Page 35 of Kingdom of Tomorrow
That was even worse! I licked my lips and shifted from boot to boot. “I’ll do it. I’ll smack you. In the face. With my fist.”
“Now,” he barked.
Yelping, I squeaked, “Leave, fear?” Then I did it. I punched him. Kind of. Maybetapped his cheekwas a better description. Or I would’ve tapped his cheek if he hadn’t blocked me.
He swiped his tongue over straight white teeth. “Don’t ask a ridiculous question. Make a bold statement. Fear doesn’t listen if you don’t mean it. So mean it and hit me. Hard.”
“You’re acting as if fear is alive.” I tossed up my arms. “A living thing.”
“Isn’t it? It speaks to you, and you listen. It leads, and you follow. It commands, and you obey.”
Dang him. “Why would it be afraid of me and obeymycommand?”
“Because it’s fear. It can only give of itself, and it always backs down in the face of a stronger opponent. Hit me,” he repeated.
I didn’t want to, but I also did want to, but I didn’t, but I did. “Leave, fear.” Punch. I missed the HP completely.
“Lady Pink,” he growled.
“Leave, fear.” Swing.
Block. “Again.”
“Leave, fear.” Okay, yeah, I’d used a firmer tone and produced a surer swing that time. Not terrible. I swung with more force.
He blocked. “Maybe I wasn’t clear. Hit me hard enough to break through the mental barrier that’s telling you how weak and incapable you are.”
Anger stirred my pot of frustration. “Leave, fear.” I swung, putting a little thrust behind the blow.
He blocked once more but said, “Better. Again.”
“Leave, fear.” Swing.
Block. “Harder. Again.”
A kernel of strength dropped into my heart, swiftly taking root and choking out trepidation. I could do this. “Leave, fear.” Punch.
He blocked, but not quite as easily. “Don’t be afraid to hurt me.”
Too far! “Of course I’m afraid of hurting you!” I tossed my arms up.
He rolled his eyes. “Your fright insults me. Do you think I’m capable of protecting myself from a novice, Lady Pink?”
“That’s not ... I don’t think ...” Gah! I hated that he always made such good points. “I could hurt you accidentally.”
“Another insult.” He bristled, as if gearing for a real fight. “You will punch me in the face as hard as you can. I won’t block. If you draw blood, I’ll reward you with apples and figs.”
Excuse me? I must’ve misunderstood him. “You cannot be bribing me to injure you.”
“I am. Until you accept the power you posses—”
Punch. As his head whipped to the side, pain exploded through my knuckles. “Ow!” I shook my throbbing hand. As the discomfort faded, horror took its place, deluging me.
I forgot everything but my foolishness. I’d punched him. Me. Even though he’d commanded me to do it, he was going to punish me. He had to. I’d failed the test. Surely. Lowly lords and ladies did not physically abuse their leaders for any reason, ever.
He straightened, wiping a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth. A smile curved his lips, there and gone. “Good job, Lady Roosa.”
“Sir, I wish to apol—you’re kidding me.” A ball of light cast golden beams into the shadowy corners of my heart. He’d called meladywithoutPink! Because I’d done something correctly and aced a test. Bonus: The strike itself hadn’t been nearly as awful as I’d imagined.Grinning, I pumped my fist high in the air. “That’s right I did a good job. Chew on that, Sir Grumpus!”
