Ep.21 Ms. Vera Part 7

I yawned deeply, consciousness slowly seeping back into my tired body as my eyes fluttered open. My hand moved automatically to rub away the remnants of sleep, fingers trailing across eyelids that felt as heavy as stone. Above me, the unfamiliar ceiling stretched like a blank canvas, its wooden beams casting long shadows in the early morning light.

How many different ceilings will I wake up to in this life?

The thought crept unbidden into my mind, followed by an even darker one that made my chest tighten: How many different ceilings will I have to watch burn?

The memories threatened to surface—memories of flame and ash, of screaming and collapse. But before they could fully materialize, a familiar voice cut through the gloom like a sword through shadow.

"Kai, breakfast!" Rowan's cheerful yell echoed throughout the house, somehow both jarring and comforting at the same time.

I shook my head, clearing away the dark thoughts like cobwebs. With practiced movements, I pushed myself up and went through the motions of getting ready for the day. The routine was still new, but it helped ground me in the present.

The dining room was modest but neat, with four hard wooden chairs surrounding a table that had seen better days. I slid into my usual seat, noting the simple breakfast laid out before me. The food here was objectively better than what we'd had at the orphanage—fresher ingredients, proper seasoning—but somehow it tasted like ash in my mouth. That's not the food's fault, though, I reminded myself. Some wounds take longer to heal than others.

After finishing my meal, it was time for Rowan and Maya to begin their magic lessons. The familiar bitter taste of envy rose in my throat at the thought. Magic—the one thing I couldn't grasp, couldn't master, couldn't use to protect them. I swallowed hard and pushed the feeling down. If I couldn't use magic, I'd make my body into a weapon instead.

The morning air was crisp as I stepped outside, beginning my solitary workout routine while waiting for Ms. Vera. Two weeks we'd been here now, and while I could feel myself getting stronger, it wasn't enough. It would never be enough until I knew I could keep them safe.

Faster. Stronger. Better.

The mantra drove me as I pushed this small, fragile body to its limits. As long as I could stand, as long as I could lift my arms, I could swing a sword. I could improve. I could—

"Your form is looking better, boy." Ms. Vera's voice cut through my concentration. I hadn't even heard her approach.

"It's still not good enough," I replied through gritted teeth, not breaking my stance.

A smile spread across her weathered face—not the warm, grandmotherly kind, but the kind that promised pain and learning in equal measure. Then she moved.

One moment she was standing still, the next she had crossed the distance between us like a bolt of lightning. Her wooden practice sword whistled through the air, descending toward my head with frightening speed. Pure instinct saved me as I brought my blade up to block, but the force of her blow drove me to one knee. The ominous crack of splintering wood told me my practice sword wouldn't survive many more exchanges like that.

"Then let's practice, shall we?" Her eyes sparkled with a dangerous light as she pressed down harder before suddenly disengaging, moving back with the same impossible speed.

She circled me like a predator, her sword pointed downward in a deceptively casual stance, her other hand tucked precisely behind her back. "Prepare yourself, boy," she commanded, her voice carrying the weight of decades of experience.

I scrambled to my feet, gripping my sword with renewed determination. Who was this woman? She looked like she could be someone's grandmother, but she moved like an elite warrior in their prime. Her after-images danced around me as she darted back and forth, testing my defenses.

The attack came from behind—I sensed rather than saw it. Spinning around, I caught a glimpse of another overhead strike beginning. I raised my sword to block, but at the last possible moment, her blade changed direction, coming in from the side instead.

A feint!

The realization came too late. I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact... but it never came. When I dared to peek, Ms. Vera stood before me, that same knowing smile on her face.

"Your reaction time is splendid, Kai, truly," she said, patting my shoulder with surprising gentleness. "But you lack battle experience, and that is why you lost today." She stepped back, raising her practice sword once more. "Now prepare yourself—we're going again."

As she created distance between us, I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets this mysterious instructor held. But there was no time for wondering—her blade was already whistling through the air again, and I had much to learn.