About ten minutes later, the two girls faced each other, bowed, and put away their weapons.

“How do you feel to be chosen for Madam’s assistant?” Eva asked, handing Vedrana a dry towel.

“It’s not our place to analyze or to question Madam Dahlia. We are mere tools to help the madam, and I’m honored to do my part,” Vedrana replied.

“At least we will see beyond this encampment. I’m eager to venture beyond these walls. I have been viewing articles and recordings of large metropolitan cities, such as New York and London.”

“If a mission requires us to leave this place, I’ll do my part.”

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“Exciting, isn’t it?”

Vedrana smiled. “I must admit I’m a little curious to see other places, but our duty comes first. Come on, Blanka will be waiting. I don’t want to be late for our first official assignment.”

“Race you to the showers,” Eva said.

Vedrana bolted toward the path leading to the main trailing plaza. She ran up the steep incline with little effort. She glanced back to see Eva just behind her. The girls ran past several other girls who were performing various exercises. The preparatory building was next to the dormitories; Vedrana estimated it was about three hundred meters from their starting point and she wasn’t even breaking a sweat.

At the baths, the girls washed up using ancient showers. Vedrana’s skin reacted to the cool afternoon air against her body. The hard water peppered her, and, despite the cold, it was refreshing. The girls dried, then tended to their wounds, dressed, and made their way to the primary building to meet Blanka, their new master.