Immortal Reborn - Arianna's Choice

by Natalie D Wilson

Alex awoke with a start and looked around, trying to orient herself. She was in bed, still in her clothes, though minus her shoes and the sweater she had worn over her long-sleeved shirt. The fire had banked down but it was still glowing softly. And Jackson was sleeping on the sofa nearest the embers. He had a blanket over him but it had slipped off of his legs, leaving his feet, still in their socks, exposed. Alex glanced at the clock on the mantel and saw that is was 6:35 in the morning.

  She pushed the covers back and got out of bed as quietly as she could. Alex started across the room, hoping to adjust the blanket back on Jackson’s feet, but the floorboards creaked, and he shot straight up from the sofa with his Glock at the ready. He immediately turned the barrel toward the ceiling when he registered that it was Alex he was looking at, then reached over and laid it down on the table nearest the sofa.

  “Sorry about that. Hope I didn’t scare you too bad,” Jack said, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

  “No worries. I’m good,” Alex responded a little too quickly.

  They stared at one another and then laughed at her poorly veiled attempt to brush it off. She walked over and took a seat adjacent to the sofa. Alex smiled gratefully at Jack.

  “Jackson, I don’t have the words to thank you for last night. I’m so sorry you had to babysit me through the evening and didn’t get to sleep in your own bed.”

  “Hey, no problem. I’ve had to sleep on the ground a lot in my lifetime. This couch is not bad at all,” he said, patting the cushions to convince her. Jack sat up and scooted down to the end of the sofa closest to Alex. He reached out and took her hand in his.

  “Alex, look at me. When I told you I was here for you, I meant it. I don’t scare easily, so I doubt a few tears are going to have me running for the hills, okay,” he said and winked at her.

  “A few!” Alex scoffed. “I’m sure I ruined your shirt last night. Jack, I’ll try to hold it together a little better from now on, I promise.”

  He began to shake his head at her, and Alex wondered what he disagreed with. Surely he liked to have his clothing salt water free.

  “Wrong. You don’t need to hold anything back from me or any of the others here, Alex. Don’t try to be a martyr or a saint. If you are a Nephilim, then you’re still half human. And that means you get to experience the full range of human emotions. So if you need to cry, then you cry, okay?”

  “Okay,” she exhaled and nodded.

  “Now, I’m going to step across the hall and grab a quick shower, and I’ll see you after you do the same. Then, we’ll go downstairs and see what’s for breakfast. Sound like a plan?” He angled his head at Alex, waiting for her agreement. As if in answer, her stomach grumbled loudly, and they both laughed again.

  “Sounds like a plan.” Alex nodded and smiled.

  Once Jack had taken his leave, she headed into the watercloset and found an enormous steam shower with more heads than she knew what to do with. She thought to herself that technology had certainly improved the castle, and she was grateful for it. Alex stood for what seemed an eternity in the large stall, letting the water wash away the fatigue and cleanse her body and mind.

  The day held the potential to be a huge step forward, and it would take her focused concentration and energy to see it through. Alex finally stepped out of the water and finished getting ready, choosing thermal exercise pants, a fleece turtleneck, and running shoes. She dried her long hair and secured it behind her head in a braided ponytail. Before she left her room, Alex took out her mobile and called her family to wish them a happy New Year’s. Hearing their voices only solidified her resolve to protect them, but she still made sure to threaten to lay hands on Wallace and Conner when she next saw them.

  She was just ending their conversation when Jack knocked on her door. “Coming,” Alex called and met him at the door. It seemed he had a similar idea about the day’s activities and had dressed in a rather expensive looking black tracksuit and new trainers.

  Jack noticed her appraising his new outfit and shrugged. “Got this from my mom for Christmas. Trust me, she’ll be asking if I wore it soon enough, and this way I can say yes and mean it.” Looking down at the phone in her hand he asked, “Did you call your family?”

  “Yes, they all sounded really good. I wished them a Happy New Year’s and threatened to pummel my brothers, so I’m good to go.”

  Jack laughed at Alex’s wicked grin as they left together in search of food.

  Once they arrived in the kitchen, it was obvious breakfast was already in full swing. Alex opted to eat at the huge butcher block topped island that looked like it could seat at least twenty-five around its perimeter. There were stools down one side, so she and Jack sat alongside several others and ate there, rather than head for the more formal dining hall.

