I force myself to stand up straighter, swallowing a groan of pain as I do.
“It looks like your training is going wonderfully.” Kestrel smiles sweetly—a polite show for the sake of her younger brother; I don't miss the cruel satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.
“It is,” I lie. “Then again, it's hardly a challenge, compared to the daily lives of most people outside of your shiny oasis here.” I plaster on a saccharine smile of my own.
“Glad to hear it.” She lowers her voice as she adds, “Just don't let your guard down, hm? Shiny places can have their share of dangers, too.”
“Thank you for your kind advice, Your Majesty.”
Arlo's attention has shifted back to Blight. He's clutching that same hand to his chest again, his breathing growing slightly labored once more.
Concern darkens his sister's face as she looks him over.She seems to abruptly forget about her displeasure with me, taking Arlo by the arm and escorting him away without another word or backward glance.
Blight makes a low, mournful sound as she watches them leave.
I wander over and sit on the edge of her platform, letting my legs dangle to take some of the pressure off my knee. “That was strange, wasn't it?”
She turns her back to me before flopping down with a huff.
“…So, I've finally managed to offend you enough that you're going to leave me alone, I guess?”
She doesn't give any response.
“Looks like you have a stubborn streak in you, too.” I let out a humorless laugh. “Maybe wearekindred spirits, after all.”
I lean back on my palms, sighing.
Her tail swats toward me, the feathery tip surprisingly painful as it slaps my arm.
“You don't have to beviolentabout it.”
Her tail lashes even more violently in response. As I stumble down and out of her reach, I notice Commander Gareth making his way toward us.
“I see you two are getting along even better than before,” he says.
“She's grumpy from lack of lunch, I think.” Seeing that he's brought no food back with him, I pointedly add, “We're bonding overthat, it would seem.”
Gareth is unmoved by the passive aggressive commentary. “If I'm honest, a part of me was hoping I'd come back to find that she'd eatenyoufor lunch.”
“Now that you mention it, I think I was secretly hoping for that, too.”
Blight gives a haughty snort, as if she regrets not taking the opportunity to do this.
“So at least we're all in agreement,” I joke.
Gareth remains stone-faced as he takes up a training weapon once more. “You can both eat all the food you like after you manage to do something productive.”
This is the only introduction he gives to part two of our training session—he's charging at me in the next breath, forcing me back into motion before I can even protest.
Battling with him is pure torture on an empty stomach, made even worse because all the aches and bruises I sustained earlier have had time to stiffen and sink in.
Exhaustion makes my movements sloppy, my reactions slow. Spite is the only thing sustaining me at the moment, and even that familiar fuel is running low.
The interaction with Arlo looms heavily on my mind, too, as Gareth and I go through the motions. I've only just met him, but I can't stop thinking about the young prince. His scrawny appearance, his covered hands, the concern in his sister's eyes…
What is wrong with him?
It's the second time something has seemed…offabout a member of the royal family—the first being my initial meeting with the king, that moment when his control seemed to slip.
