From Iron and Ruin

Tiny steps forward.

Chapter 39: Tiny Steps forward.

"How is your training with Taelan going?" Matthaeus asked lightly, circling me.

I matched his movements, sidestepping softly. Sweat slicked down my neck and my forehead. When I fixed my grasp on the training sword, Matthaeus attention flickered quickly to the movement. Still, he smiled easily.

"Every day, the doorway gets bigger." I clucked my tongue. There were spectators leaning against the fence, watching. Some were soldiers finished their rounds, or ready for their own training.

"I see," Matthaeus moved like the prowling wolves of the valley. So soft on the ground, eyes bright and hungry. Every word he spoke was just a distraction. Just an attempt to break my distraction. "Taelan is the best teacher there is."

"And have you spoken to him?"

Matthaeus just smiled, his fangs peeking out. "Nice try."

He struck, fast and brutal. I had not gotten used to Matthaeus' attack-style. Every day, he mixed it up so that I couldn't get comfortable. There were plenty of bruises marking my arms, ah

I defended, pivoting in the sand. Matthaeus and I fought back and forth, striking at each other with similar brutality. Soon, the smile on Matthaeus' face began to fade. Wooden weapons whacked against each other, the twack echoing sharply before we were drawing back to attack again.

My mind was whirring as I sparred. Matthaeus was giving me no time to think – only react. Each attack seemed to try and break my learned fights. I knew why he was doing it; so that Vanya wouldn't know how I fought.

"You're relying on your left..." Matthaeus, the bastard, was only slightly winded. He whacked me solidly on the arm and I reeled back with a yelp. Pain spasmed down my arm, stunning my sweating fingers.

"Did that hurt?" He asked innocently.

I blew at a sweaty, loose strand of hair that tickled my nose. "I barely felt it."

Matthaeus attention flicked over my shoulder, his brow cocking. "It seems like we have a few new contenders."

I followed his line of sight, watching as Gwen bandaged her hands at the post. Legion soldiers watched from the fences, many with their arms braced on the wood. Even Mahon watched on, arms crossed and brows furrowed.

I approached him, trying to dampen my smile. "Are you interested in a spar, Captain?"

"I wouldn't want to embarrass you, dear." He said, then stopped. Cheeks darkening, he turned to glare at a Legion soldier who stared at the both of us wide-eyed. The soldier retreated quickly, vanishing in the sparse crowd.

I gripped the fence, leaning in. "Are you afraid that I'd win, Captain?"

There was a sharp curl to his mouth. "An impossibility."

"Impossibilities are my breakfast."

He gave a rough laugh of amusement. Behind me, Gwen bellowed out a roar as she advanced on the vampire. A cheer rang around the training pit as she swung her training sword – the thing look more like the trunk of a sapling. She struck Matthaeus with such ferocity that he was sent sprawling into the dirt.

He blinked at her incredulously, before surging to his feet with a delighted snort. "Who knew Gwen? Beautiful, strong and fast."

"Keep giving me compliments," Gwen watched him intently. "It won't make me go easy on you."