Exile (Book #2 Royale Series)

Chapter 3: The Exiled Chronicles

Juliana

Three months later

    
     I heaved my body in the air as I propelled my sword in the air with a strength I didn't know I possessed. I silently counted the seconds it took for my body to come crashing back to earth. But before my opponent could let up her guard, I swung my sword to the right, stopping midair before revolving the blade with lightning speed to the left, catching my opponent in her side as I landed with crushing force back to the ground. I pointed the blade at her neck.

"You're dead," I say, remnants of triumph glittering through my voice.

Haven smirks at my sword at her neck and holds up her hands in surrender.

"You're getting better every day," she says with pride.

I return my sword to the hilt at my side and extend my hand to Haven, while she gratefully accepts.

"You keep saying that, yet for the last week you have yet to best me in a sparring match. When are you finally going to admit that I'm better than you?" I smirk as I untangle a fallen leaf from Haven's hair.

"You don't fight fair," she pouts.

"A lesson I learned from you," I remind her.

She smiles, but it is fleeting. Her face sobers.

"You are still fueled with deep-seeded emotions, Julie. I've observed the way you fight. You are angry and saddened. And that has proven to get you far in our sparring matches, but it will not always. The next lesson you need to learn is control. It is not enough to outlast. You must outwit as well. You of all people should know that to be true."

My heart constricts. Fleeting images of the ones I hold dear whom remain at the Isolian Court flicker through my mind. I allow myself a moment of sorrow for them—for myself—before I shake away the demons and detach myself from the sadness.

"Enough of this, Haven." I say, my voice clearing. "The sooner you admit I am superior to you, the sooner you can leave us and continue with your own pursuits." I say as jokingly as I can manage.

It is true that in the three months that I have lived in exile, we have grown closer. The thought of her leaving feels like another betrayal.

We walk in stride back to our tiny house nestled deep within the woods.

"Yeah, well if the fearsome American Republic of the Chinese are ever faced with a gruesome threat, I'll be sure to send them a memo that they needn't fear. They have the all-powerful Julie Hawthorne to protect them." Haven says through laughter as we enter the house.

I can't help but grimace at the sound of Rosemary's maiden name attached to mine. Even after three months in exile, it still didn't quite fit.

Haven shoots me a disapproving look before opening the fridge and taking out two bottles of water. She throws one to me.

"Don't you think it's about time you get used to that? You can't carry around that suspicious expression every time someone says your name."

I roll my eyes as I take a swig of my water. "First, that isn't really my name. And how many people a day do you think utter my name exactly?"