  Jack was still talking to two Nephilim after they had eaten their portions, so Alex stood and cleared their places. She walked over to the deep, porcelain sinks that were nested into stark white marble countertops, and gazed through the expanse of windows that were present on that side of the kitchen. She had a good view of several fields and horse stables which lay in that direction. The stables looked bigger than her parents’ house, and it was no small dwelling. Alex turned around, leaning on the counter, and surveyed the room.

  To her right were two large fireplaces, and she caught a flash of herself from the past bending over one and checking meat turning slowly on a spit. Alex noted the modern touches that had been added since. Several Sub-Zero refrigerators were lined up on the wall opposite her, and to her left, there were multiple industrial grade ranges and ovens. One could certainly feed an army from this room, Alex mused to herself.

  Ahadi came over and rinsed her plate, then placed it in one of the many dishwashers to the right of the sinks. She turned and lounged against the counter as well, crossing one ankle over the other. “Do you remember this room, Alex?” she asked.

  Alex found she loved the cadence of Ahadi’s accent, lilting and lyrical.

  “I do, though I picture it with far less stainless steel.” They both chuckled at that, and Ahadi nodded her agreement. “But I suppose there’s something to be said for modern appliances,” Alex noted. “May I ask you a question, Ahadi?”

  “Of course, Alexandria. You may ask anything of me.”

  “Is it awkward for you to have me here? I mean, I’m not exactly the friend you knew, and I don’t want to detract from your memories of the time you spent together. Is it really alright that I’m here?” Alex could not believe she had voiced this worry so early in the morning, but she had thought about how the others must be reacting to her presence on and off again through breakfast, so the words had tumbled forth.

  Ahadi set her coffee mug down and turned to face Alex directly. “When you love another so much that they become a part of who you are, you relish any moments you can spend together. I have missed my friend for many years, and yesterday she walked back in our door.” She stepped forward and held Alex’s hand in hers. “You may be called by another name, but you are my friend. You look the same, you sound the same, and you even smell the same!” Ahadi smiled over Alex’s shocked expression at her last statement.

  “And your aura is the same, Alex,” Ahadi said respectfully.

  “Archimedes mentioned that when I saw him in a memory upon first entering the castle yesterday. What do you mean?” Alex pressed.

  “Ah, the aura. It’s one of your first lessons. When a new immortal child would come to you for training, you would teach us how to spot another Nephilim at a glance. There is an element within each of us that is passed down from our angelic fathers, and we learn to see that with our eyes and feel it with our intuitive abilities. You can do this now. It shouldn’t be hard for you to remember this.”

  “Stare at the edges of my face, Alexandria,” she said encouragingly. “Now, exhale slowly and let your vision go out of focus when you do. Let
your heart pick up on the rhythm of my heart, and feel the blood pulsing through my veins.” Alex could indeed feel Ahadi’s pulse, and her breathing slowed to match the pace of her friend’s. “Now, feel the power that pulses through my veins as well, surging through every fiber of my being. You have power to match and then some, Alexandria. We are kindred. You know me, and you see me.”

  Alex heard Ahadi’s words resonate deep within her, vibrating like a harp string and stirring an ability long since forgotten, lying dormant until a time when she was ready. Alex inhaled slowly and saw a shimmering wave of red, gold, and a yellow so bright it appeared almost white, rolling away from Ahadi’s face and body. It looked like she was on fire, but from within, and the Light was looking for any means of escape.

  Alex stepped back and whispered in awe, “Oh, Ahadi, you are so beautiful, so glorious.” Tears were once again gliding down her cheeks, not from pain or tragedy, but in quiet supplication for what she was witnessing. Alex looked around the cavernous kitchen and found that many more Nephilim had made their way into the space as word spread of what Ahadi was attempting.

  Alexandria truly saw them then. Her initial meeting paled in comparison to this introduction. Every color of the light spectrum cascaded from their bodies, and it was so magnificent, so enchanting. She walked forward and touched Heath’s purple, maroon, and shimmering blue Light and felt it tingle under her touch. He chuckled at her reaction. Alex moved silently through the room, touching and glorying in the angelic presence she felt in each one of them.

  Energy such as Alex had never known filled her senses, and it was a heady rush. She paused at the far end of the island and held her own hands up in front of face, and had to blink several times to take in all the colors pouring from her body. Where the other Nephilim had one, two, or as many as four colors, Alexandria possessed them all. She was every color and then a few that she could not exactly name. Alex looked to Ahadi in amazement.

