Refuge(39)
“Here, this will take care of your headache.”
I turned my head toward Tristan who sat by my bed, holding a glass of brownish liquid. After the sleeping draft from last night, I was hesitant to take any more medicine.
He smiled as if he read my mind. “You had a bad fever last night from the demon bite, and you are dehydrated now, which is causing your headache. I promise this will only ease your pain.”
My head was pounding, and his words were all the reassurance I needed. I accepted the glass and downed the contents, then lay back on the bed. “I heard someone here with me last night. Was that you?”
“I came in a few times. Your fever made you very restless.”
“What about the others? Are they okay?”
He took the glass from me and laid it on a table. “Olivia also had a fever from her bite, but Mark and Jordan were okay. They have all been released. Once you are feeling better, you may leave, too.”
“I feel better now.” I tried to sit up, but he pushed me back down.
“Give it a few more minutes. While we wait, I want to talk to you about your training.”
I groaned. “Are you trying to torture me after the night I just had?”
He did not laugh as I expected him to, and his expression grew serious. “You could have been hurt a lot worse than you were or even killed last night. You have to learn to fight and to harness your Mori’s power so you will be better prepared the next time you face danger.”
“I think I did all right.”
“Yes, but we don’t know exactly what you did or if you can summon it at will. We live in a dangerous world, and I need to know you can defend yourself before you go out into it. So I am making changes to your training routine.”
I fidgeted with the blanket. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing bad, I assure you. We are just going to try you with another trainer and see if a different technique works better for you.” He patted my hand. “Don’t look so worried. I have a feeling this will be just what you need.”
Why didn’t I feel as confident as him? “When do I start with the new trainer?”
“Tomorrow. Today, just rest and get your strength back.”
It was noon before the healers finally let me leave the medical ward. I was ravenous, which the healers said was normal after such a fever, so I headed straight for the dining hall after I showered and changed. Lunch was over by the time I got there, so I begged a plate from the kitchen staff and ate alone in the dining hall.
“Hey, Sara, what are you doing in here by yourself? Aren’t you going to the arena?”
I looked up at Michael who stood in the doorway. “What’s going on at the arena?”
“Some of the warriors are dueling.” His eyes flashed with excitement.
“Dueling?”
“For fun. They do it every now and then, and it’s so awesome to watch. Come on, I heard Tristan is joining in this time.”
I carried my plate to a bus tray and followed Michael. I hadn’t seen Tristan fight yet, and I was eager to watch him in action. A man who garnered the kind of respect he did had to be more than a good leader. I bet he was an amazing fighter, too.
“Everyone’s talking about what happened to you guys last night.”
I gave him a sidelong glance. “I bet you’re glad you decided not to come with us, huh?”
He nodded quickly. “Yeah. You could have been killed. Why would lamprey demons do something like that?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
The arena was half full when we entered, and I saw the other trainees sitting and standing together near the door. Looking past them, I caught sight of Niall and Seamus standing with Tristan in the middle of the floor. I felt a surge of pride when I saw Tristan holding a long slender sword and looking every bit the fierce warrior.
We weaved through the crowd to the other trainees. “What did we miss?” I asked them.
“Tristan is wiping the ground with the others,” Terrence replied without talking his eyes off the older warriors. “And here comes his next victim.”
I watched as a Korean man approached Tristan, carrying a similar sword. Something about him seemed familiar, and it wasn’t until he reached Tristan and the twins that I recognized him as one of the warriors I’d met in Portland. His name was Erik, if I remembered correctly, and he was in the unit that had helped clean out the mansion where Remy’s cousins had been held. He had also accompanied me here along with Nikolas and Chris, but I hadn’t seen him since I arrived.
The twins moved back to give the dueling warriors room, and Tristan and Erik saluted one another. Tristan’s eyes gleamed like I had never seen before, and I realized he was looking forward to the fight as much as the spectators.