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I decided I shouldn’t care.
Rising from the bed, I disposed of the contents of the wastebasket, then freshened up in the bathing room.
By the time the knock came on my door, I was clothed, fed, and had been sitting reading for a quarter of an hour, growing more and more impatient.
I hurried to the door, waiting for it to open.
“Oh. It’s you.” My lips twisted in dislike. “You’re my escort?”
“You would prefer my brother, I know.” Odessa’s voice was curt and clipped. “Come. Follow me.”
“Your brother... or pretty much anyone else,” I muttered as I hurried after her.
Clearly there would be no apologies. I certainly had no plans on offering one.
Odessa's back was squared as she marched down the hall ahead of me. Her sepia braids had been woven into a crown around her head today.
I stole a look at her armor. The fusion of red and black leather was even more stunning today. A new scarlet cuirass laced up her back, flawlessly molded to her form.
Her armor was so pretty while she herself was so... prickly.
I focused on where we were walking. We were passing through vast swathes of the palace. I had become used to the narrow passages Beks had brought me through. Now we were out in the open, moving through broad marbled corridors and passing other Siabra who stared at me with undisguised curiosity.
I wondered if they all knew who I was.
After a little while, we reached a secluded corner of the palace at the end of a long hall. Odessa stepped forward and pushed open a heavy wooden door.
My eyes widened as I peered in. A training ground, yes. But not like the one Beks and I had spied on. And one like nothing I had ever seen before. It was as much a garden–no, a forest–as it was a sparring arena. Enclosed within sturdy walls draped with vines and plants, an open courtyard stretched before us, smooth cobblestones glistening under the warm volcanic light that reached us through a glass-domed ceiling overhead. Towering trees stood in each corner, like sentinels overseeing the proceedings.
The air was warm and humid, like a hothouse back in Camelot. Along the stone walls a shimmering, glowing moss grew in great quantities, providing even more natural light.
At the center of the training ground, a grand pavilion draped in red and black canvas beckoned. I spotted weapons racks inside, filled with an impressive array of swords, spears, shields, and other tools, some the likes of which I had never seen before. The collection was impressive and I wondered who was responsible for it.
Around us, the air was filled with the familiar peals of clashing weapons. Shouts of glee and frustration echoed across the courtyard. I felt myself grinning in expectation. Oh, I had missed this.
It took me a moment and then I realized something.
All of the warriors in this training area were female.
“What is this?” I demanded of Odessa. “Do women not train with the men in this court? Are we segregated?”
She scoffed. “Not at all. There are men who would love to train in Steelhaven. I simply don’t permit it. I wanted a place of my own.”
“You don’t permit...” A terrible realization was growing. “Oh, no.”
Odessa’s face broke into a wide grin. “Oh, yes.”
“Oh, no,” I said through clenched teeth. “You are not my new trainer.”
“Don’t you want the best?” Odessa asked. “Because that’s what the prince is giving you. The best. Steelhaven is my creation. And these women you see around you? They’re the best you could hope to go up against. Better than most men. For generations, the court has cultivated various factions of trained warriors. You’re looking at an elite force–the Steelmaidens. And you’re lucky to even be looking.”
There was the smugness again.
I rolled my eyes. “Of course, I am.”
Odessa crossed her arms over her chest. “Please don’t tell me you’re one of those women who believes men are always the superior warriors. Or that only a man can truly challenge you in a sparring ring.”
Her words stung. “Of course not! My best friend is...” I stopped. “She was... an incredible knight. She would have been.”
