East

I slumbered soundly in his arms and dreamt of the night Taylor was erased from the universe.

"It is time, goddess." Batu's words woke me.

I lifted my head.

He was shifting behind me. The sudden absence of his body heat woke me fast as the predawn chill crept in. Batu left the tent.

I sat and blinked, shivering. "Time for what? It's not even dawn."

"We must leave soon. But first, you learn the bow."

It didn't really sound so great. I was sore and craving coffee. Deciding I might need to know how to shoot someone if I was truly stuck here, I forced my achy body to move and left the warmth of the tent for the chilly, dark morning.

"I am fully healed," he said from the fire, pleased.

I'm not. "Good," I murmured. "In case we run into another battle today."

"It is possible." He stood. "You have no survival skills, ugly one. I will teach you if I can, if you are able to learn."

"I can learn," I said, somewhat taken aback. "It can't be that hard."

"Steppe children begin learning when they are three seasons." He waved me towards him and held out a bow. "They ride a horse first and then learn the bow."

"Three?" I echoed. "It can't be that hard if you teach three year olds."

"We shall see."

I approached and waited.

With no sense of personal space, as usual, Batu took my shoulders and turned me around then stepped into me until his chest brushed my back. He held the bow in front of me with one hand and took my other hand with his.

He placed both my hands on the bow. "Can you draw it?" With his hands hovering, he waited for me to try.

Determined to prove I could do what any toddler could, I braced one sore hand on the front of the bow and started to pull the taut string back.

Or tried. It didn't move more than an inch. Squaring my stance better, I tried once more.

"Is this a trick bow?" I asked, puzzled.

He took it from my hands and drew it effortlessly, even with me standing between it and him.

"Maybe I can learn something else."

"The knife or sword?"

I grimaced. I didn't look forward to stabbing anyone. "Or … I can take care of the horses and you can kill people."

"You are too delicate, ugly one. I may not always be around to protect you."

Frowning, I took the bow and made another attempt without getting much farther. "Are you sure children can use this?" I asked.