***
I exhaled slowly, opening my mind to La’Kera and seeking her thoughts with ease as she saw mine. We had practiced little on Here and There on the camping trip, though she was only ever a thought away. To really feel and see through her was the trick of these lessons.
“I want to try something a little different today.”
Karson was sitting across from me, and that was when I flinched, out of habit. He’d probably want to hit me for not focusing.
“This time I want you and La’Kera to push against each others minds. The aim is that you pull away from each others thoughts and place walls around your own mind.”
“What! Are you serious? Why would I want that? She’s my link forever, isn’t that … impossible.”
“Not impossible. It is called; mind numbing and it will strengthen your link over time. To know how far we were, to rest from each other’s thoughts. She is most likely already doing it. Having conversations you are unaware of, or perhaps when she seems distant. Though you are aware of her, and since last week when she shut you off, this will make the barrier distinguishable.”
Releasing a deep breath, I focused our training, now on not being with each other, but pulling away. Mind Numbing. That’s exactly what it was. The instant I couldn’t feel her thoughts or her mood, I was startled with dread and fear, numb without her. Opening my eyes in panic—
“It’s like last week … when she slipped from the branch. I don’t like this.”
“It is for small moments. You both need to have this lesson. If you don’t, your minds may blend too much and confusion on who is hungry for what, will take shape. I noticed you ate less when we were on the camping trip.”
“Oh, that wasn’t because of La’Kera.”
“You sure. She didn’t need to eat; she was full from her meal the day before. Is this correct.”
“Um … yeah.”
“As I guessed. You need to find that balance for the both of you. Now, relax.”
It took all my will, not to hit him, mostly because he closed his eyes and waited for my heart rate to slow and finally I was in the here and there to force up walls, and block out La’Kera.
It is strange, it makes me feel ….
Lonely, I offered.
She agreed.
Without her constant thought in my mind, I was alone. My head was empty of all things, but my thoughts. Which were, like before in Plumridge, clouded, simple, annoying and never able to hold them for long periods. Was I always so … careless in my thoughts? I touched her mind, to keep her with me. I didn’t want to leave her mind and she had the opposite of my thoughts. To her, she was over thinking things, wanting answers to things she didn’t think about and found, she was thinking about them regardless.
“As a link you answer without answering, without each other—you are as you were. Separate and unlinked, making all things new and old both strange and annoying.”
“So, why do we have to do it?”
“To balance your minds. We will keep the Mind Numbing lesson to twice a week. Later on, you will work on full hour lessons. For now, moments are all you need to find the balance.”
“Right.” I didn’t like it and he knew it.
Karson reached out, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. The sensation had me blink, frozen in my position. Least he didn’t strike me.
“You are progressing well, and as I said before, everything takes time.” He nodded, “Let’s move on to mêlée.” And he led me to the Combat Yards.
He stood in the ring of the combat area; he held the long staff, waiting. For what, I wasn’t sure, and then he lunged without warning. I wasn’t able to block it, and found the dirt in my face. He walked around me, waiting until I was on my feet, and lunged. Knocked to the ground, the dirt in my mouth, to rise and follow the same action in seconds. Karson frowned on the fourth attack, staring down at me with a glare.
“Here. I want you to move like this …” Karson acted out a motion on how to slip from his attack. “When I attack from this side, move this way …” He paused, “I’ll go slower.” He stepped closer to position his hand on my hip, his other on my shoulder and acted the movement with a light pressure to my hip and shoulder to turn me around and place me on the opposite side of him. “If you move with your energy you will make the action easy enough.”
“Uh-hu.” I swallowed, trying not to think about his hands on my hips.
His breath was on my skin, the position was too close. I stared into his face—he’d shaven. The smell of suds tickled my senses as I stared into his green eyes. Oh, so many shades of green. The sea. The sea of green. Yes, I remember the painting with hues like that. He swallowed. I parted my lips, leaning up, closer to him. His eyes half closed, staring into mine with lashes that said he was oh, so close, so perfect. Closer and closer I moved. My lips parted and the desire to press my lips on him was real, was willing, and was leaning in, oh so close—
“You will never guess who is coming to the party?”
Corbin’s voice broke us apart with a jolt. His smile was full of spirit; it faulted. His mouth set in a half press, though paused in mid mood of excitement. He blinked, taking in Karson, who turned his back from me, ran a hand through his dark hair while releasing a slow and steady breath as I was. My body was in knots, my stomach clenched, my palm was sweaty, my head spinning as my breath exhaled on the need to release. The situation was intense and Corbin knew it. He narrowed his eyes ready to say something when Karson cut him off.
“This isn’t the best time for visits Corbin.”
“Hmm … it’s the perfect time. So. You’re never going to guess who is attending the party. It was a far cry from my wildest dreams, and you know all my crazy dreams.” Corbin watched Karson, turning his ever cheeky eyes on me. “Oh, and Rehema, should have heard of her.”
“Who.”
“Naomi.”
“Of Sapherian!” Karson lost his curt tone and replaced it with shock. “You actually managed to get her to come here. She hates the east. She only ever stays in Mildura.”
“I know. And I finally got her to join me here. Oh, she is so hard to please.”
“Um … who is she?” I hated I asked.
