Chapter 5

By the time I reached the training hall, I was already out of breath.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the time.

10:20 a.m.

I stared at the screen for a moment.

Ten minutes early.

I let out a long breath of relief.

"Okay."

All that rushing hadn't been completely useless after all.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and took a deep breath.

The familiar building stood before me.

I'd been coming here for years, yet somehow, every time I walked through those doors, I felt the same strange mixture of excitement and exhaustion.

Training wasn't easy.

Being an Olympic-level fencer certainly didn't come with an easy schedule.

But I loved it.

At least most of the time.

I reached for the door and pushed it open.

The familiar sounds immediately reached my ears.

The sharp clash of blades.

The squeaking of shoes against the floor.

The occasional shout of a coach.

Everyone was already warming up.

I spotted Christina almost immediately.

She was stretching near the edge of the training area.

"Chris!"

I walked toward her and wrapped my arms around her.

She laughed and hugged me back.

"Hi, Lola!"

Only Christina called me that.

I had stopped trying to figure out where the nickname had come from.

"So," she said, pulling away, "where were you? I thought you weren't coming today."

I laughed.

"Come on. I'm not even late. I'm right on time."

She shook her head.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

I rolled my eyes.

"So, where's the coach?"

Christina pointed toward the exit.

"He just went out for a meeting. He told us to warm up and practice until he gets back."

I looked toward the door.

"Does that mean he isn't coming?"

"Well..."

She paused dramatically.

"Yes."

My eyes widened.

"So..."

Christina immediately shook her head.

"No."

I frowned.

"I didn't even say anything."

"You were about to."

"Maybe I was."

"No, we still have to complete our practice. We can only leave once we're finished."

I sighed dramatically.

"I thought we were getting a break."

Christina burst out laughing.

"If the coach heard you say that, he would lose his mind."

"Whatever."

"Yeah, yeah. The two-time Olympic medalist doesn't care about training."

I gave her a warning look.

"I told you not to say that."

"But I will."

"Chris."

"Lola."

We stared at each other for a second before both of us started laughing.

"Come on," she said. "Let's start before you get us both into trouble."

"Fine."

And so we began.

The next four hours passed in a blur of movement.

Footwork.

Lunges.

Parries.

Attacks.

Defensive drills.

Again.

And again.

And again.

By the second hour, my legs were already beginning to ache.

By the third, I was questioning every decision that had led me to become a professional athlete.

And by the fourth, I had completely stopped pretending I wasn't exhausted.

When the assistant coach finally blew the whistle and called an end to practice, I nearly collapsed with relief.

"That's it for today. You can leave."

I pulled off my mask and wiped the sweat from my forehead.

"Finally."

Christina dropped onto the bench beside me.

"I swear, the assistant coach is much better."

I looked at her.

"Seriously."

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Our actual coach wouldn't even let us sit for a minute. And he gave us only two fifteen-minute breaks."

"Only two?"

"Exactly."

I groaned.

"I'm too tired to even complain."

Christina laughed.

"That's how you know you're actually exhausted."

I gathered my things and stood.

"Bye, Chris."

"Bye, Lola. See you tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, yeah."

We walked outside together before eventually going our separate ways.

Usually, I would take the subway home.

But today?

Absolutely not.

My body had officially declared war on public transportation.

I called a cab.

The moment I sat down in the back seat, I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes.

The city passed by in a blur.

Cars.

People.

Buildings.

Traffic lights.

Everything looked strangely distant.

I was tired.

Not just physically.

Completely drained.

When the cab finally stopped outside my house, I paid the driver and stepped out.

I walked toward the front door and rang the bell.

It opened almost immediately.

My mother took one look at me.

Her eyes widened.

"God, Louis! What happened?"

I stared at her.

"Mom..."

"What?"

"I'm starving."

She sighed.

"Obviously you are."

She stepped aside, allowing me to enter.

"Did you eat anything?"

I looked at her as if she'd asked me the most ridiculous question in the world.

"Eat? That man didn't even allow us to drink anything, much less eat."

My mother shook her head.

"Come inside and rest. I'll make something yummy for you."

"Mom, please be quick."

"Yes, yes. Go at least wash your hands and face."

"Okay."

I dragged myself upstairs, washed my hands and face, and changed into something more comfortable.

A few minutes later, I came back downstairs.

The moment I reached the dining room, a sweet and delicious aroma filled the air.

I stopped.

My eyes widened.

"Mom..."

She turned around from the kitchen.

"What?"

"Is this..."

I walked closer.

"Is this what I think it is?"

She smiled.

"Yes."

My face immediately brightened.

A large bowl sat on the table.

A thick, creamy berry mixture filled the bowl, topped with fresh fruit and a generous amount of my favorite dark chocolate granola.

My favorite.

A mixed berry smoothie bowl.

"Wow, Mom!"

I sat down immediately.

"This looks so good."

"I knew you'd like it."

I picked up my spoon and took the first bite.

My eyes practically closed on their own.

"This is so delicious."

My mother smiled.

"This is the best."

I took another bite.

"And I love you."

She laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. Love you too."

I didn't need any further encouragement.

I ate as though I hadn't seen food in years.

Every spoonful made me feel a little more human.

My mother sat across from me, watching with an amused smile.

"Slow down, Louis."

"I can't."

"You'll get a stomachache."

"I don't care."

She shook her head.

"You and your food."

I laughed and continued eating.

For those few minutes, nothing else mattered.

Not the training.

Not the exhaustion.

Not the strange riddle I'd read that morning.

Not the legendary sword from the book.

Not the princes.

Not the questions that had been occupying my mind.

It was simply me, my mother, and my favorite meal.

Everything was ordinary.

Everything was safe.

Everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.

I had no reason to think otherwise.

I had no idea that this quiet afternoon would become one of those memories I would desperately wish I could return to.

I had no idea that the simple conversation with my mother, the taste of that smoothie bowl, the exhaustion after practice—all of it would soon become precious memories of a life that no longer existed.

I kept eating, completely unaware.

Unaware that the ordinary day I was living...

Would actually become the last one.

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