Page 66 of Eluvonia
I nod, keeping my expression neutral. “Seraveille,” I reply, trying to step around her, but she moves deliberately to block my path.
She tilts her head, her brown hair gleaming in the dim torchlight. “I just want to say,” she begins, her tone honey-sweet, “that I am sorry you were forced into this… arrangement with Kaida. It must be so hard for you, being around the one who orchestrated the murder of your family and friends.”
Her words hit like a dagger, the subtle twist meant to draw blood. My muscles stiffen, but I refuse to let her see it. Instead, I meet her gaze with an unwavering look. “I don’t find it hard at all,” I lie smoothly, my voice steady.
I force a smile—small, tight, and empty—and step around her, quickening my pace before she can respond. The faint echo of her chuckle follows me down the hall like a ghost, but I don’t look back.
A few moments later, I’m in the training room. The familiar weight of the bow settles in my hands as I draw back the string, sighting the center of the dummy’s chest. The soft twang of the bowstring snaps through the air, the arrow sinking into its target.
The motion is effortless now—muscle memory guiding my hands—but it wasn’t always like this.
Once, the bow had felt impossibly large in my grasp, my fingers awkward on the string. I had been small, barely ten years old, shivering in the crisp evening air as I struggled to hold the weapon steady.
“Again,” Leynard had said, his voice as patient as the stars blinking to life above us.
My arms ached. My fingers, raw and red, trembled against the bowstring. The first arrow I loosed had barely made it past my own feet, skidding uselessly against the dirt. Humiliation burned hot in my chest, stinging my eyes. I had wanted to be strong. To be good. Instead, I had felt like a child playing warrior in a world that had no place for me.
Leynard had crouched beside me, his hand warm on myshoulder. “You’re gripping too tight,” he had murmured. “The bow isn’t something you fight against. It’s an extension of you. Let it guide you.”
I had sniffed, blinking hard, refusing to let him see my frustration. “It doesn’t feel like part of me.”
He had chuckled, ruffling my hair. “Not yet. But it will.”
I hadn’t believed him then. But now, standing in the training room with my bow in hand, my body moving without thought, I understand.
I exhale slowly, shaking off the memory as I nock another arrow. Sadness coiling in my chest.
My breathing evens out as I repeat the motion, each shot more precise than the last.
The door creaks open behind me, and I glance over my shoulder. Kaida strides in, his steps purposeful, his eyes locked on me.
“Put that down.” he calls out, motioning to my bow. “We’re doing something else today.”
I hesitate, lowering the bow but keeping it in my grip. “What else?” I ask, curiosity creeping into my tone.
He doesn’t answer, just jerks his head toward the door. With a reluctant sigh, I set the bow aside and follow him out of the room. His pace is brisk, and I struggle to keep up as he leads me through the labyrinthine halls of the castle.
After a series of twists and turns, we arrive at a massive room. I stop short, my eyes widening as I take in the space.
It’s overwhelming, to say the least. Shelves stretch from floor to ceiling, packed with books of every size and color. Ladders lean against the higher shelves, and the faint scent of parchment and leather lingers in the air. Sunlight filters through tall arched windows, casting warm golden light ontothe polished wood floors.
I step farther into the room, craning my neck to take it all in. I’ve never seen anything like it. Rows upon rows of books, all lined up as though they’re waiting to share their secrets.
“Are these all… books?” I ask, glancing at Kaida.
He smirks, clearly amused. “You’ve never been in a library before?”
I shake my head, feeling a little like a small child in a world that’s too big.
Kaida leads me to a table near the center of the room and gestures for me to sit. I lower myself into the chair, still glancing around the room like it might disappear if I blink.
“What are we doing?” I finally ask, eyeing him as he pulls out a piece of parchment and places it in front of me, along with a quill.
Kaida sits across from me, his smirk widening. “A different type of training. It’s called school.”
I frown at him, tilting my head. “School?”
“Yes,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “Because, as much as your endless questions were… cute at first, they’ve officially become annoying. So I’m going to teach you the ways of the realm.”
