Page 41 of The Silversmith

I tried to hide my limp and how my sore body trembled with exhaustion. That shooting pain from just nights before, when I’d started my cycle, still nagged at my lower back, through my hip, and straight into my thigh. At least the wolf bite on my arm was healing well enough that when I rolled up my sleeve and left it exposed to fresh air, it didn’t hurt.

Regardless, even though I was exhausted, we began training the next morning, just as Gavin had said we would.

At least he was a man of his word.

The sun was warm enough for me to forgo my scarf and hat. After a run to stretch my sore legs, I shed my jacket too. Underneath, I wore a forest-green wool turtleneck with black pants. The chill bit at my cheeks, but I was comfortable. My silver hair was loosely braided and rested over my right shoulder.

My body ached, but I stood as tall as possible in front of Gavin, arms at my sides, head held high. Waiting.

His cold gaze assessed my thin but defiant and slightly stronger form. Yesterday’s all-black ensemble had been traded for a navy-blue long-sleeve shirt and stone-colored pants, which looked just as irritatingly good on him.

“Well?” I gestured for him to begin. “Waiting on you.”

His eyebrows rose, and a surprised grin lit up his normally grumpy, bearded face. “Good morning to you too.”

I glared back at him, revealing nothing.

He sensed my anger and nodded, grin fading. “I was a prick yesterday.”

I blanched. Definitely wasn’t expecting that.

“I will not bore you with an explanation,” he continued. “But I apologize. And you should know that you’re doing remarkably better, Aryella. You’re stronger than when I found you, and I’m proud of you.”

I lifted one wary eyebrow, silently encouraging him to continue.

“When I found you, I thought you looked…” That pulsing jaw muscle raged beneath his cheek. “Barely alive.”

I scoffed. “Apologies for giving such a disappointing first impression.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?” I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest.

“You were cold,” he hissed, stepping forward. “You were hungry, scared, alone, and I…” His now-bandaged hand flexed at his side, and he uttered, “I did not like it.”

I focused my gaze on a reddish-brown rock at my feet before kicking it away. It had only been a week, but that week felt like a lifetime. A new life, and a new world. I felt just a little stronger. My stomach was almost always full, and I could feel the color returning to my cheeks. I could feel the hope, the reason. For living.

So, agreeing with him, with my eyes still on the rocks near my feet, I muttered, “I didn’t like it either.”

The ground crunched beneath his steady footsteps. I felt his index finger beneath my chin as he tilted it upward. My lips involuntarily parted at the sight of his scarred, handsome face, the dark beard I wanted to touch, and the scar over his right eye.

“Five more laps to that boulder and back, twenty lunges each leg, thirty push-ups, core and balance exercises, and then I’ll teach you something more interesting than throwing punches. We have little more than an hour before the others are ready to leave, so hurry.” I opened my mouth to object, but he held his index finger to my lips and tsked. “Can’t let you get lazy, can we, Your Highness?”

I scowled and shoved his hand away. “Never call me that again.”

And I ran, hearing his deep laughter echo behind me.

***

“A chokehold?” I gasped, eyes wide.

I’d hurried through my warm-up as quickly as my aching body would allow. It took determination to push through, but I’d done it. I would need a lot of sheer will in the coming days, months, likely years, if I was to accomplish all that was expected of me.

“Do you think you can one-two punch your way through a fight?” Gavin replied, smirking. “I haven’t taught you to disarm or, better yet, fully eliminate a threat. And you should learn to do so first without a weapon.”

Eliminate.

He meant kill.