Page 40 of Forcing Fate

He just stood there, gazing at me with an almost bored look, holding out his tunic.

“No!” I growled and whirled to see Willhelm approaching. “Good Day!” I snapped, glancing back at him to catch him smirking, before I stalked over to walk past Willhelm.

He pivoted and walked with me, chuckling. “Good last day, eh?”

“He’s a barbarian!”

I couldn’t believe after all I had done all week he would still treat me like that, and dare to demand something of me when I was not obligated by duty to obey. Neither was it in my best interest.

The next morning, I woke with mixed feelings. I was happy to be done assisting General Rafe due to his arrogance and rude nature. But I was slightly disheartened, as well. He actually gave me jobs and expected me to follow through. It gave me a sense of importance… when he wasn’t berating me because I was a simple girl, that is.

When I rose from my cot, I stretched and headed to my washbasin. I had just finished rinsing my mouth when a knock sounded at my door. I stopped and tilted my head, wondering who might need me at this hour. Throwing my cloak over my night shift, I cracked open the door to see Master Elenor standing there, jaw clenched tight, as if I had kept her waiting.

“Master Elenor!” I jerked the door open in case she was there to inspect my room.

She was a tall, strong woman. Even her gray hair obeyed her every whim and dared not escape the severe bun she had it pulled into. Her blue eyes were the color of the coolest waters, with a temperament to match.

“Miss Avyanna, I have a job for you.”

I stood a little straighter. I was excited she found a job, yet worried it would involve something like hauling the dragon dung out of the canyon.

“There’s been a request for mending,” she said, extending a small parcel wrapped in paper.

I bit back a groan, though I pasted a smile on my face as I took the package. What I would do to be done mending! When I was a Dragon Rider, I would never mend another garment ever again. I would hire someone else to do it.

She towered above me with a frown that said she knew too much. “I was told to tell you it’s expected back by nightfall.”

I schooled the shock from my face. Someone had told Master Elenor to tell me something? Not even Master Brann told Master Elenor to do anything.

“I will find time to mend it. Thank you,” I said, trying to hide my surprise.

“I also expect you to not neglect your room or your current assignment.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.

With one last fiercely disapproving frown, she left down the hall, her back stiff, and straight. I sighed and closed the door, setting the package on my bed. I would at least get an idea of how much work needed to be done before heading off this morning.

I untied the twine that held it together.

“Curse him,” I muttered as the paper fell away.

Tucked inside was a black sleeveless tunic with a missing button. I closed my eyes and hoped I would have enough patience to see me through this day. He couldn’t order me to do his mending, so he told Master Elenor to make me do it.

I mumbled a thousand curses and picked it up, noting the needle, black thread, and button that laid under it. Next to the button was a solid gold coin. My jaw dropped.

A gold piece was worth almost as much as I had in my spare coin pouch. Normally jobs for students paid a few coppers—a silver if one was lucky. A gold coin? For simple mending?

I snapped my mouth shut with a frown and glared at it. I couldn’t take that much for mending. It would be dishonest. Not only for my conscience, but also to all the other students that worked so hard for spare coin. I desperately needed new dresses and sandals, but I felt as though I was robbing the other students if I accepted that much.

Sighing, I took off the cloak and sat down in my night shift, threading the needle. It would take me less than five minutes to sew a button on. I could have it done and take it back this morning.

I hurried through the work, careful to only do my best. Wrapping the tunic back up with the notations and coin, I dressed and headed out the door. I contemplated skipping breakfast but thought better of it, grabbing a simple roll to eat on the way.

I carried the parcel under my arm and hurried down the path to the barracks’ gate. Just as it came into view, the parcel was yanked from my hold. I whirled around, wondering what snagged it.

Vivian stood there with two other teenage girls, arms braced across her chest. General Rafe’s tunic was still wrapped, but now in her hands. For some reason, a shot of annoyance ran through me at the fact that she was holding the General’s tunic.

“What do we have here?” she sneered, turning over the parcel, and feeling it.

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