Dauntless

Part 5

“What do you mean?” I scowled, crossing my arms indignantly.

“I just… You should rest a couple days. You just got out of the hospital yesterday.”

“They released me, so obviously I’m good enough to get back to my duties,” I snapped, restless. “Is that a problem for you, Four?”

He greeted me with silence.

And his trademark frown.

I get he was trying to get me to rest, my side was throbbing and technically I was supposed to be using something to help me walk.

But that would look weak.

So no.

I was back to training initiates.

Or more so yelling at them.

They were just now filing sleepily into the training room, looking tired from their long night; they’d gone to the wall, apparently, and then Eric had busted their assess with more intense training. He was probably still asleep, which was why Four was here taking over.

And I wasn’t sure why he was bitchy because I was here.

I’d spent too much time in that hospital bed, I was restless and I wanted to move around, not be babied. The bandage on my arm was the only visible sign I’d even been hurt, and I wasn’t sure if the initiates knew why I’d disappeared for a week or not.

Hopefully not.

I wouldn’t want any of them trying to take advantage of it.

I wasn’t in any condition to fight, not yet.

The medicine I was given was helping me heal, but it would still be a couple weeks before I was in top shape again, if even then.

But I wasn’t about to lounge around and become soft, either.

Dammit.

“It’s not a problem,” Four said finally, stepping away from me.

Good.

Although I didn’t miss his troubled look.

I glanced around as the recruits finally settled, their eyes curious as they saw me standing with Four, my arms crossed.

I smirked as I saw Nosey, still looking a little worse for wear, and he glared at me.

“I hope everyone got enough sleep, we’re in the ring again,” Four called. “After this, you head up with Camille for marksmanship. No knives, but guns today.”

Not like they were any better at that, though.

The stiff couldn’t even hit the target.

Yet.

But I’m sure Four was taking care of her in their spare time, helping her “train.”

I figure that’s why he didn’t want me around to help grade.

Maybe he was giving her some extra points for her…. Extra training every three am.

That’s all I could figure.

I glanced at Four in amusement before following him to the ring, watching as he matched two initiates up and let them fight it out. He probably let them out as soon as they started whimpering instead of following the new rules.

I rather liked them.

But I also liked it when it was a fair fight.

As in both fighters knew what they were doing, not like it had been between Nosey and the Stiff.