Her hands trembled slightly as she wrung the cloth dry. She couldn’t afford to slip now.

Not with her blood betraying her.

Not with Haspan still waiting somewhere in the shadows of her fate.

She folded the cloth into a tight pad, shoved it inside her undergarment, and adjusted her trousers with a wince. There wasn’t time to let herself feel the cramps coming. She had another drill tomorrow

“Thanks for the lesson, Mother.”

But even she didn’t know if it was gratitude or ...