The Heretics

20: Down to Business

After rounding up all of my pack-members and talking things through with Reece in advance, we came to a surprisingly unanimous outcome at the end of our two-hour discussion that we held in the training room. Jaxxon and Jared hadn't agreed since the beginning, but in the end we all concluded that we weren't the type of people to shy away at the first sign of things getting hard. After all, the magic that flowed through our lands was just that––our lands. It was in our own interest saving genocide from happening. Where would we live if Espheros continued to be treated as means to an end? Ruled by the greed of power? Even if we would hide away in a small little village and start anew, at one point, the loss of magic would be felt in all corners of the world. And being a part of something greater than ourselves seemed like a good way to go, should anything happen to either of us.

And so, it was decided. We would fight amongst... dragons.

Reece was the one who asked for Reagan. But the guard had answered that he was too caught up to personally receive the news, so the guard carried it out instead. Barely any time passed at all to process what our decision entailed, and we were already being picked up individually to begin with our training.

Currently, Leizer was accompanying me out of my room through the wide corridor. His chattery nature brought sound into the otherwise cold and quiet halls, though his mood did nothing to influence mine. My mind was still occupied by thoughts of what the future would hold and what Reagan had meant with my gift proving to be invaluable. What could I do to help in a war where blood would surely be shed, by controlling emotions? There was no such thing as emotion during a time of war. War required focus. If emotions got in the way, people would drive themselves mad. Letting one feel while defending themselves in a time where death was an inevitability sooner rather than later would to destroy oneself with guilt. I couldn't imagine the crushing feeling of guilt when taking a life just because he was on the opposing side, a pawn in a bigger scheme. Having the gift of controlling emotions let me know how broken people came back from war, especially if their emotions took reign and couldn't be dealt with.

"So you'll be training with the best one we have," Leizer mentioned airily, like it was no big deal.

"Did Kit think I was so bad that I needed the best to make me useful?" I wondered aloud, beginning to resent the guy. Cocky asshole.

Leizer chuckled. "No. Reagan wanted you to be prepared for anything and Feiran is the only one he trusts."

Nodding, I wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Leizer lead me out of the palace and through a courtyard that took my breath away as soon we stepped out into fresh air.

The courtyard consisted of sandy white columns decorated with intricate designs similar to the symbols we had in the Iarhus. It proved that Ryker had spoken the truth about how the Iarhus had been a breading place for their kind. The mansions and their sizes down where the air smelled like salt underlined that, too. Seeing the columns made me think of home and a strange feeling settled in my stomach. I wasn't sure if it was a longing that went through me or relief that we got out when we did.

In the centre of the courtyard, a square formed by the columns holding up a canopy-like roof, stood one large weeping willow. It was magnificent. A lot of other, foreign plants grew around it, like a small little refuge where one could just sit amongst nature and loose themselves in its intricate, magnificent beauty.

It was instantly what I wanted to do but knew there was no time.

Whoever this Feiran person was, he was waiting for me.

Leizer and I crossed through the courtyard on a little pathway made up of slim, dark wooden planks that creaked lightly as our weight bent it.

I followed him through a gate at the far end of the courtyard that led out of the palace into what reminded me of how we shifters designed our homes. Behind the house, which in this case was a castle, countless hectares of land stretched out for kilometres and kilometres. A forest lined the horizon in the distance and everything between where Leizer and I stood was fields of golden shining grass.

I stood in awe until Leizer moved beside me and something else caught my attention from my peripheral vision.

"Thank you for waiting, Feiran," Leizer greeted the stranger and I turned to look at him.

An elderly man stood before me, his frame broad and his muscles not worn with age like his face was. The first thing that crossed my mind when I saw him was that he emanated an aura that bathed him in a sense of wisdom and experience. That his irises were whitened, glazed over by a colourless sheet, I only realised now. His hair reached his shoulders, black waves with barely any grey. His body and hair didn't seem to fit at all to the face that was lined in wrinkles. And the man was blind.

How was a blind man going to train me?

Doubt began to creep into me, and I tried hard to contain it and limit its exposure to Leizer or Feiran. The last thing I wanted was for this guy to be offended––albeit he was old, his body screamed strength and agility. The same power that the Thrakos men had, though less intense, surrounded him in a blanket of white. There was no doubt that he'd been very capable when he was young, and surely hadn't lost much of his skills. But the loss of his sight must have impaired his skills?

"Feiran, you'll be training Reagan's promised. You know with what results his expectations must be met. You have one month to make her ready."

And without further ado, Leizer bowed his head to me without properly introducing us to another and left the two of us alone.

Keeping quiet, I waited for the old man to say something first.

He never did.

Instead, Feiran kicked out my legs from underneath me and began trainingwithout warning.