  She came to stand in front of Alex, her eyes glistening as well. “Yes, you are every color, because you possess every ability that an immortal child can have. You were the first – the great experiment to see if we could be here on Earth with humans. Because of your love and guidance, we are here also. We owe everything to you, Alexandria. Can you feel that affection emanating from us towards you?”

  “Now you have the true answer to your question, my friend. We are kindred, and we know one another,” Ahadi said reverently.

  “Yes… yes we do,” said Alex, nodding. She was most assuredly one of them, and she felt blessed and humbled now that the veil had been lifted. The world was so much brighter and richer with this new sight she had been gifted with.

  Alex closed her eyes and felt the others’ presence now. She could feel where each one was in the kitchen, and she could sense those who stood just outside in the hall. She cast her mental net wider and felt that John and Archimedes were in the library, far away from the gathering she was a part of. Alex let it go further still and knew that there were three Nephilim at the stables and one coming back to the castle from the lake. Her eyes flew open, and she pursed her lips trying to stifle a giggle, but it bubbled forth anyway.

  “Pretty cool stuff, huh?” Heath asked, smiling broadly at her.

  “Absolutely brilliant!” Alex exclaimed, and the others laughed along with them, enjoying the blissfulness of the moment. Her eyes searched for Jackson, and Alex found him toward the back of the crush, leaning against one of the large fridges. He was smiling from ear to ear and looked very proud of her again.

  “Good job,” he mouthed.

  Alex felt her cheeks go crimson. She looked back at Ahadi and Heath as Rohan came into the room. He walked over to her and studied Alex for a moment.

  “So you can see us now, huh? Well, that’s good. It’ll keep you sharp and help you spot one of Kronis’ trash before they can get to you. You up to some swordplay now?” he pressed.

  Rohan was all business, and Alex appreciated his no-nonsense tone. What you saw with Rohan was what you got, and that meant she could trust him unreservedly. Because if he was displeased or in disagreement with her, Alex knew now that he would tell her to her face. If a battle was coming, she wanted someone like Rohan at her side.

  Alex smirked up at him and planted her hands on her hips, widening her stance as if for battle. “Bring it,” she said, issuing the challenge.

  Rohan raised a single eyebrow at Alex’s audacity and nodded at her show of courage.

  “Well alright, then. Elrick,” he called over his shoulder, “go get my longsword!”

  Whatever bravery Alexandria had felt when she toyed with Rohan left her, along with all of the color on her face. She noticed Jack straighten away from the refrigerator and begin to make his way over to her.

  Benen sighed loudly as he said, “Rohan, don’t scare the poor girl before she ever lifts a sword. Gracious! Don’t you worry, Alex. We won’t let him near you with that thing. At least not until you’re ready, alright? Come on now, we’ll get you all set up.”

  She nodded mutely, wondering what was in store for her. Once Jack had returned to her side, Alex began to file out of the kitchen with the others in the direction of a door which led to one of the estate’s vast lawns. She felt Jack’s hand on the back of her elbow again and took comfort from such a small bit of contact. Alex looked up into his face as if to voice her thanks; and he, reading her thoughts, nodded back at her.

  Jack winked and leaned down to whisper his encouragement. “You’ll be just fine. Remember, I still have my Glock.” He smirked, and they both laughed at the thought.

  They arrived on the lawn closest to the castle’s left side. There was a stone terrace with trellises overhead that held vines and climbing plants during the spring and summer. Several overstuffed chairs were scattered about, but thick plastic covers were draped over each to protect them from the snow. Alex and Jack walked over to the area and greeted Daiki and Nassor, who were already set up and waiting for her to arrive. Nassor clasped both of his hands around Alex’s to greet her, and Daiki gave her a very respectful bow to indicate his pleasure in working with Alex.

  “Alexandria,” began Nassor, “you will find that in today’s world there are many weapons that can stop a Nephilim mid-stride if we allow them to. You will learn how to disable such weaponry while you are with us, I hope. But your first lesson will be with the weapon we all began with, and the one we still prefer in battle.” He reached for a gleaming curved sword which appeared to have a delicate pattern embossed on the metal and a bone grip which looked smooth after much handling and prolonged use.

  “This is Damascus steel. Some would argue it is the finest in the world, and it was created by humans long ago under our tutelage. It is incredibly light and easily wielded by both men and women. It can cut through other metals, and it is very accurate when thrown from a distance, most often hitting its mark and protecting its bearer. This actual sword contains original Wootz steel, and another metal that most humans don’t know about, one that our fathers gifted us with ages ago called Inonya. Take it and feel its weight.”

