The Princess of the Moon

Chapter 22

"All right," Carter said and clapped his hands together when we were outside. "Are you ready?" He raised an eyebrow and beamed while I scowled and narrowed my eyes.

I took a deep breath and let it out with a small whoosh. "And what would you do if I said no?" I asked and walked into the arena because I knew that was where he wanted me to stand.

Carter shrugged and looked nonchalant. "Push you anyway," he replied. He cleared his throat while he grew serious. "Can you make a shield?"

I gave him a weird look and narrowed my eyes, suspicious. "Yes?" I asked. "why?"

Carter didn't respond and gestured for me to make one, but I didn't; I stood there and waited for him to tell me why.

Carter huffed and rolled his eyes, but he wasn't annoyed with me. "Come on, Synnie Bear," he teased. "I thought you said that you can make one."

"I can make one," I replied curtly. "However, I do not know why I need to make one." I gave him a pointed look and raised an eyebrow. "Can you explain to me why I need to?"

Carter smiled innocently and shook his head. "No," he said. "All I need you to do is make a shield for me, and then I will show you why I wanted you to make one."

I wrinkled my nose and pursed my lips. "Does it matter the size or..?" I asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Protect your front first," he said. "If it holds up, then we can add the sides, the back, and then the top. However, we aren't there yet."

Kala scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You should make her create a shield everywhere around her," she said. "I do not unders-"

"Because this is how she works and gets stronger," Carter said, interrupting her. "You have to push her harder to complete a task fully if she is questioning herself and her abilities. You see what she can do and then add to it quickly. It's why her training with Zën is better."

I raised an eyebrow in question and stayed silent. I had no idea how he knew what my training with Zën consisted of and wondered if they were watching that too.

Carter noticed my look and grinned, amused. "Oh, we know all about what you do with Zën, Synnie Bear," he teased. "I had "recommended," that your father tell your Familiar how to train you, but alas, your Familiar decided not to listen."

Kala growled but didn't say a word. She flicked her tail in annoyance before she looked at me and him, waiting for me to do what I was told to do and create a shield.

I pressed my lips into a thin line before I slowly nodded. "Fine," I said before I cleared my throat. "What am I going to have to do after that?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

Carter grinned. "Oh, you are going to find out about that later," he replied while he dipped his head closer to his chest. "Now, go on and do it. Don't make us wait all day, Synnie Bear. You're going to need your beauty sleep if you want to do what I have planned for you tomorrow."

"And that is..?"

"Again, you will find out later," Carter said with a wink. "Now, go ahead and do it." He gestured for me to do the spell, and I rolled my eyes but did what I was told to do.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, calming my nerves and anxiety.

I had no idea what he was planning on doing and hoped that he would be impressed with the shield that I made, the urge to make it good, winning against the nerves that I still felt.

Letting out the breath that I held, I opened my eyes and created the shield that he wanted, making sure that I covered my whole front area and some of the sides.

"Hmph," Carter said and pressed his lips into a thin line, and I had a feeling he knew that I made it longer so that I was protecting my sides. "That'll do."

I held back an eye roll and took a deep breath before I let out with a small woosh. "Ok, what are you wanting to do?" I asked. "Why do you want this shield to be made?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at him, waiting for more instructions.

Carter grinned and narrowed his eyes teasingly. "Well..." he started but didn't say a small word, and I pressed my lips into a thin line and narrowed my eyes.

"Hurry up, Carter," I said. "What did you wan-" I bit back a small gasp when something hit the shield. "What the fuck?" I asked when I was pushed back a little, but the shield stayed firm.

"You told me to hurry up," Carter said and stared at me innocently, but his eyes were filled with such mischief that I couldn't help but scowl and narrow my eyes. "But good job on the shield," he said and nodded in approval. "Do you think you can hold onto the shield while you are attacked more?" He raised an eyebrow in question.

I took a deep breath and nodded while I set my jaw. I didn't say a word because I knew that all he would do would smile and quip something while he waited for me to confirm if I was ready or not.

"Good," Carter said with another nod. He cleared his throat and grew serious while he started to attack me, with such force that I was surprised that I didn't lose focus and break the shield that I had protecting me.

I gritted my teeth and squinted my eyes while I stayed in my spot. My whole body was tense, and my heart pounded hard in my chest with a steady thump, thump, thump.

I stayed silent and waited for Carter to let go, knowing full well that he was testing my abilities to see if I could protect myself.

"Good, Synnie Bear," Carter said while he stopped the barrage of attacks, and I hissed a warning at him using my nickname. He smirked and cleared his throat, growing serious. "Now, make the shield smaller."

"What?"

"Yes." He nodded in confirmation. "Make the shield smaller and make it so that there are two pieces instead of one. I want to see how well you can defend yourself while focusing on two shields."

"No," Kala said instantly while she looked between us. "She is not ready for that, Carter. You are here to train her, not kill her."

"Who said anything about killing?" Carter asked and looked at her through half closed eyes and an impish grin appeared on his face. "Besides you, of course."

Kala snarled and bared her teeth while she flicked her ears to the side of her head. "What you are planning to do will kill her, Carter," she warned. "I will not allow it."

"It won't kill her," Carter said and shook his head. "I don't know why you are thinking that it will when I can assure you it won't. I want to test her abilities and see how well she can adapt, which in the past has been the best way to teach her something."

"You don't know what you are asking of her," Kala said. She looked at me, and her eyes turned darker. "Do not do it, Syn. You are going to get killed."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and slowly debated it.

I knew Carter.

I knew that he wouldn't do anything to harm me, and once he saw that I was frustrated and flustered, and not in a good way, then I knew that he would stop and make sure that I was safe.

"Well?" Carter asked and raised an eyebrow. He knew what I was thinking but wanted me to say it out loud so that Kala would know. "Do you want to try this? It will help you focus on your powers and test out your skills."

I took a deep breath and slowly nodded. "Ok," I said before I released the shield that I had made before I made two smaller ones.

I made the small shields around my arms and created them as circles that were close to about six inches across.

"Let's do this."