Deciding I would play off his sympathy, I released my magic into a rope, wrapping it around one of the low, thick branches, and grabbed onto it with one hand. I used that rope and the help of my magic to swing myself around the tree. As I came around the other side of the tree, I brought my legs up and kicked outward hard with my feet at Owen’s chest, effectively knocking him to the ground.
And then just as he’d taught me, I had a foot on his chest and my wooden sword pointed at his neck.
Owen’s mouth fell open and I tried not to evil-laugh my victory.
“That was... brilliant.”
I switched my sword to my left hand and offered my right one to help Owen up. He took it, mostly hoisting himself up.
As soon as he was standing, I handed him my sword. “Let me guess, stretch time?”
Owen smirked as I leaned over to stretch the backs of my legs.
“Why is it, Jorah, that you can do something likethatwhen you train with me, but then with the princes you hesitate and are more timid with your magic? I just don’t get it.”
I sighed as I looked at the leaves on the ground and swayed slightly, making sure my legs were getting good and stretched out. If I’d learned anything in all my trainings with Owen, it was that if I didn’t stretch my legs out well, I’d pay for it later.
“I’m serious, Jorah,” he continued. “When it is just the two of us, you are amazing. Not for a woman, but for anEnchanted. Man or woman.”
I stood up and extended my back, trying my best to do my stretches diligently.
He reached out a hand to stop me. “Jorah.”
I inhaled deeply, my eyes traveling the direction of the castle, the direction I knew Krew was in. “I don’t want to answer this.”
“I noticed. I’ve never seen you stretch so attentively.”
I rolled my eyes.
He nudged me with his elbow. “Talk to me. You know you can tell me anything.”
I groaned and stared up at the trees. “It’s just that Krew is my husband? I don’t know. I don’t want to look like a fool around him. If he were here, I wouldn’t have tried what I just did on you because I wouldn’t want him to see me fall on my butt.” I paused. “No offense to you, but it’s just that you are a safe place for me. Krew gave me almost all of his magic. Well kind of. He was supposed to have only a drop now but somehow, he still has his. But all the same, I feel pressure to not disappoint him with the gift he’s given me.”
Owen tipped his head to his shoulder while considering what I said.
“And if that’s not enough,” I added, “the times I have seen Krew use his magic, he is an artist with it, tossing it this way and that while in total control. He makes it all look so easy, though now I realize how extremely not easy it is.” I shook my head. “And it’s all so very...” A shiver traveled up my spine as I remembered Krew’s words from when our sound barrier combined, “attractive.It is entirely easier to focus around you than it is around him. Again, no offense.”
Owen pressed his lips together a moment. “So in other words, I don’t turn you on?”
“I—” It was a lot more than that, wasn’t it? I didn’t even know any more. “Yes? But also the disappointment thing too.”
Owen shrugged. “You do know he didn’t give you all that magic to see what you could do to his father with it, right? He did it only so that you could protect yourself.”
I shrugged as I turned to head back to the castle. “Yes, but I still want to feel worthy of it.”
Owen pointed to the tree I had used to swing around and kick him. Where my magical rope had swung me, the branch now held leaves, and the exact imprints from the rope left moss on the bark.
“Oops.”
Owen squinted at me. “Did you do that on purpose?”
I shook my head. “No, but I can’t say I’m really sorry about it either. My magic and I just seem to agree about the forest needing healing. It’s like my magic recognizes what I subconsciously want.” And I had specified when I was willing my magic to make the rope for it not to hurt the tree or branch; I hadn’t told it to heal it though.
Owen rolled his eyes. “You and this damn forest.”
* * *
“I think,”Owen said later that evening as we headed back to Krew’s wing, a moving green sound barrier around us, “you should begin practicing with Krew more. Maybe once or twice a week. Ease into it.”
