Lightning Bringer: (Lighting Seeker Book 2)

Warm Rays

The ship had changed course, heading back towards the most dangerous ship in the sky. The Devinus family castle ship that hovered in the air like a constant garish thorn in the sky. Vale was in a daze as Ace and Geo gave her more pointers on proper ladylike etiquette, and nearly jumped out of her skin each time that Dash's name was mentioned.

Once they released her from their seemingly endless list of demands of improvement, Vale made her way to the sparring room, needing to blow off steam. A safe place to drop all pretense of delicate gracefulness and destroy something with her hands.

The sparring room was old, made up of dusty boxes and rusted fighting staffs. Moving over to a muck-covered window, Vale used her sleeve and wiped it down, enjoying the sunlight that peered into the space with a warm set of rays.

Turning, she moved towards one of the staffs, fascinated. She had never fought with one before, often relying on her metal hand to fill in the blanks when she needed a weapon. Plucking one off the ground, she swung it in a tight circle, watching as flecks of blood-covered rust fluttered off and scattered into the air.

Spinning, Vale blindly swung her staff. Her motion was cut short when her staff came into contact with a large palm yanking it to a stop. Mortem stood before her, eyebrows raised. "Ye always got to look where ye are movin'." Vale tried to pull the staff away, but Mortem wrapped his hand around it and held it in place. "The moment ye are unaware of yer surroundings, ye lose the upper 'and."

He dropped his hand and the suddenly free staff caused Vale to stumble several steps back. "What are you doing here?" Vale asked, surprised by the sudden suggestion free of insults.

"Was lookin' for ye." Mortem scanned the room. "Should 'ave known ye'd be 'angin' around a room built for fightin'."

Vale stared down at the staff, and shrugged. "Needed to clear my head." Mortem was quiet. Vale sighed and collapsed onto the ground in a set of exhaustion and confusion.

Mortem crouched down in front of her, his frame so large that it was impossible to see anything past him. "So the boy told ye."

Vale's head shot up in surprise. "How'd you-."

Mortem waved her question away like it was obvious. "I told 'im to."

Vale pulled her knees up to her chest. "Why?" The word sounded broken, making Vale look down in embarrassment.

Mortem stroked his beard, thoughtful. "Standin' quiet and watchin' someone leave when ye 'ave words that need to be said is foolish. Not somethin' I would want anyone to live with." He stretched out his legs, a grunt escaping his lips.

Vale tilted her head to the side as if seeing Mortem for the first time. Behind the gruff exterior was a man of passion. "You speak from experience don't you?"

Mortem scoffed. "What man 'asn't found a reason for breathin'."

"The Libertatem?" she asked, referring to his ship that had been destroyed by the AI's.

Mortem barked in laughter, his voice a deep baritone that filled the room. "Don't be daft. A ship is just that, a ship. No." He stood up, ending the conversation, and moved to pick up another staff. Moving into a fighting stance he urged Vale to join him.

"Enough chatting about the past. Ye came 'ere to fight didn't ye. Let's see what ye are made of." He swung the staff in a large arc and slammed it towards Vale before she was fully standing. Rolling, Vale sprung to her feet, plucked up her staff, and swung it at Mortem's midsection, her largest target.

But he was far faster than she expected, blocking it with a large crack that split the air and sent Vale's bones vibrating with the force of metal on metal. Mortem moved again, swinging his staff towards Vale's head. She ducked and moved for his legs. In a surprising move, Mortem jumped in a flash, the staff hitting air where his legs had stood a moment before.