Bad Fae | romantasy | Bad Fae #1

Chapter Nine

Training with Nephinae was no better than I imagined training with Dain would be. There was just far less sexual tension. Not none, because she was sidhe, but little enough that I could ignore it and try to focus on my lessons.

Lessons that never went well for me.

Training became a daily occurrence. Every afternoon after lunch, Nephinae glamoured me into black, leather armour like the kind they'd trooped in wearing after their first disappearance, like they'd changed into when they attacked my father's castle.

It was tight-fitting and I was hyper-aware of it clinging to every single curve and crevice of my body. So close, it was like a second skin. Neck to wrist to ankle. But the range of movement was phenomenal. When I moved, I was completely unhampered. Somehow, it was breathable and yet cushioning as well. Which was good because the fae were not like the humans; they did not believe in training swords. Each of Nephinae's blows – and there were so very many, particularly on that first day – was felt but I knew it was so much less painful and bloody than it would have been otherwise.

About an hour in on that first day, Nephinae cocked her head at me. "Have you never trained before?"

I grimaced as I touched the bruise that I could feel blossoming on my ribs from her sword. "What gave it away?" I asked, my voice ever so slightly wheezy. And by slightly, I do mean very much so.

"I feel like starting with the swords was not the best idea?" she mused as she looked me over.

"You don't say."

"How's your hand to hand?"

I held up those hands like it was evidence that I'd barely fought in my life. "How does it look?"

"Like your fae heritage could make your hands as smooth and beautiful as they should be. That tells me nothing."

I frowned. "My supposed fae heritage gives me no other advantages, why would it give me that one?" I asked her, breathing heavily still.

She cocked her head again. There was something so predatory and inhuman about the sidhe at times. More than their excessive grace and beauty and finesse. "Your heritage gives you many advantages."

"How? In what way?"

She frowned, but she was smiling. "Do you really not notice it?"

I shrugged. "Around the humans, I'm damaged and lewd and less than. Around you fae, I'm slow and stupid and less than. What advantages could I possibly have?"

She stood up straight, the hand holding the sword dropping as though forgotten by her side. "Yana..." she said softly. "You are not less than. Not to us. And certainly not compared to those insignificant mortals. You are intelligent. You are witty. You are fierce. You are beautiful. You are unique and that should be celebrated."

I really needed to stop feeling self-conscious around these fae.

Around humans, I didn't give a single shit. I was used to having people focussed on me. I was used to them having opinions and thoughts, and used to them making snide comments. I supposed, what was foreign was the fact that, despite however inferior I felt here, there were plenty of compliments going around. Not about my human taint, but about me as a person. An individual. What made me self-conscious now was the fact that I believed they were sincere, and I didn't know how to handle that.

I cleared my throat and jiggled the sword in my hand awkwardly. "Well, I suppose you fae can't lie."

She smiled. "You do not take a compliment well, do you?" she asked as though she could read my mind.