"If we are at war, you must learn to fight," Laszlo said. My calm evaporated immediately. "No," I said, stumbling back from him, my throat squeezing tight. "I'm not asking you to step onto the battlefield, dear one," he said, turning to face me, his arms crossed over his chest. "But you've been captured once. Mistreated. I will do everything in my power to avoid seeing such a fate befall you again, including arming you and teaching you to fight."
