I ignored the pain in my chest at the dejection in her tone, thinking I would rather be doing something else than train her. I huffed a laugh, instead, not only to loosen the thing lodged in my throat, but also because of the way she’d started referring to her favorite sword as a person. I found it endearing.

“I meant, you and I—together—should do something other than train tonight,” I clarified, taking a final step toward her and gently started prying her hesitant fingers from the ...