Page 21 of Rising

No use in pretending to be anything other than myself now that I was here. They both looked at me, before glancing at each other as if they were exchanging silent words that only they could hear before bursting into a fit of laughter.

“At least she’s honest,” the General said from the ground, hunched over hand on belly.

Jax tried to compose himself, but he was nearly a lost cause, too.

“How bout a morning spar and then we’ll see what arrangements can be made?” he offered. I nodded quickly and got the details for the next day before scurrying off, ready to retire to my new quarters and seclude to my own thoughts.

The next morning we met at the asscrack of dawn before he was expected to tend to his duties. Most would have complained, but I preferred the early hours. They were quiet and peaceful, and for a moment, if you really tried, you could forget the chaos of the world we lived in.

I think that’s what I learned to love the most about sparring with him. We moved as a symphony, lost in a language only we could understand. It was our therapy. Most mornings, the only sound would be the clink of our weapons or the slams of our fists against skin. The grunts and oomphs of pain. Then there were the mornings where we talked, where we let everything out, even our deepest, darkest thoughts. Thoughts we trusted with only each other, thoughts we were too afraid to share with the others close to us.

After our first spar, Jax panted that he had never been so easily matched in swordplay. It was a lost art in a world where automatic weapons and magic made the most sense. But for us, the more unhinged ones, the ones that had vengeance to pay, deaths to avenge, we appreciated the more personal touch.

One morning led to the next morning, into the next morning, and then the next. It was such a natural thing that the only day we didn’t show up was Sunday. A day he thought we all deserved to rest. We showed up every morning, a routine we had never verbally decided on yet dedicated to each other no matter what, every morning, including his last.

I missed my brother, but I missed my sister even more, and I needed her. I was happy she made it tonight, but a part of me wanted to scream and shout. Shake her and askwhat about the rest of us?

“What’s on your mind?” Seth asked, squeezing my hand and bringing me back into focus. “You’re doing it again,” he added tenderly, obviously confused at my state of confusion at his question.

I was more shook by the change of location that had passed by without me realizing. We were back at The Ring in The Pit, minutes lost from the walk from The Kitchens to here.

Seth had offered to spar with me every evening after dinner when he had walked in on me, shredding into one of the punching bags. Without my spar partner, I didn’t have a release for all of my pent-up emotions, but I’d been too hurt to step foot here on my own for days, anyway.

“I’m fine,” I replied, colder than I had intended.

Seth had become someone I’d rather depended on these days, growing closer every day. I’d never say it out loud, but I waited for the day he may see me other than just a flirt or friend. Spending time with him had become the highlight of my day.

My eyes blurred a bit as I felt a vision coming on, stumbling as Seth reached to steady me, knowing what to do when my visions took over.Pansies. Sunset. Carnage.My eyesight found its way back to reality as quickly as it had disappeared.

I scanned the sky, taking note of the sun’s position as it began to set. Reassured by the fact that I heard nothing but silence,surely it wasn’t today. An attack of that magnitude would take ramping up and we would hear it coming.

Besides, the sun was merely a minute or two from taking the same position in the sky as what my vision relayed. Which meant reporting to Amaia what I had seen could wait, no need to bombard her the second she assumed her duties again, anyway.

Seth’s eyes narrowed, head tilting, waiting for me to speak and explain what I had seen. “Nothing, it’s fine. Nothing that can’t wait for tomorrow.”

With that, I set Wrath down a few feet from the edge of The Ring, and grabbed one of the practice knives off the weapon wall. He studied me once more, trying to decipher exactly what it was I had seen without pushing me further. For a moment I wondered if he would try to push my boundaries.

He gave up and pointed to the knife in my hand. “Knife play, eh?” he jested, as he tilted his head and winked.

“Quit messing with me before I trade this baby in for something that can do some real damage,” I playfully added as I made my way to the center of The Ring, assuming my fighting position.

I placed my left knee down, centimeters off the ground. Right knee up with my left arm holding the knife pointed towards Seth and kept my right arm bent and steady, ready to block his advances.

“Maybe I’m ready for a little pain. Maybe I like it,” he added, circling me in an attempt to throw me off with his flirtatious banter before assuming a wrestler’s position. A lingering feeling of danger seeped from him, his movements reflecting a viper trying to find the perfect place to strike.

I poked my chest out slightly, daring to distract him with the cut of my sports bra, and succeeded. Happy with my effort, I threw my left arm out ready to strike his chest and leaned back slightly to dodge whatever blow he likely had coming my way.

He put his right arm out and grabbed my left wrist taking me off balance for only a moment before I flung my back towards the ground. I used the momentum to pull myself along the floor and twisted back on my feet, flipping my knife back towards an outward position ready to strike him once more.

Before either of us could make our next move, screams rang out near North Gate, followed by the terrified cries of civilians who now ran our way. I glanced at Seth before reaching for Wrath near The Rings borders. He pulled me back in alarm.

“Stay here,” he commanded through his teeth.

Taken aback at his sudden urge to helicopter parent, I shook his arm off in bewilderment. He knew I could fight, hold my own.

“I’ll be damned. I can fight Seth. Those people need help.” Picking up Wrath and slinging my baby back over my back, I took off towards the gate before he could stop me.

I felt a presence nearing me and glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see Seth following behind but instead was faced with Riley. He only offered me an encouraging smile before racing ahead, giving out commands to the soldiers who stood around awaiting orders like dumbasses. Precious moments wasted that never would have happened had Amaia been around.

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