Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,56

system, no longer numbing my mind.

By the time we stopped again, I was so exhausted that all I had the energy for was to take my bedroll out and treat my hand, then I promptly fell into a deep sleep.

“Devin, can you train me to fight?” I asked the next morning, feeling exhilarated.

Devin tossed a roll of canvas to Hayes and gave a wary look over to Liam, as if seeking approval.

“You don’t need his permission to train me to defend myself, do you?” I taunted.

Devin’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “Uh, no. I don’t.”

Hayes snorted. “Maybe you should have me teach you. All Devin is good for is picking up the ladies.”

“Am not.” Devin took a playful swipe at Haye’s shoulder.

Hayes reached down and picked an item out of the wagon. “Watch out,” he yelled.

I flinched as he tossed a sheathed sword toward me. It hit the ground.

Devin laughed as he picked up the discarded weapon, patting off the dust. “First lesson, work on your reflexes.”

“Hey,” Hayes said, his expression brightening. “We should teach you how to use the staff you carry.”

My hand reached for the tube at my side and I looked down. Seeing the red scabs left from the burn of Aspen’s attack only bolstered my desire to learn to defend myself. I wouldn’t be left vulnerable like that again. Dorian believed in me. That’s why he gave me the staff. I was grateful that it was still in Damsel’s pack and I hadn’t lost the gift.

“Okay,” I said, and headed into the clearing. I was wearing the pants and overshirt that I had gotten from Eden, pleased that it gave my legs plenty of space to maneuver. I unstrung the leather strap and took out the tube, and with the push of a button, it sprung out into a long staff.

“Nice,” Devin commented. He ran over to the wagon and pulled out a spear, testing the weight in his hands. “Okay, do you know how to block a downward strike?”

I held the staff parallel above my head.

Without warning, he struck, swinging downward, hitting the staff and knocking it from my limp fingers. He pulled his spear before it hit my head.

Devin frowned. “Well, that won’t do you any good if you can’t hold on to it.”

“You startled me.” I leaned down to pick up the staff, my fingers already sweaty with nervousness. I didn’t know how I was going to keep my grip on the thing.

“Again,” Hayes instructed from the sideline. “Expect pain, lean your body forward, brace with your back leg, absorb the strike.”

Devin held the spear at his side and waited for me as I clumsily followed along. As soon as I raised the staff, the strike came again. I yelped, and felt the reverberation through my fingers, but I didn’t drop the staff.

“Again,” Hayes called.

Devin struck a second and third time, and I was becoming less scared, then he changed direction. He feigned a downward attack, but swung his arm inward and up, knocking the staff out of my hands.

“Oh, come on,” I grumbled, as I went chasing after the staff as it rolled into the woods.

“Expect the unexpected,” Hayes said. “Your enemy won’t strike the same way every single time. They are constantly testing you, sizing you up, looking for your weaknesses.”

I knew that, but it was different putting it into practice. I hated physical harm. It went against my nature, but I didn’t want to give up. I picked up the staff and came back, and this time I waited, watching Devin as he attacked. He swung, I blocked, and as soon as I made contact, I felt the lack of power. It wasn’t a full blow. He was feinting. I stepped back as he spun under my staff and hit me in the side of the ribs with the edge of the spear.

I gasped and cried out, falling to one knee. My hand still clutched the staff. Sweat beaded across my brow, but I wasn’t ready to give in. I could do better. As we practiced, a crowd grew, and I noticed Liam was watching from the side. Devin was grinning ear to ear while Liam’s deep frown showed his disapproval.

Did Liam think I was worthless?

All of a sudden, the need to prove myself became great. I no longer wanted to defend. I wanted to attack. I screamed and raised the staff, swinging it around my head, and attacked Devin. His eyes glinted with mirth as he easily blocked each of