Lunara didn’t bother to stifle her giggle. Why should she? “Perfect.”
“Hmm. You seem awfully cheery for someone who’s going to be throwing up her supper in the next few hours. Come on.”
That cured some of Lunara’s mirth as she stood, but couldn’t smother it fully. “Why in the realms would I be vomiting?” she asked, following the Demon to the center of the field.
It was Hedda’s turn to laugh. “Because that’s how I’ll know you’ve had enough. Are you sure you want to wear a dress for this?”
Lunara pinched her lips. “I confess, I had no idea what was appropriate. You Demons wear so little, and this is all I know.”
Hedda’s attire was all black, skin-tight and moving with her body in ways Lunara had never seen before. Though she was technically covered from neck to ankle, most Nachthellians would be picking their jaws up from the floor for days if they saw her. Revealing that much of their body for anyone to peruse? They’d rather die.
It was probably a result of her isolation, but Lunara liked it.
Hedda considered her for a moment. “Are you able to repair your clothing?”
Don’t answer th?—
“Yes. Why?”
You know, it’ll be your own fault when this goes tits-up. Just remember that.
Hedda knelt in the grass at her feet and gripped her skirt at the knee. “I’ll find you something better tomorrow, but this’ll do for now.”
“What are you— Wait!”
Too late. She’d already rent the fabric apart with a heave, tearing around and around until Lunara’s legs were free. She folded the piece neatly and held the square up. “For later.”
Lunara couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. “You know, verbal statements of intention go a long way towards being on the same page. For the record, it’s much easier for a Sorcerit toshrink particles up or stretch them out than it is to join them back together.”
Hedda tilted her head. “What’s the difference?”
Lunara let a thread of power free. It latched on to Hedda’s clothing, and she commanded the particles to stretch. In the blink of an eye, the Demon was standing there swearing and swimming in her clothes. “It’s like breathing, or bending your knee. Everything contracts and expands in ways it understands.” Another blink, and it fit her again. “Repairing a tear is like healing sundered flesh. I have to convince two things to bond that no longer realize they belong together. It takes far more power and concentration.”
Lunara shrugged, but inside she was frolicking. Stars above, theease.With the well so full, aiding her, that output of magic had been nothing at all. It was like she didn’t even know herself anymore.
“Huh. Good to know.” Hedda seemed to store the information away before nodding. “Now, do as I do.”
Apparently, they were done chatting.
Hedda began to bounce on the balls of her feet, bobbing side-to-side, and Lunara mimicked the movement.
“You need your muscles to be warm before you abuse them,” Hedda said, eyeing her. “Straighten your spine, shoulders back. Good. If you start straight in on the harder movements, you run the risk of harming yourself. You have to take care of your body to be able touseyour body.”
Already, Lunara’s lungs were straining, sweat gathering on her brow.
Sweet Sisters, how are you ever going to make it?
Funny how Lunara’s place in this life was to care for others, but she'd so easily forgotten her own needs. She knew how to stop bleeds and seal cuts, how to mend broken bones and regrowlimbs, but she didn't know the first thing about training. About makingherselfstrong.
"All right, that's enough of that. Now, we stretch.”
Once again, Lunara followed Hedda’s movements—raising her arms above her head this way and that, bending to touch her toes, drawing out her spine. She couldn't deny it felt good. Freeing. Like her body had been wound too tight and she was helping to loosen all the coils.
“Now, this is the part where I make you puke your guts up,” Hedda said.
Lunara did her best to remember she wanted this, even if there was a frisson of fear trying to convince her otherwise.
"You're going to follow the lights.” Hedda pointed to the orbs atop the circling posts. “Jog first, nice and easy. When I give the word, you sprint for all you’re worth to the next pillar. Then, it's back to jogging until I say otherwise. When I whistle, it's time to walk. We do this until you puke, or pass out. Whichever comes first.”
