A Song of Ice & Shadow

Part 19

Gwyn shrugged, perching herself on the edge of the nearest table. "If I said you'll get used to it, I'd be lying. You just have to go through it. There are some herbs that can help with the pain, but not completely."

"Yeah, I tried some tea and oils." Y/n grimaced, recalling the awful taste of Azriel's concoction.

"I haven't seen you around much. And before you say it's because of your period, it's been that way even before this week," Gwyn pointed out, crossing her arms.

Y/n exhaled, rubbing a hand over her face. "I've been busy training at night. And if I'm being honest with you, training leaves me so sore that taking all these steps to come down here is a pain."

Gwyn hummed in understanding."I see."

"How have you been?" Y/n found herself asking the young priestess.

"Good actually. I've been training too, with Nesta and Cassian."

Y/n's lips twitched slightly. "And how are you finding that arrogant prick?"

Gwyn blinked at her choice of words. "Cassian? I- he's been nothing but good and kind to us."

Y/n nodded. "Of course he has. I wouldn't expect any less."

"But you don't like him?" Gwyn asked, brow furrowing in confusion.

Y/n smiled slightly. "Let's just say we have a strange relationship. He gets on my nerves a lot, and the bastard enjoys taunting me."

Gwyn tilted her head again. "Yet you train with him?"

"I do, but only basic muscle-building exercises. I believe what Nesta is doing is swordplay, right?"

"Yes. We're also working on our stances and endurance." Gwyn then sighed dramatically. "But I think he's getting annoyed with us after Emerie joined. We... chat a lot."

Y/n's brows rose in interest. "Who?"

"Oh, right. I forgot to mention, Emerie is an Illyrian female, a friend of Nesta's."

Y/n's lips parted slightly in genuine intrigue. "An Illyrian female? Huh. I'm yet to meet one." Then, something Gwyn said earlier caught her attention. "Wait, you said he's getting annoyed because you chat a lot?"

"Yes, why?"

Y/n smirked. "Keep doing that. He deserves to be annoyed."

"But he's our mentor," Gwyn protested half-heartedly.

Y/n snorted. "Don't worry about it. He's a giant teddy bear. Just don't tell him I said that."

Gwyn gasped in mock scandal. "You mean the great General of the Night Court isn't a ruthless warrior?"

Y/n chuckled. "Oh, he is. But he's also a dramatic little shit, and the more you annoy him, the funnier it gets."

Gwyn was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "Between us, sometimes it is fun to annoy him."

Y/n gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. "Ooh, Berdara! I didn't take you for a naughty female."
—

Y/n was halfway through her morning exercises with Cassian when he noticed ice beginning to form around her, coating the ground in a thin layer of frost.

His brows knitted together as he gestured to it. "Y/n, are you doing this?"

She halted mid-movement, following his gaze. A faint crease appeared between her brows. "This is the second time it's happened. I don't know why, or how, let alone that I had this power. Her voice was casual, but the confusion laced within was unmistakable.