AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I reached out, almost scared to touch them. They looked so much like the ones the third year trainees, the Cedrian, wore in the pit when they were preparing to join the army. The leather was supple, well-greased and both stiff and soft enough that I knew they hadn’t been worn much, if at all.
“We can’t have you going out in a dress, after all.” She placed the pile on the foot of my bed and lifting the tunic against me. It was as soft as it looked, the insignia of a sun behind what looked to be a raven expertly done. Every feather of the raven was created to perfection, the sun bright and blazing behind it. Even the river full of caspyn lilies that someone had placed far below the raven was perfectly embossed on the leather.
I hadn’t owned anything this fine in years. Everything was formed and expertly made, the matching pauldrons and gauntlets reinforced with a thin layer of iron, the same image of a sun on each of them. The boots were the same, soft leather, good tread, a sheet of metal over the toe with bright sun beams stretching over them. I hadn’t had any footwear this fine in ages. By the Goddess, I hadn’t had any new footwear in nearly two years, the royal cobblers having forgotten about me once my feet stopped growing.
“Where did you get this?” I traced the side of the raven’s head.
“I found it in a shop in Turin.” She was now lifting the pants against me, clearly checking for length. “When I saw the sun I knew it was perfect. It might be a little on the nose, you being the sister of the Sun Prince after all, but I wanted everyone to know who you are and how bright and amazing and powerful you really are. You have your own light, brighter than your brothers, and it’s time they knew that.”
She had no idea how true that was.
Her hands went to her hips again as she stepped back, ornate skirts swishing. The Boy clicked once in agreement, but she still stood there grinning as I held the leather against my chest.
The world had stopped spinning in one way, but now it felt as though it was spinning in another. Hours before now I had decided to do this, and hours before that magic had exploded from me for the first time, magic that I had now been able to replicate. The world was spinning too fast. This was happening, everything was changing. I was going to show her, show everyone. I would get to go to the wedding. I wouldn’t have to hide.
Standing there, I could feel that buzz of power rumbling underneath my skin. Even it was reminding me what I was. What I could now do. It didn’t feel dangerous anymore, just bright and happy.
“Now, not only can you be a fighter, but you look the part.” Aeinya’s smile stretched as she placed both pants and tunic on my bed. “I can’t wait to see the old bat's face when she sees what you can really do.”
I looked to the Boy, who nodded again. Firmer this time.
“She might shit herself,” Aeinya continued, pulling my focus from my need to find out why the Boy was so set on keeping my magic a secret.
“Aeinya!” I was in absolute shock that she had said that. Aeinya, however, only laughed.
“Well, it’s true! Serves her right, too.” There was too much vitriol in her voice that time. I looked at her in question, but she only pursed her lips.
The Boy clicked again and Aeinya sighed, her eyes sharp as she looked from me to the Boy and back again.
“What does that mean?” Aeinya stared him down, hands on her hips again.
“That means he agrees with you.” He stood still, the shroud faced out toward the sitting room, toward his partition and the space beyond. There was something about the way he stood, so rigid, I had only seen him this stiff when Batian was around.
“See, he sees it too. Now, we simply have to show everyone else. Now, out Boy! We have work to do.”
He didn’t need any further prompting, he walked right toward his space, Aeinya already moving to close the door behind him.
He didn’t look back like he usually did, he continued to stare at the divider, his gloved fingers pressing against a center panel before his entire body stiffened. I could have sworn he turned back right before the door latched shut; before Aeinya went to work.
—
Two days of real training was not enough.
The words kept echoing in my mind as I stood beside the Boy, both of us leaning against the stone wall outside of the hall that had been transformed into a fighting ring after dinner the other night.
Shouts and cheers vibrated through the stone, the sounds mixed with grunts and what were obviously magical explosions; the booms and blasts loud and ominous. The sounds tightened in my chest, that tightening growing worse as screams and cheers followed each one.
Pressing my back against the cool stone, I shifted my leathers for probably the hundredth time. I had never worn fighting leathers before. Although they were undoubtedly the best choice for this, I had trained for years in a dress, I had always trained in a dress. They felt as though they were trying to strangle me alive.
“I don’t know how you can wear these every day,” I grumbled, pulling at the suffocating fabric as if I could keep it from eating me. “I can’t move.”
The Boy chuckled, pulling my hands away as I once again tried to tug at the tunic and the pants at the same time. He clicked twice, his hand wrapping around mine as more cheers and screams erupted from the hall.
This was the third fight since everything had started. Aeinya said I would go fourth, but to wait for ‘The Keeper of Sun’ to be announced as a fighter. I should be next. Which would explain why the world was closing in, and why these leathers were trying to eat me alive. Something that the rumbling light and heat sensation that hadn’t left since this morning was not helping.
I shimmied in yet another attempt to escape, the Boy moving around to face me. I tried to take the opportunity to pull at the neck line again, but he grabbed my hands in his, his leather gloves somehow too cold against my skin.
I knew I was panicking, how could I not? I shoved it all away, forcing myself to repeat my mantra again.
