The Twelfth Moon || ✔️

56. Young Moon pt. 2

"Mind your feet," Jerr kept reminding me.

At the check out of our room this morning, I had caught myself feeling relieved that an older man had taken over the front desk duties from the blonde woman. I was even more reassured when Jerr didn't seem to mind her absence, but I cursed myself as soon as I noticed.

The night had been restless. My body was tired, exhausted even, so sleep did find me. But my mind never eased, and tense dreams haunted me through the entire night. I had woken up wearied, although I had tried my best to hide it from Jerr as much as I could.

I had succeeded the entire morning, but now that we were sparring, it showed through all the lost progress.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled again, trying to regain my balance after Jerr tapped his sword on my right side.

The sound of the stream that edged the little clearing trickled around us, the peaceful sound of the flowing water soothing against our sharp training. As the wood of our swords kept clashing, and our feet kept shuffling, Jerr once again got the best of me.

"You should have been able to block that one," he said, confused. 

"I'm so-"

"Do not apologize one more time," he sighed. "What's going on?"

"I didn't sleep well," I admitted. 

"How come?" he asked, halting his sword to his side.

"The bed was uncomfortable," I lied, dryly. I couldn't give him that part of me.

"You'd be a better liar if you would think of believable stories. Those beds felt like clouds." He looked at me through his eyelashes, one brow raised in suspicion.

I sighed, dropping my weaponized arm to my side as well. "You don't need to know everything, Jerr."

He didn't seem very convinced but thankfully didn't press it any further. "Do you want to take a break from training today?"

"No," I said immediately. "I fear Feytan would banish me if he ever found out."

That answer seem to satisfy Jerr, and soothed whatever worry was left on his face, as his wicked grin appeared to the word, "Good."

As his sword lifted, so did mine. And soon, the wooden sticks were dancing in the air once again, in a game of attack, block, and dodge.

My feet danced around the small clearing, steering away from the trees and bushes, trying to keep their balance.

But just like the rest of this session, the tiredness got the better of me.

Jerr's sword hit me in the ribs, an action I was sure he had thought I would have dodged since it had more force behind it than the other times when his sword had hit me.

I staggered backward, but my feet didn't find any solid ground to stand in. 

I dropped to my knees, preparing myself to meet with the moist soil, covered with fallen leaves.

But the ground never came.

Ice cold surrounded me, slamming into my back, my lungs, and my legs.

I wanted to gasp for air - but instantly recognized the water that surrounded me.

Up. I had to go up for air, I thought through the shock of the ice-cold water. 

My face followed the stream of sunlight crashing through the water's surface, and as soon as my face met with air again, I gasped, filling my lungs entirely.

I looked around, trying to see what side I needed to climb out of, but my eyes got stuck on the sharp bend a bit further away from me.

I knew that bend.