Gwynriel

Small Steps

Clang

Swipe

Duck

Kick

My fist flies to Emerie's side as she blocks her face. The punch lands but doesn't stick. Emerie steps into the punch and pushes me down from the surprise of her step through. My back hits the training floor but I'm not down for long. I use her momentum to flip us and shove my wooden dagger against her throat. 

"Time!" 

I step back up and hold out my hand for Emerie. "I see you like when I give you bruises. Wanna go again? I'll make it match for your date tonight" Her head tips back as she laughs, showing off her new look.

"Emerie nice fight, Gwyn get more creative" Azriel's voice slings through our laughs and I stop cold. "What? I won!" I look back to Emerie who's giving me a grin I'd like to smack off and stick my tongue out. 

"She was creative Priestess, you didn't think she might meet your punch and that surprise cost you. You won the fight but if Emerie had more confidence in herself" He looks pointedly at said Valkyrie, "She easily would've had the killing blow. Don't let yourself get caught off guard. Emerie nice move, next time use your advantage" 

"Yes sir" She fake salutes him and he turns back to the younger acolytes. 

"I won that fight Miss. Let's go again" 

Training continues on, we both take Azriel's instruction seriously as the matches come and go without a sighting of Mrs. Newly Mated. What a shock. "You know if she misses any more training we could totally take her" I look over at Emerie in surprise. "I bet we can take her now" The grins that split our faces almost hurt as we start the walk to the House of Wind. My hand shoots out and grabs her elbow, "You know, we could go all out on this. We could have the shadowsinger over here take Cassian out of the equation and leave Nesta for us. He'd probably fly us up to." 

"And why, exactly, am I removing Cassian?" I can feel my face heat as I turn to see said shadowsinger looking at the both of us expectantly. I try to speak but sometimes I can't around him. With him looking so intently at me, well us, I get a little frozen. Emerie steps up to the plate, thank the cauldron for that, and explains our little plan. We're gonna ambush Nesta into coming back to training full time. 

He looks at me and I have to remind myself that Azriel is safe, he's a good male. Why is my pulse racing? I'm not scared but I'm not normal. I know he's safe and good and handsome but that doesn't explain why when he looks at me, it's like I'm waiting for something. I don't know if its just attraction or something else. If it is attraction, I don't know if I want it. At least not right now. I need to take small steps, like going to family dinner tonight, not jump on Azriel because he makes me feel certain ways. And besides it doesn't even matter. He's not going to want me. Not after seeing me that night. I feel my face fall a little as the thoughts start to come back.

I am the rock on which the surface crashes. I am Valkyrie. I can fille those monsters just like I did in Illyria. I push my shoulders back and walk over to Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. "Take us to the house but discretely. I don't want them knowing we landed" 

His hazel eyes latch to mine. "Yes Commander" 

I can feel myself smile, he's always believed in me, in all the girls here. The fear of males completely melts as Emerie walks over. "No Commander title for me then huh shadowboy" 

He just chuckles and goes to grab our waists. He freezes midway. "Is this okay?" Emerie's demeanor softens like she was also just reminded how great shadowboy here is and looks to me. I take a breath. Small steps small steps. He will touch my waist and that is it. I trust Azriel, just the fact that he stopped to ask proves the type of male he is. "Small steps" I breath out and nod to him. 

He looks shocked, like he's surprised I'd trust him with my tiny steps. "I trust you" Again the shock. I just look at him a little confused, "you only taught me how to gut you and feed you to the fish in 3 seconds, don't look so surprised" This seems to brake his trance as he goes back to his usual shadowy self and gently places his arm around my middle and then grabs Emerie, who's been suspiciously quiet. His arm feels like a solid band of steel around me and I'm surprised to find that I like it. I take another breath and look over to see Emerie in his other arm,  eyes brimming with silver. "I'm proud of you" is all she makes out before the three us launch into the skies.