A Tamia's Tale

Chapter 13: Spring days

"Hey, you're going to be late!"

A sharp knock echoed through the room, followed by the slam of a door that jolted Luka from his dream. He blinked, disoriented, and rubbed his eyes before squinting at the clock.

"Shit!" he cursed under his breath, kicking off the tangled sheets. He was supposed to meet his master soon, like every morning ever since then.

Stumbling out of bed, Luka's feet met the cold wooden floor with a thud. Grabbing his clothes on the nearby chair, he threw on the crumpled shirt and jeans and then slipped on his jacket. As he passed a hand through his dark messy hair, he looked at himself in the mirror. His reflection looked back at him with dark circles under his eyes and a face that hadn't quite shaken off the exhaustion of the past few weeks.

It was already spring. A week had passed since Luka met his new master, Daji, and his everyday life had now become training and nothing more.

An impatient knock shook him. "Hey, I need some help—"

"No time Viktor!" Luka shouted, cutting him off as he charged past him, cascading the stairs in a rumble of steps.

"Hey, will you be there tomorrow to serve the clients?" Darian's voice boomed in the tavern before Luka left.

"Yeah, it's a promise!" Luka shouted over his shoulder, already halfway out the door. "Thank you for waking me up!"

Darian's deep laugh followed him. "Good! Have fun, kid!" The giant waved cheerfully, his broad grin visible even as the door swung shut behind Luka.

Outside, the morning air was cool and fresh, though warmer than usual. However, Luka didn't even notice it, his mind racing toward the day's training. Thanks to Daji, he had almost forgotten about all the recent events that made his life hell.

His heart suddenly skipped a beat as his eyes caught sight of a group of men gathered by the side of the road up ahead. They were leaning casually against a stone wall, talking quietly among themselves, but there was something about the way their gazes locked onto Luka as he approached. His chest tightened.

He forced himself to keep moving, playing it casual. Just act normal. Don't look at them. Keep going.

His pulse quickened as he ran right past the group and a shiver ran down his spine as the scar on his chest ached once more. He could feel their eyes burning into his back, or was it his imagination? Either way, he didn't dare to glance over his shoulder, instead, he kept his pace steady, resisting the urge to sprint even faster.

After a few more tense minutes, the men were far behind, and Luka allowed himself to exhale. His limbs were trembling, not from the effort but from something else entirely.

Even though what happened fell behind him, the sense of insecurity was still there. Now he was able to walk down a street without looking at every corner, thanks to some assurance Daji gave him, but he was still nervous.

What if someone comes from behind and stabs me?

It was still possible, after all. The attempts on his life had strangely stopped, but perhaps it was just a small reprieve before another one. This time, he looked back. The men were still there, talking with each other as if nothing happened.

Of course, nothing happened. It was all in his head, right? They were not dangerous, right?

Luka shook his head, trying to rid himself of the paranoia. Get a grip, he told himself. There was no time for this. He was already late, and Daji wouldn't let him off easily. He broke into a run, his feet pounding against the dirt path as he sped toward the hill. His legs burned from the exertion, but he pushed through the pain.