Chapter 56
My eyes narrowed, and I clutched the hilt of the dagger with a firm grip. I could do this; I had to do this. My whole body trembled. Fatigue was setting in, and much of my body ached.
I took a step, bringing my left foot forward, my stiff muscles sore but ready. Ahead of me, Camilla stood with her back to me. This was the most difficult thing I’d ever done in my life, and I hated every bit of it. But I had to—I had to do this. With a final, heavy breath, I lunged forward with the blade, piercing it through the air toward the sorceress. She stood still, unmoving, as the sharp dagger closed in on her. It all happened too fast. My body tensed just as it pierced through the shadowy dress.
Her arm brushed against my own. I felt her grip near my wrist, and in a blink, the side of my face smashed down against the floor. The dagger clanged away, and Camilla pressed her foot into my back.
I let out a groan, and the pains across my body flared.
“You’re still hesitating,” the sorceress said, standing calmly above me. I didn’t bother to look up. “Though you’re making progress.”
“I really don’t see why I need to do this,” I grumbled back, cheek mashed into the floor.
“As I’ve already told you, there’s no point in teaching you more if you can’t fight with the resolve to kill your opponent. True fights aren’t the drawn out affairs that you read about in stories; they’re over in moments. Hesitation will mean death.”
When she’d said that she would teach me, I hadn’t thought it would mean this. Sure, she’d begun by teaching me a little about how to wield the blade in the first place, but then she wanted me to attempt to stab her through the heart—to actually try to kill her! It was pure insanity.
I sighed. “You’re sure I can’t just learn to use a sword?”
“No.”
My shoulders slumped.
Her foot moved off of me. “And it wouldn’t make any difference.” Then, in a much gentler voice, she said, “Come on, let’s get you up.” Her arm slid beneath me, and she eased me back to my feet. “I told you that this wouldn’t be easy.”
My lips curved down into a frown. “You didn’t say I’d have to stab you.” I thought she’d been joking at first when she told me we wouldn’t move on until I could stab her without any hesitation. But as I got closer, I’d begun to realize she meant it quite literally. She intended for me to actually injure her.
Camilla gently patted my back. “The chances of you severely injuring me are minimal.”
“But I don’t want to stab you at all!” I complained. It was ridiculous!
“I know. Though we are not often in fights that we wish to be in,” she lectured. “It’s easy to believe that you can fight and kill when the moment comes where you must. But when you have the blade in your hand and a person there before you, you must be ready for just what it means to pierce through the flesh of another human being and end a life. Without pause or hesitation. When you draw your blade, you need to be ready to kill or be killed.”
I sighed. As much as I wanted to argue, I knew she was right. Life was never as grand as stories liked to make it out to be. Still, was this really the best way to do this? My lips pursed.
“Why don’t we stop for now?” Camilla suggested. “The sun is coming up, and you should take a moment to make yourself more presentable for the day. No need to raise any suspicions.” She eyed my tired, sweaty form. “Not that you don’t look lovely as you are.”
I grumbled and crossed my arms. “I’m using your tub.” Then, thinking on it further, added, “Without you.”
She smiled. “If that’s what you want, I suppose I can make myself scarce for a bit.” Camilla eyed me for a moment longer, perhaps hoping I might change my mind, before leaving with a parting wave. “Don’t take too long.”
It was admittedly tempting to bathe with her. Even as shy as I was, it would be fun and ease off the continually building lust in my body. But I also knew that if we did, we’d do little else for hours.
Instead, I took a quick bath, only taking a scant few minutes to relax and enjoy the experience. It was a luxurious tub, and there was nothing quite like a steaming hot bath. Hopefully, I’d have the chance to enjoy another before we had to make our escape. The comforting hot water softened my skin, turning me into a warm puddle. I felt as though I could just fall back to sleep. Though it didn’t help that I was extra tired from having woken up earlier than usual. Today would probably be difficult. Though at least I had my underwear back.
