Stolen

Chapter Eighteen

Ember

I had decided not to tell anyone about the sliver that came back. I didn't want them to think that my memory was returning when it wasn't so I kept it to myself. But it didn't stop me from trying to conjure other things. Every word that someone spoke to me I turned over and over in my mind looking for a link to something but nothing else had come back. I had returned to classes and training and everything in the academy seemed to have returned to as it was before. Everything except the extra patrols, Knox sleeping outside of my door every night, Rhett watching me everywhere I went. I told myself I should be grateful that they were watching me. At least I wouldn't get taken again without someone seeing it or seeing who did it.

I shook the thought away as I entered the basement training area with the other recruits for afternoon training. It had been coming down a steady rainfall all day and they had told everyone that practice would have to be held indoors. The basement area had ceilings that were too low and a slight scent of mold hanging in the air. The room was barely lit, making it hard to see a few feet in front of you. Knox strode silently beside me as we made our way to the middle where a crowd was already forming to watch who would get challenged to a fight today. Unlike in the square, there were mats down here. A cushion for whoever may take a fall.

My instructors had been treating me like I was fragile and for all I knew, maybe I was. They hadn't allowed me to participate in the afternoon sessions. I was told to observe until further notice. I sighed heavily to myself at the reminder of it all. How was I supposed to defend myself if they wouldn't let me train? Knox came to a step at the edge of the crowd. There was a girl with ashy blonde hair so similar to Maya standing in the middle of the space with two training rods in her hands. I thought for a moment to myself that they could definitely be related before she smirked in my direction. There was an arrogance oozing from her body that made my blood turn cold.

"I challenge Ember Adams." She said it confidently but the crowd around us fell immediately silent. Knox sucked in a sharp breath beside me. My own breath was caught in my lungs. The air around me felt too thin and I suddenly felt nauseous. I wanted to train and learn but I didn't want to get beat with a stick in front of everyone around us.
Before I could turn and run from this challenge, Knox's hand slipped around my wrist, squeezing it gently. His lips fell on my ears, "You may not remember it but your body will. Turn off your mind and let your instincts react for you."

I nodded to him silently and took a deep steadying breath before accepting the girl's challenge. The world around us fell still as I took the training rod from her. She never stopped smiling. She thought this would be an easy win or maybe this was some kind of twisted revenge for something I couldn't remember doing to her. I didn't know. Knox's advice echoed in my head as we took our spots in the circle. Let your instincts react for you.

The girl stepped forward first, lunging my way with that training rod poised for a hit but I side stepped it effortlessly. I dodged and deflected every blow she turned my way with ease. I didn't think about my next steps, I just made them. Knox was right and the girl before me was seething with anger as she lunged again and again at me. There was a hopeless look in her eyes that I almost pitied. Winning this match was important to her but I didn't know why. Couldn't remember it. Maybe I'd never even known before now. The crowd around us snickered every time I avoided a hit but they weren't laughing at me. They were laughing at her. I could see tears swelling in her eyes as she bit down hard on her bottom lip and lunged forward for another strike. I could have moved. I could have defended that blow or delivered one of my own, but I didn't. I allowed her to strike me across the face. The force of it tearing at the skin on my cheek and sending me to the ground. I held up my hand in surrender as Knox rushed forward to inspect the injury. The smugness and arrogance I had seen from her before had returned. Her chin held high from the victory.
Knox's blue eyes bore into me like he'd known I threw the match. Without asking, he pulled me to my feet and slipped his hand into mine, leading me away from the crowd of prying eyes. People's heads turned as we walked through them. Whispers surrounded us quickly. Were they shocked I lost? Or was it that Knox's fingers were laced tightly around mine? I shook my head and returned my hand to my swollen cheek in an effort to stop the throbbing. Knox led me to the far end of the room where a small medical table had been set up with supplies for people to use. I sat on the small stool that he directed me to and watched as he gathered a cream and some bandages.