Page 113 of Sorrow & Strangers

“What am I?” Rafe croaks out, still half-asleep but obviously alert enough to have tuned in to the conversation.

“The gunpowder, duh,” Alice says, patting his chest.

Rafe snorts. “What kind of gun is this? A musket? Why does it need gunpowder?”

“It’s an analogy, moron.”

“It doesn’t make any sense.”

My lips twitch as the two of them bicker like siblings. “Go to sleep, both of you.”

“Doesn’t make sense,” Rafe grumbles quietly.

“Yes, it does,” Alice grumbles too.

I lie awake for a while, listening to Rafe and Alice sleep. I want to join them, but after shifting restlessly for a while, I give up on the idea and climb out of bed. Slipping down the hall to my room, I pull on my workout clothes and head to the gym.

Max glances at me expectantly when I enter. “Here to spar?”

I nod and walk past him at the desk, going straight to the sparring room.

Max follows, and when I turn to face him, my sai are flying at me. I barely manage to pluck them from the air and recover before Max launches at me with his broadsword. I bring my sai up, crossing them. The sword slams into the middle of them, my bones rattling from the force. Max’s eyes flash green, and he pulls the sword back before slamming it into me again, making me recede step after step, pushing me into my instincts, which are much easier to lean into now that I’ve started doing it more. Fae are agile, and our reflexes are second to none, but embracing that part of myself is difficult for me.

I tap into my emotions, using my frustrations from the past few days, my anger at the stranger, at myself for wanting him, and it works for a while. Max’s body grows a little, and while he keeps it leashed, he allows the berserker inside him a little more freedom.

“You’re definitely getting stronger. But slow down, be smart. You are going to have to think if you want to take me down.” His voice is foreign, more gruff and gravelly.

I slow a little, my mind racing as I consider all the ways to get the upper hand with him. He has the advantage in size and strength, and while I am definitely faster, that’s not the lesson he’s trying to teach me today. He wants me to become accustomed to relying on my mind, to outsmarting my opponent with moves and countermoves. To use more than just instinct.

Max lands a few hits, and slowly but surely, I manage to slip past him and land a kick. There is enough force behind it that Max falls to the mat, but he grabs me on the way down. Wrapping his massive arms around me, he spins us, pinning me to the floor.

My back twinges at the force with which he slams me to the ground. “Fuck,” I groan.

Max smirks down at me. “Good job.”

I quirk a brow. “You’ve pinned me. How was it a good job?”

“It was your first time against the berserker. You got further than most would.”

My lips twitch.

“You took some hits, but you still stayed on your feet. Very hot.”

I quirk a brow, knowing I need to get out of this position with him right fucking now.

“Hot in a strong woman kind of way,” he clarifies, grinding against me.

“Okay, time to get off me.”

Max pouts but rolls off me. “I thought you liked me on top of you.”

I sit up and fix my ponytail, arching a brow at him. “What gave you that idea?” I ask. “Actually. Don’t answer that.”

I push to my feet, Max swatting my ass as I step past him to get back into position. I glare at him. “Ready?” I ask, bristling a little.

Max grins and lunges for me, not even bothering to stand before he’s on me again. I counter, and we move, sparring hand-to-hand this time. I lean into the distraction, welcoming the monotony, the challenge, the way it demands all my focus, preventing me from getting lost in all the things I am repressing.

After another round with our weapons, I wipe the sweat from my brow and put my sai back on the wall.