Page 24 of Alien Warlord's Fury
"Close your eyes," I instructed, keeping my voice steady. "Breathe with me."
Her eyelids fluttered closed. I guided her hands to rest on her thighs, palms upward, then placed my hands over hers. The position was intimate—too intimate.
I pushed the thought away.
"Inhale deeply. Feel the energy in your core. Imagine it as a river flowing through you."
Claire's breathing synchronized with mine. Her markings continued their erratic dance.
"Your energy seeks release. Instead of fighting it, direct it. Channel it downward, through your body, into the ground."
I moved my hands to her shoulders, fingers pressing lightly against the junction of neck and collarbone. Her pulse jumped beneath my touch. The memory of her lips on mine flashed unbidden.
"Focus," I said, as much to myself as to her.
Her markings flickered, then steadied slightly. Progress.
I shifted my hands to her temples, fingertips barely touching her skin. "The Aerie believe energy flows in patterns. Chaos comes when the patterns break. Find your pattern, Claire."
Her breath caught. "I feel... something."
"That's the planet's energy. Let it support you, not overwhelm you."
Silver light rippled more evenly now beneath her skin. Her shoulders relaxed under my guidance. The bond between us thrummed, transmitting her confusion, her awareness of my touch.
"Your energy responds to your emotions," I continued, voice low. "Fear, anger, desire—they all create disturbance."
Her eyes opened at that last word, meeting mine. "Desire?"
I held her gaze, refusing to look away despite the heat building in my chest. "All strong emotions affect the flow."
"And what about you? Do your emotions disturb your energy?"
My lifelines betrayed me, brightening along my forearms. The tip of his tail curled almost imperceptibly against the stone. "I've had years of training."
"That's not an answer."
I removed my hands from her temples, breaking the contact. "The technique requires practice. Daily meditation."
She caught my wrist before I could fully retreat. "You're doing it again. Pulling away."
"We have a task," I reminded her, forcing my attention back to our purpose. "The younglings."
"I know." Her grip loosened but didn't release. "But whatever this is between us?—"
"Can wait," I finished, perhaps too sharply. I gently extracted my wrist from her grasp. "Your energy is more stable now. That's what matters."
Disappointment flickered across her face, quickly masked. The bond transmitted her hurt before she shut it down, walling off her emotions.
I stood, putting physical distance between us. "We should continue. Your senses are clearer now after the grounding?"
She rose too, brushing dirt from her clothes. "Yes."
"Good. Focus them westward. Report any energy signatures consistent with Hammond's technology."
Claire turned away from me, facing the direction of Hammond's compound. Her posture straightened, professional once more. "There's something... a low-level hum. Different from the natural energy patterns."
"Distance?"
