Page 79 of Riftborne
My mind drifted to Ashford… our time in the darkened halls of the Compound.
Against the wall…
My face heated at the thought. His presence was seared into my mind in vivid detail. It was almost maddening. Sweat clung to me desperately. I suddenly became all too aware of my racing heart.
Almost on demand, the sky bottomed out. Threads of rain lashed down over the city, instantly drenching me and dousing the embers that had started burning under my skin.
I let the torrent wash away the memory as I made my way into the gym. Lightning cracked behind me, illuminating the street.
Reaching the practice area, it became clear that I was alone. Darkness filled the room, thick and silent. No sign of the General. I opted to start without him, practicing visualization exercises with my eyes open–anything to avoid succumbing to the pulls of sleep. I counted the vertebrae as the tendrils danced up my spine.
I couldn’t help wondering where he was.
Probably working on something far above my level of knowledge. Perhaps Wraiths were descending on Luminaria at that very moment.
If only I could convince myself I believed that.
If I was being honest, my mind kept going to that dark place.The one I was ashamed to admit existed. The one where two redheads were entangled, twisting in sheets, mirroring the rage of the storm outside.
My eyes burned at the thought, and I quickly shoved it from my mind.
Stop acting like an Esprithe-damned schoolgirl.
The General eventually sauntered in, seemingly oblivious to how late he was.
“Any progress?” he asked with a tone of indifference.
Breaking my concentration, I stole a glance in his direction.
Laryk’s hair was slicked back and dripping, creating a small puddle on the floor. The button down he wore was nearly translucent from the downpour, clinging to every dip and contour of his frame.
“Y-yes, actually. I’ve been practicing with my eyes open today. I can’t hold onto it for too long, but I’ve been able to call it forward consistently,” I stammered, shifting in my seat.
My eyes were locked on him, railing against my better judgment. I hated how much I loved looking at him.
He tugged at the collar of his shirt with no regard to my lingering stare. “And you’ve been able to keep a hold on it during group training? Nothing has set you off?”
His fingers deftly worked on the shirt's buttons, each one revealing more ivory skin that glistened in the dimly lit gym, giving way to the defined muscles and sculpted shoulders beneath.
Fire surged through me, followed by an icy chill. I was instantly grateful for the cold fabric that clung to my skin.
A round of thunder reverberated through the room, shaking the equipment around us.
"Yeah, I guess the training did pay off," I murmured, finally managing to look away. It was true. The things that Baelor said earlier that day used to unravel me, but somehow, without even realizing it, I'd integrated those mental exercises into my daily life.
A blush warmed my cheeks as the accusations echoed in mymind. What would Laryk think if he knew the rumors that had been spoken into existence today? The threats rallied at him?
I certainly wouldn’t be the one to bring it up.
He walked towards the wall lined with locked cabinets, producing a key from his back pocket and sliding it into one of the doors. Once opened, he pulled out a crumple of black fabric.
He tossed me a cotton shirt before slipping the other over his head. Another lightning strike shot just outside the windows, brightening the room. My gaze dropped to the shirt before flickering back to him.
“I could see you shivering all the way over here, but if you prefer your soaked leathers, by all means,” he sighed.
I blinked.
Noticing my hesitation, he chuckled and turned around, gesturing with his hand. “The room is yours.”
