Three
Two weeks later Julian arrived with another set of letters. Three more to be exact. This time they were tied with a purple silk ribbon. Still, I don't read them.
Instead I put them with the rest and meet Evangeline for our sparring session.
A week after I had seen her on the path I took her up on her offer. I haven't needed to use my ability in over a month and I miss it. I miss the lightening, I miss the feeling of peace.
She was already waiting for me as I walked into the small training room. Montfort's training arenas are a lot smaller than Norta's. There are some Silvers and even Newbloods here that fight for sport, for fun, so we are not alone here. I walk my way over to her as she leans back on a bench waiting for the sparring match currently going on to finish. She watches almost bored with the fighters.
Everyone stares as I walk in and I try to ignore their gazes. They know who Evangeline and I are. And, what we have done. I try not to think about what they have heard and what they believe as I pass them.
I look out to the sand patch where two fighters are in the middle of a battle. A silver nymph and, by the hue of the other fighters cheeks, a newblood telkie. I don't think I've seen either of them before. With a city as big as Ascendant, it's not hard. It also helps that I have made no effort to be social or make friends.
I sit down next to Evangeline on the bench silently, my elbows on my knees as I lean forward. As I watch, I see the telkie eyeing us out of the corner of his eye. The nymph notices and his gaze also strays, missing the telkie throwing a heavy weighted ball into the nymphs face.
The nymph falls, and my back goes rigid imagining the nymph getting up and drowning the red blooded telkie. I feel Evangeline's hand gentle on my shoulder. "Wait." She says, barely above a whisper.
The nymph, silver blood running across his face, is laughing. Deep belly laughs. The telkie chuckles making his way over to the nymph, "That's what you get for not paying attention." The telkie laughs as he helps the nymph up.
"I know, I know," The silver agrees grumbling, "I should know better to look away with you around." He claps a hand on the telkie's shoulder. They're friends. "Same time tomorrow?" The nymph asks and the telkie nods.
"Where else would I be?" The telkie wraps an arm around the nymphs shoulders, "Come on, let's go get your nose fixed up." He leads the silver out of the training grounds and I look at Evangeline over my shoulder.
She nods, "I know, I keep waiting for something to happen too." She stands brushing the palms of her hands on her thighs. "Well, you ready?" She says tipping her head toward the sand.
I nod, following her into the changing room, pulling my bag with my change of clothes onto my shoulder.
We're silent as we change and I can feel her watching me. I look over to her as I pull my training shirt over my head. "What?"
"You haven't read them yet." She states. It's not a question. She knows.
I stare at her, mouth tight, back straight. I start for the door to the training floor.
"Why not?" She asks as she puts one hand on the door stopping me.
My shoulders slump as I meet her gaze. "Don't make me shock you before we've even gotten out there." The barb doesn't have the usual bite, I'm tired and I don't have the energy to argue with her.
She smirks at me, the metal clinging to her training outfit clanks together. "Oh Barrow, don't make me laugh."
I roll my eyes as I pull on the door handle, she doesn't stop me, just follows me out the door.
"Did you think about what I said at all?" Evangeline's voice follows me out to the sand.
I groan as I lean down wiping the sand on my sweating palms. "Why do you care so much?" I ask earnestly turning to face her.
She crosses her arms over her chest. "I don't."
I copy her stance. "Really?" I drawl sarcastically.
Her arms drop to her side and she rolls her eyes, "If you must know, Elaine cares much more than I do. She's a romantic, you see."
"Ah," I start circling her, "I see, and you don't care at all."
Evangeline copies me, circling in the opposite direction, "Nope," She responds her fingers flexing at her side. "Not even a little."
"Sure." I retort.
"I just figure you must not love him." She almost whispers. "At least not like I love Elaine. You couldn't."
I don't say anything, I just run a wave of lightening down my entire body. "You don't know anything Evangeline." I growl. She is really starting to piss me off.
"Oh," She coos, "Is someone getting mad?"
I stomp my foot and a wave of lightening races across the floor toward her. She jumps over it easily, almost lazily.
"You're going to have to do better than that, Barrow."
With that I lunge at her.