Page 61 of Graevale
Alex swallowed back a sigh. “Go for it.”
“Firstly, how are you going with developing your gift?”
Careful to maintain Athora’s secrecy rule, Alex said, “That’s part of why everything has been so hectic lately. I’ve been spending a lot of time focusing on that.”
“Any progress?” Zain asked.
“I’ve been told so,” Alex said, and even if she hadn’t been expressly ordered not to say anything about her sessions, she still wouldn’t have mentioned the strange tasks. She had a feeling she would never hear the end of it if her Meyarin friends found out about the banana balancing or the yarn rolling or the jigsaw puzzle from hell.
“Excellent,” Kyia said, approval lighting her eyes. “Make sure you keep it up.”
Alex didn’t respond, aware that her friend was only being supportive and likely wouldn’t appreciate an irritated retort.
“Now we just have to make sure you’re physically capable of surviving long enough to use your gift against Aven,” Zain said. “We know it’s a lot, but we think you should work with us for a few hours every day so we can prepare you as much as possible.”
Alex willed her expression not to reveal her alarm.
Niyx!she cried.Kyia and Zain want me to train with them daily, but I don’t have time for that! What do I do?
His response was instant,Tell them you’re already training twice a day—just let them presume that means for your gift, and nothing else. Be honest about your time concerns. See what they say.
Alex did as he suggested, but neither Kyia nor Zain were pleased.
“This is important, little human,” Zain said.
“But it’smoreimportant that she spend the time strengthening her gift,” Kyia argued, albeit grudgingly. “We can fight for her physically, but she’s the only one who can free those who are Claimed. We just have to make sure that when the time comes, we stay close enough to protect her.”
“Let’s not forget that I’ve already had some combat training,” Alex said, not appreciating them thinking of her as such a damsel in distress. “More than I’m sure you could imagine, really.”
“Rokawouldhave been extremely thorough, even in the past,” Kyia said, jumping to the wrong conclusion.
“I’d feel more comfortable seeing the evidence of that for myself,” Zain said, eyeing Alex as if just looking at her would give away whether she was exaggerating or not.
She consulted Niyx again, asking what he thought she should do next.
Show them, he said.You knew you would have to at some stage, and this might make them back off about the extra training—training that you don’t need, since there’s nothing they can teach you that I haven’t already.
Ignoring his arrogance, Alex pulled out her ComTCD and glanced at the screen.
“I have fifteen minutes before I have to go,” she told them. “If I can prove to you in that time that I can at least defend myself well enough to get by, can we bench this training discussion for a later date?”
Zain eyed her. “Fifteen minutes isn’t long,” he said. “How would you prove yourself?”
“That’s easy,” Alex said with more bravado than she felt. “I’ll fight both of you.”
Raised eyebrows met her statement.
“Both of us?” Kyia said. “At once?”
Alex blanched. She had only meant one after the other, but perhaps…
Niyx, what are my chances of being able to take them both on at the same time?
I wouldn’t recommend it, he answered.
You told me to fight them,she reminded him. If I can’t win, will I be able to put up a good enough defence that they’ll be content with what I can already do?
His reply surprised her.Oh, you’ll win, he said, his tone sure.That’s why I wouldn’t recommend it.
