I was completely dumbfounded. I didn't completely forgive Sawyer—how could I after what he did? But he was important to Sebastian, so all I could do was try to put the matter behind me. It helped knowing that he got a taste of his own medicine after the fact. He and Sebastian truly must be close if a black eye didn't come between them.
A hand appeared in front of my face, waving back and forth.
The motion made my eyes flutter. “Sorry I—” I raised an eyebrow. “Sawyer just apologized to me.”
“Yeah, he told me,” Sebastian replied as he walked to the edge of the mat and placed his rucksack down. He released the knot of his cloak and folded it neatly, placing it on the ground next to his bag. “Sawyer means well, but has the oddest ways of showing it.”
“I’ll say,” I muttered.
“You ready?”
“Almost.” I took an elastic from my rucksack thengathered my hair in my hands, tying it into a quick braid so that it wouldn't be in the way while we were training. A few strands fell free into my face, but I let them be.
“Okay. Ready.” I looked up towards Sebastian who was standing rigid, his eyes roaming my torso. He fumbled across the mat, trying to act nonchalant about the fact that I caught him watching me. My teeth clamped my lip to suppress my grin.
“Do you want to start with battle training or wielding?” he asked, running a hand through his hair, rustling it.
I was tempted to start with power wielding, but it would drain my energy too fast. “Training.”
Sebastian nodded and reached down to the sheath hanging against his thigh. He pulled out a dagger, and passed it to me. I gripped it firmly, turning it in various angles to admire it.
The blade was crafted from a polished silver so bright that I could see both of our reflections in it. The hilt was carved from diamond and had sapphires arranged in spirals within the stone. I flipped the dagger around in my hands. “This is beautiful.”
“It was my mother’s. I inherited it when she died,” Sebastian said, hanging his head just enough that I noticed.
I was stunned that he would let me use something so sentimental to him. I didn't feel worthy of even holding something that belonged to Queen Cicily. I tried to hand it back to him, but he shook his head.
“Why are you giving me this, anyways?”
“We are going to practice with weapons during our sessions. You won't do much of that in combat training until next year, but it's just as important to know how to fight with weapons as it is your hands.”
I gestured to his chest plate. “That explains the armor.”
“Yeah. I don't particularly want to be stabbed tonight.”
“You probably should have worn the rest of it then. Your arms and legs are fair game.”
“Should I get a healer in here before we start?”
“That would be wise. I don’t have the best aim yet,” I taunted, waving the dagger in the air.
“I can handle being stabbed in the leg. Just try to avoid any major organs.” Sebastian laughed.
“No promises.”
I wasn't thrilled with the idea of stabbing the man I was newly infatuated with in the chest, but we got right to work regardless.
“I want you to practice your offensive tactics. Try to hit me in thearmor,” he emphasized the word, “and I’ll try to disarm you.”
I took my stance on one side of the mat, steadying my legs and bending my arms at waist level. I held the dagger tightly in my palm, angling it towards him. Sebastian did the same on the other side and waited for me to make the first move.
I held a tight breath of air in my lungs and lunged towards him, pointing the blade out. Before I could get anywhere near his armor, his wrist locked around mine. He tightened his grip, and the knife fell from my grasp.
“You didn't even give me a chance.” My nose crinkled with my complaint.
Releasing me, Sebastian picked up the dagger and handed it back. “There are no chances in real combat.”
“This isn't real combat.”
