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Lela fired, loaded, and fired a crossbow in one fluid motion.
Without looking his way, she said, “I expect ye to do this by Friday.”
She turned and looked at him.
He looked down at the boots.
“It’s not the boots. Follow me.” She led him through several corridors through the west wing to a rooftop garden of brown grass and bare trees dusted with snow.
Facing south, the sun warmed the left side of his face and the constant wind from the alpine glaciers chilled the other side.
Just inside the southern section of curtain wall was an open parade ground. Further south stood stands of trees, many looking more like ferns.
To the north was part of the kitchen and storage buildings. Outside the curtain wall further north sat a random collection of structures that progressed from buildings to hovels, shanties, and tents
“Coldtown,” Lela said. “I hope we’ll have no business in there.”
He pointed west to a line where no plants grew, and it curved north and south to the horizon. A closer look revealed a bluish tint, extending to the sky. “What is that?
She shook her head.
“What?”
“They really told you nothing. That is the Barrier, and ye can read the rest.”
She slipped off her coat. Underneath was a dark blue tunic that accentuated her curves. She began stretching, much to Toby’s distraction.
“Ye want to cramp?” She extended arms and legs in a series of languid movements. “Stretch.”
“Oh.” He slipped off the cloak and tried to ignore wind.
She started jogging around the perimeter, so he followed.
“We know ye aren’t,” she searched for a word, “athletic, but after a few weeks, ye will either be stronger or too tired to care.”
She picked up the pace and spent no energy at all.
His side cramped.
“Ye need to breathe.”
He concentrated on moving air.
He could not keep up the pace.
“In through yer nose, out through the mouth.”
“I know — how — to breathe.”
She shrugged. “Suit yerself.”
He tried her trick, and his chest felt better. Not that he’d admit it.
She stopped, picked up a medicine ball, and fired it at him.
He braced for the impact and went down in a heap.
She stood there as if nothing happened. “This will strengthen yer arms and chest while teaching balance. Or ye will learn how to fall.”
He stood up and picked up the ball. She put out her arms, signaling for him to throw.
Put everything behind the throw.
She took the full force in the chest.
She fired.
Toby took the full force in the chest, and landed on his back.
They spent the next half hour doing a wide variety of exercises that fatigued muscles Toby didn’t know he had.
“Let’s take a break,” she said.
“Sure,” between heaving breaths as he leaned against a wall, “if - you’re tired.”
On one side of the rooftop garden was a small fountain. The gurgling water sounded inviting.
Each chose a small wooden cup and took turns catching the water from the fountain. He drained the first cup, then another.
“Don’t make yerself sick.”
She walked over to the eastern wall. “See that tree?”
In the distance, just outside the Barrier, near a dense stand of trees, stood a taller tree, with fan shaped leaves. “Looks like a general, standing in front of her army, ready to lead them into battle.”
“Do you think of anything but weapons and war?”
She smiled. She held his gaze for a moment. “Sometimes.”
He looked out at the tree and wondered what-