Page 2 of Cage of Destiny
Allyssa shook as she cried, gulpingdeep breaths.
“Want some company?”Nathenek asked from behind her.
She stiffened, wondering how long hehad been there. “No.” If she wanted to be around him, she wouldhave remained inside.
“If you change your mind,I’ll be around the back of the house running through my morningdrills.”
She twisted around and peered at him.He wore loose-fitting clothing with a sword strapped to his waist.“Drills?”
“I’m sure you’re notinterested. It would require you to exert yourself.” He started towalk away.
“Excuse me?” He must notthink very highly of her.
He paused. “And you can’t possiblyknow how to use a sword since you’re a woman.”
Her blood began to boil. How dare hethink she was a pampered princess who lay around doing nothing allday. “I’m perfectly capable of doing some exercises and wielding asword.”
“Really?” He scanned herbody. “Because you’ve been sitting there for over an hour. Iassumed that’s what you did all day.” His lips curled into a slysmile.
She jumped to her feet, wiping herface dry with her sleeve. “After my… ordeal, I need to regain mystrength.” And be kept busy so Soma wouldn’t haunt her.
“Are you saying you want torun through my morning drills with me?”
“Is this something you didwith Savenek?”
He nodded. “Every day.”
“Then yes, Ido.”
“Very well.” He led the wayto the back of the house where there was a flat, vacant area.“Let’s start with a hundred jumping jacks. Once we’ve got our bloodflowing, we’ll do sit-ups and then squats.”
Allyssa welcomed the physicalexertion. Nathenek didn’t talk as they ran through variousexercises, sweat dripping down their faces and backs.
When they finished, he set up twostraw dummies. “Savenek uses—used—that one.” He pointed to the oneon the right. “This is mine.”
Darmik had taught her how to punch ona straw dummy. She often used one to release her anger.
Nathenek picked up a woodensword and went through a series of movements, striking the dummy.Instead of doing the same, Allyssa stretched her neck from side toside, and then she slammed her fist into its stomach, her knucklesscreaming in pain.Damn, that feltgood.She pictured Odar as the straw dummy.Spinning, she kicked it. A sense of satisfaction filled her.Curling her fingers into fists, she repeatedly punched the dummy,letting her anger, frustration, and hurt seep into eachblow.
She had thought Odar lovedher.Punch.
But Shelene had thought thesame thing and look what happened.Punch.
Odar had snuck intoShelene’s room, slitting her throat in her own bed. Killingher.Punch.
Perhaps what botheredAllyssa the most was that after killing Eliza, Soma, and Shelene,she failed—failed—to kill Jana, the target that mattered most.Punch.
Then, when she and Odarfinally made it to Fren, everything fell apart.Punch.
Because of his insecurities, Odarended their engagement, claiming he loved her too much. He said hecouldn’t marry her and be a good ruler to his people. So, he brokeher heart. He left her. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Yet, Kerdan had held up his end of thebargain, helping Odar and Allyssa escape Russek by providing mapsalong the way. He never ceased to amaze her.
“Here’s some water.”Nathenek handed Allyssa a waterskin, jarring her from her memories.“I think that’s enough for today. Any more punching and I fear mystraw dummy won’t survive.”
She took the container and drank,trying to wash the pain away.
***
