Page 49 of Spirit Trials
I laugh. “I can totally see that.” I can hear the affection in his voice when he talks about his friend though. “How long ago was that?”
“When we were both eight.”
“And Hector?” I know that he’s his uncle, but I’m curious about how they came to live together.
He doesn’t answer right away. “He’s my uncle, my mom’s brother. He came to the castle when I was fifteen and insisted on training me for the Spirit Trials. I don’t know where he was before that. We don’t talk about it, but he spent four years training me. And then after the spirit trials, I snagged this place and asked him to move in with me and Lox. He agreed and has been here ever since. Jamik joined us when he turned fourteen, two years ago. I know we’re an odd group, but...”
“But they’re your chosen family,” I fill in for him.
“Yeah. I’d kill for any of them.” His words are fierce, and a sort of ache fills my breastbone—a longing to be a part of a group like this, to be protected fiercely. I swallow a lump in my throat. In our family of three, I’ve always had to be the protector, even as a young girl. I guess that’s part of losing a dad, wanting that feeling of being protected; and I lost that at a young age. I rub my heart and try to push down the emotion his words have stirred up. I take a breath and step backwards.
“I’m going to head inside.” My words aren’t as steady as I want them to be, and I scold myself.
I turn away, but Rysden snags my good wrist. “You’re in that group now.” I swallow hard, as my emotions threaten to spill over. “Shade claimed you first. It’s taken me a little longer, but I consider you part of my group now. I’ll kill anyone that hurts you or threatens you.”
A tear threatens to spill over, and I pull on my hand. “Please don’t.”
His thumb strokes my wrist, and I nearly come undone with the tender touch. I don’t think he’s even aware he’s doing it. “Don’t what?” He asks softly.
I struggle to put it into words; I’ve never been good with expressing what I’m feeling. “Rysden, my entire life, all I’ve ever wanted is to be protected.”And loved.I keep that part to myself. “Joining your group would be...”Everything.I steel my spine. “But I have to stay focused. I have to win these trials, so I can get back to my mom and my brother. They’re my family; they’re everything to me. I know you get that because you havethem.” I nod my head towards the house. I know it’s dark, but I also know he knows exactly who I’m talking about. “So, as good as your protection sounds, I can’t have it. I have to do this on my own and when the time is right, go back to my home, where I belong.” I feel the change in him—the pulling away. My heart mourns, but I know it’s for the best.
“You’re right.”
I take a breath and push all the emotion rolling through me deep down. I have a job to do. I have to win these trials and take care of my family. It’s my purpose now, and anything else is just a distraction. Without another word, I turn around and head back inside, leaving Rysden and Shade behind.
Chapter 27
I walk back into the main room. Harper and Kinsley are still at the table, as well as Lox. “Oh good. Lox, you’re still here. We need to get back to training. Would you be willing to help?”
Lox gives me a look that I feel like sees too much, so I look over at Harper and Kinsley instead. “We already lost several hours sleeping; we need to use the rest of the time to prepare.” When neither of them move, I clap my hands. “Let’s go.”
Harper stands up and pushes her chair in. “What crawled up your backside?” At her question, Lox snorts out a laugh that’s quickly cut off when I give him a look. I lead the way towards the stairs and nearly run into Jamik.
“Jamik, good. You can come too. We’re training.” I don’t leave him a chance to say no. When we get to the basement, I turn and face them all. “Jamik and Lox are really good; they know what they’re doing. So, whatever they say to do, do it. Hector will work with you on your bow skills as soon as I can get him down here.” They all stare at me, and it just frustrates me. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“What is your deal?” Harper asks.
“What’s my deal?” I return. “We are going back out there in less than a week. We have to go through all this again. We barely made it through this first trial, and each trial is going to get harder.” When Harper and Kinsley both keep looking at me like something is wrong, I snap. “I don’t want either of you to die or me either! Is that so bad?”
Kinsely’s face softens. “Okay. I get that.” She turns to Jamik. “All right. Teach me what I need to learn.”
“She doesn’t know how to go on the offensive or how to wield a knife properly,” I tell Jamik. Kinsley gives me a look, and I shrug. “It’s the truth.”
I turn to Lox, but Harper holds up a hand. “I got it. I already know my weaknesses.”
I nod and turn away and start on my own with the training Rysden did with me before. It doesn’t take long before I’ve worked up a sweat, but it’s not enough. Anger and frustration burn through me, and I’ve got nowhere to direct it. And then Rysden is there. He steps in front of me, dressed head to toe in black, his shirt pulling tight over his chest and biceps. “Let’s go.” Any warmth I received from him earlier is gone. This is the cold man I first met outside my village. He tosses me a knife that I catch midair. The hold is so natural now after hours of training with it and keeping it always in reach while I was in the trial. He doesn’t give me a moment to prepare. He takes me through the paces and shows me no mercy. “Harder.” “Watch that left foot.” “You missed an opening.” “Faster.”
His commands come over and over. Finally, he calls a rest. I try to catch my breath and put my hands on my knees. I hate it that he’s not even breathing hard, nor has he broken a sweat. “Outside,” he orders to all of us.
I stand up and wipe my forehead. “Right now? It’s dark.”
He levels a look at me. “I thought you didn’t want you or your friends to die.”
I scowl. I’m not sure if he overheard me or if one of the guys told him, but I hate having my words used against me. Without another word, I follow him up the stairs and outside. I don’t look back at Harper or Kinsley; I have a feeling they’re probably cursing my name right now. When we get outside, Rysden doesn’t slow. He walks towards the trees behind his house. They’re visible only because the moon is bright tonight. When we get there, he turns towards the three of us. Lox and Jamikstand a few feet back but don’t say a word. “Each of you pick a tree to climb.”
I face the trees because I’ve done this so many times in my life, and multiple times in training. “You have got to be kidding,” Harper mumbles under her breath.
“Does it look like I’m kidding?”
