When that was finished, he showed me how to block attacks with a shield. A shield that was obviously not meant for me, since I could barely hold the damn wood and metal contraption up, but I was able to glean the basics.
At the end of the session, I realized that the sword and ax, while both things I could grow comfortable with, weren’t tools I could use with ease. Neither feltright. Neither felt like an extension of myself.
“I’m back,” Elijah announced, presenting me with two daggers. They were a bit large in my hands, something he commented on, but already I felt far better holding them than I had when wielding either of the others. When he walked me through the technique and directed me to attack the straw dummy, I landed more successful blows than I had with the others, and I didn’t find my arms trembling from exhaustion. I could keep going for a long time.
“I like these,” I admitted, turning back to him after pulling a dagger from the straw sack.
“Figured with how fast you were, you would. They are light, although personalized ones would be even lighter, and you need speed, not power.” Elijah paused before adding with a smirk, “Just not too much speed. Wouldn’t want to smack into a wall.”
My mouth dropped open. “Did you just make a joke?”
He uncharacteristically winked at me before motioning for the daggers, taking them and walking back towards the others, clearly happy with our progress. Actually, that was an understatement—he was smug as fuck. I couldn’t help but feel on edge at how lighthearted he appeared today. It was probably due in part to him being in his element with combat training, but it felt like something else as well.
Nerves unfurled in my chest. It was clear the daggers were my favorite, so that meant he would earn the date with me. But would he take it? We really needed to continue our conversation from earlier.
“Elijah uses everything,” Dakath explained, before shaking his head with what appeared to be frustration. “He doesn’t even have a chosen weapon because he’s good with literally everything. And never have I seen him use a dagger before. It isn’t his personal weapon, which is what the bet was.”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at his wounded look, begging me to disqualify Elijah.
“Because you know I won, you’re trying to invalidate that I knew what she needed best!” Elijah called out from where he was putting the pile of weapons away. When he walked back over, though, he seemed in a good mood still. “That’s fine, though. I have something to arrange for tomorrow anyway that will take up my time.”
“You’re going to be gone tonight?” I asked softly, hurt. I thought he’d truly wanted to win with how seriously he took finding me the perfect weapon.
“Only for a short time. I’m still right across the hall if you need anything,” he said, and I wondered briefly what would happen if I did go to his room…
I shook the thought from my head. I wasn’t brave enough to do that yet. There were only so many refusals a girl could take.
Elijah turned, saying he needed to speak with Myrin, so I refocused on Dakath and Kolvar, both of them offering me expectant, heated looks.
“So what’s your decision?” Kolvar asked.
I offered a teasing smile. “Well, I liked both the sword and ax equally”—I put a hand up as they both went to protest—“but Dakath, we already had a date today, so I pick the ax.”
“Fuck,” Dakath grunted, letting out a sigh while pinning Kolvar with a narrowed but amused look. The man in question picked me up, spinning me around before kissing me hard enough my head spun.
Something settled in my chest at that moment. It was amazing to see how well we all fit together when Elijah was in a good mood, and I already felt confidence surging within me at my budding combat skills.
I’d never be defenseless again.
ChapterTwenty
Kolvar
After agreeing to part ways and clean up after the grueling training Elijah had run us all through, I found myself stroking my cock in the bath as I thought of Kyella using a weapon. She was so fierce, a trait I hadn’t quite realized burned so brightly within her. I’d always thought her brave for surviving under Malakai’s rule and for risking her life to escape. But the fire that burned within her in the yard was something different.
She’d come alive with the kiss of metal in her hands, and I saw the fight of a warrior in her eyes when she’d refused to give up, pushing through the exhaustion that shook her body.
I could feel myself reaching my peak as the memory replayed in my mind, I tightened my grip and increased the pace on my shaft. My breathing was shallow and quick as I felt the tightening of my balls a moment before my release swept through me.Fuck.Somehow it still wasn’t enough, my cock refusing to soften, as if it was aware there was a far better option than our hand. I stroked a few more times to get all of the cum out before dropping my head back on the edge of the tub and sighing deeply.
Kissing her in the training yard was just a stepping stone for what I wanted to do with her, but the way she’d easily melted into me had shown me that I was on the right path to gaining her trust.
When Dakath had alluded to how sweet she tasted, I’d wanted to go into her room right then and there and bury my face between her legs until she screamed even louder for me. I wasn’t mad at the bastard, but I was jealous.
However, it made me happy, knowing that she was finding pleasure and comfort in our presence. She deserved it all, and I had no doubt we’d ensure she was always satisfied, mind and body.
I’d thought it would take her longer to let us progress to this point, but it showed how much she’d refused to allow Malakai to crush her spirit. No matter what had happened to her there, she’d reclaimed her life, and she was fully in control.
Pushing from the bath, I quickly dried off and dressed in a plain white cotton shirt and trousers, finishing off by tugging on leather boots. I was eager to have her to myself, and before being distracted by jerking off in the tub, I’d been thinking about my plan to take her to a landmark I hoped she’d appreciate. I had a feeling this was an experience she’d love because of the way she’d soaked up the information from Dakath about our people and our land while walking through the market.