  Nassor placed the sword into Alex’s hands, and she felt the light and subtle balance of the weapon. Its blade reflected a rainbow of colors as she turned it over in the sunlight. It was not too heavy for her, and Alex was sure that she could use it if she were faced with another like Bertrand.

  “You’re right,” she nodded at Nassor, “this does feel light.”

  He smiled his approval at the way she was already adjusting her stance to hold the weapon aloft. It felt right to stand that way, so Alex followed her instincts. She handed the weapon to Jack to let him appraise it. He nodded and also turned it over, watching the color display that the sun’s rays ignited.

  Jack looked to the two immortals, questioning them. “Won’t she begin with a wooden sword, instead of something so lethal?”

  Nassor sh
ook his head. “No, guardian, she will not. No one will harm her in training. This will come as easily as breathing to her, like an adult returning to a bicycle they’ve not ridden since youth. Trust us, you will see.”

  Jack handed the sword back to Alexandria, trusting Nassor to know her limits.

  Daiki gestured for her to follow him over to a few stitched dummies that were hanging from poles. “Alexandria, you must first learn which areas to strike on an immortal child. Though we can repair most damage instantaneously, we are not immune to severe organ or blood loss. If the heart or head is separated from our body, we cannot live. So, you will take the heart out of this first mannequin, and you will take the head off of the second. Will you try?” He gestured towards the dummies.

  She nodded and looked around to make sure Nassor and Jack were standing a fair distance from her, noting the many Nephilim who were perched either on or beside the low rock wall which enclosed that section of the grounds. Alex approached the first target and aimed for the area that would house the heart. She took the sword’s grip in both hands and was about to plunge the end of the blade into the artificial chest when the dummy shifted sideways, and she missed.

  Alex looked around, confused, and saw Daiki’s slow smile. So, Nephilim can move things with their minds as well, she thought.

  “You don’t think we would just stand there and wait for an attack to come directly at us, do you?” Daiki shook his head in mock disapproval. “Again!” he commanded, and she turned back to the target.

  Alex concentrated on its center and approached it once more. She narrowed her eyes, watching for the first sign of movement, and was beyond shocked when it flew forward at her. Alex fell hard on the ground, losing her blade in the process.

  Daiki’s voice echoed out across the lawn a second time. “We will fight back, Alexandria, and disarm our opponents. Again!”

  She stood and nodded at him to indicate she understood. She brushed her pants off and picked up the blade. Alex walked forward and, looking at the mannequin once more, she closed her eyes. She felt the wind whipping around her face, heard the sound of horses braying in the distance, and then she let her mental ribbon unfurl towards both Daiki and Nassor. She had not tried to connect with two minds before, but Alex wanted to know what their strategy was.

  “Ah,” she thought. She smiled, opened her eyes, and raised her blade. Alexandria leapt up, higher than she knew she could, and cut a quick diamond in the first dummy’s chest as it spun sideways on its pole through the air, releasing its fake heart within. The second dummy was already in motion, and she sank to her knees then rolled low on the ground, coming up behind it, and sliced its head off with a sweeping downward motion. Both mannequins fell to the ground, looking like gingerbread men who had been snacked upon.

  Alex looked up at Daiki and Nassor, who shared a smile between them and then gifted her with one as well. Elrick made his way over and praised her efforts.

  “Alexandria,” Daiki began, “you carried a sword for longer than all of us have been alive, so this should come back to you quickly.” He gestured towards the mutilated dummies on the ground saying, “These pose no honest challenge for you. I am very glad to see that you have already figured out that reading your opponents’ thoughts can show you what strategies they plan to employ. But some of our kind are also able to use that technique, and they are very, very fast.”

  “You will have to read their thoughts, block others from reading yours, and fight another who has speed and agility the likes of which you have not yet witnessed in your brief human life.” Daiki continued, “This morning, we want you to concentrate on your swordsmanship, and later this evening we will work on your ability to shield your mind. One skill at a time, Alexandria.” He turned and gestured for Benen, Iain, Jaqen, Abdalla, Tomoko, and Elrick, who was still close by, to join them.

  Daiki made a gesture with his hand, and they all fanned out in front of Alex. She saw now that they all carried a sword of some description. Some looked quite heavy, while others looked sleek and lithe like the one she was holding. Alex scanned the field before her and the spectators and saw that Rohan reclined against the stone wall, looking bored with the proceedings. His eyes were so hooded that he might actually be catching a catnap, she thought.

