Dark Moon | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 17

Esmeray decided she might as well learn to fight properly.

There were two new hybrids to choose from, and it had been very easy to ask who had fighting experience. Their sire bond with Klaus left them being incredibly obedient to her demands now that he had made it very clear that they had to do what she wanted, except letting her leave by herself.

Two of the newest recruits were to be her instructors. Paige and Sina were going to be teaching her better self defense. Her individual task would be to learn more defensive spells and gain as much proper control over her magic as she could, which she hadn't tried to do yet, for obvious reasons.

For the next few days, she endured a rigorous schedule of combat training and spellwork. It was exhausting, but it got her through everyday to know that at least, the next time someone attacked her, she wouldn't have to rely on Klaus coming to rescue her.

"The damsel in distress routine peeves you," the Original hybrid observed one night when he, Esmeray, and the five hybrids were sitting down for dinner. Klaus had apparently been craving French food, and somehow, the chefs had managed to make an authentic dish for them. "You hate being helpless."

"You understand that, don't you?" she asked, picking at her slice of quiche lorraine with her fork. "We know we were born with some extra power. Being vulnerable is... unacceptable. It was instilled in us from birth."

"I suppose I'm merely surprised that you're suddenly beating up my hybrids instead of trying to escape."

Esmeray didn't want to admit that she was afraid to leave now. "I just want to hone my skills before I try to run away again," she said with a cheeky grin. "Maybe I'll be successful this time."

"You'll be successful the day the hybrids and I become humans."

"So basically, when pigs fly."

"Precisely."

She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Yeah, well, with magic, pigs can fly, so I'd say my chances are increasing."

Klaus rolled his eyes, but there remained a smirk of amusement on his face. "Any news from that wolf that fancies you, love?"

"I haven't seen her. But I know she didn't sell me out to those wolves. I'm guessing they were from the Columbia River Pack?"

"Yes. And they're all dead now. The Willamette Pack can thank me later."

She raised an eyebrow. "I thanked you yesterday and you ignored me. Does it make you uncomfortable when people appreciate those itty bitty moments when you're not being a colossal dick?"

"You tossed me into a wall, love, I didn't think any more words from my mouth were welcome or advisable after I'd just told you that you'd be confined here."

"There's the word. Confined. I want to believe that I'm not your prisoner, Klaus, but you really are exercising every last bit of your control over me."

"What would you prefer me to say? 'It is heavily recommended you reside in this mansion for twenty-four hours a day due to your incompetence when facing lesser wolves.' Does that please you more?"

Esmeray gritted her teeth. "No. I don't appreciate you rubbing my incompetence in my face." She looked back at her plate, feeling uncomfortable.

"Look at how incompetent Princess Poldark is!"

Nodin, Kele, and Mika were teasing her again. They were the leaders of the gang of boys her age that always sought to torment her. Today, she was learning how to shoot a bow and arrow, and her father had stepped away for a bit, leaving her practicing alone.