Page 49 of Between Wrath and Mercy

“Have you ever been injured like this before?”

“Not like this, no. Cuts and scrapes but nothing like this.”

“And did those heal like normal?”

“I guess. I never paid much attention to them. I mean, the bruises on my neck healed normally, right?”

“Maybe it doesn’t work for small ailments?” There was no way to know. I stayed crouched beside him, trying to think of any injuries I’d sustained since I came into maturity.

“Elora,” I whispered. “When Elora was born, I nearly died.” I closed my eyes, remembering the blood. “Ishouldhave died. The midwife was shocked I didn’t.” I’d lost too much blood and had been going in and out of consciousness, hallucinating, a whole ordeal. I woke a day or two later and was finally able to hold my baby, but according to the midwife, it had been touch and go for a while. Rainier studied me, something in his eyes I couldn’t read. “My divinity. Did it—”

“You saved yourself. Emmeline, that’s amazing.” He lifted his hand as if he wanted to touch my neck, but I stood up before he could. I started pacing by the fire. How could I not have realized I could heal myself? This was quite the revelation for me. I didn’t know what to do with the information, but I knew I didn’t want to stand idle. The lingering frustrations from my infuriating conversations the day before in addition to the newest rush of adrenaline had left me with energy I needed to spend. I grabbed my pack and left the tent without another word. There was a soldier sitting by the main fire outside, warming his hands.

“Can you tell me where Dickey is?”

“The kid?” The man seemed surprised I’d be asking about him.

“Yes, I need to check on his arm.”

“Ah, the boy is probably getting the pack horses ready.” He pointed me in the right direction.

“Thank you!” I called back over my shoulder, already on the move. The man at the fire was right. Dickey and another soldier, also young, were packing up.

“Lady Emmeline!” The boy perked up at the sight of me.

“Good morning, Dickey, let’s see that arm.” He finished what he was doing and turned to me, rolling up his sleeve.

“Good as new!” He grinned. The redness had faded, and as I turned his arm this way and that, he didn’t react in pain at all.

“Good, I need a favor.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Do you have a training sword? Two, preferably.” The other boy looked at Dickey, and they both flushed.

“How did you know we’d have training swords?” He was embarrassed.

“Just a hunch. Could I borrow them for a little while, please?”

“I’ll get them.” The other boy skittered off into the group of soldiers who were waking and breaking down tents.

“Thank you. Maybe I can help train you both.” It would give me something to do, to help feel useful. “As long as Dewalt approves.”

“I—No offense, Lady Emmeline, but I don’t think—”

“Don’t think I could teach you much? I’m going to let you in on a secret.” The boy seemed mortified. “I am very good. I know I looked like I was about to drop yesterday, but, well, that wasn’t a fair fight.”

The other boy ran back up then with two wooden swords in his arms.

“Thank you, boys.” I practically skipped off to find Dewalt.

WhenDewaltandIwalked back from the meadow to join the camp, I had a faint sheen of sweat on my body, but I was proud. Rainier was standing at the fire and turned back to look at me with a single raised brow when he saw me carrying the training swords.

“You ready to leave?” I was a bit breathless when I asked him, worn out from the sparring I’d forced upon Dewalt. During training, I’d decided to pretend the conversation with Rainier hadn’t happened. He was here helping me, and I couldn’t let our past control how we interacted now. Besides, if I thought about it too long, I’d get angry again and blame both of us for various indiscretions in my head. I decided to skip all of that and do my best to forget it, for my own sanity.

My friend had been pleasantly surprised by my efforts, although I expected he was taking it easy on me in the beginning. Practicing with wooden swords wasn’t my favorite thing, but since Dewalt hadn’t been eager to put a real sword in my hand at all, I figured this was the next best thing.

Where Dewalt had only been a bit better than me all those years ago, now he was an excellent swordsman. He anticipated every move of mine and met me with more force than I’d have imagined. It made sense, as he’d been participating in combat like this for years. He had long held onto the tradition of the old gods and kept his hair long because of it. When I had known him, it had rested just above his shoulders, but now it hung well past his waist, proving his prowess, and it showed in his swordsmanship.

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