  Elrick called her attention back to the six standing in front of her. “Alex, we’re going to take this slowly, so don’t worry, okay?” She nodded her understanding. “We will each take turns moving forward, and we’ll engage you in the center. We’ll show you various strikes and blocks that you can use for offense and defense, but we’ll go in slow motion first. Feel the way your arms and body adjust when you raise your hands and let your muscle memory guide you. Ready?”

  Alex willed her feet to move forward and tried to tamp down the internal panic she honestly felt. Never in a million years could she have imagined such a New Year’s Day. Because Elrick was standing apart from the group when he spoke to her, he moved up first. He showed her how to bring her sword up to his much larger one and block a downward sweeping strike. He repeated the motion, slightly changing the angle each time so she could learn to turn her blade and meet him strike for strike. Even with the light blows, Alex felt them reverberate all down the length of her arms.

  He finally backed away, and Jaqen stepped forward. His approach was more graceful, like that of a stalking panther. He asked her to raise her sword at him and when Alex complied, Jaqen quickly used his to tap all of the areas she had left exposed and vulnerable when she lifted her arms. He showed Alex how to bend her elbows and pull them in closer to her body to protect her core, even if she were going to lead the attack. He nodded his approval and backed away, giving Tomoko her entrance.

  “Alex, we are close in size, though you are several inches taller than me. I will show you how one smaller than you can use balance and your weight against you to disarm you.” She bowed slightly, then proceeded to knock Alex off of her feet three times before Alex learned how to anticipate Tomoko’s shifts and quickly changing angles of assault. If this was slow motion, then Alex knew she would be in trouble once Tomoko picked up the pace.

  Abdalla was the next to stand before Alexandria. He explained that swordplay was like the fine art of dance. That once one found themselves facing an opponent, they were locked in a delicate but deadly ballet. She would have to be light and ready on her feet if she hoped to survive. He instructed her to watch the way his body moved and how his arms followed through in full, graceful arches to complete a swing of his sword.

  Alex became mesmerized by the beauty in Abdalla’s style. She felt her breathing slow again and his movements began to appear in slow motion as well, so finely attuned to his body did she become. She saw him indicate that he could strike at her feet and heels, and she slowly jumped to avoid his blade, amazed that she felt almost suspended for a moment before gravity reclaimed her.

  Before he could back away, Alex thanked him for the dance, causing them both to blush a little. Iain came forward, and Alex noted, as she had in the ballroom the previous day, that he was tall and muscular like Elrick. And now she could also see that he carried a very large sword. His eyes looked down at her, and Iain smiled at her appraisal of the large weapon.

  “This is a claymore, Alex. At least that’s the name the Victorians gave it. To me, it’s just my sword,” he said as he grinned a boyish, lopsided smile at her.

  My, this one was handsome, she thought, and then hoped no one around her had heard her internal dialogue.

  Iain instructed Alex to come at him. “Choose your path of attack wisely. Think of me as a side of beef, and which parts you want to carve off.”

  Alex wrinkled up her nose in disgust at his words and shook her head. “I don’t want to think of you like that. That’s cruel!”

  “Might be cruel, but it’s effective. And trust me, none of the Fallen’s children will look lovingly at you,” he advi
sed.

  An image of Kronis standing before her on the cliff, with tears streaming down his face, came unbidden to her. Alex still wondered if Arianna was not right to try, and perhaps there was still a chance to save him and the other lost children.

  “Alexandria?” She heard Iain’s voice calling her from her reverie. “Hey, are you okay? You turned as pale as a ghost.” He stepped forward but stopped when he felt the tip of her raised blade touching his shirt right above his heart. His eyebrows rose in surprise as he looked first at his chest and then at her face. His slow smile told Alex he was not angry at all.

  “Well, I’ll be damned. Look at you! Well played, young lady. If you can fight coming straight from a memory or vision like that, then you stand a good chance of winning. Never let your guard down, you understand?” he asked her, his voice filling with tight emotion.

  Why, Alex wondered? Perhaps, because she had once before and had paid the ultimate price. She nodded her understanding, and Iain stepped back, allowing Benen to stand before her.

  He smiled warmly down at her and praised her progress and patience thus far. Then he told her he was going to make the instruction a bit more challenging. “You see, Alex, we all possess different abilities which allow us to, at times, call on the elements or cause false images in our opponents’ field of vision. This can distract them and, ultimately, help us defeat our enemy.”

