Half Wylde | Book 1

Twenty Six: Practice

Eberon barely took one step in the door with our last bag when Mama Flori sent him on his way with two pies of his own. It was a miracle he was able to get away at all, but he said a short goodbye and took Boxfield and the carriage home.

The boys finally dragged Mama Flori back down to the bakery and we were left in peace.

"You're going to have to roll me to the Winter lands," I groaned.

"Let your stomach settle in the bath," Schula said. "I'm still making you exorcise."

"You're trying to kill me," I moaned, standing and stretching.

"Quite the opposite, actually," she insisted. "And I'll remind you that you asked for this."

I sighed and let her push me toward the bathroom. She started the water running and popped out of the room. "You get in first, I'll be right back."

I didn't wait for the water to finish filling the tub before I dropped my clothes to the floor and climbed in. I was almost ready for a nap when Schula came back in with fresh towels, setting them on the shelf and stripping off her own travel things.

"I put a couple logs in the fire," Schula said.

I just nodded as she climbed in the water and turned it off.

She sank into the water with a sigh, quietly sloshing the sides of the tub as she sat. My eyes trailed down the scars on her back a moment before I took a bar of soap and lathered my skin. Someday I would be brave enough to ask what happened. Someday.

"How long do you think you need to soak before that exercise?" she asked, smirking.

"Just long enough to get clean, and maybe a few minutes to soak," I said. "I'm ready. We were cooped up in that carriage for days."

"I feel the same way." She stretched her arms out in front of her. "So you think you're ready to release that seal?"

"Maybe," I sighed. "I just want a little training so I don't, you know, catch on fire again."

Schula snorted. "If you do, I'll put you out."

"Good." I smiled. "I'm glad you'll be there."

"Me too," she said.

Clean, rested, and still very full of food, we reluctantly left the hot water.

We wrapped ourselves in towels and I put a pot of tea on the fire. Once my hair was free of tangles, I braided it out of my way and we drained our mugs.

"Here." Schula handed me a cloak. "Pull it over your face a little. I hung it over the stove so it should smell more like smoke than like you. It might help stop prying eyes until we get out of the city."

"We're leaving Thanantholl? We just got here." I frowned, pulling the cloak around my shoulders.

"We're going to run some of the dirt paths outside the gates," she said. "No one is going to bother us there, and if you have any mishaps with your fire you will be far away from hurting anyone."

"Oh." I pulled the hood up and took off my smoky quartz. It was probably safer here and I'd hate to lose it in the woods.

After that, Schula dragged me outside. A light breeze rustled the trees overhead, shaking fat leaves over us. She was right about the cloak, it helped and we were able to avoid much attention as we slipped through back paths and lesser used roads until we reached the front gates.

The guards nodded us out, and Schula started us down a subtle dirt path through the trees.

Admittedly, I was nervous to do anything with my magic, but I was frustrated and ready to do something about it. Part of that must have shown on my face, because Schula was relentless in our workout. She had me run with her through narrow paths that encircled the city. Walking paths, likely used by the patrols to reach their posts. We didn't run into anyone else though, which I was thankful for.