WICKED { #Wattys2016 }

Chapter Thirty-One: Don't tell Cal

"Where's Cal?" Cordelia asked as she followed Kol down the stairs into the cellar.

"Visiting an old friend." Kol answered, his voice so low and his tone so curt, it sounded like he had grunted.

"Which means you're stuck with me," he added, "I think you'll find i'm much more...focused then Cal is during your lessons." He continued, with the faintest shadow of a smirk on his face.

Cordelia openned her mouth to protest, but had a realization that quickly made her shut her trap: He wasn't implying that Cal was a bad teacher. He was implying that Cal couldn't teach her well. Because she was a distraction.

And the more she thought about it the less ridiculous the implication seemed.  She hated to admit it but Kol was right. Cal was lenient. Eagygoing. Unfocused. Kol was the exact opposite. Severe. Demanding. Critical. Sure she didn't always like him, but she didn't need Cal. She needed Kol.

Her success and survival might depend on Kol Sterling. It was a harrowing prospect.

Still...she had never had a one on one teaching session with Kol. She'd at least try to keep an open mind.

Cordelia shivered through her lilac knit sweater as she descended the wooden stairs into the dim and dank cellar.

"Stand on the other side of the room, facing me." He barked out the order, to which Cordelia obliged.

It was only when she stood across the room facing six feet something of muscle, that Cordelia started to feel just a little intimidated.

"Are we going to pull out our swords and duel now?" She asked with a lazy grin which immediately vanished after she uttered the word now.

Because as soon as she did, she saw a small metallic object hurtle towards her head so fast, Cordelia's only option was waiting for the impact. Except it never came.

She peeled her eyes open to see a silver quarter hovering just centimeters away from her forehead. If it hadn't stooped it would have pierced her skin, skull, and brain.

It was Kol's deep, rumbling voice that brought Cordelia back to reality. "That's how easily I could have killed you just now Cordelia." He said as she strode towards her, and released the magic that had moved the coin, letting the quarter fall right into his outstretched palm.

Cordelia let out a breath of relief, before her eyes snapped to meet Kol's. "What kind of sick bastard does that?" She exclaimed, poking his chest.

Kol frowned, and slapped her index finger away. "A sick bastard who wants you to live." He replied cooly.

"By showing me how powerless I am?" She asked, "Because the coven had already done a grrreat job of that!" She retorted.

"You need to remember." He snapped. After he snapped, Kol looked like he felt a little sorry for his sharp tone, and tried his best to soften his tone. "So far your powers have mostly only surfaced when you're feeling strong emotions, and even then you have very little control over your magic. You need to control it and harness it if you want to stand a chance."

He was right. Again. It was getting a bit annoying, but that didn't change his rightness.

Kol seemed to sense her begrudging understanding, because he took the liberty of barking out more orders, like a drill sergeant. "Five laps now."

Cordelia decided to not ask questions, knowing she had to pick her battles when it came to Kol, and ran back and forth five times.

The lesson continued like that. He'd throw tennis balls at her, and Cordelia did her best to deflect them telekinetically, and dodge the ones she couldn't deflect. Then he'd make her run laps or do pushups before they continued working on her telekinesis.