The Inheritance of War

Chapter 6: Facing It All

Anora

The steel catches the torchlight as I slide the last blade into its rack. My hands keep moving—polish, stack, tuck away—because stillness makes me restless.

Tomorrow we leave the Under City. Four long years we've spent in these tunnels—training, surviving, growing into the people we are now.

I'm sixteen. Rubina is seventeen. Irene is fifteen. For the first time in years, this place will not be our home. The tunnels, the walls, the torchlight—they've been our world, our prison, and soon we leave it behind forever.

Once we win the last battle and reconquer our land, I'll be appointed Queen. And once I begin my rule, I'll start my secret investigation on what really happened the day of the attack. I've brought it up before to the girls, but they think there's no possibility that someone could have betrayed us. Still, I can't shake the feeling that I'm right.

I shut the cabinet I've been lingering by, fingers pressed against the wood. Irene has Alden to lean on, I have my training to keep me focused but Rubina...who's looking out for her? She acts like she has everything together, but I know her. Tomorrow is an important day for all of us. I can't let her face it alone, and I can't have any of us be unprepared.

So I go down the corridor, my footsteps echoing softly, until I reach the sparring room. The door's cracked open, light spilling through.

I walk inside and Rubina's there, of course—alone, sword flashing through the same form over and over. Her swings are sharp but weighted.

"You're still here, I see," I say, slouching on the door frame with my arms crossed.

She doesn't pause, doesn't even look at me. "Can't sleep," she responds simply.

"Neither can I." I wait and watch her for a moment, then add, "Spar with me."

That gets her attention. She stands up from her stance, then turns, sword still in hand, one brow raised. "Now?"

"Yes. Now."

I pull away from the door frame and walk toward her. For a moment, I think she'll refuse. But then she sighs, nods once, and tosses me a practice blade from the rack. I catch it by the hilt.

We circle each other; the room is quiet, until I lunge at her first. Steel meets steel, and the sharp ring fills the space.

"Holding back, are we?" I say, teeth gritting as I push against her.

Her eyes narrow. "So are you."

She shoves me off, swinging low. I jump and block her attack, sparks flying where the blades scrape, and I swing back harder than before.

Blows start landing quicker now, each clash louder than the last. Our breathing grows ragged. The rhythm pulls the truth out between us.

"There's something wrong, isn't there?" I say between strikes.

Her blade cuts close to my shoulder. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Like what?" I shove her back, my anger starting to spike.

Her jaw tightens. She feints left, then strikes right. I barely catch it. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you everything."

My arms shake with the force of her next blow. "Then make me understand!"

My words echo off the stone louder than the clash of our swords. For a second, neither of us moves, blades locked, sweat running down our faces.

Her eyes meet mine, raw, tired, but unyielding. "I'm terrified of tomorrow...that's all there is."