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"Like your guns?" She gestured at the cabinet with several of the objects displayed behind glass

"Like the guns," he replied with a curt nod

She still did not understand exactly what the guns did, but she understood swords "If you don’t use swords, why bother to train with them?"

"For discipline To master the techniques ofof the past Of the Bl--swordan narrowed her eyes at him It had sounded like he almost said, "Black Shields" His demeanor had reminded her of the Weapons she knew Her suspicions were roused, but she chose not to pursue the to ith swords, even if just for discipline, you should do so correctly to properly honor those who perfected the techniques To do otherwise shows disrespect"

Cade started to protest, but the professor cleared his throat, startling Karigan who had been so intent on Cade that she hadn’t heard his approach

"You would do well to listen to her, Cade," the professor said "The king would not have anointed her a knight without cause, especially since there had been no knights for two hundred years previous" To Karigan he explained, "I train Cade in the techniques as they were handed down to me, and as they’ve been handed down in secret since the rise of the empire, but as you can see, we’ve remembered them imperfectly Cade, I believe you have a new teacher"

Cade’s e challenge for hiht of actual arh for to the house now," the professor said "See that Miss Goodgrave is also returned before dawn"

Cade nodded

"Good night, then," the professor said, and he strolled away froan and Cade watched hilanced uncertainly at one another Unable to hold her gaze, Cade paced restlessly, testing the heft of his sword Would he accept her instruction, even when told to do so by the professor? Or would he prove obstinate, too stuck in the ways of the e at her, he said, "This all seems very improper Females do not teach They bear children and keep the hohed, thinking that any discussion between theus were once different, and if we are to defeat the e he has shackled us with Teacha concession this was for Cade to make With renewed respect, she said, "Why don’t you show ht you, one at a ti with the most basic"

Cade coan commented and corrected as necessary When she had to, she stopped hi her bonewood as her sword Occasionally she had to position Cade, placing her hands on his Initially he flinched at her touch, but as they went on, he relaxed She could only iine what Arms Master Drent would think of his least-favored student teaching another

"I want to show you that Crayman’s Circle into Aspen Leaf you had trouble with before," she said, "so you knohat it’s supposed to look like"

Cade rested his sword tip on the floor and placed his other hand on his hip, waiting as if he were sian dropped her shawl to the floor and pushed it aside with her foot She inhaled deeply and settled into her starting stance, but unlike Cade, she allowed no tih she was not in top for on her left hand did not coood that she did not stop with Aspen Leaf, but flowed into a series of for and falling to accorained in her that it beat through her whole being She twisted and turned, the bonewood carving the air Unleashed fro her secret practices, she lost herself in the freedo, blood surging, her hair flowing about her shoulders, her nightgown billowing Her slippers flew off as she leaped and whirled, shoulders rotating and hips following She landed lightly on bare feet only to surge seamlessly into the next fors, of her exile here froh most forh she soared, choosing to repeat those for strokes Then showing the utmost control, she stopped Simply came to a standstill, back erect, the point of the bonewood co to rest on the floor Her hair brushed across her shoulders and settled She panted a little, felt how her nightgown clung to the perspiration on her skin Cade just stared She could not read hied and slid her feet back into her discarded slippers, and retrieved her shawl And still he stared

"Well?" she demanded

"You--you are a sword he was going to launch into criticism "I am a swordmaster initiate I may never make swordmaster" She definitely would not if she couldn’t find her way ho "Swordle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">