Both brothers stared at me as if I had something in my teeth.
“Sorry. Forget I asked.”
“No. It’s fine. Just a shame you have no idea.” Corbin nodded at his brother for a brief moment, who returned the look with a raised brow, Corbin answered. “She is the Sapherian Queen.”
“Oh,” I wasn’t sure I should have sounded more happy for it. “But isn’t Darcia the eldest Sapherian.”
“Uh—no. She is the second house of her sign. Naomi is Queen of her sign by five years and next in line of the throne.”
“The throne? You mean of the lands?”
“If the people wish her to rule them, yes. But for now, she is sitting to the right of Thaddeus. Oh, Rehema. You have so much to learn. Karson, you should get her out of the sun. Her brain is starting to turn to mush.” Corbin teased. Another look passed between them, as Karson pressed his lips together. “Well, I know when I’ve stepped a mark. You two can now get back to Er … training.”
Before I could utter a word, he was heading along the path to the Main Building; his form bounding up the stone steps was too far to see his expression when he turned to glance at us one last time.
Karson watched his brother, a stiffness lingered in his pose.
“So … I guess I’m missing something important with the Sapherian Queen.”
Karson smiled, his hand pressed to his chin as he turned his eyes to me.
“She is his crush … has been for years. He dotes over her every time they are together, but she plays him constantly.”
“So why does he keep bothering.”
Karson narrowed his eyes, blinked, and dropped his gaze to the staff, shifting it in his palms. “Let’s continue with combat.”
“Um … sure.”
He was avoiding
the argument or a discussion on the matter of relationships. I held to my staff. It was as tall as me with the thickness of a broom, though not as clumsy as my previous attempts with a long weapon. Karson started in on the attacks with light hits or strikes. He didn’t reach out or try to touch me, and he most definitely didn’t show me how to stand or hold the staff. It was a simple combat; three hits that would normally render a man harmed beyond fighting was the way the combat went. Three pins as he called it. He would knock my staff from my hand, or hold the staff to my neck, stating I was now delgori soup. He won all three rounds, and I was left with several more bruises and scraps, with the need for another shower.
“Er … Karson?”
He glared with the slip of his title.
“Master Karson? Can … Will I be going to the party tomorrow night?”
He placed the staff in the barrel, taking the path with silence. As his foot hit the first step, I was ready to say not to worry.
“I don’t want you to go to them. They are a distraction you don’t need. As for this party tomorrow night, Corbin will not stop until you go. And I ask you heed the laws. No wine for you.”
“What. But in Plumridge wine was allowed … I’m over sixteen.”
“In Stone Heart, and other towns of higher education. Seventeen is too young. You must be eighteen for the wines or meads. Understand.”
“Sort of.” Odd, I could wear low cut tops, short skirts that showed most, if not all of my legs bare, and yet I wasn’t allowed to drink wine until I turn eighteen. That was six months away from now. “So I can go then?”
“Yes. As I said before, you will still be training on weekends. I want you to be on time for combat the morning after.”
“Yeah. I will be. Six right.”
“It can be eight on weekends. Though I know you have trouble sleeping. Is this how you wish to have all your lessons?”
“I guess. Can’t hurt can it? And maybe … later I can go to other parties.”
Karson’s lips pressed into a thin line, such a control of anger or annoyance, I couldn’t tell.
“That is if it’s okay. I know, I can’t have a holiday.” My sadness had him less angered and more amused.
“We will see how the weeks move along. If you have achieved well in the next few weeks we can discuss it then.” That was all I wanted to hear. To at least be allowed to discuss going. “Remember that there will be many tempting offerings when you go. None of which you are ready for. Do you understand me?”
“I promise to do as asked and keep to the code. Besides, it’s kind of interesting. I’ve never met the Royals, Is … Was … are there Royals here at Draeos I didn’t know about?” My face fell.
“You have met a few who are, though none that act as the main Royals if that is what you are asking. You will be tempted by many on their promises. I ask you to take it in your stride.”
“Thanks. And I will.” With that, I headed off to my room, leaving Karson in the lobby.
Strange he didn’t want me to go, wasn’t as if I would find a way out of this place. Or was that why he didn’t want me to go. He was worried that one of the Royals would make an offer that I could leave. Hmmm … If that were true, did I want to leave? Did I want to go to EzRah, or maybe to Mildura or some place that wasn’t here with Karson. To have such an opportunity made my body tense with fear, the idea that I would leave La’Kera, to leave Draeos; I was only six months as a Ryder. No. I would wait. Karson was my mentor, and maybe something else.
I turned my thoughts to that almost moment. Was it a kiss? Was it a real kiss he was about to give me. I could imagine his mouth on mine, his lips moving with mine. Tingles touched the pit of my stomach at the idea. It had been so long since I had a kiss that meant something. Bronson didn’t have a lot of kissing or hand holding acts, small and limited. Nothing that got my body wanting more. That moment was nervous and full of anticipation, a heartbeat. If Corbin hadn’t shown up, we would have … kissed? I didn’t want to think about it. What could or couldn’t be. Pushing it from my mind, and to the best of my thoughts; away for another time. Right now, it was evening and dinner would be served, but it was a shower I was seeking.