When All is Lost

32.

We fight for what feels like hours but is probably more like 20 minutes. Veva is fast and ferocious. She knows exactly how to move, how to make her sword sing like another limb, she's incredible. Most of the time I'm watching in awe, desperately trying not to get hit. It feels like I'm back in the stable yard, barely able to lift the training weapons, but needing to show I could fight as well as the older boys. Something in me always has something to prove.

Veva stops with a grin, wiping her face with the back of her arm.

"You're not bad." She says, catching her breath.

That is quite possibly the best compliment I've ever received. "Thanks" I grin, leaning the axe on the floor and resting both hands on top of the handle. "You're amazing"

"I know." She laughs, swinging her sword up, so the flat edge sits on her shoulder. "I can give you a few pointers, if you want."

"Yes, I want." I shift my stance in case pointers involve examples.

"Don't fight with emotion." She says and I frown. "It makes you clumsy. You're angry and upset about something the Boy King has done. You keep glancing at the town, losing your focus for brief seconds. It would be enough to kill you if I wanted to."

I hadn't even noticed I was doing that, but also I'm not surprised. I feel like part of me is missing, I guess Veva knows me better than I know myself.

"Second point, you have shadows! Why the hell aren't you disappearing and reappearing behind me with a knife to my throat?" She laughs.

"I thought that would be cheating."

"There's no such thing, we are warriors, winning is all. If you were in a battle you'd need to know exactly how to wield the shadows. You can't practice in a battle." She fixes her stance, "Now remember, I'm the little sister of the Spider, I can take anything you've got."

The spider? I briefly wonder who that is but then an Unseelie Warrior starts charging at me and I forget everything but survival. Inkspot appears and together we shoot around the training ring. Everywhere we go, bright white light blinds us, making Inkspot weaker and weaker until he can't stay close. I have to find the shadows because he can't find me.

I run at Veva, blinking against her blinding light as she tosses it at me, I slide on the ground finding her shadow, using that to pull Inkspot to me and appear right in front of her, my tiny dagger at her throat.

She smiles. "Good."

I laugh removing the knife. "Thanks."

"Now, fight Orlo."

I look over at Orlo, the giant is double my size in every direction. My body gives a groan.

"Can we do that tomorrow?" I ask, knowing the answer before I speak.

"Oh sure, in a battle you can totally just ask for them to come back tomorrow." Veva teases. "We fight now, until you've beat at least two other Fae."

I take a glance at the town below, well, I'd wanted to fight with the Unseelie. I guess this is better than sweeping floors. I set my mind to the task. I need to stay alive, so, I'll fight anyone Veva suggests.

"Ok," I say, "Let's fight a giant."

I do my best to beat Orlo, deciding that my speed has to work in my favour, and it does, until I slam into his fist because he knows exactly where I'll be appearing. Apparently, giants can feel the earth around them, every vibration sends signals to them. Veva takes much joy in teaching me that lesson. Next up is a fairy, memories of Alice lying broken immediately make it so I can barely move against her she seems so delicate. This gives her a chance to tangle her fists in my hair and use those sharp teeth on my upper arm.