Page 83 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

“Whoa, hold up, Red. I need to go through some ground rules first, otherwise you could take down this entire room and everything in it.”

“I don’t understand.”

“When I say run, what I really mean is a light jog. Anything faster and you’ll lose control. Just focus on a point across theroom and run toward it, and then stop a couple of feet before you reach it. That’s all.”

I nod in understanding and then do exactly what he said, moving forward at a gentle pace, but my body doesn’t seem to listen to the command. My body catapults across the room, and everything becomes a blur. I try to focus on the spot I was initially looking at, but the entire room is a mix of colors. I scream out in horror, knowing that I’m about to knock into something.

I find myself colliding with something hard, and then I feel the weight of my body crashing to the floor, yet something softens the blow. My breath comes in sharp and fast. It takes a moment before my eyes clear, and I find myself lying on top of Ivana, her dark eyes narrowed in my direction. It’s then that I register the warmth of her hand around my waist. She must have stopped me from crashing into the wall, and I somehow took her down to the floor with me. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Thanks,” I say between breaths.

She says nothing and only pushes me off her until my back lands flat against the cold stone floor. I lie there for a second, trying to catch my breath. Ajax appears over me, his face twisted in amusement.

“That was a light jog?”

“Yes,” I snap.

“Damn, I underestimated Karius’s strength.” He scratches the top of his head. “This is going to take way longer than I thought. Come on, let's try again.”

He holds out a hand to me, and as much as I want to ignore it and get up myself, I don’t have the energy. I slip my hand into his and let him pull me up, moving back to the same spot as before, ready to embarrass myself all over again.

Training goes terribly.

That’s an understatement.

I don’t recall asking for your opinion.

You never do.

After my initial fall, Ajax made me run at least a hundred more times, and every single one ended with me lying on top of Ivana before she pushed me away without saying a single word. Even after a hot bath, my calves are burning, and I want to do nothing but crawl into my bed and sleep, but I have something I need to do first.

“You did ok.”

I side-eye Piper, and she laughs.

“I fell every single time,” I remind her as we walk side by side toward the library she promised to show me after I told Ajax I wanted to see one. Apparently, the palace library is the largest and most well-stocked in the entire court, and I want my own answers about this stupid bond, so that’s where I’m going. I didn’t tell them that, of course, and instead sold a tale of wanting to read some books to pass the time in between training. Piper, of course, had to be the one to volunteer to take me. I hate that I’m starting to wonder whether this is really just an act or if she’s genuinely this nice.

“I think I pissed off Ivana.”

Piper shakes her head and smiles.

“No, she’s just very serious, that's all. You’ll get used to it once you get to know her.”

“I lay on top of her at least a hundred times today, and she didn’t so much as say a word to me.”

“Oh, she doesn’t speak, that’s why.”

That catches my attention, but when I turn to Piper, she seems hesitant, as though she is considering whether she should have said anything.

“Like at all?” I say as casually as I can, my eyes studying the carved walls of the palace and the portraits that hang there. They all look to be of crowns that clearly ruled before the current prince. I wonder how many wars they’re each responsible for, how many human deaths happened under their watch.

“She hasn’t spoken since the war.”

A strange feeling twists inside my gut, making me wonder what one must see to just completely stop speaking. Then I remind myself that it is because of a war that her own kind started. If anyone is to blame for the trauma she experienced, it’s the prince. He sanctioned the war, so anyone harmed because of it has him to blame.

“We’re here.”

Piper’s voice drags me from the thoughts consuming me. I look up to find a set of large, curved doors with intricate patterns. I turn to her in shock.