There were a couple of things that I learned during this training exercise. The foremost thing I learned was that my bike riding was not enough to build the stamina I needed to get through these trials.
The second fact I learned is that Luke is a punitive sadist, and Ciaran is a gleeful sadist. I dubbed them the Brothers de Sade.
Luke had me pull back the string of the bow again. My arm was shaking now, and I felt like my shoulder was on fire. He'd given me a bow with a ten-pound draw, the easiest bow on the rack, but even this was making my fingers ache. My shoulder complained as he forced my elbow out once more. The times I forgot won me nice welts on my arm. I'd hit the target twice, not in the center, but at least in the vicinity, which pleased Luke, at least. But I doubted I could do this to save my life. Chucking a soda or a ball with suitable distance and accuracy wasn't the same as this, even though Luke thought I had promise.
"Okay, stop for now. We will do this every day while on the road to train you," he said, his pride making me stand tall on that mountain again. My weariness made it challenging to keep my shield in place, and I wanted Dom to put his arm around me again.
I heard the object of my thoughts grunt as Ciaran smacked him on the back with a sword, making my friend fall forward. As he did, his sword disappeared, which prevented him from getting skewered when he landed on his knees. His auburn hair was plastered to his skull with sweat, and his tunic was drenched.
"You lack stamina, my friend," Ciaran shouted.
As Dominic struggled back to his feet, Ciaran smacked him again on his stomach. The shield appeared after the strike, and it was a sputtering glow. Ciaran swung his sword to hit Dominic again, and my friend barely got the shield up to block it. It sputtered away as soon as Ciaran spun.
"You cannot keep your guard or weapon." Smack! Smack! Smack! Ciaran beat Dominic with both the wooden blade and his words.
"If you think you'll be able to stand with Your Lady," Swing! Smack! "and protect her back with your current level of fitness," Ciaran aimed at Dominic's throat, and he put up his sword just in time to parry. Ciaran grinned viciously at him. "You are wrong. Trial one will be the easiest of the trials, and it will be a trail of pain for you if you don't become tougher."
I dropped my bow and arrow and started towards them, meaning to beat up Ciaran. He couldn't treat my friend that way! However, Luke grabbed my arm and whispered, "Stop. You'll destroy Dominic's dignity if you swoop in to save him."
Dominic gulped in his air with great, heaving breaths. He looked over at me, saw my concern, and took note of Luke holding me back. With a nod at Luke, he readied himself for another beating from Ciaran. "Okay."
Ciaran nodded, "Good. Let's begin again. En Garde!"
I winced as Dominic stumbled and, hating it, turned to see what was happening with Adrian. He was working with Erick on the climbing walls. The goal of that exercise was to swing across while suspended by a cord to various points on the wall that were spread far apart. Above each point was a target that he needed to throw a knife into or stab if he was close enough. There were plenty of blades on the ground below them.
Sweat drenched Adrian as well. He'd shucked his tunic, and his cocoa-colored skin glistened with sweat. His narrow back tightened before each spring, and his biceps bunched as he pulled back his arm to throw. It was... I swallowed and tore my mesmerized gaze from him. It was... evident that this was a great effort for him. Yeah, that's what I was going to say.
Luis was training independently with weights and running through various katas. He'd proven proficient enough with climbing, vaulting, and the sword, so he was left alone. Not that he'd wanted to be with anyone anyway.
Erick, Ciaran, and Luke took the task of training us because they knew how the trials went. Elsie, Beth, and Jeanne practiced various gymnastic moves together, with Elsie leading the demonstrations there. It astonished me how she and Jeanne soared over structures that resembled sawhorses with ease. One such apparatus had handles screwed into it, and Jeanne grabbed them and did several acrobatic contortions and twirls that astounded me. They were having far fewer struggles than I was, and I knew I had to work harder. I had to keep up.
"Why am I not learning how to use a sword?" I asked Luke.
"Because that is not your role or job in these trials. Your role is to gain the prize; our role is to make sure you get it. Dominic's role will be to serve as your shield. Erick and I shall be on the front lines with Luis and Ciaran, and the others will be at your back. Because you need accuracy, judgment, and focus, you will learn these through the bow better than with the sword. Since you also need strength as well, let us do some weight training instead, My Lady."
I felt that was a load of hogwash, and I wanted to whine about lifting weights because my arms felt gelatinous from practicing archery. I gritted my teeth and kept going at it as best as I could. Soon, however, I had to stop.
"Okay, enough!" I flopped on the ground, gasping.
Luke dropped next to me and sat sprawled out. He nodded at me. "It is the best that we can do for now, but it will not be good enough to endure the trials. We will do more training at home."
I groaned at that. All I wanted was to climb into my enormous tub and soak until my skin pruned. I was going to be stiff tomorrow. Could I make it through this trial if I had to hobble?
"There's still the matter of this link as w —"
"Well, well, well!" Marisol crowed, interrupting Luke. She stood in front of us with disdainful glee. "I see the whore's child has found her home with the dust on the ground. Just as it should be!"
Luke sprung to his feet and took a menacing step towards her. "You dare besmirch the name of The Brigid? I will see you quartered and fed to the birds, Elect or not, if you say another word, I will have your entire court pressed in vises as a cloud of vampires feast on them. You will apologize right now to me and mine. As regent, I command you to retract your words, or I will enact my promises."
She sneered at him, then stepped back. "You can't do that; my father is of the Counsul."
He stepped closer, which made her guard draw their swords. "You forget your father supports the Elect Madeline."
She narrowed her eyes. "My father despised the Brigid, and he'll soon prove that his interest in your little bastard child is nothing more than charity. He only allowed it because she's so pathetic!"
