The Dark Queen ✔

21

Phoenix waited for me in a clearing in the woods, setting up a target on one end. 

I was dressed in training clothes, feeling better than I had in weeks. Ruby had been helping me get stronger for the past few days. Making me eat three meals a day. Going with me for jogs. Helping me fall asleep. 

But now I had to start training, to build myself back up. Phoenix smiled as I entered the clearing. "Ready Princess?" he asked, leaning against a tree. The name made my stomach drop. 

"Don't call me that," I said, walking over to meet him. 

"You don't like that, Princess?" he teased, picking up a sword from the ground. I gritted my teeth and said, "Don't call me that." I was getting closer now, half-wanting to throw a punch. 

He leaned in close, his breath tickling my ear. "I'll stop calling you that when you earn it." I pulled back and tried to kick him, but he stopped my leg easily. I pulled my leg back and glared at him. He smirked and said, "Well, we have work to do."

He flipped his sword into his left hand and I looked at him funny. "What?" He asked self-consciously, the sword hanging at his side. "I'm left handed." I nodded and willed my own sword to my hand. 

"Alright, let's get started."

We worked all day. Phoenix was not messing around at all. We trained and trained. Hand to hand combat. He was finding my limits, taking in every detail. I tried my best, but I did not do well. When we finished, he sighed. 

"What?" I snapped. I was more angry at myself than him. But the way his eyes raked over my skinny body made me was to punch him. 

"There is something holding you back," he said, still looking at me. "You need to release that energy. Until you do, you won't be able to be the best you can be."

I willed the sword away and walked in slow circles, slowing my racing heart. I knew what was holding me back. I just didn't know how to release the energy, which was eating me from the inside. 

"Go inside, take a rest. We'll try again tomorrow."

Sorry for the short chapters! I've been really out of it lately. I'm trying to get back to normal!!!!

xoxo

J. A. Anderson