Shadowsinger

Chapter 28

Emerie raised an eyebrow when Gwyn stepped into their temporary training ring at the River House, Azriel close behind her. Gwyn ignored her, making a beeline for the windows and threw them open, more to avoid having to answer questions than for the cooling breeze, but they'd want them open later anyway. Emerie took the hint and didn't pester her as they fell into their familiar rhythm, Gwyn's attention faltering just for a moment when Cassian and Azriel cleared a space and dropped into their fighting stances. Emerie snickered beside her, and Gwyn's cheeks flamed,

"Good for you, Gwyn," she whispered,

"No, Em, it's not like you think," Emerie raised an eyebrow, "It's not!" Gwyn insisted,

"Uh-huh,"

"Em, we didn't do anything!" She snapped her mouth shut when Nesta raised an eyebrow from across the room, and glared at Emerie, Your fault, she mouthed, and resolved to kick her ass when her friend just snorted with laughter and winked. Despite herself, Gwyn couldn't halt the laugh that escaped her at Emerie's knowing look towards Azriel, but she clamped down on the sound when Azriel raised an eyebrow at her, losing his concentration for just a moment, but it was long enough for Cassian's fist to connect with his jaw, sending him reeling. Gwyn snorted again,

"Better luck next time," she shouted as she made her way to the weapons rack, "If we start steady, that'll help my balance," she started as Nesta met her there,

"Do you need me to go easy?"

"No, just don't go all out to start off with, let me get into it first, it's the wings, I'm not a hundred percent used to them, so give me a minute, that's all,"

"Okay," Nesta slowly circled to her left, then her right, her feet never crossing in front of each other, her balance perfect, movements smooth and unhurried, sword pointing to the ground. Gwyn internally bristled at the implied insult, she wasn't so off balance that Nesta didn't need to guard! 

"Your weight's all on your left leg," it wasn't, but when Nesta glanced to look, Gwyn lunged forwards, hammering a series of blows that Nesta only just managed to block, losing precious seconds raising her sword. Each blow forced her to concede another step, but she narrowed her eyes, matching Gwyn's blows each time, and stepped sideways, forcing Gwyn to halt her assault or risk falling. 

"Low blow, Gwyn,"

"What can I say, it work-" before she'd finished speaking, Gwyn struck again, knocking Nesta's sword to the side before striking at her exposed side, but hissed in annoyance when Nesta drew the dagger at her hip, deflecting Gwyn's sword and launched her own attack, putting Gwyn on the defensive again. She hissed in annoyance again at the sound of coins clinking together, she didn't need to look to know that Cassian and Azriel were watching, betting on them, Emerie too. She gritted her teeth, feinting left and striking right, sending Nesta's sword flying, a flap of her wings boosting her speed as she pinned her holding the wrist of the hand still clutching the dagger against the floor. Nesta harrumphed in annoyance, but conceded defeat, albeit only after she'd ascertained that there was no way to escape Gwyn's hold without hurting her.

Gwyn tossed her head back, flicking the stray hairs that had escaped her braid out of her eyes, her cheeks rising into a soft smile at Cassian's scowl as he dropped a few coins into Azriel's waiting palm. Azriel shot her a triumphant glare, and then the bastard winked, sending her blood roaring in her ears, the moment of distraction plenty for Nesta to surge upwards, throwing Gwyn off her to the side. Azriel's eyes twinkled with amusement, We're even, his grin seemed to say, and Gwyn flipped him off, earning a short bark of laughter as he turned to offer Emerie a few words of advice where she was sparring with Cassian.