Page 35 of Savage Devotion
Not my business. Yet.
"He made an oath," I continue, surprising myself with the admission. "We both did. Sworn on our father's grave. Protect the clan. Protect each other. Live with honor or die trying."
Sacred words. Sacred failure.
He died. I lived. Honor became questionable.
"You kept your part of the oath."
"Did I?" The question comes out sharper than intended, edged with self-recrimination that I usually keep buried. "He died because I failed to teach him properly. Failed to anticipate his mistakes. Failed to protect him when it mattered."
Truth. Raw truth that I've never spoken aloud.
Why now? Why her?
Ressa steps closer, her hand finding my arm in a gesture that's both comfort and anchor. "He died because war is chaos and nineteen-year-olds think they're immortal. Not because you failed."
Logic. Reasonable assessment.
Doesn't change the guilt.
Doesn't bring him back.
"Technique matters," I say, returning to safer ground. "Proper training prevents unnecessary death."
Change the subject. Focus on the lesson.
Protect her by teaching her correctly.
Don't let history repeat itself.
She recognizes the deflection but doesn't push, instead retrieving her shield and resuming the stance I'd corrected earlier. "Show me again. The advance."
Grateful for her understanding.
Professional distance restored.
Mostly.
We drill the movement patterns for the next hour, working through the basic techniques that form the foundation of effective shield-wall combat. Her natural athleticism shows in the way she picks up the rhythms, but her instincts lean toward individual combat rather than group coordination.
Human preference. Personal glory over collective survival.
Understandable but dangerous.
"Stop." I raise my hand as she breaks formation to pursue an imaginary target. "What happens to the warrior beside you when you advance alone?"
She pauses, considering the question with the tactical thinking that separates good fighters from dead ones. "Their flank becomes exposed."
"And?"
"They die because I prioritized personal advantage over group protection."
Understanding. Progress.
Maybe she'll survive what's coming.
"Exactly." I reset my position, shield raised in proper formation stance. "Individual skill serves the group. Group survival depends on individual discipline."
