Luna of the Beastly Lycan King

Chapter 26. Sparring

☉DANIKA

“What are you—how are you already standing?” I questioned.

Fergal only made a face at me and scoffed. “Two broken arms? That was nothing. You should come see me when I break my neck. That’ll be the real surprise.”

I stared blankly at him. I had no idea if he was joking with me or being serious, so I asked instead, “What are you doing here?”

But Fergal only offered his grin again.

I had expected that his recovery would take some time. I was there with him when his bones started resetting themselves and popping back in place, but that was only just… I had no idea that he would be completely healed in what? Less than a day? Finarfin had broken both his arms. That’s something that most people don’t ever heal from.

I began to question whether it was not more prudent for me to begin to fear these lycans instead of acting happy-go-lucky with them. Finarfin was the Lycan Alpha King. If Fergal had healed like nothing had happened after having both his arms broken by Finarfin, then I didn’t want to think of what Finarfin was capable of. I gulped when I imagined how flippant I had been around Finarfin.

“I still don’t think you should be out here on the sparring grounds, anyway.”

“It’s fine, Danika.” Fergal insisted. “I had Kendrick look me over. He agreed that I was in perfect health, and even recommended exercise so my muscles do not atrophy.”

“One day of rest would not have destroyed your muscles, Fergal. There are several other exercises you could have partaken in instead of coming back to the sparring grounds. What if Finarfin—”

I cut off my speech. “Sorry,” I said, but Fergal only shrugged and turned away. I had wanted to mention the fact that Finarfin could be here to spar and could decide that since he was all healed, he could spar against him again. And then maybe I would have to see instead of wonder now, just how long it took for broken arms and legs to heal.

“Finarfin isn’t here,” Fergal said. “He has other diplomatic and royal duties to attend to. No matter how much he wanted to spar, he would have to run through those assignments. Besides, it’s still the morning. Kendrick said I needed all the sunshine and exercise I could get.”

I frowned at him. “Kendrick didn’t really say all of that, did he?”

“No,” He smirked, mischief threading through his words. “But there is a certain privilege that comes with being Beta.”

This time I could not help but chuckle along with him, feeling the excitement that he felt. I suddenly remembered why exactly I was here and panic wormed its way into my voice.

“By the way, have you seen Sonia? She asked me to meet her here, and now I can’t find her anywhere.”

“What time were you supposed to meet her?”

“Dawn.”

Fergal whistled and stroked his chin. “Well, it is certainly past dawn now. Have you thought about who will inherit you?”

“I’m serious, Fergal! I need to find Sonia.”

“I know. I sent her away.”

“Hmm?”

“I sent Sonia away. You’re late, aren’t you? And she’s going to kill you. So I sent her away. You should have been here. She was a righteous storm.”

I still could not wrap my head around what Fergal was saying. “What do you mean you sent Sonia away?”

Fergal popped his shoulder joints as he stretched and swung his arms about. “You left before I could thank you for all your help yesterday. I wanted to properly thank you, and I didn’t know how to find you. But when I came to sparring grounds this morning, I heard Sonia swearing an awful lot and being the good person I am…”

I gave him a look.

“Well, relatively good person I am,” he amended, “I told her that she didn’t need to worry about you today and that I was going to take charge of your training. The way she described you, I thought she was talking about a newborn rabbit.”

I exhaled through the side of my mouth. That description sounded like something that Sonia would say. I wondered if she mentioned to Fergal that she had also nearly broken all of my bones in our training session the other day.

“Hey, don’t worry too much about it,” Fergal tried to cheer me up. “I’m sure Sonia isn’t all that bad. And if she’s personally training you, then you must be some good. She’s a great teacher. Besides…” he stood proudly, arms akimbo. “I am the son and heir of the house of Gathmore, second in command and Beta to the Alpha King. In all of Cynthros, I am the second-strongest person. It’s only natural that you should train under me if you have any hope of getting better.”

Now I was genuinely scared. Fergal thought Sonia was a great teacher. I could not hold back my apprehension any longer.

“Fergal… Sonia didn’t happen to run through you our training yesterday, did she?”

“Of course she did!” He boomed. “What kind of irresponsible teacher wouldn’t?”

I cursed inwardly and prayed that the Goddess would take me. Fergal was beaming at the sky.

