Till Death Do Us Part // Book Three

.6.

Everything was fine until my back collided with hard dirt.

I could feel a bruise starting to form as I propped myself up on my elbows to glare at the creature in front of me.

"Your stance is poor." He tells me, sticking his sword back in it's dark sheath.

"Yet you're the teacher here," I reply in the same language, slowly rising and reaching for my sword again. "who does that say more about?"

He laughs, although it sounds more like a high pitched scoff. "I thought that fire in you would have died down a little bit after all these years."

"A delight to see you too, Sandor," I say duly while tying my hair up in a tight ponytail.

When I was done with the ponytail he got into a stance, and I tried to copy it the best I could. The look on his face wasn't as harsh as our last small match.

He starts with an advance and I jumped to the side to avoid it, pivoting and lunging at him with the tip of the blade.

Our blades slide, locking together.

When I think I've finally got somewhere, he twists his wrist. I know this tactic of his now and try to twist in the opposite direction.

He sees this and puts more effort into his attempt and ends up throwing the sword out of my hand.

The force knocks me into the floor again.

"You're doing better, surprisingly," He says, poking me gently with the tip of my own weapon. "Just not good enough."

"Yeah," I pant, wiping sweat off my forehead and cheeks. "Maybe we should try this again when I grow 7 feet tall and an purely muscle."

He does the laugh-scoff again, this time offering me his hand to help me up.

I almost don't take it when I see how much smaller my hand is compared to his, but reluctantly press our palms together.

I'm on my feet before I can think with a towel in my hand to clean off.

When my vision is blocked by the cloth, I feel a cold run down my back.

I rip the towel away from my face and see Sandor with an empty water jug. I don't have to look around to know where the water went.

"I think we're done for today," Sandor snickers.

"Don't have to tell me twice," I glare, but I can't resist the smile on my lips from showing.

"Go get cleaned up," he nudges me with his shoulder, which was already strange since he had to bend down to do so, but it almost knocked me over. "I'll see you later."

I nod and he disappears into light with a crystal he was given.

While I will never admit it, I'm thankful for Sandor and I miss him at times. With becoming a councilor came a dozen other bodyguards and while he never said it, Sophie knew Sandor felt almost useless with more than enough protection.

Training is a recent, tiring thing but it fills my mind with distractions and my body with a comfortable ache.

I take a deep breath and turn towards the door.

A leaf falls in front of me, landing on the tip of my sword, but not with enough pressure to puncture.

With all the willpower I can muster, I walk into the house.

The living room, dining room and stairs are clear when I poke my head in.

I silently celebrate to myself and press forward, up the stairs.