Camilla had shaken me awake several hours ago, well before dawn, to give me my first proper combat lesson. I’d honestly been ecstatic, despite the hour. That she wanted to teach me to use a dagger and knife first had been a slight disappointment. A sword just felt more useful. Though I couldn’t deny her logic. I couldn’t exactly carry around a sword or any other large weapon around town. And any sword training would be of little use to me in the upcoming days if I couldn’t count on having one with me. My best bet was a surprise attack with something hidden. As a young maid, people were likely to have their guard down around me. The sentinels would be more likely to try to capture me than kill me, at least so long as I appeared innocent and defenseless. It could be the minor advantage needed to strike and then get away.
Camilla arrived back not long after I got dressed. By then, the sun was finally up, brightening the room from the far window.
“Good. While I was out on my stroll, I was thinking more about your training. I think you should start carry a dagger around your thigh today, despite your lack of training. It’s better that you don’t toy with it while I’m not watching, but it is also a good idea for you to get used to carrying one on your person. And we can’t truly know when you might need it, so sooner is better.” She pulled out a dagger from within her shadows, notably smaller than the one I’d been practicing with earlier. Then her eyes met mine.
“Right,” I said, feeling suddenly hesitant. A blade all of my own?
“You’ll have to use mine until we can manage to get you another. I’ll have to give you a few lessons on keeping it sharp and well-maintained. Just please remember that this is a real blade. It will hurt you and others. Don’t unsheathe it unless you intend to kill the person you’re pulling it out on. Understood?”
I gave her a stiff nod. “I promise.”
The scolding she would probably give me if I disobeyed her was plenty incentive enough to listen to her. Plus, if I didn’t and ended up cutting myself or someone else, I was certain that I’d never live down the shame and embarrassment. It was exactly the sort of thing that I was unlucky enough to have happen.
Acceding to my sincerity, she nodded back and smiled. “Excellent. Then let me show you how to strap it on.”
Camilla bent down to her knees in front of me, her shadows shifting around her. From around her own legs, she slipped off a strip of fabric, clutching it. Then she grasped my left lower calf, pulling it forward as I gripped her shoulder for balance. Shifting my dress up my legs until it was well above my knees, she slid a plain black garter with a small leather sheath up around my foot all the way to my thigh. My cheeks brightened as I idly wondered if she might have other intentions. Her fingers lingered for a long moment before she picked up the short dagger and slid it in. I could feel the cool metal hilt pressing firmly against my thigh. It would definitely take some getting used to. Hopefully it wouldn’t make me walk funny?
With that done, Camilla released me, my dress flowing back down to my feet as she rose to her feet. For a moment, I stood fidgeting, trying to get past the strange sensation of a metallic weapon strapped against my leg.
She smiled. “You’ll get used to it, don’t worry. Before long, you’ll have forgotten it’s there.”
Somehow, I doubted that. Though she was the expert.
“You think so?” I asked, feeling the leather rub against my opposite thigh. It was weird, to say the least.
“Trust me. Either way, so long as you remember to put it on, it’ll be there if and when you need it. And we’ll get you some dresses to hide others within as well.”
“And then maybe a sword?”
She chuckled. “We’ll see, little Pearl.” Her hand rubbed the top of my head until I to pulled away. “In the meantime, you should go find Rosetta. She’ll be going to see her uncle sometime today, and the two of you should decide on a time and place to meet afterwards.”
I hummed. “What will you be doing?”
“I’ll be here meditating. For as long as I can afford to. Any bit of power that I can cultivate before things fall apart.” Her words ended on an ominous note. Though I knew she was right. We needed every minor advantage we could get. I could certainly devote a lot more time to my own ‘cultivating,’ for what little good it had done for me thus far.
I bit my lip, nodding. “Okay. I’ll be back soon then. L-let me know if there’s any way I can help.”
