The Truth Over The Wall

Chapter 19

Amara took a deep breath and turned her face away distastefully as she let the knife fly.

The knife fell with a plink against a rock in the grass just a few inches from Amara's feet. Yet she still looked to the target on the tree trunk to see if she got it this time.

Dominic dropped his face in his hand as he sighed, "That was just sad."

Amara scowled and her nose wrinkled as she did. "It's hard," she told him.

"And you're not even trying," Dominic admonished with a frown.

"You want me to try and hit someone?" Amara asked him, wide eyed and appalled, "With a knife no less! What if I hurt someone?"

"Why don't we deal with the most immediate concerns first, milady," Sir Emery bit down a smile as he indicated the knife that Amara had tossed onto the ground in an attempt to disarm an attacker.

"Like what might happen if you don't hit anyone," Emery said as he pulled one of the knives that Amara threw, away from Fobos's curious paws. "Which, I must confess, is more likely."

"I don't understand the point of this exercise," Amara sulked, crossing her arms, "It's silly. Why do I need to know how to work a weapon?"

Dominic's eyebrows pulled together and he was about to answer when Emery beat him to it.

"For protection, milady," He explained. His expression conveyed surprise but his voice was concerned when he elaborated, "What if you are confronted by an enemy suddenly? What then? What will you do?"

Emery was a good man, Amara thought with a sigh, but he wasn't ready to hear the truth. He could not know exactly what Amara could do if put to the test.

Swallowing her pride she went with the motions, "I will call for help," Amara could not help the dry tone but she just about managed to keep from rolling her eyes.

"And what if there is no one about to help you, milady?" Emery shook his head disapproving, "I know you like taking walks by yourself in the woods but you won't even allow for an escort, and if that is the case then you must learn how to defend yourself.

"A young maiden, such as yourself," Emery said, as he collected the last of the throwing knives embedded – surprisingly – in the roots of the tree Amara was meant to strike, "Would be an easy target."

An eyebrow struck up on Amara's face at that, "A maiden like me?" She asked him, crossing her arms as she advanced on him.

Emery shrugged, "Well bred, high born. Pretty." He added the last word as an afterthought with his back still to Amara.

"Hmm," Amara said, as she raised one of her hands to reveal blackened talons. "Interesting."

She was just three steps behind Emery and in a blink her eyes had turned a bright red with frightening black slits for pupils. If he just turned, he would see the truth of his observation.

Dominic cleared his throat loudly and caught her attention. She turned to him and he shook his head at her, as if to say: Don't!

Amara did not hide her disappointment as Emery turned around.

Instead she held out her hand – that extended in long slender fingers and not sharp and pointy talons – for the knives, with a tired smile in her bright hazel eyes.

"I know this isn't particularly interesting, milady," Emery said handing her the knives, "But it is important."

"Yes, it is," Amara admitted with a sigh and walked back. He meant well, she reminded herself. He really did.