The Art of Blood and Power (Book 2 in The Gifted Trilogy)

5- Fighting Strategies

After meeting Cicero, it seemed useless to continue my charade down at the stables. If not even Cicero had heard any information about Nox's whereabouts or actions, I highly doubted the gossip I collected amongst common travelers would be of any help. As frustrating as it was to know Nox was out in the world somewhere undoubtedly plotting his next move while I was blind to his schemes, I knew my efforts would be better put to training with the other Ember Soldiers.

The day after Cicero had moved into the castle, he insisted on accompanying the practices as well, much to their General's disdain. I'd gathered enough about June in the short time I'd known her to realize that she didn't trust outsiders very much.

Over the next two weeks, June's disregard for Cicero and I hadn't changed. Her practices took place on the vast lawns behind the castle where she broke her soldiers up into smaller groups and set them to work at different stations which consisted of everything from archery to elemental combat, the way I had seen it in an arena with Kess during the first week of the Garner. June spent these practices walking around and yelling corrections to the guards at random.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I'm quite surprised to see so many women in the Ember King's Royal Army" Cicero observed one morning as him and I practiced our defensive strikes together on the edges of the lawn. We had been careful to stay out of June's way during practices, both of us deciding that an indifferent June was better than an irritated one.

Besides, I didn't have much of a need for June's corrections and tips, seeing as even now I could hear Kess's voice in my own head, commenting on every falter and slip in my stance. The time I had spent training with him during the Garner had apparently developed into a subconscious reflex that corrected myself after every move.

"I suppose they don't have girls where you come from?" I joked, taking a light swing at Cicero, not at all surprised when he ducked at the absolute last second, simultaneously stretching his leg out to kick the backs of my knees. I barely had enough time to dodge him.

"Not in the Shadow Court's Army" Cicero said, keeping low to the ground and retreating a few steps while I bounced on the tops of my toes in preparation for his next attack. "When I was a young man, it was illegal for a woman to become a Shadow Soldier. The Shadow King had banned it after his first wife had been murdered by an assassin. The Shadow Soldier that had been guarding her doors was a woman and had been cut down by the intruder. Because the female soldier had failed at protecting the queen, the king had decided that women were too weak to be a part of his army and fired the rest of the women soldiers, though there weren't very many."

I felt a shiver go down my spine at Cicero's words and stopped moving. "You're talking about Nox's father," I said. "And his first wife, who was-"

"Celesta's mother" Cicero finished with regret clear in his face for bringing up the story so casually. "I'm sorry, I should have-"

"It doesn't matter" I cut him off, rolling my shoulders back. "Let's just hope Nox is as paranoid as his father when it comes to women soldiers. Something tells me we might be able to use that to our advantage." I cast a look around at the field, noting the female soldiers I saw. They only made up about a tenth of the Ember Army, yet I still felt a sense of pride knowing not every king shared the same opinion on the capabilities of women.

"Your mother was a strong fighter, you know," Cicero said softly. "Of course she had to hide it from her father, but she would oftentimes sneak down to-"

"Enough, Cicero" I snapped, squeezing my eyes shut tightly. "If I wanted to know about these things I would have asked. Please, just... just don't talk about her with me, okay?"

He nodded, quickly changing the subject. "You fight like an Ember Soldier, always on the balls of your feet."

"No kidding, it's almost as if my entire life's training has been given to me by the Ember Gifted" I grinned sarcastically, thankful for the change in conversation.