“We’re going to pick up right where she left off. Attack me.”

For a second, I stood dumbfounded. Surely I must have misunderstood him. “What?”

“Attack me. Pick up that padded club over there and attack me with everything you’ve got. I need to assess your strengths first. Sonia attacked you yesterday and asked you to defend against her so she could test your defenses. From what she explained, you have absolutely no defensive strategy, acumen, or skill. At all.”

My spirits fell.

“But what you lack in defense, you might make up for in attack. So, attack me.”

I stared at him, realized that he was not joking, and ran to the padded club. It was heavier than it looked.

“Are you sure you’re fully healed, Fergal? The last time I want is to be the person to send you back into recovery.”

Fergal laughed. “I’m done recuperating. But if you can cause me to break a sweat, I’ll order the maids to give you my ration of food tonight.”

“I don’t want your food,” I fumed and hefted the club. I ran at him, “I want you all to stop thinking I’m weak!” I brought down the club with every strength I could muster, against his chest. There was a small subdued noise.

I huffed and looked up. Fergal had not moved an inch, and his chest was unguarded. He was staring straight ahead, emotionless.

He grinned down at me. “I expected to at least feel a gust of wind, Danika, but this is simply heartbreaking. Again!” He grasped the club with one hand and flung me back. I charged at him, screaming. The attack never made it to him. He flung his arms out, quick as lightning, and lashed out every time I came close to him with the club, reversing the direction of my swing until he finally caught the club again.

“Even a child could swing this hard,” he laughed in my face. “You’re not trying at all. I’m starting to think you actually enjoy being called weak and pathetic.”

Anger raged in my heart, the impossibly blazing-hot fires of a furnace. I charged at him again, eyes hard as flint. I put every last ounce of my strength into the strike and I felt something like satisfaction flood my veins as I watched the club arcing towards Fergal’s head move at a speed I would never have thought possible.

But just before it connected, Fergal’s eyes locked with mine. “Weak.” He declared and punched the club flying out of my hands. In an instant, his foot was jammed against my stomach. I felt my stomach contract in on itself, but nothing but saliva and air exploded out of my mouth.

I flew several feet away from Fergal and landed back flat against the floor. I heard the club clatter away somewhere. My whole body ached. I was wrong. Fergal was worse. What had I truly expected from someone who thought Sonia was a good teacher? They both lived for the fight. I wondered vaguely just how many people survived Sonia’s training. Maybe this was the reason for Cynthros’s might as a pack.

I coughed and vomited spittle when Fergal approached.

“Whoa,” he said as he came. “You don’t look so good. Are you okay?”

“Damn you, Fergal,” I spat as I curled in on myself, unable to get up. “You told me to attack.”

“Ah,” Fergal rubbed his head, foolishly, I thought. “Self-defence. Instinctual reaction. Besides, you’re not going to grow if I go soft on you.”

“That was not going soft. You almost killed me.”

“I see…”

I would have slapped him and run out of the sparring grounds if I could find it in me to rise. I lay there curling in on myself and taking in breaths in gasps. Fergal knelt in front of me as he looked around. His eyes finally settled on mine. The bastard was smiling.

“Maybe your strengths lie elsewhere.” He said.

I could not argue. I vomited more spittle, groaning.

☆☆☆

It was past mid-morning when Fergal finally allowed me to return to my chambers. But I could not return to my chambers. I could not feel my arms again. Nothing had changed at all.

It was no different from when I had sparred with Sonia, except maybe this time, I felt worse. I still felt like a trampled twig as I made my way over to the kitchens with the intent of scarfing down food. Erika set a plate of food before me, and I almost broke into tears because even eating now felt so hurtful.

I moaned every time I moved the food to my mouth.

“Why do you push yourself so hard?” Erika asked as she massaged my hands and arms. Every so often, she would rub oil into my bruised and roughed-up skin as she bandaged over. “Why do you even bother yourself with training and learning to fight? You’re not a warrior. You’re just a woman.”

I wondered about telling her the actual reason why this was important to me. I wondered about telling her my history: all the things—all the people—I had lost because I was too weak to stand up to people who were stronger than I was…

But then again, I could not bother Erika with such a thing. She just would not understand, and as much as I wanted her to understand, I just continued trying to eat.

“I think everyone needs to be able to defend themselves. We can’t always afford to be weak.”