“I’ll start lunch once I’ve cut this piece,” Rosalind said.
Ritathan frowned, then shrugged.“I will be supervising the lesson,” he said.
“No need,” Roth said.
“Oh no,” Ritathan said, “I think there is.”
Halithe set her work aside and followed them down the hall and through the kitchen into the courtyard.
“Let me get you a helmet and gloves.”Roth walked to a pile of gear on the ground opposite the bench and started to sort through it.
Ritathan went to the well, pulled a bucket of water, then seated himself on the bench with the bucket at his feet.
“Thirsty?”Roth asked.
“Something like that,” Ritathan said.“What weapon will you start with?”
The wooden practice weapons were piled on the bench beside Ritathan.Halithe studied them for a moment, then picked one up.Its hilt seemed longer than the rest and somehow it felt wrong, holding it one-handed.She brought her other hand to the hilt, gripping it and turning away from the bench, adjusting her feet so that the point of the sword rose in the air.Comfortable, light, the golden wood gleaming in the sun—
That was suddenly blocked by a dark shadow.Roth was in front of her, towering, a darkness with a sword in one hand and a helmet in the other.
“Ah,” he said, and tapped the end of her sword with his.
The wood in Halithe’s hand reverberated.
Her breath stopped.
Fear caught her and in response, fury rose, rage and frustration sprouting from deep within.
Halithe screamed a battle cry.Her wooden sword burst into flames as she lunged, swinging with all her might.
The shadow retreated rapidly, its sword in a guard position, easily parrying her blow.
Halithe snarled, advancing, the flames growing hotter—
Icy cold water hit her face, her hands, the front of her tunic, drenching her, clearing her vision, to see a scorched piece of wood in her hands and a startled, wary Roth, backing away from her, eyes wide.
Halithe dropped the ruined weapon and burst into tears.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The Farmstead in the Black Hills
Halithe just couldn’t stop; her sobs kept coming, deep and helpless until she could barely breathe.
Strong arms were wrapped around her and there was a soft humming in her ear.She pressed her burning face to cool silk and let it all out, the anger, the frustration, the tears.
Finally, she could gasp in a full breath, finally she calmed, and found herself seated on the bench, leaning into Ritathan.He was the one holding her.She was soaking wet and miserable, her eyes hot and scratchy.She rubbed at them to try to ease the discomfort and discovered Roth, on one knee in front of her, no more than an arm’s length away.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his weathered face filled with dismay.“You took a stance, and had a fair grip, and I thought you knew—” he caught himself.“I made a mistake, Leeda.”
“So did I,” Ritathan’s voice was a rumble in her ear.“I should have warned you both, not just sat here, like a smug idiot.”
“With a bucket of water,” Roth said.
“With a bucket of water.”Halithe felt Ritathan’s chest heave as he sighed.“I knew there was a possibility but did not anticipate anything so…dramatic.”He hugged Halithe.“Flaming sword,” he said quietly in her ear.“So original.”
Halithe choked back a laugh, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