  “That’s not playing fair, is it?” she asked, not liking where this was headed.

  “No, it’s not fair, and we don’t usually fall to such dirty tactics, but think about Bertrand. Do you think he would meet you fairly on the field of battle, or do you think he’d pull out every trick he had up his sleeve and hurl them at you and the ones you love?” Benen pointedly asked.

  Alex winced at the memory and narrowed her eyes at Benen. “You’re right,” she said softly.

  He reached forward and touched her arm. “Hey, I’m not trying to be cruel; I just want you fully prepared by those who love you and who are going to be honest with you. I don’t want you surprised or hurt again, okay?” His piercing gaze bore into hers, and Alex finally patted his hand.

  “Thank you,” she acquiesced.

  He instructed her to stand back and be ready. “Don’t trust your eyes, Alex. This won’t be real.” His words caused her concern and then Alex felt the hair on the back of her arms and neck begin to rise. The air around her became charged and felt brittle. She tasted metal and heard a faint buzzing sound in her ears. She looked around and saw no one – not Benen, not Jack, not another Nephilim.

  Alex heard a low, menacing laugh and saw the edges of a dark, shadowy form to her right. She spun in its direction, but there was no one there. Alex felt a finger slide down her left cheek and she whirled in that direction, but again there was no one about. Simply reacting like that was getting her nowhere, Alex acknowledged to herself, so she stopped and stood completely still, her sword raised in front of her. Alex closed her eyes and remembered the feeling she had experienced in the kitchen earlier once she discovered the Nephilim’s auras. Each one gave off a distinct signature. Alex imagined it was similar to what human soldiers saw through night vision or infrared goggles. It was that Light that she concentrated on now.

  Alex began to see each of the six standing before her with her mind’s eye. She no longer needed her human eyes to show her the way. And as before in the kitchen, Alex began to note where each immortal was, both there on the lawn and around the estate. She found Jack and noted that he looked like a cool, blue form shimmering behind her, steady and calm, like crisp, clean water.

  She stopped hearing the demonic laugh that Benen was creating and heard his true laughter, erasing her fear of the unknown. Alex focused all her concentration on his figure, studying her opponent.

  “I hear you, Benen, and I know you are 1.4 meters to my left. Your right foot is in front of your left, and your sword is at your side. Which means…” Before Alex could finish the sentence, she raised her sword so fast that she caught him unawares and had her blade at Benen’s throat in an instant. Alex opened her eyes and took in the look of pride in his.

  “Well done, friend,” he praised her.

  She nodded at him, and the two moved apart.

  Nassor walked the short distance downhill to Alex’s side and conveyed his congratulations at a very productive training exercise. Alex thought that they were about to take a break when he called for them to put it all together. She gave him a surprised and incredulous look, but Nassor merely laughed at her astonishment.

  “Alexandria, a battle will not pause and wait until you feel less winded and tired. You’re thinking like a human, child. Stop concentrating on how sore your arms and muscles feel. Instead, begin to feel the restorative power that all Nephilim share.”

  “The power of our angelic father courses through every cell in our bodies. We can call on that strength to fortify us when we engage an opponent. You will find you won’t tire like Mr. Campbell over there, you won’t feel like your arms are about to fall off, and you can use your father’s strength to land blows you might not think possible. Because, you see, for a human, this prolonged, immense strength is not possible. They all reach a point at which exhaustion takes over. You won’t succumb to that if you use the part of you which is your father within. Try, please,” he asked kindly, and so she agreed.

  Alex looked at the six and smiled. “Take it easy on me to begin with, okay?” she asked as she once again tried to quell the nervousness she felt within.

  Alex caught their nods and moved forward to engage. They were slow at first, letting her catch on to the rhythm and timing as they swapped off, one to another, against her. Eventually, the blows began to come harder and faster as she spun, dove, and volleyed with each one.

  Her arms were really aching now, and Alex stepped back, trying to call on this strength Nassor had spoken of, but Iain gave her no quarter. He continued to increase the strength by which he struck, and Alex felt her arm cramp and lose the blade as her sword slipped from her grasp. Everyone paused instantly, watching her to see what she would do.

  Alex bent to retrieve the sword when she saw Rohan straighten away from the wall and begin to walk in her direction. His stride was purposeful, and he seemed angry.

  “To hell with this,” she heard him say the scant second before he lifted his longsword over his head with both powerful arms and hurled it directly at Alexandria.

  Chapter 15