Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Chapter 79 - Rohana - Not The Time For Drama

We all woke up after dawn, having slept soundly through the night after so much excitement from the days before. Well, most of us slept soundly. I took the first shift with Malen and the other sentinels who all talked around a fire. I kept to the other side of the river, watching the shadows, and playing with chunks of snow while my power sped up or slowed time on one section of the ground. The snow would melt if I fast-forwarded and come back when I turned back time. It kept me content, and Gods did I need the silence.

Vanya took the next watch, and I fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up to the sound of people walking about and pulled myself from my bedroll. We all silently gathered along the river bank and started training. Warmups got my muscles singing, and then we were underway and all finding a rhythm.

Clarice jumped right into the water during one of our breaks, and she's been waist-deep in it ever since, clothes and all. The water will arch over her head, small droplets will rise from the surface, or the tree roots will stretch into the water and she'll form a bridge of tangled roots from one end of the river to another. I could sit and watch her practice all day, but I don't have that luxury. Not when I'm currently trying to outsprint little Alister over her bridge and beat him to the other side. He's fast for his stature, but I wanna have a little fun.

Smirking, I swing out my leg and trip him. He goes down, but he's smart and grabs hold of my ankle as he's falling. We both hit the deck and then we're wrestling and sparring one on one right in the center of the bridge. It's been a while since I've been paired with the younger guard, but it brings me joy to see his exponential improvement in skill and technicality since we last fought. He's less predictable, sharper, and smarter with his combinations. He's better on the defensive than offensive but better that than the opposite. If you can't defend yourself and can only attack, then you'll most likely end up dead.

He uses lesser of his energy deflecting and dodging, saving it for when he finds a window to get me in a weak spot. Having done this for a century, I can move faster and block those exposed spots, but any other soldier will have a hard time doing so. Demons are driven by hunger, which gives you plenty of weak spots to take advantage of. It's only because of my motherly pride and his abundance of heart and effort that I let him get past my next weak spot. I still feign to block it and just barely miss, but I can't help but smile when he elbows me in the side the same time his hand grabs my wrist and he kicks my legs out from under me. One second I'm on the bridge, the next I'm underwater.

I can hear his friend's cheers beneath the waves, twice as loud as when I resurface and stand up.

"That a boy, Al!"

"Yeah, Alister!"

"That's my best friend!"

They all chant and cheer on the river banks, causing him to get this goofy grin as he pumps his fists in the air in victory. I try not to smile, but even I can't hold back such joy.

He looks down at me, smugness written all over his face. I think this is one of the rare times when I'll allow it.

He bends down and offers me a hand back onto the bridge. I take it but don't yet make a move to haul myself up. "Little piece of advice. Don't offer someone a hand after you've bested them." Before he can think about it, I yank him down and he goes tumbling into the water beside me with a splash. The cheers gradually quiet and turn into curses.

"Fucking Alister."

"Dammit, kid."

"At least she didn't drown him."

His head resurfaces, and now I'm looking down on him. "Good fight, little warrior."

His annoyance turns into a cheerful smile, and I head back to the shore and leave him to soak in his victory. Nilsa waits at the shore for me, arms crossed and her own pride gleaming in her eyes.