To Break A Curse

Chapter 24

Almost instantly, the dampness sticks to my skin as we enter the women's First Room, the mildew making me sneeze.

"Are the men's like this as well?" I ask, eyes watering slightly.

"Worse." Fale quickly strides around the room to make sure it's empty, and then takes the wrapped sword from his sheath, setting it on the stone floor. "All yours."

I take a tentative step toward it but then stop.

"What if it doesn't work?"

"It will. It has before and it will now."

I focus on the blade and picture the sharp metal breaking my skin last night. How can I be sure it won't turn me to dust this time? I don't think I can be, but I do know hundreds of people are counting on me to do this. I need to do this. Steeling my nerves, I take a deep breath and march over to it. Here goes nothing.

At first, the hilt feels cold under my skin. Then, a faint tingling sensation spreads through my fingers, hands, and up my arm. Shocked, I drop it and let it clang to the ground.

"What is it? Are you ok?" Fale demands.

"I-I" Grasping my arm, I desperately feel for any sign of decay, but there is none. "I- um... I'm ok," I gasp out with relief.

"See, I told you you would be."

Rolling my eyes, I lean down to pick it up again. This time, I'm prepared when the sensation crawls across my skin. It feels almost warm, like little bursts of electricity running up my arm.

"Which is your dominant hand?"

"Right," I say, bringing the sword up and immediately regretting it as a sharp ache stings my shoulder.

"You might need to use your left if the wound is too painful for your right."

"Yeah," I mutter, gritting my teeth in pain. "I'm not sure it will work very well though, I've never held a sword left-handed before."

"Have you ever held a sword at all before?" Fale retorts.

"Good point."

Drawing his own, he stands at a ready position and I mimic him. "Remember what I taught you?"

"You mean with the sticks?"

He scoffs. "Yes, with the sticks. When you're fighting someone, keep the blade up at all times. Protect your head, neck, chest, and stomach organs first. Remember to watch my steps and movement to anticipate each attack so you can block them. The first part of a fight is always to learn your opponent, their style, and how they move."

"I remember, but this is a lot heavier than the stick," I say, raising the sword up with my left arm.

"Yes, and it will also do a lot more damage. Now, I am going to swing at you from the right, so make sure to block it."

The weight feels awkward and heavy in my hand, but I clumsily manage to block Fale's swing, barely. I stagger back from the force of his blow, muscles burning.

"Balek and the Kiri are going to attack a lot harder than that, so if you can't handle it, dodge it."

"I didn't know that was an option. I thought all I was going to do was stab him."

"You're going to kill him. So you have to have the strength to stab him."

I readjust the hilt in my hand and reposition myself. "Go again."

After a few dozen blocks, my muscles start reacting out of memory. Even as he changes patterns, I can keep up, ignoring the constant ache weighing on my arms.