Page 79 of Whispered Warnings: Part One

Last week I was trying to find enough money to get some food in the house and working extra shifts at Bobby’s so that I could start to restock my healing supplies, and now I have just bought myself a whole new wardrobe of clothes and not from a thrift store either. I haven’t got myself things just because they are cheap, I have bought myself things that I actually really like, things that are in my style and that I actually want to wear.

I like it.

Before I can get too focused on how much my life has changed in so many ways, there is a knock at the door. Stretching my back out as I walk, I realize that I must have been sitting in the same position for far too long, because I feel more stiff than I should.

“Hey,” I greet Reed happily.

“Have you managed to get everything done that you wanted to?” he asks me with a smile.

I nod, smiling proudly as I say, “Yeah. I just finished actually. Please tell me that you are here to tell me that it’s time to do sword practice because I have been sitting still for far too long, and I’m now feeling really twitchy.”

Reed’s smile widens, “Actually, yes that’s exactly what I was coming to get you for.”

“Thank fuck,” I grin. “Let’s go.”

As I start to move out of the door though, I feel magic start to build in the air, it’s not Reed’s magic and none of the others are with him so it's not them either. Although I can now prettyconfidently say that I could recognize their magic now, and this magic that is building is not one that I recognize.

It takes me a moment, but I soon realize that it’s the sword.

Turning around to look at it, I put my hands on my hips, and aware that I probably look like I am crazy, I narrow my gaze on my sword, “I get that you want to come, and that you don’t like the idea of me practicing with other swords, however, I haven’t swung a sword in a really long time, apart from when we killed that backwards knee thing, and when you helped me with the kelpies, which I really fucking appreciate by the way, you’re awesome. I would like to practice with a normal and boring sword before I start practicing with you, this practice session is just to test where I need to improve. As soon as we have worked that out then I can start practicing with you and we can figure out what we can do together.”

The magic that was building disappears and I’m going to take that as a sign of the sword's agreement.

Reed’s eyebrows are in his hairline as he looks between the sword and me, “Your sword certainly gets jealous pretty easily.”

I roll my eyes as I shut my door behind me, “Yeah, trust me to have an enchanted sword that gets so easily jealous. At least it didn’t try to stab me this time.”

“I’m not sure it really tried to stab you the first time, I think it knew that you were going to catch it.”

I pull a face, “I would definitely like to think that.”

He chuckles, “Come on, let’s see how rusty you really are.”

I practically bounce the whole way down to the gym. As I have mentioned before, it has been a long time since I have been able to properly practice with a sword and it is one of my most favorite things to do. As we are warming up, making sure that nothing is going to get strained during the practice, I have to admit that some nerves start to bubble in my belly. I really don’t want to make a fool of myself, and Van talked me up tothe others, which of course means that they are here as well, everyone apart from Doc who seems to be missing. I don’t really mind that the guys are here, but I really don’t want to be so rusty that I look like I have never handled a weapon before. Logically I know that I can’t be that rusty since I’ve used my sword twice now to save my life, but what if that was all the swords doing and had nothing to do with me?

Evander wasn’t entirely wrong in what he was saying to the guys, I do seem to have a natural affinity with weapons, swords especially, but that was when I was practicing every day.

“Alright, since I know that you like your swords, is there a particular style that you like to fight with?” Reed asks me.

The guys all stop pretending that they are working out or practising themselves and all turn to watch. I decide the best thing for me to do is to pretend that they aren’t there. It will just make me too nervous otherwise.

I shrug, “I like most swords. Anything that has a point is good with me, so I’m happy to practice with anything. My favorite weapon to fight with though is a double-bladed, double-edged sword, that shit is fun. Oh, I had this double-bladed dagger once, that had a knuckle guard that had another blade on it,” I sigh lovingly, “that thing was fucking awesome. Oh, my fuck, I could get one made for me couldn’t I?”

The guys are all looking at me with amused and slightly shocked expressions.

Raiden mutters, “Damn, Van, you weren’t kidding she really does love her blades.”

Griff grins, one of his rare proper smiles as he says, “You talk about blades like I have heard women talk about clothes and shoes. It’s fucking awesome.”

I shrug, “I like pointy things.”

“Yes, you could get one of those double-bladed daggers made,” River replies, answering my early question. “We havesomeone that we go to when we want our weapons made, he is absolutely amazing and can design it any way that you want. I was actually talking to him a week or so ago and he was saying that he is getting bored of making normal weapons and wished that someone would ask him for something a bit more unique. He’s going to fucking love your request!”

I start bouncing, “That’s awesome when can we go? Wait, are you talking about Lewis? I met him in town yesterday when I went with Raiden.”

River smiles and nods happily, “Yeah that’s him. He’s amazing at what he does. I’m not sure when we could go but maybe Tuesday, unless something comes up with the case. You have got Sully’s poker game tonight. The training academy trip is on Monday, and I think that Raiden wants to show you the library and go through all of the things that we need to research tomorrow.”

Raiden interrupts before I can reply, “We can do that another time, or I can make a start on it tomorrow and then you can help me out and come see the library another time.”

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