Checkmate

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Lio

"Cease!"

Kane dropped to his knees, bare chest heaving, the sweat slick on his skin, one hand held out.

"Enough." He panted, looking up at me. "Enough."

I lowered the pole, relaxed my stance and stood back, allowing my own breathing to calm. It didn't take long and, although my thin upper shirt was sticking to my body from the sweat, I was barely winded. 

"You're a monster." Kane said between breaths, smiling tiredly.

"You're out of condition." I remarked.

He snorted and then wheezed, proving my point. He made a face at me, but made no move to rise. I turned and headed towards the weapons hold, slotting the pole back into its place before moving to the refreshments table to pour myself a bowl of cooled lemon water, which I drained slowly, feeling the coolness spread through my heated limbs.

When I lowered the bowl, Jax was standing in front of me, his face impassive.

"Try to leave them standing once in a while." He said sardonically.

I shrugged.

"We don't get paid to stand around and look pretty." I wiped my mouth and set the bowl down. "Speaking of which..?" I glanced at him briefly as I reached for an empty bowl.

"Nothing further." He said, watching me fill it with cooled water and hand it to Kane, who had finally limped his way over to us, looking very much worse for the wear. "Everything's quiet."

I glanced at Kane gulping the water down thirstily, then back at Jax.

"That's not good."

He nodded. 

"We need to check in with Clan Leader and Clan's Son."

"I'll get ready." I went over to my pack and slung it over my shoulder, glancing at Kane again. This time he caught my glance and smiled, raising the bowl to me before resuming drinking. 

"Well, at least he can still walk." Jax said, coming up beside me as I headed for the door of the practice room, lifting a hand in greeting to our colleague as he followed me out. "You fractured Nya's wrist last time."

"Her reflexes were slow." I strode across the grass, Jax keeping pace right beside me.

"Guard's is over there, you know." He asked, as I bypassed it and skirted around the outside of the main holding. 

"I'm going to Healer's." I replied, shooting him a look. "And I don't need an escort. I'll get ready and meet you outside Clan Leader's chambers." 

"Lio." His hand on my arm forced me to stop. His gaze was searching, he looked as if he was on the verge of saying something. But he didn't, he just released his grip and let me go. I could feel his eyes watching me all the way as I approached Healer's, right until I'd entered through the side door and closed it behind me. 

Healer's was quieter and more private than Guard's, where there was always the risk someone would see my matemark. I found a smaller empty treatment room and went in, locking the door behind me before setting my pack down in a corner and turning the taps on in the bathing chamber. As the room filled with the light scent of flowers, I removed my footwear, stripped off my soaked upper shirt, undid the collar scarf, slipped out of my thicker combat practice pants and then stepped under the pleasantly warm, mineral enriched water, closing my eyes and letting it run down my body.

I stood motionless, feeling the water cascade over my skin, cleansing my body, washing away the dirt and the grime and the sweat.

But I wasn't so easily cleansed.