"I'm ready for the third lesson!"

I stood across the table from Sin in the Red Room. She leaned back in her chair, feet up and hands behind her head.

"You're not," she said, bored indifference colouring her voice.

The nature of our relationship had not changed despite how much I had. Broad-shouldered and thick-muscled, I loomed over the seated woman who was once like a giant to me.

"I've been training for ten years. I'm ready."

…Ready to be your equal.

I picked up the forward-bent knife on the table, spinning it between my fingers. I flipped it into a reverse grip and stabbed into the table. The hawk head pommel faced Sin, shaking from the force of my maneuver.

"Hmph..."

Sin's veil creased into a playful smirk. After years, I could make out the facial expressions hidden behind the thin mask.

She slipped her feet off the table and held out her left hand. The ruby eyes of the hawk's head pommel glowed, and the knife flew into her waiting palm. She placed it in front of her on the table.

"Sin. You can't keep stalling. I have a lot more to learn from you."

"You're young, what's the rush?"

I scratched the back of my head, my long locs of hair tied in a loose top knot.

"This has something to do with Cynthia, doesn't it?"

"It's not about her! It's about me. When are you going to teach me magic?"

"First, you want the third lesson. Now, you're talking about magic. Make up your mind."

"Sin..."

"I'll teach you when you're ready."

"How will I know I'm ready?"

"You won't. I will."

"That's not good enough!"

"Fine!"

Sin threw up her hands, standing up from her chair to walk to the weapon rack against the room's left wall. It was a new addition to the Red Room that she had made me install.

Sin pulled out two blunted short swords and tossed one at me. This is how arguments with her usually went: reason and logic escalating to violence. I caught the knife in my left hand, whirling it around and pointing it at her.

"Is that all you are, Jacob? Flashy moves."

She settled into a wide stance, her weapon raised to her chest.

“If you win, I’ll teach you the third lesson.”

I smirked.

That’s all I needed to hear.

I slipped into a stance that mirrored Sin, weapon forward with a slight bend in my knees. My elbows pointed down to leave fewer openings. I emptied my mind of everything except one thought: victory. It had always eluded me against Sin, but things were different now. I had a deadline.

"Are you ready to lose, Sin?"

She laughed.

"You'd sooner catch the wind."

She lunged from halfway across the room. I made a desperate parry, knocking her weapon down. She rode the momentum of my parry, spinning her knife around for a slash that met my blade. She pushed against me with a force three times stronger than a woman her size should have. I pushed back to not give ground. A moment later, the resistance disappeared. I pulled back to not overextend myself as a vice grabbed my wrist.

Sin pushed my arm up and ducked under it, spinning around to slam her pommel into the back of my left shoulder. She trapped my arm, bending me over by holding my wrist and pushing my shoulder down. I rolled forward with the momentum, spinning into her until my feet were in front of her body. I slipped my foot behind her ankle and pulled my other leg back to kick her off balance.

She let go of my wrist and hopped back, avoiding my sweep. I rolled backward into a crouch on the balls of my feet and leaped forward. Sin met my advance with a retreat, jumping backward. I swung my weapon, hoping to graze her. She met my swing with her own, igniting a shower of sparks in the dim room. She turned side face and launched a back kick at my chest, knocking me to the floor and the wind out of my lungs.

Sin leapt over me as I blinked out of my daze, her arms spread wide like a bird of prey.

She was open.

I flipped my short sword into a reverse grip and threw it at her chest. With supernatural speed, she swept her arm across her body, beating my knife aside. She landed with her feet straddling my chest. Sin flipped her short sword into a reverse grip, knelt and pressed the blunt point to my forehead.

"Not. Ready."

I bared my teeth. The tip of the dull weapon pressed deeper into my skin.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"What are we, Jacob?"

I took a deep breath.

"Weapons... We’re weapons."

"Then act like it. Sheathe yourself."

She stood up and walked back to the weapon rack, yanking my practice sword out of the wall to put the weapons in their place. The mark she left on my forehead throbbed, a new scar for my collection.

I took my time standing up, pushing down the frustration bubbling below the surface as Sin slipped behind the table and reclined in her chair.

“Close the door on your way out.”

My lips twisted in a snarl.

“I always do, Sin.”

I slammed the door as I left the Red Room. My blood was hot. I was tired of spirit-cursed Sin and this spirits-cursed mansion! I clenched and unclenched my hands. I needed something to hurt.

A familiar figure scrubbing the floor caught my attention. I sighed, my tension easing.

"What is it this time?"

Cindra looked up at me, a smug look on her face. She had grown into her beauty, cutting her blonde hair in a messy bobcut like Mrs. Dulldrey.

"I stole some of Gren's eggs," she said in her usual monotone voice.

I knelt in front of her.

"How long are you going to keep this up?"

"Not much longer. Cynthia is almost ready to leave. She’s just waiting for someone."

My face flushed.

"Why don't you join us for breakfast."

"But Mrs. Dulldrey-"

"I'm Lady Sin's heir. I outrank her."

I held out my hand.

"My lady..."

She quirked an eyebrow, taking my hand and linking arm in arm as we walked to the kitchen.

"Besides, you can take a day off from stealing, don't you think?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

A slight smile played on her lips.

"It's a good bit of misdirection. Pretend to be a horrible thief so Mrs. Dulldrey and Mr. Reeves don't suspect your skills. Be forced to do chores that leave you alone while everyone else is in one place. When Sin adopted me, I was a hiccup in your plans. So, you made sure I would see you working every morning on the way to the kitchen."

