Page 42 of Their Chosen

“That's if it wouldn't be completely pointless since Rhowyn is wanting to leave as soon as she possibly can. If he has a way to make that happen, none of this will matter,” Lennox said, as if completely unbothered, however the war was evident in him.

As if I didn't have enough on my plate already, I had to deal with his petulance and attitude over the whole situation. I couldn't focus on him right now though, too many other things needed to be accomplished in not a lot of time.

Rhowyn came out of the room, and I stood up, Baer following suit. “Let's head to the training room,” I said as I exited the room, hearing everyone follow behind me.

Chapter Twenty: Rhowyn

The room Arryn led us to was large and open, with what appeared to be mats all along the floor that provided a softer place to land. Large windows lined the far wall, allowing a ton of natural light to flood the space. A table was set up on one side, filled with various weapons and other gear.

I couldn't help my disappointment at not seeing any boxing gear or a bag in sight, and apparently, it showed all over my face. Baer noticed and asked, “What's wrong?”

Lennox snarked, “Not to your liking, Princess? Afraid to get your hands dirty?”

I rolled my eyes at Lennox and answered Baer instead. “I was just hoping to see a punching bag or some boxing gear. It's been several days since I've been able to train.”

“Well, today, our focus will be more on magic training, but maybe I can scrounge something up for later,” Baer told me simply.

I just nodded as Arryn came to stand in front of me. “I know we've talked to you a little bit about magic, but it seems we need to start with more of the basics to see if you can reach and draw yours out.”

“Okay.” I nodded, ready to get started and excited about finding out what I could do, though a part of me remained doubtful that I even had magic.

Arryn led me closer to the windows and away from Lennox and Baer, giving us a semblance of privacy. He sat down on the mats and gestured for me to do the same. Once I had done so, he said, “I want you to start by closing your eyes and trying to block out everything while focusing on your breathing.”

I did as he instructed, breathing in and out. After a little bit, I felt myself starting to relax. “Now, try to direct yourself internally, follow from your mind to deep inside your chest. Focus on what you feel.”

As I continued my breathing, sinking deeper into the meditation, I allowed my mind to picture a pathway from my brain to my chest, stopping to picture my lungs filling and deflating with each respiration. The longer I watched this action internally, the more I started to feel an area of energy that was almost hiding from me. As I studied it, I noted darkness and shadows that felt like they’d been designed to keep me and everyone else out.

I couldn't explain how I knew this if I had wanted to, but it felt like a bone-deep intuition, almost like how we’re programmed to notice threats in our environment. No one knew exactly how it worked, but we knew it was there. A pure instinct meant to keep us safe and ensure our survival.

The more I tried to prod the ball of energy, the more the shadows grew, as if protecting it from discovery. So, I pulled back slightly, allowing myself to see what I could feel from the small amount that escaped from the shadows, deciding that pushing it wouldn't be wise until I knew more. This felt like my magic, but if my guess was correct, it was locked within some kind of dark cage, intent on keeping me away from it. I allowed my thoughts to drift while keeping the ball in my mind's eye, trying to see if I could gain any more insight from it.

When I couldn’t gain any more information or ideas, I opened my eyes to see Arryn still watching me patiently, his eyes holding the question, but he remained silent. It was a trait I wasn't used to; humans were always so impatient and constantly demanding instant gratification that very few ever learned the true meaning of discipline. The same discipline Arryn appeared to have mastered, and a devious part of me felt a strong desire to see how far I could push his control. I wanted to see what he was like when he was out of control and needed me desperately.

My heart rate picked up as a shot of desire went straight to my core, and I fought the need to squeeze my legs together to ease my sudden need for friction, my lips parting. Arryn’s pupils dilated as his gaze landed on my lips, causing my mouth to dry and my tongue to dart out to lick my lips.

I wasn't a fool. I knew he was attracted to me, and I was definitely into him, but I was hesitant to dive into anything that might have strings that could keep me here longer than I wanted to be. Instead of succumbing to our desires like I wanted to do, something I desperately wished I could indulge in, I chose to distract us both.

“I think I found my magic, but I couldn't get close enough to tell you for sure.”

His brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I'm not sure how to explain it, but I felt this core of energy in my chest. It felt like it was caged in shadows. Anytime I tried to get closer to it, the more the shadows grew, so I backed off.” I furrowed my own brows as I tried to think of logical reasons for what I had sensed until I remembered that this was supposed to be magic, and I knew nothing about magic yet.

Arryn seemed to think this over before asking me, “Do you think the shadows are malevolent?”

“Honestly? No. It felt more like it was hiding my magic to protect me, but I have no idea why or how I know this, just that I do.” I shrugged.

“It's probably the same cause holding your glamor in place. I'm thinking it might have something to do with keeping you hidden on Earth.”

“That sounds plausible, but if that's the case, why hasn't it worn off yet? You would think that whoever did this would want me to be able to access it if I ever found my way back here.”

“Unless, whoever it was had been planning on being with you to do it.”

I didn't know what to say to that. Both of us seemed to understand that this was the most reasonable explanation for the lock on my magic and my true fae form.

“We'll have Master Jude take a look when we speak with him later. Hopefully, he can shed some more light or undo the magic completely. Until then, we still have some time before we need to leave to get ready for the meeting with all the Chosen and Consorts.” He glanced around the training area, spotting Baer and Lennox sparring in what looked to be some kind of bubble that kept any sound from escaping. A thin translucent film stretched around the two of them as they fought, but not a sound could be heard.

“Is that a soundproof bubble?” I asked Arryn, still shocked to see more magic, my eyes glued to the men who were training with large swords.

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