Chapter 29 CHAPTER 29
The night was frigid as I ran after him.
Yes, I was running because one of his footsteps equalled five of mine and I was struggling to keep up.
I'd already messed up my chances at escaping this training by being a bitch to him and I was hoping not to get into more trouble so I could at least get some pity from him during the training.
My mind went over to the age thing he mentioned, and although I should have gotten my head wrapped around that, it was still shocking.
But did that justify being treated like a child?
I wanted to take a deep breath to calm down from my spiraling thoughts but I couldn't; I was running, panting and all the pains were waking up again.
Suddenly he stopped walking, don't worry I didn't run into his broad, chiseled back this time because I was far back, and then he turned around.
“You're really as weak as he mentioned,” he said as I slowed before him.
“That's what everyone keeps throwing at me,” I grumbled as I walked past him.
I looked up to see the field Erin had described.
No wonder she didn't want to escort me here. It was a whole journey getting here and she definitely had better things to do. I literally thought I'd gotten lost, meanwhile I was still halfway through.
Mr. Cute and cranky actually slowed down, allowing me to walk ahead of him until we got to the open ground.
It was before a big building that when I looked closer, squinted my eyes, I realized was a large gym, even the rooms upstairs were filled with training equipment.
“This is where we instructors train,” he announced as he pulled the small gate open, “and it'll be perfect for you. Private enough for you to fail as much as you can without all the attention from your peers.”
He's oddly considerate, and I hadn't gotten any weird vibe from him.
Or maybe I'm way too attracted to him that I wouldn't even notice if he was.
“Thank you Master Florian,” I replied, adjusting my voice to sound calmer than usual.
He stopped and turned to look at me, a fierce gaze cast on me for an awkward three seconds before his lashes fluttered and he turned around again, back to what he was drawing on the ground.
I'd not even noticed earlier, but now that I did, it was like a pentagon shape with what I presumed to be Drakkonian letters in each angle.
Done, he threw the stick aside and stepped aside.
“Step in and sit down, cross legged,” he instructed.
“We're doing spell casting?” I asked, wary of getting myself into something weird.
I already got myself stuck in this planet that won't let me go, I wasn't about to worsen the situation. Add to the fact that I was alone in this weird place with a strange man telling me to sit in some weird mark, my instincts were calm but I had the common sense to be scared.
He rolled his eyes and grabbed my shoulders, literally lifted me off the ground and dropped me in the middle.
“What are you doing!?” I protested, “I don't want to be involved in what I don't know anything about!”
“I'll explain it to you when I want to. Now, sit down so we can see where your Chi is getting blocked. Quickly!”
“Chi? What is that?”
“The source of your energy. It's what propels every dragon kin and you've been moving around with yours blocked by something. I can't train you if you're going to fall every minute.”
His voice was still deep and sensual even as he spoke of very serious matter and I huffed but still followed his instructions.
My stubbornness was of no use anyway, I can't run away. Can't avoid this. Can't –
“Will you stop blinking and focus?!” He snapped, forcing my attention back to him.
“Sorry,” I whispered as I did as he'd said earlier, crossing my legs like I'd seen in witchcraft movies.
“At least you're good at something,” he grumbled.
I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself.
“That attitude is gonna be the death of you. Now close your eyes and begin taking deep breaths after my count of five. Not a second before.”
I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing.
"One."
His voice was calm, measured.
"Two."
I could hear him moving, circling around me.
"Three."
My heart was racing. This felt weird. Exposed.
"Four."
Just get through this, Alira.
"Five. Breathe."
I inhaled deeply—
And immediately regretted it.
Pain shot through my ribs, my lungs protesting violently. I gasped, eyes flying open.
"Keep them closed," he ordered.
"It hurts,” I complained, struggling to stay still
"I know, breathe through it."
"Easy for you to say, you're not the one–"
"I said breathe,” he shut me up, without raising his voice.
Okay, that gave me goosebumps, or maybe it was the pain… yes, that's what it is.
I forced my eyes shut again and followed his count again, holding it in despite the increasingly excruciating pain in my chest.
"Good. Let's go again. One…”
I kept following his instructions, and with each count if five, something strange started happening.
The tightness in my chest, not the one causing the pain, but the one I'd barely noticed because it had been there so long, began to loosen.
I don't even remember at what point that happened but my body always felt too stiff, uncomfortable, like I didn't belong even in my own skin.
"Now focus," he said, his voice coming from behind me now. "Tell me what you feel."
"Pain."
"Besides that, Miss.”
I nearly rolled my eyes at his snarky tone but I felt something happening inside me
Past the aching ribs, past the burning lungs, past everything that hurt—
"Warmth," I whispered. "There's... warmth? In my chest."
"Good. Where else?"
I concentrated further, searching for every unusual activity in my body. "My hands. There's a faint feeling there too. Like it's trying to connect to the remaining parts of my body but can't."
"That's the blockage." His hand pressed against my back, between my shoulder blades. "Hold still."
He stepped into the pentagram, even though my eyes were closed, I could tell exactly where he was for some reason.
Then he parted my hair in two, placed his hands around my neck and began rubbing my exposed neck.
I nearly moaned but thank goodness I caught myself but his hand on my body, his breath touching my neck and the intensity on his gaze on his hand was making me lose the connection I'd created with my body.
Unaware of his effect on me, he grabbed the hand where we'd figured out the problem was in and pressed his thumb into it and…
Then nothing.
He was with me one second, and the next he was all over across from me.
Did he teleport?
“Are we done?”
“We've only just begun. Get up, you should feel your body normalize now.”
I opened my eyes and saw he was exactly where I'd pictured him, standing the way I'd imagined it.
I shook off the weird feeling and tried to feel whatever he was talking about I couldn't notice any difference.
Except the wetness in my underwear.
“Fine, maybe it'll come as we train. Come on, try to punch me.”
“Wait, now?” I couldn't help whining.
“Well yes, we have to ensure that it worked. Besides, aren't you here to get trained?”
“Yes but I thought… nevermind.”
“Anytime tonight, Princess,” he prodded, and I have never hated a nickname more.
Nor wanted it called with a little more affection for some silly reason.
But I squared my shoulders and fisted my hands, despite the fatigue and pain all over my body and ran towards Master Florian’s perfect face.