“You’ve done it before,” Zadyn says.
“What do you mean?”
“You shut me out all the time.”
“I do?”
He laughs. “Without meaning to, but there are times when your mind is wide open and others when you’ve got it sealed like a vault.”
They can mind-speak?
“I didn’t realize I was doing that,” she admits.
Shaking off my surprise, I settle on the ground, waving a hand for them to proceed. “Practice makes perfect.”
“You want me to try it right now?” She arches a brow.
“Do you have some prior engagement?”
“Yes, I’m due to punch you in the face in about three seconds.”
Gods, she’s infuriating. That smart little mouth never fails to turn me on. But hell if I’m going to show it.
“Just do it, witch.”
She tosses me a dirty look before angling herself toward Zadyn on the bench. “Okay, try to guess what I’m thinking.”
I watch them stare at each other wordlessly.
“I wasnotthinking that!” she bursts. He breaks into a giggle.
“I heard itveryclearly.”
“You know what? I don’t like this game.” She springs to her feet, but I grab her wrist, yanking her down beside me. Her mouth pops open.
“It’s not a game,” I say, ignoring her seething. “It’s an exercise. And we’re not leaving here until you’ve figured out how to shield.”
Wrenching her arm away, she scoots in front of me to face Zadyn, deliberately giving me a view of the back of her head.
“Could you be more of a child?”
“I can do anything I put my mind to.” She sneers at me over her shoulder.
“Then maybe you should put your mind to shutting up and getting to work.”
“You know, you really don’t have to be here for this.”
My eyes snap to Zadyn. “Are you dismissing me, dog?”
“Don’tcall him that,” Serena bites.
Gods, they make me want to spear myself on my own sword.
“You two are insufferable.”
“You can either sit there and pick useless fights with her or you can let me deal with this. I think you’ll find the second option will prove to be more effective.” He flashesme a smug smile.
Who does he think he is, her handler?
