The Cursed Heir

Chapter Six

Despite what she had said to Skylar, Cassie enjoyed the training with Silvana. She was not a fast learner, but Silvana helped her progress at a realistic pace. Hitting the wild pig had not been a fluke, like taking Longheirce down had been. She was able to hit moving targets with some consistency, and while hitting an acorn off a tree remained beyond her, her range was improving as well.

As a teacher, Silvana was as uncompromising as she ever was. If Cassie had to stand outside the cabin for the entire day, shooting at the same target until she finally hit it, then she would stand outside all day. Fortunately, Cassie did not have to test that particular threat, although some days the hours she spent shooting at the same target felt unending.

"It takes me ages to learn anything," she groused to Silvana when the banisè had finally allowed her to put the bow down for the day. "Tell me that's normal."

Silvana, busy unstringing the bows, gave her an amused glance that clearly said otherwise.

"Believe it or not, I've been trying to learn how to shoot for years. The swords are just so much easier. I wish I knew why." Cassie hung the quiver back on its hook inside. She pulled out the arrows and looked them over to see if any needed repair.

"Because you're impatient," Silvana said, putting the bows up.

"Oh, like you're not," Cassie retorted, then caught her breath. Bad idea to snap at a short-tempered banisè holding weapons.

It was a great relief when Silvana chuckled shortly. She must be in a better mood than usual.

Once all the weapons were put away, Silvana pulled out the wooden bowl they used to mix bread dough and jerked her head at Cassie. "Bring the flour," she ordered her.

This wasn't a trap, was it? Hesitantly, Cassie fetched the bag of flour and brought it to the table. She had not been allowed to touch their store of flour since she had painted the cabin in it. What was Silvana planning for her now?

Instead of any number of scenarios which involved Silvana yelling at her, she began directing Cassie on how to make bread. How much of each ingredient, how early in the day she needed to get it started, how long it took to rest, how to mix—get over it, you're going to have to use your hands—and different herbs or flavors she could add.

The dough was so wet and sticky, Cassie could feel it wedging itself under her fingernails the moment she put her hands into the bowl. There was nothing to do but keep kneading and hope it came out right.

When a small amount of the dough, still floury and wet, landed on the table, Cassie froze, certain Silvana would snatch the bowl from her hands and refuse to ever let her try again.

"I am sorry," she stammered. She had wanted to show Silvana she could be trusted, she could do this task without making a mess of their home again—and had failed almost immediately.

Silvana scraped it off the table without even a shrug to comment on the mistake, so Cassie began asking questions about the baking time.

It was the calmest she had ever seen Silvana, who so often seemed driven by some inner fury. They worked in silence once Silvana had answered her questions, the banisè occasionally testing the dough as Cassie kneaded and adding another sprinkle of flour as needed.

"I like it here, you know," Cassie said, surprising them both. With the lack of context, with the truth of it.

Silvana asked no questions, merely poked the dough a final time and gave a satisfied nod.

Cassie continued anyway. "In the forest, I mean," she said, covering the bowl with the cloth Silvana passed her. "And with you two. I'd always dreamt of escaping my father's thumb, but when I ended up out here, I was afraid..." She blew out a breath and shook her head at the million ways she could end that sentence. "Well, of so many things. But especially of you and Skylar. And of the way you live."