Page 80 of Forcing Fate

“This is beautiful!” I set my clothes on a dry stone and stooped to cup a handful of water. “It’s warm, like the springs!”

“It’s fed by one. This is as far out as the springs go to our knowledge.” Elenor scanned the space, as if double checking we were alone. “It has been a closely guarded secret, only known by a few Masters.”

“Do the Masters use it?”

Niehm shook her head before returning to the entrance. She leaned on the wall to stare out at the water. “It’s too far from the school grounds to be convenient. We will come with you, though, to stand watch in case someone decides to follow us or join us,” she spoke over her shoulder.

“Oh.”

My heart fell. I had hoped to bathe every evening after training, but I wouldn’t want to inconvenience them. They might be my friends, but they were Masters, and with that title came responsibilities.

“It will be nice to take such a delightful walk after a long day,” Elenor said, sitting primly on a boulder near the entrance and folded her hands in her lap. “Please, bathe. There is still curfew on the barracks’ side, is there not?”

“There is,” I said. At least for the recruits, anyway.

I stripped my tattered clothes and slipped into the pool. I couldn’t have the solitude I had in the bathing chamber, but this place still offered a piece of stillness away from the bustle of the barracks.

Elenor and Niehm spoke quietly of things that happened on the school grounds and I commented when I had something to offer. I scrubbed off the layers of sweat and dirt caked to my skin, then attempted to wash my dress out.

“I think this has seen its last days,” I said mournfully.

Elenor and Niehm turned to eye it with disdain.

“What on earth happened to it? And your hands!” Niehm turned over my left hand, seeing the raw, torn skin from the rope.

We started back to Willhelm as I recounted the events of my day, and when we joined him, he validated my story about the obstacle course.

“Is it common that recruits vomit? Is it so exhausting?” Niehm asked in wonder.

“It is fairly common, yes. Most aren’t used to the strenuous activity. When they vomit, they normally drop out. It’s hard to keep going when you’ve got nothing to fuel you,” Willhelm explained.

“I should have eaten first meal,” I groaned.

“You didn’t eat this morning?” Willhelm’s tone deepened with disapproval.

“I didn’t want to face the hordes of questioning women,” I replied dryly.

“Oh, you’ve caused quite a stir. They’re all in an uproar over the proper place of a woman,” Niehm mused.

“I’ve had to disband several gambling rings of respectable women placing wagers on how long you’ll endure,” Elenor sighed. “Meredith placed the largest bet.”

“No!” I said, shocked that the older woman would do such a thing.

“She wagered you would make it to the front—if that is any consolation,” she added with a smile.

“I guess it is. At least she has faith in me. What are my odds in the barracks?” I asked Willhelm. Back on Recruitment Day, General Rafe had all but demanded they placed the wagers on me, this side of the wall.

“Not so good.” He grimaced. “I will not partake. But I have to say, someone high up has a large bet on you sticking it out.”

“Really? I can’t imagine anyone other than you believing in me.”

“Speaking of wagers, and coin—Avyanna, do you have a place for yours?” Niehm asked, reaching into the pocket of her dress to pull out my coin purse.

“No,” I said with a frown.

There was no way I’d leave it in my room. And carrying it on my person didn’t seem wise. It would impede exercises and honestly, I didn’t trust half the men not to pickpocket me.

“I could keep it for you, if you’d like,” Niehm offered. “I don’t mean to come across as rude, Sergeant Willhelm, but the barracks seem an unlikely place to leave your spare coin.”

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