A Court of Souls and Shadows

9. Raven

Cassian was waiting in the training rings at dawn. I yawned as I trudged into the ring, wearing the fresh, new fighting leathers that had arrived for me that morning.

"Morning," Cassian greeted me with an easy smile. I replied with a sound that resembled a grunt and his smile only grew wider in response.

"Ready for your first day of training?"

Cassian's enthusiasm knew no bounds. It was exhausting. I raised my eyebrows at him and placed my hands on my hips.

"I don't see why it's necessary," I said, a bitter tone lacing my words. "I can level an entire battlefield with my mind, you know."

Cassian looked me up and down with a sceptical look on his face. "Not if you have a gut full of faebane," he deadpanned. I scoffed as he tossed a dagger at me, which I caught reflexively.

"Good catch," he said. "Let's see where your skills are at to form a baseline, to see where you need work."

For the next two, excruciating hours, Cassian accessed everything from my cardio to my weapons knowledge. We discovered that my cardio was good, my arms were weak as shit, I was good with a bow and arrow, okay with a dagger, and hopeless with absolutely everything else. We were working on my balance and footwork, when I fell flat on my ass for what felt like the millionth time. Cassian's rumbling laugh boomed across the training rings as he extended a hand to help me up. I accepted it with a huff, hauling myself upwards.

"What?" I gritted out between clenched teeth.

"I just think it's funny that one of the most powerful people in the world is so clumsy," he said between laughs. "It's a miracle you can put one foot in front of the other every day."

I rolled my eyes at him but found myself smiling. I couldn't help it around Cassian, even when he was kicking my ass. He was like a big puppy. You couldn't help but love him. I walked over to the edge of the rooftop, just beyond the training rings, and sat on the low wall edging the space. I dangled my legs over the side as I looked over the wide expanse of the city. The sun was sparkling on the ocean beyond, and I smiled at the sight. It had been so long since I'd seen the ocean. I wondered how it would feel on my skin.

Cassian's shadow fell over me as he sat beside me, handing me a cup of water. I took it and nodded my thanks, before downing it in one go. "You did well today," Cassian said. I scoffed in response. "You think so? I feel pathetic, if I'm being honest," I replied.

"Why?"

"I thought I could hold my own. I didn't realise how much I rely on my magic, I guess." I shrugged and looked over at Cassian, surprised to see him frowning. It was not very often a frown crossed his features. Something I had learned in the short time I'd known him.

"It's not your fault that you've relied on your magic," he said. "I think I would, too, if I was as powerful as you."

We fell into a comfortable for silence for what felt like a long time. Cassian seemed to know that we didn't need words, which was odd, because he was one of the most talkative people I had ever met. The silence must have been killing him. He pushed back from the wall to stand.

"Wait," I said. He paused, halfway to standing.

"Thank you, Cassian. For training me. I know I'm probably not the best student. And you could have sent any of your soldiers to train me."

I had always had the sort of confidence that bordered on arrogance, but my training with Cassian had humbled the fuck out of me. Cassian frowned again and sat back down beside me.

"You're not a horrible student," he said. "And it was only your first day. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I can't believe I have to tell you that. The girl that knocked Rhysand out of his chair."