Assassin of Curses: (The Coren Hart Chronicles Book 3) Jessie Eaker (best reads txt) 📖

likely short. Skills are a different matter. They have no context, so I have to give you one of my own memories to attach them to.”

I nodded. That explained why I was seeing Fumiko’s past. She was giving me strong memories to cement the skills to my brain.

I looked down at my hands. “But still. You could use this to train an army of sword-masters in no time.”

Fumiko shook her head. “While it will work for some, it will not work for the majority. The instructor is giving up a piece of themselves to their student, who must receive it unconditionally. It’s not something one can do with everyone. They have to have some sort of bond.”

I looked at her levelly. “In other words, they have to trust each other.”

She stepped closer and put a hand on my chest. “Totally. You saved me from the Dark Avenyts. I trust you completely.”

“As I do you. You’ve saved my neck more times than I can count. So, I guess we do have something not everyone has.”

She nodded. “Indeed, we do.” She paused, staring up into my eyes. I felt her lean just a hair closer—

Then she abruptly turned away. “I think I’m going to rest for a bit.” Fumiko rubbed her side. “That practice made my ribs hurt again.” She made her way over to a pile of straw and carefully reclined against it.

I nodded. “I’m going to go check on Zofie.”

She closed her eyes. “Don’t stay too long. You need to practice.”

I stepped to the side to wipe the sweat from my face. But as I thought about it, I became curious. I turned back to her. “Where did you learn to do this? Share your skills, I mean. Was it at that school I saw?”

She didn’t answer at first. She slowly opened her eyes and turned to look at me with that neutral expression. “No,” she finally said. “It wasn’t. Myst training was excluded. I was taught that before I was inducted.”

My eyes drew up in surprise. “Then where did you learn? I don’t know much about myst usage, but don’t you come into your abilities at puberty? You couldn’t have been much older than that in the first memory you gave me.”

“You’re right.” Her expression did not change. “My mother taught me.”

“She must have been an excellent teacher for you to learn everything so quickly.”

Fumiko propped herself up on her elbows and gazed at me levelly. “I was forced to learn quickly. I had just come into my powers when they notified my mother of my induction. That only gave us five days to prepare.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “How is that possible? Your skills are so advanced.”

Fumiko raised her head, her eyes locking with mine. And I knew—

The forbidden skills.

It’s the only way she could have gotten training so fast. Myst or sword, a skill was a skill.

Shock spread across my face. I slowly shook my head. “Your mother... she didn’t?”

“She told me it was the best way to help me survive. Provided I kept my new skills hidden.”

That explained why she swore me to secrecy. “But you were only a child,” I protested. “You would be receiving a grownup’s memories. Things a child couldn’t understand. It was like she was forcing you into adulthood.”

Fumiko stared at me a moment longer. “True,” she said. “But she knew my childhood had ended the moment the Emperor’s letter was delivered. It was the best she could do to protect me.”

I could only stare in shock, thinking of the toll only two lessons had taken on me. “It must have been extremely hard on you.”

Fumiko laid back down and shut her eyes. “No. Receiving the skills wasn’t too bad, nor the secret practices afterward. I adapted well.” She was silent for a moment. “The hard part was her weeping over me before every lesson.”

As I made the trip from the barn to the inn, I tried to shake off the weight of what Fumiko had told me. I used to think I had a difficult childhood, losing my father, being cursed with bad luck, and then being sent away from my family. But based on her revelations, I think hers might have been even worse.

Inside, I discovered Spraggel sitting beside Zofie and talking to an obviously bored Cabrina. Seeing him lifted my spirits. My old master could be strange sometimes, but he had taken in a cursed young boy and gave him an education. For that, he had my eternal admiration.

Spraggel smiled when he spotted me. “Ah, Coren. How’s the practice going?”

I went over to Zofie and kissed her on the cheek. “Pretty good so far. I still have a ways to go, though.” I sat down beside her and glanced at the leftover sausages on her plate. “Has Zofie eaten yet?”

Spraggel shook his head. “She wouldn’t.”

I turned to him, puzzled. “She’s never refused before.”

Spraggel shrugged. “I offered her a bite of sausage, but she kept her mouth closed and would turn her head. I even tried some porridge, but she refused that too.”

I looked over at the sausages. They did look a little greasy. Maybe they weren’t agreeing with her. I would have to keep an eye on her to make sure she got enough.

I turned to Cabrina. “Where’s the young lad?”

She immediately brightened. “I talked to him for a bit earlier as he washed the tables and floors. But he’s got chores elsewhere and...” She rolled her eyes in Spraggel’s direction. “I couldn’t go.”

“I’m sure you’ll have other chances to speak with him.”

She nodded but was clearly not pleased with that answer.

Over her shoulder, I could see the innkeeper pouring ale for another of his patrons. He caught my eye and motioned me over. I sighed.