The Touch of Demise │18+

38: Fae Blood

GRACE

"Did Demise tell you about my final task?"

Rosalie and Goliath nodded. Rosalie was an esteemed gamma within the Royal Guard and her insight was beneficial for Grace because she instructed her how fae fought. Fae did not use their wings often and protected their backs more than anything else. Because wings were how the fae died, they rarely turned their backs on enemies even if it was the fastest way to escape or dodge and attack. 

Rosalie stood in front of her sparring her as a fae would while Goliath stood a few feet away giving tips. 

"How do you feel about it?" 

Rosalie threw a punch which was blocked and countered by Grace. "It surprised me, but it makes sense." She huffed. "It makes sense that he wants to make sure we could all work together, but it's my ability he needs to focus on and if he's fighting he won't be able to focus on me."

"Wrong," Goliath said. "He'll only be able to focus on you."

"What do you mean?"

"Demise doesn't need to train," he said walking around the pair, eyeing their moves. "His combat skills are superior, but even if they were not, his control over his special abilities protects him. Any lycanthrope who steps to him will find themselves at a vast disadvantage."

"I thought the issue was that he had no control over his ability?" She stepped, kicked, turned, and then ducked as Rosalie threw her dagger. There were no swords today, but they did have access to smaller weapons. 

"Eh," he trailed. "Demise has spent centuries honing his abilities. He can't reduce them completely, but every moment of every day he's focused on limiting them."

"So what I have seen is just the surface?"

The man nodded as he stepped in for Grace. "Go run."

She stepped away from the duo. "How many miles?"

"Run to the library, run the stairs, and then run the inner perimeter of the capital."

"That's more than a hundred miles. You only have gammas run fifty."

"My gammas aren't all coming to the faelands and have been training since puberty. One hundred miles, two minutes a mile, fifty minutes. You have an hour, then. If you aren't back before then, you'll do it again."

"Prick," she cursed. "But I have more questions."

"Then link me. You need to practice linking over long distances."

"I can't-"

"Which is why I said you need to practice. You're down to fifty-eight minutes now."

"Okay okay! Damn." She took off out of the gym and passed Demise on her way into the city.  "Hey, Demise. Bye Demise."

"Woah! No kiss?"

"I have fifty-eight minutes for a hundred miles!" She called back. 

"You can run that in fifty-five." 

She returned and kissed him in front of his men that were working with him and then pushed him away from her with a smile. 

"Bye, saving Grace."

As she came to the library, she ran up the large and high marble stairs and then back down. 

"Prima Grace!"

"Yes?" She turned, jogging in place. 

Adam, a workman smiled at her and asked: "Tonight is the party, right?"