"Please speak louder. Let the whole mansion here you."

I smiled.

"Why would I rat out my teacher? You're the best thief I've ever seen. Better than Sin."

"Speaking of... what's been going on with you two lately?"

My smile became rigid.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said through clenched teeth.

I stopped in front of one of the many portraits in the mansion. The obese man leered back at us through the painting, his greasy brown hair tied back in a ponytail.

“Did we ever figure out who this guy was?”

“You’re just trying to change the subject. Who cares. He’s probably some distant relative of Lady Sin.”

“Whose portraits are all over the mansion.”

I rubbed my chin.

Sin and her secrets.

As we entered the kitchen, the smell of vegetable stew and roasted meat assaulted our senses. As usual, Gren hunched over the cauldron while Mrs. Dulldrey, Mr. Reeves and Cynthia sat at the wooden table.

Mrs. Dulldrey looked puzzled as we walked through the door. Cindra slipped her arm out of mine and walked to where Mr. Reeves sat.

"What's she doing here?"

Mrs. Dulldrey attempted to look stern but no longer had it in her. The death of her youngest son in the border war with Dahlgesh had taken away her edge and her appetite. She had withered to half her former size, with her back bent from grief.

"I thought we could delay her punishment for an hour."

"Fine. She can stay."

I smirked at Cindra.

"Jacob..."

Cynthia waved me over, her hazel eyes half-lidded with a smile that radiated like the sun. Unlike her sister, she had grown out her hair, letting the long, golden tresses fall down her back. I took my usual seat beside her and let wrap her arm around mine.

Across the table, Mr. Reeves smiled at me. His face crinkled like the paper he loved to write on. The one smooth thing about him was the top of his bald head, ringed by greying hair. He patted Cindra's hand as she sat near him.

I wonder if she felt guilty about robbing the old man blind.

"What did I miss?" I asked.

"Cynthia was regaling us with all the places she plans to visit," Mr. Reeves said.

"You’d better be careful out there, girl," Mrs. Dulldrey said.

"I know how to take care of myself. Besides, I'll have this one with me."

She pulled me in closer.

"I think Mrs. Dulldrey is saying she'll miss you," I said.

"How could I not?! I raised you a sorry lot for over ten years."

She dabbed the corner of her eyes. Cynthia leaned over to wrap her in a tight hug, kissing the old woman on the cheek.

"Don't worry. We'll visit often. While we’re away, Cindra will keep you company."

"Company?! What kind of company is that?"

Cindra frowned across the table at Mrs. Dulldrey.

Mr. Reeves patted the young woman on the hand, giving her a warm, tight-lipped smile.

"Play nice, Cindra."

Cindra pulled her hand back, opening her mouth to speak.

"Breakfast is ready!" Gren said.

He spun around with a plate in his large hand. Where Mrs. Dulldrey had lost weight over the years, Gren had ballooned in size. He balanced a plate of roasted chicken, cheese, and bread on his swollen fingers, early signs of gout. It served him right for always sampling my food.

"For you, my young Lord."

"Thanks, Gren."

"And for his blushing bride-to-be."

He turned back to the cauldron and returned with a hot bowl of vegetable stew for Cynthia. It was thick with an extra serving of barley.

Cynthia flashed him an awkward smile.

"Gren, we aren't engaged."

"You aren't? Why not?"

The women at the table looked at me with varying degrees of scorn.

I focused on eating the food in front of me.

"Maybe he's fallen for the charms of the lovely Cindra?" Gren said.

I almost choked.

Gren, why did you love stirring the pot?!

I lifted my head to see Cynthia staring at me with a raised eyebrow and Cindra fidgeting with her hands.

This was the last thing I needed this morning.

Gren ran his thumb and index finger through his greying mustache.

"Or he could marry both. You know what they say about twins, one spirit in two bodies!"

"Gren, you cad!" Mrs. Dulldrey said.

Mr. Reeves laughed.

"Spoken like a true glutton."

Everyone laughed except for me, Cynthia, and Cindra.

This day couldn't end soon enough.

# # #

When night came, I slipped under the covers of my bed. The sinking feeling was comforting now—a moment of relief from the day's frustrations.

Marriage...

Weapons didn't get married, but weapons didn't eat or sleep either. What even is a weapon? Sin held the last piece of the puzzle. I raised my hand to the ceiling. If I could just stick it out a little longer… My training would be complete, and I could finally leave this place with Cynthia.

The thought twisted my stomach. As frustrated as Sin made me, I would miss her and the place that had been my home for ten years. I turned to my side, pulling the covers over my shoulders.

I was warm—safe.

A moment later, the door to my room crept open in slow, gradual movements. Its’ hinges squeaked in protest, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.

I slipped my hand under my pillow, wrapping my fingers around the dagger I kept sheathed in my bed.

A single point of dim light glowed through the entryway.

No, not now. Not that dream again.

"Jacob?"

The voice was a low whisper from across the room.

A figure in white stepped through the door, the lantern light highlighting her blonde hair.

"Cynthia?!" I said in a whisper.

She flashed a gleeful smile and closed the door behind her. Her linen shift was loose with billowing sleeves and a wide neckline that drooped off her right shoulder. It swayed in a hypnotic pattern as she walked barefoot to my side of the bed. I let go of my dagger and rolled onto my back as she sat at the edge. She set the lantern on the dresser and smiled again over her shoulder.

"Bad dreams?"

"Always."

"Is there anything I can do about that?"

She quirked her eyebrow, letting the shift slip lower.

I paused.

"Are you sure?"

She grinned and blew out the lantern's candle.