Page 35 of When Storms Ruin

Kenna was a scrappy fighter. She was slight and thin, but she was a quick thinker, and like me, she was fast. Saanvi joined us for the first time today, and I found her to be the most challenging opponent yet.

As her Nightshade form would indicate, Saanvi was catlike in her movements. She was always one step ahead, and she certainly had nine lives. She never tired, and she was never bested. I thought she might be going easy on me, despite ending up on my back each and every time.

Warrick had brought mats out to the training field so we hopefully wouldn’t injure ourselves too greatly.

Lot of good that did.

Saanvi whipped out with her leg so fast my feet came right out from underneath me, and I grunted as I hit the mat flat on my back. She was on me before I had time to roll and regain my footing, her blade poised over my heart. I brought my arm uphard, thankful for the leather training cuffs Liss had gifted me, and knocked her arm out of the way. I lifted my hips, rolling her over in one smooth movement.

“Yes, Diana! Use your speed, never stop moving!” Warrick called from the sidelines, clapping his hands together. Tess was whooping and hollering, cheering me on.

Warrick was much younger than I had imagined he would be, only a few years older than me. He had a strong build and was tall, not to mention incredibly handsome. His eyes were a piercing green, and I had found our first few training sessions awfully distracting.

As quickly as I had turned us over, Saanvi snuck out from underneath me and I turned, her foot coming towards my face almost faster than I could get my hands up. I took the brunt of her kick on the leather cuffs, ducking at the impact. I whirled quickly, bringing Stormslayer down in an arc, but she was equally as fast, and blocked my advance easily.

Sparring was similar to dancing, a back and forth between the opponents. It was intuitive, and even when I wasn’t sparring myself, I loved to watch the other matches. There was always something to learn from the other fighters.

I ducked as Saanvi’s closed fist sailed towards me, her arm swinging over my head and missing. We squared off again, pieces of my auburn hair coming loose from my tie and falling into my face. I was dripping with sweat, and while I had started off in a jacket due to the cooler spring weather, I soon found myself in only my tank top and leathers. The thigh strap for Stormslayer was tight against my leg, holding another, smaller, throwing knife.

I also had one stashed in my boot.

I lunged forwards, faking left but moving right, creeping under Saanvi’s arm and hitting her on the back of her shoulderwith the blunt end of Stormslayer. She fell to her knees, kicking out with her leg and hitting my legs, dropping me to the mat.

Again.

She was on me before I could think of my next move, her dagger poised to strike. I raised my closed fist and hit the mat hard, twice, tapping out.

Warrick shook his head from the sidelines, but I took his smile as an indication he was happy with my progress.

“Great match, Diana. I think you’ll be able to take me in no time.” Saanvi reached her hand down to help me up, a smile on her face.

I took her hand as she tossed her long black braid over her shoulder, and she pulled me upright. I took a moment to catch my breath, the wind knocked out of me.

Saanvi was my third match of the day.

“I’m not so sure about that. You are a cat, after all.” I laughed, breathless.

She tilted her head in thought. “True, but you’ve made a lot of progress. I was certainly not this skilled after only a few weeks with a blade. It took me much longer to learn.”

“She really wasn’t,” Puck called out from the side of the mat.

Kenna elbowed him in the stomach and he doubled over, whether with laughter or pain I couldn’t quite tell.

“Whose up next?” Warrick asked, stepping forwards to the center of the mat.

I used my tank top to wipe the sweat from my forehead, Tess handing me a much-needed canteen of water.

Nik stepped forwards, a long broadsword strapped across his back.

“Anybody want to take me on?” he asked with a grin. His arrogance had me rolling my eyes at the back of his head. “How about you, Warrick?”

“I don’t want to fight you, Nikolai.”

Warrick crossed his arms over his chest. I had a feeling there was history between the two of them, maybe bad blood. They appeared to hate each other and avoided one another at all costs. There were always jabs or witty quips being exchanged between the two of them.

“You don’t think it’s time we hash it out?” Nik asked, cocking his head to the side, a gleam in his eyes.

He unsheathed the sword in one fluid movement, his stance wide.

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