Fateful Signs (Ballad of the Seer, Book Three)

Chapter 37 - Just Friends

The ringing of metal on metal was the only sound in the clearing as Dianna and Jason practiced fighting with swords. She imagined herself as Kiera Knightly in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, except without the corsets and voluminous dresses. She swung the long blade at her opponent with all her strength.

        Jason easily parried all of her blows. He was too fast to get any real sort of advantage over him. Which frustrated her to no end. It just served to add to her already fuming anger over her chat last night with Mrs. Williams.

        Her face twisted into a mask of rage. She lashed out at Jason over and over again, pushing her advance. He had to retreat backwards as she struck his blade repeatedly, grunting angrily.

        Jason ended up with his back pressed to a tree, defending against her attacks. On one blow, he raised his sword against hers. Her sword skidded along the edge of his, down to the hilt, where she accidentally nicked his finger, drawing blood. He dropped his blade to examine his wound, but Dianna was already swinging around at him again. He was too fast for his own good and she was unable to stop the momentum of the blade, headed right for his neck.

        All of a sudden, a hand appeared to grab her sword. The edge bit into the skin, sending a stream of blood pouring down the blade.

        Dianna's eyes traveled up the length of the arm to see Jack's face. He looked concerned. His blue eyes piercing her hard shell. She instantly released her hold on the hilt and backed away. "I'm sorry." She looked between the two of them, wondering which was the more wronged. Was it Jason, whose head she almost lopped off, or Jack, who'd had his hand shredded?

        Tossing the weapon aside, Jack walked over to their bags and grabbed a towel from his to wrap his wound.

        For the moment, Jason was okay, if only a tad bit shaken, so Dianna went to Jack. "I am so truly, deeply sorry."

        "Why'd you go off like that?"

        She gently placed her hands around his, careful not to squeeze where it was injured. "I sorta have a smidgen," She held two fingers inches apart. "of anger that I needed to work out." When she noticed the tremor in her hand she was quick to hide it behind her back.

        "I think it's more than this." He mirrored her gesture, holding his fingers up.

        Dianna turned her head, pressing her cheek to her raised shoulder, guiltily.

        After pulling his hand away, Jack removed the towel. His hand was stained red but the cut was gone. In all the excitement she forgot that he could do that. He wiggled his fingers in front of her face. "No harm done." He leaned over to press his lips to the side of her head. "Now, do you wanna tell me what got you so upset that you nearly decapitated someone?"

        She looked back at Jason, who had removed his white t-shirt using it as a rag to wipe her sword clean. He smiled when he noticed her staring. "It was already covered in blood." he explained. "Nice work, though. You almost got me good."

        It wasn't just her hand that was shaking now. Her whole body trembled at the realization of what she'd almost done. Her breathing hitched as she turned to Jack, with his brows raised, waiting for an answer. "Your mom basically called me whore before saying that we won't last, because you are too good for me and you'll soon realize that there are more respectable girls at college." It came out in such a rush that she didn't know if it was even comprehensible.