Page 4 of Petals for Vicious Secrets

“No,” Theon laughed while throwing her two metal balls attached to a metal chain.

“Oh, come on!” Lenna grabbed them in the air.

“What a better opportunity to practice overcoming your body’s needs? Sleep is overestimated, you know. People don’t need to sleep as much as they think.” Theon grabbed another set of steel balls and moved around the training area until he was in front of her.

“Says the man that does a two-hour nap every single afternoon while I bore to death on my be-a-good-heir classes,” Lenna replied.

Theon laughed loudly in a sorry-not-sorry gesture, lifting his shoulders, and he started doing the motions with the steel balls she had to repeat. Training with Theon was almost her favorite part of her day.

He started training with her a few months ago, after asking her parents for years that she wanted to know how to defend herself in a physical battle. They kept telling her that no such things were needed in Thyria, since all they had to do was rule and make sure no disturbances happened. And in case they happened, panoms had magic to fix them. The only way their parents finally accepted the training with an experienced warrior was by telling them that if one day the magic became unstable because one House had no Ruler or a panomquake destroyed the land, then she would be exposed to risks. She knew she hit the nail when mother and father looked at each other, trying not to look worried. And then mother turned to her and said, “Fair enough. We’ll find you someone suitable and we’ll clear your schedule in the mornings to allow training sessions.”

This suitable someone happened to be a very good-looking young man with more muscles than shyness, and enough sense of humor to take her out of her misery each morning.

A suitable someone that suddenly increased the speed of movements to make her focus to keep her pace, as if he could see that she was thinking about everything other than the two heavy steel balls they twisted in circular motions around them. Lenna had no issues to almost double the speed of movements to stay at his rhythm.

When she started training, she found it hard to finish the lessons as her body ached, even in places she didn’t know could be sore. She also found herself being distracted sometimes by the muscles of Theon’s arms, chest, legs and every other Cardinal-blessed part of his body. She got used to all of it now, and even the hardest sessions didn’t end with her moving like a worm around the North House like she used to. And warrior-muscles wise, she usually tried not to look too much at them as he would take any opportunity to thoroughly enjoy even the smallest admiration.

“You are somewhere else today, Lenna. Is everything fine?” Theon asked, while leaving the steel balls on the floor and starting to practice kicks. His shoulder-long hair shone with sweat.

“Next week, I’ll be twenty-five and the Rulers will make their grand bullshit ceremony in Corentre so we can start learning about useful powers for once. I’ll have to do it with Ayla, so I am very much not looking forward to it.”

“I am not meant to know about these things, Lenna,” said Theon quietly between steady breaths as he kicked sideways.

“And you very well know I couldn’t care less. You are my friend. I will tell you things. End of story.” Lenna was fed up with all the powers, laws, rules, and the same old secrets that followed her everywhere since she was born because she was the daughter of a damn Ruler. She trusted Theon. She couldn’t say that for many people.

“Do you think being with Ayla for longer periods of time will make you explode?” Theon said, unsuccessfully trying to hide a smile.

“I guess we’ll find out soon”, Lenna said lifting her eyebrows, right before copying a triple lateral kick he just did.

3

Hope

With Nina barely able to walk with the deep cut she had on the bottom half of right leg, it took them a while to reach her safety area. The place Nina lived with her brother Raoul looked as rudimentary as Hope's home, but it was in a hidden cave instead of at the top of a tree. It was unexpectedly bright, with a handful of cavities in the stone walls allowing the sunny rays through.

A young man with white hair was next to one wall, laying on what looked like a mattress made of leaves and clothes. He did not open his eyes or move when Nina and Hope approached him. From a few steps away, Hope could not even see if he was breathing. Nina got closer to him with a worried look.

“Raoul,” she whispered, shaking him. “Raoul, I’m back.” The young man moved a few fingers and grunted softly. Nina’s face showed relief after a few moments of checking him out.

“What happened to him?” Hope asked. She wasn't expecting much of an answer, considering how people usually minded their own business and ignored everyone else.

Nina's look was silent and worried. “I am not sure. I think they attacked him.”

“They?”

Nina kept silent, as if she was hesitating to share any more information.

“I'm sorry. I hope one vial has something that can help him,” Hope said honestly. She didn’t know why she cared about this stranger. “Is he your brother?”

“Yes,” Nina said shortly, signaling the end of that conversation. "Have you used medicines before?" she asked, looking at Hope. Her blue eyes were such a contrast with her white hair.

“My mother always kept one vial with her when I was little, in case I got injured. The best way to check a liquid is safe is to put a drop on something alive and wait for the reaction,” Hope explained, heading towards the entrance of the cave while finding her three vials in her bag.

Nina followed her slowly, being careful with her injured leg, with her own three vials in her hand. Hope walked until she found a small patch of grass with poppies nearby. She helped Nina sit on the ground and she sat in front of her. Hope opened the green vial and put a drop on the pod at the center of the poppy's petals. The poppy vanished.

Hope moved her hand to where the poppy was just a few seconds ago. It had not become invisible. It simply had disappeared, leaving no trace that it had ever been there.

“What is the green liquid?” Nina asked, frowning.

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