"Hey, the pathetic bastard child is right here. Why don't you go away." I struggled up from the ground, even though my muscles protested.
"No fighting between the Elects on the training grounds!" Valenia's voice was a thunderclap across the fields. I put my hand over my ears.
She stalked over to us, and Marisol dropped into a deep curtsey. I uncovered my ears and wished I hadn't because the slap she gave Marisol was as loud as her shout.
"You will maintain the dignity of your calling! I cannot believe I have witnessed so much pettiness from you and Regina. You're making bargains? You're trying to goad Elect Madeline into fighting? What is it you think you lack against her? If you think she's less," Valenia grabbed Marisol by the hair and bent her head back so she could look her into the eyes, "then win! But don't sully my grounds with your impure jealousy."
"I'm sorry, High Priestess Valenia..." Marisol's tears flowed. She directed no apologies at me and mine, which didn't surprise me. It surprised me that Valenia had stepped in, even if it was to keep the purity of the temple training grounds.
Valenia gave me a long stare and said, "You certainly do your best to be disagreeable, don't you? Have a care your outrageous behavior does not get you killed."
My tone was ironic. "Yeah, just standing here minding my business is a big crime."
Marisol fled to her side of the fields, and soon her court left the grounds. Regina had left long ago. Finally, we had the entire area to ourselves.
Valenia scoffed and walked off the grounds.
"Guess she doesn't need to be here since the favorites are gone," I muttered.
"Now that we have the whole field to ourselves, we should practice more! The stars in the sky portend that we'll need it!" Ciaran cheerfully announced.
We cursed him for being a demon instead of one of the Edentrees and stumbled to our feet. He was trying to kill us; I was sure of it.
Before we could begin, Luis pulled me aside. I knew there was much that we needed to talk about, but I'd hoped it could wait until we got home. Nevertheless, I followed him to a high bleacher, despite Luke protesting that I needed to train. If I was honest, I welcomed the break, even if I figured I wouldn't like the talk.
We sat on the bleacher, and Luis took my hand. He kept his voice low so it wouldn't carry to my court below. "Madeline, tell me what happened at the party."
"That's what you want to talk about? Just that?" I sprung from my seat, but he pulled me back down.
"No, but it's driving me crazy. You and Dominic were acting differently." He stared down at his feet.
"Of course we were. Emerlee attacked us, and it rattled us both." Sure it was evasive, but it wasn't a lie.
"Did you kiss him?" he said as he looked at me.
"No." Another truth.
"He kissed you then."
I swallowed, then nodded as I looked at Dominic. He was swinging a sword at Ciaran, but his attention was on me, so Ciaran knocked him off his feet and onto his back. I stood up, worried.
"Sit, Matt."
I slumped back into my seat, but my attention was still on Dominic. He rose from the ground and looked okay. His brows rose, and he pointed his chin at Luis as if asking if he should come up there. I shook my head, so he continued his sparring with Ciaran.
"So what if he kissed me, Luis? You never did."
"That's what I wanted to talk about."
I huffed. "Okay, so talk."
"First, why were you going to leave me behind before this happened?"
"I didn't want a babysitter anymore, Luis. I didn't want you hovering and controlling everything when all I wanted was to kiss you."
Luis leaned back on his hands, looking shocked. The wispy smoke of desire replaced his scratchy rage. "Even after...?"
"Yes. Before and after, Joseph."
"Why didn't —"
"Didn't I tell you? I did. Don't you remember?"
"Last year?" He shifted his body to face me. "I thought you were joking."
"No. No, you didn't."
"I can't lie, Matt. You know that."
I blinked at him. "You honestly thought I was joking?"
"Matt, you were singing 'Baby' to me." He shuddered. "Plus, you were drunk as a sailor on leave."
"He is a misunderstood artist! I was singing my frustration to you! And, in the movies, people always swallow a stiff drink before doing something hard."
Luis rolled his eyes. "Really, Matt? You and your habit of using Hollywood as your social guide! You know I hate his music. So do you see why I assumed you were joking? Plus, you were drinking! I thought you were thinking about..."
"Well, I wasn't." I rose and was halfway down the bleachers before he stopped me.
"Wait."
"I need to get back to training, Luis." I wouldn't look at him as I relived the humiliation of his rejection. Sure, I used movies and books for guidance because I had no other means to learn about current social skills. Most of the ghosts I met were only interested in the past, so they weren't much help. Aisa wouldn't enroll me in school, so I stayed in the library when I wasn't at work. And Luis left me alone at night, more often than not, while I struggled with questions and worries.
"I have a plan to get us out of this. Don't do anything else with anyone. Please." He took my hand. Jealousy dumped over me as I shook his hand off of me.
"We're all married now, Luis. Why didn't you spring this plan on me sooner?"
"The bracelet prevented me."
I narrowed my eyes. "Baloney. You think I'm a moron who needs coddling, and you've been making plans without me. I thought you couldn't lie. I know that the bracelet wouldn't prevent you from telling me the truth. "
He shrugged. "I'm jealous."
"Jealous? Why?"
"Because I feel the same way."
I stepped towards him until we were close to touching. "You've kept too much from me for me to believe that right now. I just think that you're trying to save me, not love me. Now I know you can lie. Once again, you hid something from me." I sneered.
"No--"
"Madeline!" Luke called up at me. "Come here and practice!"
Luis's lip curled. "Of course, the meddler that caused this gets in the way again."
I stepped back. Luis's confession had jarred me and made me angry, and his lies had wounded me. He could have taken that day a year ago to make an awkward kid happy if he had felt the same, and I no longer could trust him.
"He's right. I need to make sure I'm tougher; that way, I don't get hurt."
I walked back to the arena as Luis snarled at me in frustration.