A Court of Stars and Memories

42. Admission and Confusion

    Mitsi couldn't wipe the smile from her face even as she and Lysander ran through their usual drills, trading sharp punches and blows. He thought she was beautiful. And not only that, but he'd looked at her with desire. She'd seen it in a male's gaze often enough to recognize what it was. Usually, that realization made her uncomfortable, but with Lysander...

    There had been desire, yes, but something else too. A certain warmth that no one else had ever gazed upon her with. She'd almost felt it within her own chest. True, genuine affection, and...pride. He gazed at her with pride now as she ducked beneath one of his blows and blocked another.

    He returned her smile and Mitsi threw herself into the next set of drills. Mitsi twisted around Lysander to avoid his next strike. She risked a glance at Mina and Corbin while landing a kick to the back of Lysander's knee, throwing him off balance for just a moment. Her sister was hacking away at a wooden dummy with vicious fury.

    Corbin offered an occasional tip, but for the most part, he merely stood behind Mina and watched, taking care to remain out of reach. When Mina lowered her arm at last, Corbin stepped forward and took her hand, resituating her grip on the dagger. Their gazes locked briefly and to Mitsi's surprise, Mina didn't jerk from Corbin's grasp.

    Her attention was pulled from them the next minute when Lysander's foot caught her ankle. Mitsi cried out as he jerked her off balance. She hit the ground and a heartbeat later, he was on top of her, mouth curled in a smirk.

    "The best way to defeat an opponent is to keep your attention on them," he teased.

    "It's not my fault you move impossibly fast," Mitsi huffed. "I only looked away for a second." It took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to look away now. Lysander's gaze held hers, those rivers of green and amber within his eyes glowing with intensity.

    "Sometimes a second is all it takes," he replied. "When it comes to life and death, never give your opponent that second."

    Mitsi bit her lip, her thoughts drifting back to what Mina had said that morning. "What if my opponent is someone like you?" She murmured. "Someone powerful, skilled, and deadly? If you were my enemy and we came to a situation of life and death, I know I wouldn't stand a chance against you."

    "Yes you would," Lysander protested. "Maybe you haven't knocked me down or overpowered me, but you have caused me to stumble and even that can be all the advantage you need to get yourself out of a situation. Fights aren't always about winning. More often than not, they're about surviving, even if you have to escape and run away to do so."

    "That's what I'm training you to do. Survive." Mitsi's breath caught as he lowered his voice and added, "Mother knows you've already survived so much, Owl, and you were only a child then. Imagine what you could survive now."

    His thumb brushed her cheek in a stroke so light, she was certain she'd imagined it. "But I'll do everything I can to make sure you don't have to worry about that." Lysander backed away and offered her a hand. Mitsi let him pull her to her feet.

    "I might be able to give myself an even better advantage if I learned how to use a weapon," she pointed out.

    Lysander arched a brow. "Do you want to?"

    Mitsi looked back at her sister. Mina had resumed training, her dagger flashing in the waning sunlight. "Yes," she replied.

    "Then we'll begin soon," Lysander promised. "But if you want to start immediately, we won't be able to train here."

    Mitsi knit her brows. "What do you mean?"

    "I'm going to the Dawn Court during the Exchange again. I spoke to Rhys, Thesan, and your family. They've all agreed that you and your siblings are welcome to come along if you wish."