After saying that, Gerard walked out of the training hall. Cedric knew all too well how heavy the burden was of leading the imperial army, especially at his age. A twinge of guilt pricked at him for taking up Gerard's time, but at the same time, he felt relieved that his request had been granted.
He'd specifically asked Gerard to supervise his practice this time—not just to polish his technique, but to make sure his skills hadn't dulled after all this time, after returning to the past and going so long without holding or swinging a sword.
Cedric stared down at his palms, then slowly curled his fingers tight into fists. He sighed, feeling a faint thrum in his knuckles as he gripped his hands harder, as if trying to convince himself that everything was still firmly within his control.
