Page 70 of Destined to Fight

Leave it to Ginna to pull her from an emotional moment.

Breakfast was possibly the best meal of her life. The food was good, and the company was even better. Everyone talked and enjoyed each other’s company. They all laughed and joked about war stories and business deals they’d been a part of. Ginna threw in a smart comment when one was warranted, and Asmund was like the cool high school jock who everyone loved.

They all respected Kade as their leader, and no one left Kelly out of the conversation, even though she hadn’t been a part of any of their adventures. Hell, Fabian even spoke up here and there and joked with them.

This was what family should be, she thought. Not the people you’re born with, but the people you choose. These people would give their lives for each other and then laugh about it after the fact. Sure, everyone was different, but they valued each other for those differences instead of letting them drive a wedge in their bond.

When the chatter died down, Asta and Ginna offered to clean up so Kelly and Fabian could go train. Kade promised to join them after he met with Connor.

Fabian wouldn’t let her practice with her karambits. He gave her plastic ones instead so she didn’t cut either of them while they trained.

For the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, they trained relentlessly. Fabian started by showing her the proper ways to grip the blade, then they went into the basic moves.

The blade was double-edged, so almost anything she did with it could cut her opponent. They worked on grips and moves until she could do them with her eyes closed. When Fabian was convinced she knew the basics, the two of them sparred again and again.

Kelly lost almost every time, but she kept trying. After every match, Fabian would replay their fight, move by move, to show her what she did right and where she could improve.

After hours, Fabian recommended they call it a day.

Kade had been sitting in the corner, watching them in silence the whole time, but he’d never stepped in.

“I can keep going. I need to keep going.”

Fabian shook his head. “Your father will be here soon. You should take some time to shower and rest. You need food, too; your body has had enough.”

“Thirty more minutes, that’s it.”

“No, Warrior, it is time to quit for the day. You have done well. Thirty minutes will not make a difference in your next fight. It will only add to your exhaustion, and you will begin to make mistakes as you grow more tired.”

Knowing Fabian was right, she bowed her head.

“Let Kade take you up to your room and draw you a bath. You will be sore soon, and you need to take care of yourself.”

She nodded to him. “Thank you.”

He smiled, and it reached his eyes. “It was my pleasure.”

Kade stood and followed her from the training room. With every step toward her room, her body protested with more pain and fatigue. They made it halfway up the stairs before Kade picked her up and carried her to her room.

“I don’t get it. I was in the best shape of my life a week ago. What is wrong with me?”

“Fighting is far from a workout. Ye have to use yer mind just as much as yer body. Both take the same amount of energy. Ye will learn to regulate it with time, although I cannae say I recommend hours of sparring every day.”

“Fabian seemed fine with it,” she thought aloud.

“Aye, because he kens how ye feel about what happened last night. He was letting ye take out yer frustration and guilt in a protected environment.”

“Oh” was all she could manage. They were right—she had been holding on to the emotions of the previous night, and she’d convinced herself that training would fix them all.

She did feel better about things, and she was definitely more prepared for any fight that came her way.

Kade laid her on the bed and went to draw a bath. It seemed like a waste of time, but protesting wouldn’t get her anywhere.

While the water ran, Kade disappeared. Just when she was about to get up and make sure the water wouldn’t overflow, he appeared again with a plate in his hand. He closed her bedroom door and set the plate in the bathroom before coming to get her.

“Come, lass, let’s get ye into the bath.”

“I can manage,” she said sleepily. “You can go work or whatever.”

---