Of Fangs & Fins ✔

65. Sour Past

sixty five

Eryn.

"En-garde. Pret. Allez."

I widened my stance, making sure my knees were bent and over my toes, just as the way Hadlee showed me. Leaning slightly forward, I angled my sword above my waist. I was new at this, but I was going to get it right this time.

Hadlee shot forward, advancing onto me faster than I could comprehend.

I retreated, avoiding a quick poke of her sword. If I was one second slower, it would've gotten me. I backed up, bracing myself for an advance.

"Your stance is off," Hadlee muttered behind her meshed mask. She lunged forward, bringing her foil forward and poking me in the chest.

I looked down as she struck and lost my focus on keeping my stance wide. I was on the ground before I knew it. I sighed, dropped my foil, and yanked off my helmet, tossing it to the side. "What's the point of even learning this?"

Hadlee took off her helmet, her scarlet locks spilling out around her shoulders. "It's to help your sword skills. Plus, I need a sparring partner." A light sheen of sweat had gathered on her otherwise flawless forehead.

"I don't even like fencing. And what's with these white suits?" I tugged at my jacket, glancing down at all the red chalk marks on my chest.

She chuckled and placed her sword on the rack behind her. "Sybil thought it would be good—"

"Sybil's dead." I bit my lip, suppressing everything that threatened to come forth. It had only been a couple of years, and I'd spent the better part of years heading from place to place, draining anything with a heartbeat. Feeling something other than the pain was all I wanted.

"She would've wanted you to be here with me," Hadlee placed her hand on my back.

"It's your fault she's gone." I'd grown familiar with the consistent dryness in my throat, knowing that Hades wouldn't let me out of her sight for me to get even just a little taste. All I'd have to do was take a step outside, pull someone in, sink my teeth into their luscious veins full of life.

"Stop thinking about that." Her gold eyes with bright and alert.

"Get out of my head!" I brought myself to my feet. "I'm going to take a walk."

"Don't leave the property," Hades murmured behind me. She bent down and picked up the fencing equipment. "We'll practice again tomorrow. It's good to keep you busy, Eryn. To keep your mind off things."

There was nothing more devastating than losing your maker. Sybil gave me another chance at life. She motivated me to keep going even when I was only a shell of a person. I felt the same as I did the night she turned me. Meaningless and unimportant.

I brushed my fingertips along the walls, looking out the window. Mountains and trees of Kurashiki surrounded us, keeping us secluded and isolated from the neighboring village. When Hadlee said we'd be going to Japan, I couldn't help but think of my brothers. Lee was from here, during a time when father was going down his own path of life after I was born. My younger brother would've like to know that I was visiting. He always wanted to go, to learn more about his culture. Mother never treated him the way she treated Emery. She never treated any of us the way she treated Emery. She never recognized him as her son, only as father's mistake.

I sighed, sliding the screen door open. The warmth of the afternoon planted kisses along my cold skin. I sat down on the veranda, closing my eyes as I soaked up the rays.