stepping closer. “Relax yer wrist.”
“It is a blade,” she replied, with her breath slightly uneven. “I am nae certain it is meant tae be relaxed.”
He showed the faintest hint of amusement in his expression, but it did not linger.
“Control daesnae come from tension,” he said. “It comes from kenning where the weight is.”
Easy fer ye tae say.
Elaina adjusted again, loosening her grip just enough to follow his instruction. The blade dipped slightly, unfamiliar in the change, but she forced herself to hold it there.
