A Court of Ashes and Daybreak

Cassian

I'd just landed at the edge of the woods when I heard the scream. Nesta. My heart stopped dead. Hauling my sword from its sheath, I set off at a run through the darkening woodland. Flying would've been faster, but then I would've had to find a clearing to land in, and I didn't have time for that.

When I saw the naga circled around Nesta, I didn't stop to think. The first one was dead before it even managed to rise to its feet. My sword whirled in a deadly arc and pieces of naga soon decorated the floor all around. One managed to lay a scratch across my forearm, but a single sweep had its head rolling across the ground. A stab had the next crumpling, and I flicked my sword free to meet another before its knees even hit the ground. One last slash, and the final naga joined its companions, lying like broken toys across the ground.

Nesta looked up at me, splattered with blood, grey eyes flaming. "Teach me." she said, her voice low and harsh.

"Teach you...?" I murmured, confused.

"How to fight," she growled, "I don't ever want to be rescued again."

And with that, she stood and stalked away through the gloomy woodland, anger and pain radiating from every line of her body.

"Meet me tomorrow, at 9 outside the townhouse," I called after her retreating back. I couldn't be sure, but I thought that she nodded.

I woke at six the next day, edgy and ridiculously worried considering all I was doing was teaching her how to fight, something I was actually good at. Not giving her a present or anything like that. I groaned, burying my head in my hands as I thought of how that had gone. Yes, fighting was better.

I pulled on light shorts, shirt and soft boots, letting myself out of my apartment and jogging softly up the pavement towards the lightly wooded hill a few miles from my house. Jogging every morning was something I'd done ever since I was a teenager, loosening up my mind and allowing me to stay focused (just) throughout the day. Jogging and flying, two activities that just about kept me sane as I tried to deal with shit from the Illyrian war camp leaders, battled for the rights of Illyrian females against hundreds of years of tradition, and tried to work out what the hell I was doing with my personal life, too (Nesta wasn't exactly helping, there)

I turned off onto a path that led down beside the river, running swiftly and smoothly (Nesta could say what she liked, but I was good at running). The morning air was cool on my face and wings, and the dimness of last night just lifting in a stunning sunrise.