Celeste
The next morning I woke up and decided I was done sitting still.
I needed to feel useful. I needed to feel like I was getting stronger, not softer. I just had to convince my prison guard to agree to it. Josh had been more protective since Darien left, stepping into the disciplinarian role like someone had handed him a manual overnight.
I got dressed in trousers and pulled my hair up and bounced out of my room. I found Josh in the main hall going over supply lists with one of the servants. When the servant left I skipped over and grabbed his arm and beamed up at him.
He looked down at me and his eyes narrowed immediately. “You seem to be up to no good today.”
“Josh, I actually need your help.”
“I already know this is going to be bad. What?”
“I need you to spar with me. I’m ru
