Survivors

Chapter 34: Jada

          “Whoa!” Tanzi exclaims in excitement, “that was awesome!”

          Alestra and Xain are too stunned to even say anything. They’re just staring at me with wide eyes and open mouths as Arthur wiggles to try and escape. When I release him, he springs up in frustration and throws his gear to the ground.

          “I quit!” Arthur exclaims as he storms off, “I’m tired of being the punching bag for everyone.”

          Once he’s gone, Xain and Alestra both look at eachother and laugh.

          “Where’d that come from?” Alestra asks me.

          “I just got annoyed by his over cockiness,” I say as I climb out of the ring, “Plus, he didn’t have to have an attitude and hit me in the head.”

          “Well, that screws up a week of your schedule,” Tanzi says and hands me a bottle of water, “He was your hand to hand and weapon combat trainer.”

          “I’m sorry,” I say in a guilty tone.

          “Don’t apologize,” Alestra giggles and hugs me, “that just means that we’ll get to hang out more.”

          “Starting today,” Tanzi states as she brings a sai—one of mine—out from a bag, “I’m going to teach you all about these beauties.”

          “Finally have someone to show you how to use those things,” Xain smirks at me.

          “Care to stick around?” I ask him, “I may need someone to make sure I don’t get hurt.”

          “Naw, after what I’ve just seen, you can handle yourself,” Xain walks over and ruffles my head. “Besides, my cousins like you. I’m sure they won’t hurt you.”

          We both look at Alestra who squints at us. “We weren’t friend when it happened,” she scolds.

          When Xain and Alestra exit the room, Tanzi smiles at me. I smile back, but realize that this isn’t really a friendly smile.

          “What?” I ask.

          “You have feelings for him, don’t you?” Tanzi says as she squints and stares at me with the same smile on her face.

          “Xain?” I’m shocked that she would ask that, “He’s like a brother to me.”

          “I think you should go for it,” Tanzi responds as she begins to walk away, “that way we could be cousins.”

          “I already thought we were,” I smile and walk beside her, “I mean we are as much as you are to Xain.”

          Tanzi smiles a bright smile as she hands me my pair of sais and pulls out her own, which are plain.

          We head to a training room and she shows me some basic points of the weapon—just the basic ways to hold and handle them and how to strike with them. They seem very simple to use, until she spars me with them. It takes me a while to be able to last five minutes with her.

          “Not bad, Jada,” Tanzi says after we have trained for about two hours. She barely seems tired as she hands me a towel. “I’ve never seen anyone with that much skill and talent.”

          “I learn from the best,” I say in between breaths. I look over Tanzi’s shoulder to see Abi. My first instinct is to yell to her, but she’s twirling a knife and looks a little depressed.

          “Sabban’s dagger,” Tanzi tells me as she gestures me out of Abi’s sight. The look on my face must give away what I’m thinking, because she starts to explain. “Sabban was Abi’s...”

          “I know who Sabban Klaud was,” I say softly as I peer around the corner at Abi. That would explain the sadness.

          “My father collected memorabilias of great warriors who died,” Tanzi continues, “He said that it was his way of honoring and remembering the spirits. When Sabban—who was actually one of my father’s favorites—died, my father bought the dagger. It was sad, he planned on freeing him.”

          “When’d you give it to her?” I ask.

          “I didn’t,” Tanzi says, “Mason did.”

          I look back at Tanzi, but before I can get out a word, she starts back up. “He gave it to her, looks like, just a few minutes ago. He wanted her to have it, but didn’t know an appropriate time to give it to her. He was afraid it would bring back too many sore memories all at once. He thinks, hopes, that it can be motive enough to get her to strike back against the capital and stop the corruption of the games.”

          “What made you think that she wouldn’t want to?” I ask. It seems like a strange question.

          “Believe it or not,” Tanzi starts in an explaination, “not many are willing to do a battle against the capital. The capital is strong and fortified with numbers. They can easily fend off any attack from us rebels and deplete us. We have to have a certain number of participants and quality of skilled fighters before we can even consider a strike.”

          “Which is why you chose us, isn’t it?”

          Both of us jumps to look behind us. I don’t know how Xain and Alestra can manage to sneak up behind as quietly as they do. Alestra just walks up and lays her arm around Tanzi’s shoulder and Xain leans against the wall with his hands partially in his pockets. He looks over at me and smiles before stretching an arm out towards me and pulling me closer, ruffling my already frizzy hair.

          “You and your friends are part of the quality part of the rebels,” Alestra smiles as she looks at Xain, probably because he has me in a semi-headlock. “It wasn’t my mom’s idea, of course, but she was overruled in the matter.”

          “You planned on sneaking us out of the camp?” Xain asks while still keeping his arm around my neck. I just clasp on to his arm with my hands and try to look up at him.

          “No,” Alestra answers, “we planned to rescue you from the capitol after they kidnapped you.”

          “Okay, one more question,” Xain seems quick to change the subject, “How is all of this going to be financed? Because no offense, you don’t look that wealthy.”

          “Well we do have an outside person funding us,” Tanzi smiles, but it’s not towards Xain. It’s for me. Why?

          “He’s a bit arrogant and cocky, but he believes in our cause, and is very rich, so we just took it,” Alestra picks up. She suddenly smiles. “You’ve met him before.”

          Xain and I make eye contact for a brief moment before looking back at Alestra.

          “He invited you to his party to congratulate your efforts in the arena,” Tanzi has to bite her lip just to keep from smiling too hard.

          Xain and I look at each other once more, but this time, we know who she’s talking about.

          “Please tell me that you aren’t talking about Jason Gibbert,” Xain blurts out.

          “Dark skinned, about six feet, handsome?” Alestra names off with a smile. We don’t even have to say anything before she knows our answer. “Then I guess we’re on the same page.”