The Heretics

26: Glow

"You're glowing again," Kendra commented and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I walked into her on my way to training, not particularly eager to have my ass kicked once again. As if breaking more bones would help me in any way. 

Now if it would eventually harden my bones as not to continue breaking, I would have re-evaluated my mood, but since all I could feel was physical agony these days, the mood wasn't exactly at its highest point.

But, since Reagan and I had just shared a lovely breakfast together, there must have still been residue of that somewhere in my facial expression. He made every negative thought melt away by merely being present, even if the breakfast had been brief and we'd barely had enough time to exchange a lot of words. 

Watching him munch on some fruit with juice running down the side of his chin was sweet enough to last for the entire day. I even plucked up the courage to lick it away...

"What do you mean?" I asked, my mind struggling to return from my memories and back into the present.

Kendra laughed lightly. "You know exactly what I mean! You've been so incredibly smug these past few days every time I see you!"

Laughing, I felt no embarrassment. Reagan's influence made me confident, and cocky, even. "Well, I've been very satisfied these past few days."

Kendra tore open her mouth and smacked me on my arm. "Oh my goodness, Catherine!" she screeched, breaking out in bellowing laughter.

When our laughter died down, she looked at me intently. When she continued to look at me like that, not saying anything, I wondered what was going through her mind.

"What?"

Shaking her head, Kendra's curls bounced. "You're already so... different."

I tilted my head, contemplating whether I should take that as a complement or offence. Considering her emotions were not of any negative nature, I went for the first.

"I don't know, I can't really put it in words. You just seem happy."

I gave her a reassuring smile. "I think I am happy."

Kendra returned the smile and felt both content and appreciative. I suspected that she felt both those things because I did, too, though I wasn't sure that my gift was responsible for the similarity in our moods.

"How are things with you and Dante?" I inquired, showing an interest in their relationship I hadn't before, since I'd been so preoccupied to prevent it rather than embracing it. We had a lot to catch up on.

Her smile widened as she thought of her promised. "Good. He's being incredibly patient with me, despite wanting to complete the last stage more than anything. I'm mainly just waiting to drive him nuts." A mischievous chuckle went through her and was so contagious that I had to laugh as well.

"It's nice that you guys have found each other and that your bond is so strong," I commented.

Nodding, she said, "So am I. You and Reagan seem to be getting along better too!"

I sighed. "Ever since completing the last stage I think our understanding for each other has been the reason for our peace. He's very tense most of the time and distant from one moment to the next. It can be confusing. But I'm sure that feeling a million things when he's used to being emotionally blank isn't easy either." I paused, having found such a calmness to myself that I surprised even me sometimes. "I think we all have our difficulties and being with someone is never easy when they are different. And considering no one is the same, we all experience similar situations."

Kendra's mouth hung open. "Gosh, C, I think your instructor is having an impact on you!"

I grunted. "Oh, don't even get me started with him!"

Kendra laughed. "Why? I'm sure he's not as bad as you usually make him out to be!"

I had told Kendra about Feiran a few times, especially when he was winding me up without any apparent reason. Most of his lessons seemed to serve no other purpose than to drive me insane, and he definitely succeeded in that. I couldn't even count how many times I visited the infirmary, with Kendra by my side, listening to the curses that I'd wished upon him.

If only the gods would listen when I prayed for them to have his arse itch so bad that he couldn't leave his living quarters and I could train with someone––anyone––else.

So far, no luck.

"You want to switch?"

Before Kendra had the chance to answer, I re-thought my suggestion and quickly took it back. "No, wait, Kit is probably just as bad."

"He's not, actually! I mean his taste for humans is pretty sour, but if you look past that, he's actually decent. He's thorough."

Shaking my head, I couldn't imagine someone like Kit, the guy who had evaluated all of us and had his hand in me being paired up with Feiran, be anything but irritating.

"He has no sense of hierarchy or respect," I muttered.

"In training I'm not sure that's needed." Kendra had a point.

"I don't care."

Kendra laughed. "I know. Be happy with Feiran, then."

Shaking my head, I said, "I rather be paired up with Jaxxon's trainer. Apparently, she's nice and tells him why she's breaking his bones so he can avoid it."

"Give Feiran a chance. I think everything he is doing, he's doing for a good reason."

I threw up my arms, exasperated. "As if! He's just a sadistic blind man who doesn't have anyone else to harass."

Kendra laughed again, a hearty sound coming from her that latched onto me quickly.

"He'll probably kick me extra hard now that I'm late. I'll see you around!"

Waving to Kendra, I already parted from her as she yelled back, "Then kick him first this time!"

Heeding Kendra's words, I did exactly that. Boy, did Feiran appreciate it.

Not really... 

---

So, what do we think of Kendra's ploy to make Dante wait?

I'm happy Catherine and Kendra are in each other's good graces again. Do you think the fight was Catherine's fault?

Was it resolved fairly?