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“I can’t imagine anyone deserving such a thing.”
I tried to steady my hands as I chopped. I must have done a poor job, because it wasn’t long until Luc’s hand rested on top of mine to stop me. His fingers curled under my chin and forced me to face him. His eyes searched mine before his face softened into a reassuring smile.
“I highly doubt you’ll be the one to burn, little dove,” he said. “Rest your heart.”
I swallowed roughly, my stomach twisting. “And if the people I care about burn?”
He was silent for a moment, his fingers rubbing my jaw.
“To correct the evils of the world, the first step is to acknowledge that it comes with a cost,” he said. “And the second step? That’s accepting that the cost is always worse than you ever imagined.”
***
I wiped the sweat from my neck, smiling.
“That’s enough for today, men,” Henrik barked. “Return to your stations.”
I bounced my sword in my hand, its weight now familiar and comfortable in my palm. I couldn’t believe that it had only been a few months since I could barely hold my arms up for a single lesson, and now I nearly didn’t want to let go of the sword at all.
The men dispersed to their stations as Henrik approached me. He noticed my smile and returned it.
“Your speed has improved,” he said. “And your form was much stronger this time around.”
I handed Henrik back his sword and smiled.
“I think I’m starting to really enjoy it,” I replied.
He nodded, pleased, then extended a handkerchief to me.
“No need,” I declined politely. “My sleeve will do just fine.”
I wiped my brow with my sleeve, the sweat staining it. When it came to sword fighting, I wasn’t as good as the others, butI wasn’t bothered by it. I felt my muscles strengthening, along with my mind. Even if I couldn’t keep up with the others, I could do something for myself for the first time in years. I wasn’t doing something to benefit my father. It wasn’t something to benefit my family. It was something for me. And it was freeing.
“I didn’t know you could smile so wide,” he teased. “And while learning fencing, nonetheless.”
“Wait until Iwina fight,” I replied.
He chuckled. A thought seemed to suddenly strike him, and he turned his head over his shoulder to look at the red star in the sky once more.
“How much longer?” I asked.
He sighed. “I don’t know. It seems to get farther and farther away from us. I worry—”
He stopped. I put a hand on his arm.
“Was she bad when you left?”
He shook his head.
“Her pain was just beginning,” he said. “We can only hope that she’s still fighting until we arrive back home.”
“And then what will you do?”
He looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“When you have the Eros, will you give it to the king? Save your family? Allow me to return to my father? Everything resets?”
He looked at me for a long moment. “Is that what you want? A complete reset?”
