A Song of Ice & Shadow

Part 15

Cassian grinned, his wings shifting slightly behind him. "It's for your own safety, but go ahead."

Sword in hand, Y/n dragged the blade slightly along the ground as she stepped up to him. "Ready?"

"Whenever you are," he said with a confident smirk, lowering into a defensive stance.

She did not give him a chance to prepare. In one swift motion, she disarmed him, the tip of her blade hovering just below his throat.

Cassian blinked, then broke into a wide grin. "Impressive. Let's go again. I wasn't prepared."

"I thought you said you were 'whenever I was'," she replied, feigning innocence as she shrugged.

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I have to admit, I was taken by surprise."

"In battle, your opponent won't wait for you to get ready. I might not be the strongest or the fastest, but if and when it comes down to a fight, I can hold my own," she said, lowering the blade.

Cassian retrieved his sword, his expression shifting into something more thoughtful as he studied her. "I see you know some moves. Let's go again."

"I'm not a fool. I know I can't defeat you," she admitted. "I've seen the way you fight. I just took advantage of the situation."

"Never underestimate your opponent," Cassian said, his tone carrying a hint of respect. "I failed at that, I admit. Where did you learn to do that?"

She ran her fingers along the blade's edge, inspecting it. "I took self-defense classes a long time ago. And a few sword-fighting lessons too. I practiced from time to time."

His brows furrowed as he considered her answer. "Why did you let me mock you all this time? Let me believe you couldn't fight?"

She gave him a cool look. "You never asked. You presumed, just like everyone else."

His gaze softened, a note of guilt creeping into his voice. "I apologize for that." His voice was surprisingly serious. "Does anyone else know you can fight?"

"A few Illyrians," she replied,her tone casual as she inspected the hilt of the sword. "And I believe your Shadowsinger does."

Cassian's expression darkened slightly. "Is that why Devlon warned me to keep you away from his warriors? You beat them up?"

"I didn't beat them up," Y/n corrected, rolling her eyes. "Let's just say they tried to show me some moves, and I showed them a few of my own."

Cassian let out a hearty laugh, though his curiosity wasn't fully satisfied. "Wait- your sisters don't know?"

She shook her head.
"Why not?"

"That is none of your business."

He sighed but didn't press. "So, why do you refuse to train then? If you know how to fight?" If he wasn't intrigued before, he was now.
"That's also none of your business."

Cassian snorted, clearly exasperated. "If you hate me and can't stand to train with me, you could always train with Az or Mor."

"No." Her reply was quick, sharp, leaving no room for debate. "Listen, I don't hate you, but I just don't like training."

Cassian crossed his arms, his grin returning. "Is that you complimenting me?"

"You didn't let me finish," she shot back, rolling her eyes again. "Although I don't necessarily hate you, training with you would be unbearable."

"Is it because you wouldn't be able to focus on training and rather be too distracted by my handsome face and impressive physique?" Cassian teased, flexing his arms playfully.