Kingdom of Ash

stolen, wild moments with Manon. And save
for the moments when he trained with the
Thirteen, and a blunt sort of rage drove him to
keep swinging his sword, keep getting back up
when they knocked him down.
Swordplay, archery, knife-work, tracking—
they taught him everything he asked. Along
with the solid weight of Damaris, a witch-
knife now hung from his sword belt. It had
been gifted to him by Sorrel when he’d first
managed to pin the stone-faced Third. Two
weeks ago.
But when the lessons were done, when they
sat around the small fire they dared to risk
each night, he wondered if the witches could
sniff out the restlessness that nipped at his
heels.
If they could now sniff out that he had no
intention of taking a piss in the frigid night as
he wended his way between their bedrolls,