A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 6

I awaken to a familiar horn of which is a warning that training is about to start, and all the Valkyrie had better be up and ready. I let out a groan as I put on my fighting leathers and braid my hair back. I walk out of the tent to find the other Valkyrie already beginning their morning run, and that Cass was exiting Tanwyn's tent.

In the same clothes from last night.

My mouth must have been open because when he walks over to me, he takes a finger and pushes the bottom of my chin up so my mouth shuts.

"Never doubt my skills again." He gives me a wink and I have to push down last night's dinner that is rising up my throat. "Shouldn't you be training?"

"I was waiting for you." I point out, "The whole point of us being here is trying to convince the Valkyrie that not all Illyrian's are horrible beings!"

"Well I managed to convince at least one of them." He chuckles.

"No, in fact, you did the opposite." Tanwyn's voice behind Cass makes both of us jump.

"What?" Cass practically yells and a smile begins to form on my face.

"Any Illyrian would sleep with me, and you did what I thought you would—just like the other Illyrians." She smirks at him.

"That was a test?" Cass demands.

"One you failed." Tanwyn smiles at him, "Horribly."

Before Cassian can say anything else, she walks away, leaving him with a mouth wide open this time. I let out a howling laugh as I do the same thing he just did and close his mouth.

"Never doubt their skills." I say, and he stares at me with such fury on his face that I cannot help but let out another laugh. I pat him on the back as I motion for him to walk with me towards the training rings. He seems to observe every part of the Valkyrie camps, no doubt comparing them to the Illyrian camps. How the sound of laughter from the women come from every part of the camp.

There was hardly ever laughter in the Illyrian camps—unless it was when women were being tortured and the males found it humorous.

"That was my first time—outside of the Illyrian camps." He mumbles, and I look over to him in surprise at what he just admitted.

"Really?"

"Yes."

It did make sense, he never really got to travel outside of the Illyrian camps so I suppose he would not be able to sleep with anyone.

"All the times we have been in Hewn City—"

"Never."

"Wow." I say, mostly to myself but he shoots me a glare and for a moment I thought I had seen hurt on his face. It seemed he wanted it to mean something, but to Tanwyn it was just a test. I cannot blame her for thinking lowly of him—he was an Illyrian. I just need to convince her—and everyone else—that he was not like the rest of them.

We walk into the training rings and every female seems to stop what they are doing to stare at Cassian—or me—considering I had not been back since my fight with Razira; whom is standing with a group of girls giving me a death stare. She whispers something to the other girls and they laugh—no doubt at me. I take a deep breath and turn the other way.

"For the way you speak so highly of them, they do not seem to believe the same of you." Cass points out as he takes a sword from the rack and observes it.

"Thanks." I mumble, as I find my swords Arktos and Carynth hanging up and sheathe them along my back. Cassian stops and looks at me with something like pity in his eyes. "I cannot blame them, I would not like me either."