Camilla crossed her legs on the bed, leaning back against the headboard, and I made my way out into the hall, carefully peaking around the corners in fear of meeting Silas once again. Though truthfully, there was little reason to be so cautious. He was never up and around the mansion so early in the day.
In my search for Rosetta, I first went to the kitchen and then to a few other areas she frequented as a maid. Eventually I found her out hanging laundry, which made a great deal of sense. At this time of year, it was best to hang clothing up early if you wanted them dry before dark. I made my way out into the brisk air, the sun now brightening the sky, having almost fully crested the trees in the distance.
“Good morning,” she said, shaking out a bundle of sheets and throwing them up onto the tight line.
“Hey.”
I grabbed a dress from the basket and began to help. It was quiet around us, beyond the calming tune of the birds. A peaceful morning, if cold and breezy. I’d need to start wearing something warmer soon, as it became cold enough out to snow.
“So, today’s the day that Lena will be getting her sword?”
She nodded. “I expect so. He said it’d be done today, at least.”
“Do you know when she plans to get it? I was hoping to see.” It wasn’t really even a lie. I did want to see the sword. Though it was obvious that I was talking about more than just that. Still, best to be careful.
“Around noon, I believe. She’s been quite eager, and I’m sure she’ll want to go soon as she feasibly can sneak away without her family noticing. So likely right after lunch.”
Not much longer, then. Merely a few hours and then we could hopefully make some progress toward leaving this town. I just hoped we’d be ready. The two of us continued to hang clothes and linens, only a few short minutes passing before the job was complete. Both of us were too lost in our own thoughts to say much else, my mind wandering toward what I needed to do to make progress in finding my core. Not that I minded the moment of peaceful existence between the two of us. Somehow, it seemed like a mark of friendship.
“Right, I suppose I’ll see you then?” she asked as we finished.
I gave her a nod and a smile as she gathered up the empty basket, preparing to head back inside. “Yeah, sounds good.”
She smiled back and took her leave. I turned in the opposite direction, heading to another door in the direction of Camilla’s room. Then I paused, bumping my hand against my forehead as I realized I’d forgotten to actually ask where we would meet. I presumed it would be back in Lena’s room, but it was best to be certain, just in case. With a sigh, I turned around and stepped quickly after her. I didn’t want to be searching the whole mansion after them later. It could cause problems, especially with Silas potentially roaming around.
Making it back into the relative warmth of the indoors and moving around the corner, I was glad to see that she wasn’t too far ahead, walking at a steady pace. I raised my hand to wave and quietly call after her, when a shadow shifted out from an open door and into the dimly lit hall.
I froze, eyes widening. A dark figure grabbed her from behind, their hand moving to cover her mouth and pulling her into the room. She let out a muffled scream, squirming to break free, and then she was gone. A scream of my own was building in my throat, one that I cut off before it was let loose. What if screaming made things somehow worse? Would they grab me as well? Would it bring the Praevus and sentinels down on us?
Instead, I rushed after them as quietly as I could. The door was closed when I reached it, but I wasted no time in entering. Inside was a dark room, likely meant for guests. My eyes scanned the room, flittering around it rapidly, only to find it empty. Then I spotted the window, cracked, but clearly open, and sped over.
I nearly crushed my face against it, trying to peer out into the gravelly side street outside of the very few buildings that sat alongside the mansion. So much of it was surrounded by small gardens and the like. This had been clearly planned. My eyes narrowed as I pulled the window open and peered out, certain that I’d spotted someone disappearing around a corner. I lifted my foot through the window to jump out after them and paused.
Was this wise? What could I possibly do against the Praevus if he’d abducted her? Or the smugglers, for that matter? If anything, there was a good chance that they’d simply capture me as well, making things worse. I couldn’t do this alone.
It hurt, but I knew this was the right choice. Taking a deep breath, my decision made, I turned and ran back into the hall. There was no time to lose. I had to get to Camilla.