Page 87 of Draekora

“Nothing,” he said quickly. “I’m just relieved. That’s the first time you’ve mentioned the future me. I was worried…”

“That you’re dead?” Alex guessed.

He let out a startled chuckle. “No. I was worried I might have been the outcast Meyarin Claiming mortals.”

It was Alex’s turn to stiffen in shock. “Why would you say that?”

His shoulders rose and fell. “Very few people have access to the knowledge of how to performMenada dae Loransaany more. I’m one of them. You can’t blame me for being concerned.”

Looking at him with undisguised disbelief, Alex demanded, “Do you really think I’d be sitting here with you if your future self had done all that to me?”

If anything, Roka’s relief only grew. “I’m guessing since you’re so friendly with the others, none of them are to blame, either,” he deduced—incorrectly.

“How about you stop trying to guess who it might be,” Alex said, her tone stating that it wasn’t just a suggestion.

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” he hastily apologised. “Let’s go back to your Meyarin abilities. Is it because of them that Aes Daega wanted you to stay in Meya? So we could teach you how to utilise them?”

Alex nodded, relieved that he was able to come to the conclusion on his own. “The changes in me are relatively new,” she told him. “In my time, you were only just about to start training me; teaching me to be a Meyarin, I guess you could say.”

“It’s not natural for you, I take it?”

“I have to concentrate really hard,” Alex admitted.

“That first day you were here and we sparred,” Roka mused, his eyes unfocused. “You needed a moment before we could fight.”

“I needed a moment otherwise you probably would have killed me,” Alex returned pointedly. “Every time I call up theValispathor do some stupid stunt like jump off a waterfall, I have to first centre myself to trigger the blood in my veins. I have to stop and listen and breathe until it sort of… kicks over from human to Meyarin.” She shook her head at herself. “It sounds weird, I know it does. But I don’t know how else to explain it.”

“Should I askwhyyou need to have the strength and skills of an immortal? Why you need to move and fight like one of our race?”

Trying for a casual tone when she felt anything but, Alex quirked up her lips and joked, “Someone’s gotta keep you crazy Meyarins in line.”

It was clear the prince saw straight through her act, but he didn’t press her, likely guessing it involved the malicious Meyarin of the future.

“Well I guess there’s only one thing we can do, then,” he said instead.

Alex raised her eyebrows in question.

“We have to follow through with what Aes Daega asked,” Roka said, “and teach you how to be a Meyarin.”

Not entirely sure if that was a good idea anymore, Alex started to argue, “Roka—”

“Am I correct in assuming that during our first sparring session you panicked, fearing I might draw your blood?”

She nodded slowly.

“And that’s why you’ve been avoiding fighting me ever since?”

“Can you blame me?”

He chuckled lightly and she felt a weight lift off her chest at the hearty, genuine sound. He wasn’t forcing it for her benefit. He was just… Roka.

“No, Aeylia, I can’t blame you, given how I reacted earlier today.”

“About that…”

Rushing to assure her, he said, “I won’t tell anyone, I gave you my word.”

“It’s not that,” Alex said, though she was definitely relieved. “It’s just… Are you, um, okay? I mean, Ihavebeen lying to you for the past ten days. And my secret is not something small. I’m mortal, Roka. I’mhuman. That’s like… That’s like buying a pet dog and going home to find it’s really a cat dressed up as a puppy. No one wants to own a cat disguised as a puppy. Most people don’t even want to own a cat that looks like a cat!”

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