yet.
“There will be fights where you can’t run,” he said. “You’re going to have to attack your enemies sooner or later. With Hellions, you will have no choice but to destroy them to defend yourself.”
“Thought that was your job,” grumbled Sawyer.
I shot a dark look across the deck of the Dauntless Wanderer to the crates where he was sitting. Gemma decided she didn’t need to do her duties as the master gunner and rigger. Instead, she leaned against the wall by the cabin door and cleaned her nails with a dagger while she waited for Nash to finish tending Abby. Moira had fussed and complained, but Nash finally managed to convince her that even she needed to rest and eat something. She finally relented and left the ship, letting Nash walk into the captain’s cabin to greet my sister.
“I asked him to teach me,” I reminded the captain. “Not you.”
Sawyer frowned and blinked. “You’re not learning the right method.”
“How would you know? You don’t want me learning at all. You’d rather have me stay here prettying up your ship instead of actually helping the crew.”
Gemma stopped cleaning her nails and grinned. Sawyer narrowed his eyes and scowled. He almost looked hurt. I turned to Riley, who looked cautiously between the young captain and me.
“That isn’t true,” he told me gently.
I ignored Sawyer. I was tired, sore, cranky, and doing a terrible job. I wanted to get this over with.
“Again,” I insisted.
Riley took a step back. He balanced on the balls of his feet and raised the sword. I did the same, waiting for his attack.
It came a second later, with Riley rushing in and moving like a blur. He swung the sword at my head. I ducked reflexively, stepping back to gain distance. Riley continued to move forward, lashing out with his foot. I twisted away, barely raising my sword in time to block his next swing. He pushed down, moving my arms down to the side and exposing my chest. His sword returned the way it came, swiping close to my throat.
I flinched and jumped back, swinging the sword in an almost drunken attempt to block his attacks.
Riley intentionally fought like a Hellion. While the Hellions hadn’t been seen in months, the threat remained as long as the Breach was open. If they attacked again, Riley made it clear that he might not be able to protect me. I had to defend myself.
I fought to survive in the underground, and learned how to run aboveground. Fighting hand to hand wasn’t my greatest skill, but I needed to learn if I wanted to survive to finish what my parents started.
I hadn’t shown much improvement in three months.
Riley lunged with the sword, aiming for my stomach. I pivoted away, seeing Riley’s open side. I darted forward, lifting my sword to tap it against his ribs–
The hard tip of a wooden blade prodded into my back. I froze in place, looking over my shoulder to see where I’d been tagged.
“The time you spent attacking me could have been used to disarm me,” Riley pointed out.
I scowled and leaned back, moving away from Riley and trying to think of another tactic.
“Can I offer a suggestion?”
We both looked at Sawyer, who hopped off the crate and started walking toward us. “You’re good, Riley. Definite soldier material. And you’re right about some fights being unwinnable. But Claire is small, and making her fight like a soldier is going to get her killed.”
While I gave Sawyer a pointed glare, Riley flipped the training sword until the pointed tip tapped against the Dauntless ’ deck. “What’s your solution, then?”
Sawyer’s tawny eyes locked on mine, sending a warm shiver through me when he smirked and said, “Speed.”
He stood beside me, so close his chest nearly touched my shoulder. After our last barbed discussion about Davin and my safety, I was surprised he wanted to be anywhere near me. “The soldier taught you the basics, and you’ve almost mastered them. Now you just need to integrate the rest of what you
“There will be fights where you can’t run,” he said. “You’re going to have to attack your enemies sooner or later. With Hellions, you will have no choice but to destroy them to defend yourself.”
“Thought that was your job,” grumbled Sawyer.
I shot a dark look across the deck of the Dauntless Wanderer to the crates where he was sitting. Gemma decided she didn’t need to do her duties as the master gunner and rigger. Instead, she leaned against the wall by the cabin door and cleaned her nails with a dagger while she waited for Nash to finish tending Abby. Moira had fussed and complained, but Nash finally managed to convince her that even she needed to rest and eat something. She finally relented and left the ship, letting Nash walk into the captain’s cabin to greet my sister.
“I asked him to teach me,” I reminded the captain. “Not you.”
Sawyer frowned and blinked. “You’re not learning the right method.”
“How would you know? You don’t want me learning at all. You’d rather have me stay here prettying up your ship instead of actually helping the crew.”
Gemma stopped cleaning her nails and grinned. Sawyer narrowed his eyes and scowled. He almost looked hurt. I turned to Riley, who looked cautiously between the young captain and me.
“That isn’t true,” he told me gently.
I ignored Sawyer. I was tired, sore, cranky, and doing a terrible job. I wanted to get this over with.
“Again,” I insisted.
Riley took a step back. He balanced on the balls of his feet and raised the sword. I did the same, waiting for his attack.
It came a second later, with Riley rushing in and moving like a blur. He swung the sword at my head. I ducked reflexively, stepping back to gain distance. Riley continued to move forward, lashing out with his foot. I twisted away, barely raising my sword in time to block his next swing. He pushed down, moving my arms down to the side and exposing my chest. His sword returned the way it came, swiping close to my throat.
I flinched and jumped back, swinging the sword in an almost drunken attempt to block his attacks.
Riley intentionally fought like a Hellion. While the Hellions hadn’t been seen in months, the threat remained as long as the Breach was open. If they attacked again, Riley made it clear that he might not be able to protect me. I had to defend myself.
I fought to survive in the underground, and learned how to run aboveground. Fighting hand to hand wasn’t my greatest skill, but I needed to learn if I wanted to survive to finish what my parents started.
I hadn’t shown much improvement in three months.
Riley lunged with the sword, aiming for my stomach. I pivoted away, seeing Riley’s open side. I darted forward, lifting my sword to tap it against his ribs–
The hard tip of a wooden blade prodded into my back. I froze in place, looking over my shoulder to see where I’d been tagged.
“The time you spent attacking me could have been used to disarm me,” Riley pointed out.
I scowled and leaned back, moving away from Riley and trying to think of another tactic.
“Can I offer a suggestion?”
We both looked at Sawyer, who hopped off the crate and started walking toward us. “You’re good, Riley. Definite soldier material. And you’re right about some fights being unwinnable. But Claire is small, and making her fight like a soldier is going to get her killed.”
While I gave Sawyer a pointed glare, Riley flipped the training sword until the pointed tip tapped against the Dauntless ’ deck. “What’s your solution, then?”
Sawyer’s tawny eyes locked on mine, sending a warm shiver through me when he smirked and said, “Speed.”
He stood beside me, so close his chest nearly touched my shoulder. After our last barbed discussion about Davin and my safety, I was surprised he wanted to be anywhere near me. “The soldier taught you the basics, and you’ve almost mastered them. Now you just need to integrate the rest of what you
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