Soar

Chapter 20

Bad dreams woke me twice in the night and both times I forced myself back to sleep. The next time I woke, it was to birdsong. Despite the nightmares, my sleep had been refreshing. I lay still for a while, considering my promise to Runedan.

"Are you awake?" Hatesa's head and shoulders stuck out of the hole for the ladder. Seeing my eyes open, she climbed the rest of the way through. "Where did you go yesterday?"

I pushed up onto my elbows. "To talk to Runedan. And Tryven."

Hatesa's face fell. "How is Tryven?"

I could only shrug as I swung my feet to the floor. "Not eager to talk."

"There is breakfast if you are hungry." Her eyebrows rose when my stomach rumbled in answer. I could not remember the last time I had eaten.

Before I could accept the offer of food, a knock sounded on the door. Hatesa went to answer it while I got dressed. When I came downstairs, Tryven was waiting for me.

"Hello," I said.

Tryven smiled weakly. "Hello. I wanted to...." He glared at the floor. "I- I did not mean what I said yesterday."

"I know." I bit my lip. Of course I forgave him for his temper, but at the same time I knew he truly had meant what he had said yesterday, though there were kinder ways to say it. Even Runedan had agreed with him, and Hedyr before.

Tryven raised his head when I hesitated. His face was flushed.

Not wanting him to think I was angry, I said the first thing I could think of. "Could I join you at the training grounds tonight?"

Hatesa moved behind me. "The training grounds?"

I turned so I could see both her and Tryven. "Yes. I-I want to learn how to fight. To defend myself," I added quickly. "Not to...to fight in a battle."

Hatesa shrugged and failed to conceal a grin. "Of course. So long as you take up something other than the bow."

Hedyr and Tryven were both waiting for me when I bid good evening to the other maids after supper.

"Tryven told me about your change of heart," Hedyr said. He looked me up and down with a stern expression, as if to challenge my resolve.

I licked my dry lips before answer. "Did he?"

Hedyr grunted. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

He did not lead us to the training grounds as I had expected, but took a door set into the rock wall on a corner of the road. Beyond it, stairs descended sharply into the tunnels beneath the city. I walked between Hedyr and Tryven, heart pounding and eyes straining to adjust to the weak light of a lantern Hedyr had collected.

I realized where we were headed before we arrived; Tryven had brought me there before. A spear and helm had been etched into the sign hanging outside the door.

"Back here," Hedyr told me after he had called a greeting to the shop keeper. I shuffled sideways between the high, heavy tables laden with weapons. When Hedyr stopped near the back, Tryven moved around the table, trying to see what Hedyr held.

Tryven guffawed. "What is that?"

Undaunted, Hedyr stared down his nose at his brother. "An ax. Two, actually," and he nodded to a second weapon on the table beside him.

"Those aren't weapons, Hedyr. Those are tools."

Hedyr only grunted and held out the ax to me, haft first.