Behind My Shadow - Book Three

44. Everything Has Changed

"Ugh, heads up, lady," Bishop grumbles to me. "We got company."

"Hey, you look somewhat less like death warm over this morning," Adisonia sneers as she saunters over to where I'm working out. We're out in the gymnasium, it's just before dawn so the torches around the courtyard are still lit despite the haze that is warming up the sky above us. I normally start my early mornings by running around Pleasance Island with Quill, but he didn't show up this morning at our usual meeting place.

I tried to convince myself that I'm still too pissed off to want to hang out with him but honestly, I was more disappointed than anything. I don't want my last day at the Palace to be spent trying to make believe that I'm still furious with him. Yeah, I am mad that he used me as bait to lure Vyndren down here to hunt Black Hearts, but still. If there's one thing I've learned about these Labors it's that time is precious, and tomorrow is never a given. Despite our recent differences, Quill's still one of my best friends.

"What do you want, Adisonia?" I ask through a grimace as I continue my weight-lifting reps. I'm lying on my back on one of these marble benches, hoisting the weighted bar over my head with shaking arms. "If you came down here to...make fun of my face than haw haw," I roll my eyes. "You had your...fun, now leave me alone. This is...heavy," I huff.

"Eh, I can bench press twice that," she sneers as she eyes the weights. "And no, I didn't come down here to remind you that I was prettier than you even before your face got ripped off."

"My face didn't get ripped off!" I retort. I'm currently wearing a salve across my jaw, whatever this concoction is stings like hell but I already notice a difference. It somehow accelerates the healing process. Oh, there's no doubt it'll scar but I've moved past that already. If I can manage to survive my final Labors, a scar across the jaw will be the least of my worries.

"Yeah!" Bishop woofs. "And you wish you were half as pretty as the lady, Red!" He indignantly barks at the Princess of Hearts.

"Aw, thanks, buddy," I manage a shaky smile as I continue my reps.

"Ugh, spare me," Adisonia rolls her eyes. "Anyway, I uh..." She briefly trails off before clearing her throat. "I came down here to get my practice in, so imagine my surprise at finding you down here."

I scoff. "Don't you like, have your own gym in or something in your Tower?"

She hesitates and now I sense that she actually came down here because she knew I would be here.

I put my weights aside and sit up, wiping my brow as I glance at her curiously. "Look, if you wanna workout with me than just say that. I'm game." I offer her a small grin.

I sense her relief though outwardly she just looks annoyed and rolls her eyes again. "You probably need all the practice you can get," she tosses her long ringlets over her shoulder. I shrug. "Fine," she groans as if she's put out. "I'll help you bloody train but don't forget you begged me."

"I didn't -"

"So what are you the rustiest at? I take it swordsmanship is somewhat of a struggle," she snorts as she pointedly looks the bandage on my jaw over.

"Hey, I passed my eleventh Labor, didn't I?" I roll my eyes and hop up to my feet. "Besides, now I've inherited each of their signature moves so I'm basically a killer now."

"Ha," she sneers. "We'll see." She summons a sword to her hands in a flourish of golden sparkles.

I grin faintly as I summon a sword too in a burst of magic. "I'll go easy on you, Princess," I wink.