Page 53 of Waking Roslyn

“At least two, but there could be many more,” she responded, still not looking at me.

My smile faltered. She said the words in earnest, without even a hint of a smile. “Rose?”

She looked up.

“Are there truly those who wish you dead?” Surely not. Maybe she wasn’t joking, but she had to be exaggerating at least.

She opened her mouth, then chewed on her lip in indecision before shaking her head.

The gesture was too serious, too unpracticed, too secretive. My stomach dropped. “Rose…”

“If—” she said, cutting me off. “If there are those who wish me ill, our time is better spent training me, wouldn’t you agree?”

She wanted me to drop it, but that wasn’t going to happen. “Are you in danger?”

She swiped the staff through the grass at her feet. “Not…imminently.”

“But you are.” I knew with gut-wrenching clarity that I was right. That was why she acted the way she did. That was why she insisted on learning to defend herself when learning was neither easy nor fun for her. She’d said her parents were worried about how their conflict with other families might affect her, but I had never considered this.

Her chin was stiff, as were her hands that gripped the staff with white knuckles, but she nodded.

I felt as though someone had jabbed me in the stomach with the butt of their sword, but I did my best not to overreact. I needed more information. “You’re the daughter of a duke,” I said as I tried to line up what I knew with what she’d just told me. “I’m not going to pretend to know the ins and outs of the upper class in Winberg, much less in a foreign kingdom like Saldine. But are you in danger for political reasons?”

Another stiff nod, and suddenly her eyes were shining with tears.

“What kind of danger?”

She opened her mouth like she wanted to answer and then stopped herself, looking off into the trees.

I tried not to be frustrated by her lack of answers. I could tell she was trying, so if I just asked the right question… “Is your life being threatened?”

Suddenly her eyes were fixed to mine and I saw a flash of fear there.

Saints, she’d been telling the truth. Someone wanted her dead. “Who is it?” I demanded. “And why? Who would go to such extremes?”

She gave a jerky shake of her head. “It’s pointless to try to make sense of the political scheming of ambitious men. So, to answer your question, yes, I need this. My desire to learn to protect myself isn’t fleeting. It’s not a hobby for me or a passing fancy. It’s something I need to learn.”

“I…” What could I say? I’m sorry for your troubles? I hope you don’t end up dead? I’d fought for myself and others on several occasions before, but this…staring into the eyes of a woman who was facing the reality of multiple people who would take her life if given the chance…I was at a loss. “Very well.” My mind tossed around, reanalyzing what I knew and trying to come up with the most useful solutions. “Let me show you how to put a man flat on his back.”

She let out an annoyed sigh. “Very funny.”

“I’m serious.”

She scoffed. “I’m not going to be able to do that.”

“Trust me, you can. Should I grab Gretchen and have her demonstrate?”

She opened her mouth but wasn’t able to find a response.

“It’s all about leverage. Trust me.” I offered her my hand and she took it.

Roslyn

I had expected John to get Gretchen and bring her back to our spot in the woods. Instead, we’d headed back to Bridgefield. John stepped into the kitchen to ask for Gretchen’s help.

She came out grinning. “John tells me you need to know how to flip a man.”

“He still hasn’t explained how that’s possible,” I said, skepticism clear in my tone.