Her Hidden Half (War Songs of the Courts #1)

Chapter Nine

I scoffed in disbelief. "You... I'm not... This," I sputtered before I made myself calm again.

"No," I said simply.

"No?" He repeated with what seemed to be an undertone of laughter.

"Yes, no. I'm not doing this with you. I want a different teacher," I informed him with a bite in my tone.

"The King has assigned me to this job. If I couldn't get out of it, then neither can you." He gave me a look that said he was equally unsatisfied with the fact.

"Well, there is no way in the deepest pits of hell I'll be able to be in the same room as you without murdering something," I said, crossing my arms to mirror him.

"I'm counting on it." He looked at me with a ghost of a smile and pulled out a knife from behind his back and twirled it in his hand.

I really hoped I got to hit him at some point.

He lead us to a small gym that was filled with what I assumed was training equipment with mats lining one wall and weapons lining the other. Not exactly what I was expecting, but acceptable. Then he did something that threw me completely.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I stood there with a limp hold on the knife he just put in my hand.

"I said stab me," he said slowly.

I gave him a look that told him what I thought about his mental state. "Yeah, I heard you and while I wouldn't object to punching you, I'm not inclined to stabbing anyone. Even if that someone is you."

I was starting to feel like the only reasonable person in this place and it wasn't a feeling I was accustomed to, nor one I was very comfortable with for that matter.

Then he rolled his eyes at me and I was suddenly a little less against the idea then I was a few moments ago.

"I'm a shifter. You won't be able to stab me and if by some miracle you did, I'd heal."

"Wait, how do you know I can't stab you if I wanted to? I could be a total badass," I objected, feeling slightly offended.

He looked at me incredulously. "I've met you."

I breathed out and scrunched my nose, reluctantly agreeing. Silently, of course. I'd never admit he was right, but I had a problem with gravity sometimes and our first introduction wasn't exactly awe-inspiring.

Cringe-inducing was a better description.

"Echo. Stab me." He made an impatient motion with his hand and it helped to ease any guilt I might've had if I did stab him.

I took a deep breath and came at him with everything I had, running towards him with the knife held high in my hand. One second, I was up and coming at him with a deadly weapon and the next, he had disappeared from sight and I was smashed against the mat. His knee dug in my back and my hands were pulled behind me once again, sending a sense of déjà vu through me. The knife I had in my hand somehow ended up on the other side of the room. I strained against the mat, my cheek pressed against the almost faux leather-like material uncomfortably.

"What was that thing that came out of your mouth?" He let go of me and I slumped against the mat.

"A battle cry," I explained with a tone that said duh.

I turned on my back and panted. I noticed everything had gone quiet and looked up to see Kieran staring at me like I just gave him a pile of dog shit gift wrapped for his birthday. Disgust, disbelief, and apprehension all marred his face.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"You're out of breath. How are you out of breath?" He looked at me like I was the hot potato that he wanted to get rid of as fast as possible.

I didn't even get the chance to answer because he continued as if I wasn't there.

"I underestimated how much work this was going to be. We have to start at the basics."

I got on my elbows and peered at him curiously.

"Running. Come on, get up. You start now," he ordered.

"Can't I just try stabbing you again?" I whined, getting on my feet.

"No." The bastard snapped his fingers at me.

I turned and started walking away with a roll of my eyes.

"Dick," I muttered, fully aware he could hear me.

"I heard that."

"Oh, did you? Weird." I suppressed a smirk as I started running.