The Painter's Apprentice

Chapter 17

My back hits the ground, and despite the soft rug on the floor Lavernia's salon, the shock reverberates through my body. Destan pins my hands above my head. With one leg across mine, he pins me to the floor. Destan's hair falls in his face. His eyes are dark. Frustrated. "Come on, Florette. Are you even trying?"

I'm not quite sure how I ended up here. Dazed and slightly awed by Destan's unnatural speed, I try to recall how he swept my feet out from under me and took me to the floor. I struggle against him, but my efforts are in vain. I can't pull my wrist from his grasp. My legs are fully trapped beneath his weight and my ankles are tangled in the ludicrous volume of my skirts. "I am trying. It's this infernal dress. How am I supposed to fend off an attacker if I can't move."

"Your skirts are an advantage if you know how to use them," Destan says. "But what do you do now? The more you struggle like this, the more tired you're getting. How do you get out of this?"

"Destan, ease up," Lavernia says. She lounges on a teal blue chaise and watches us with amusement as she pops sugared fruit into her mouth. "She's had enough."

Lafayette and Hadrian watch on as well. Both look equally as amused.

"She needs to know how to escape an attacker if she wants to involve herself with the Order," Destan replies without diverting his eyes away from mine.

"I've got this," I say through gritted teeth. Fire flames deep in my belly and I attempt to twist a leg free.

Destan senses my movement and shifts his weight. "No. Think. Remember what I said about weak spots on the body."

"I remember," I growl. I just can't reach them with all my libs pinned down, but I run through the list again anyway. Groin. Instep. Joints. Neck. Ears. Eyes. Nose. My mobility is limited, but our faces are close together. I can feel the brush of his breath against my wild, disheveled hair.

"Use your head," Destan says, his frustration growing.

This is going to hurt. I throw my head towards him and aim for his nose. He pulls away with lightning speed, but his grip loosens on me. I twist a wrist free and throw my elbow into his. He tips off-balance and suddenly I have a leg free.

"Did she just try to break your nose?" Hadrian said over Lafayette's peaks of laughter

Destan sits back on his heels and I scramble away. "I didn't mean literally."

My movement is anything but graceful, but I'm free of him. I gasp for breath as my heart beats out of my chest and Destan looks thoroughly surprised.

"You didn't have to actually try and break my nose, "he says, and I think perhaps he's a little impressed. "You could have just told me what your next move would have been."

"No," Lavernia says. "You were asking for it, Destan."

Destan throws her a playful glare and hops to his feet as if this hasn't been even the slightest struggle for him. He offers me a kind hand as I can't really get up off the ground gracefully thanks to my corset. "Your skirts didn't trip you up. Your feet were too close together. If some grabs you, step one foot back and squat down. You'll be much harder to throw around that way," he says.

I step back and lower myself into the stance he showed me when we first began this training session. I raise my arms to protect myself, but my dress feels looser across my back. With a glance over my shoulder, I reach around and feel a rather large tear in the arm seam. "You ripped my dress."

Destan chuckles. "You'll thank me when what I've taught you saves your life and helps you escape an attacker."

"I think you've demonstrated your physical prowess enough for one day, Destan," Lavernia purrs. "It's my turn with the girl." She takes my arm and guides me to sit beside her on the chaise. Her fingers brush the tear in the peach satin at my shoulder. She tuts at Destan and shakes her head. "I'm sorry the boys roughed you up but espionage is about much more than scrapping and rolling about on the floor."