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Areanel did not abate her strikes as she once again lunged at Rymedur. He blocked a jab aimed at his side, and the shing of his scythe echoed as it clashed with the curve of Areanel’s crescent blade.

‘What exactly are we supposed to be learning, Da?’ Lukas piped up from where he was lazily sprawled at the edge of the training mat, twirling a dagger around his fingers absentmindedly. The boy looked completely disinterested.

‘Apparently, how to lose!’ James laughed in reply.

That little shit! Rymedur’s head whipped to the side, sending a scathing glare at his eldest son. ‘I thought I was doing well,’ he replied, exasperated. ‘All things considered,’ he muttered, deflecting another jab Areanel sent his way.

The tinkling laugh that fell from Areanel’s lips had his stomach doing somersaults. How was he still falling in love with her? It was like a never-ending free fall.

‘Watch your mother. I am twice her size in height and weight. I want you to watch how she takes on a much larger opponent, since neither of you are as tall nor—’

‘As fat as you?’ Lukas laughed along with James.

‘I’m not fat!’

‘He’s not fat.’

Rymedur and Areanel spoke at the same time. Rymedur sounded offended. Areanel was stating a fact.

‘Trust me when I say, your father is all muscle and sinew under that shirt,’ Areanel said before adding under her breath, ‘I should know.’

His lips twitched at her insinuation.

But the way Areanel was fighting made his brows pinch. She was putting her full focus into the fight, and the usual jibes weren’t followed by a bright smile.

The next move she sent his way was more forceful, and her eyebrows drew together in a frown as she slashed her blade vertically. When she pulled back, she swore under her breath, rebuking herself after every move.

Rymedur prided himself on how well he knew his wife. She seemed trapped in her mind, and her precise cuts and jabs were proof. Training was an outlet for her—a way to release the frustration and anger she kept bottled inside. He understood it. It was the same for him. And as she slashed and hacked at every one of his attacks, he sensed that anger.

Was she angry at something? Someone? Or herself?

Worried their children would overhear, Rymedur dropped his tone so only she could hear. Pesky, acute hearing they all had compared to Rymedur’s. ‘What is it?’

‘What is what?’ she replied.

Oh, she was definitely angry. She only dodged his questions when something was bothering her. Flipping the blade, she used the butt of her knife to jab at his side. The hit was harder than he anticipated, making him grunt.

Rymedur quickly stepped back to avoid another blow. ‘Something is wrong. Your sparring is getting reckless.’

‘No. It. Isn’t.’ Her words were punctuated by each of her attacks. ‘Maybe,’ she huffed a breath of air that fogged in front of her face, ‘you’re just getting slow, old man.’

Rymedur jumped back, putting space between them. It was getting colder. And by how their breaths fogged, winter would soon be upon them.

Rolling his shoulders to ease some of the tension, Rymedur prowled around the edge of the training mat. ‘We are near enough the same age, love.’

‘You’re older.’ Areanel followed his movement.

‘Four years doesn’t make much of a difference.’ Rymedur resorted to humour. Maybe joking with her would get her to talk? They had been sparring for a while now, and she had been far too quiet for his liking. ‘Perhaps we could make a bet?’

Areanel’s head cocked to the side. ‘What do you propose?’

Brilliant! That had piqued her interest. ‘Anything you desire, love.’ Rymedur sent her a wink. The suggestive smirk that followed earned him extra points.

‘Very well,’ Areanel continued to circle him, her bright blue eyes glimmering with mischief. She was enjoying this. ‘If I win—’ her steps were easy, slow as she assessed him ‘—I want those delicious baked goods you enjoy making. The pastries with the jelly in them.’

The smirk she sent his way almost had him dropping to his knees. He remembered the day he had jokingly told her that, in a different world, he would own a bakery. And that, in this other world, he would have still fallen madly in love with her, and they’d spend their time baking and reading with their many children.

Guess he’d gotten the ‘many children’ part right, but the baking and reading together only happened on rare occasions. Areanel was always so busy. He wished they had more time together.