“Just to be clear, I never agreed to wake up before the sun and do this routine with you on a regular basis.”
He chuckled. “Noted. You can close your eyes if you wish. Sometimes it helps with balance or focus, and sometimes it doesn’t. You can decide what works for you. For now, we’ll start with a basic pose. Put one foot forward and bend your knee, then set the other foot back.”
She did so, and though the skirt of her nightgown ensured she wouldn’t be able to fully sink into the pose the way his grandfather had taught him, it would be enough to give her the feel of it.
He kept a light hold on her sides, keeping her steady as she found her balance. “Arms up,” he told her. “One forward, one behind you. Keep them level.”
She once again complied, and he shifted a little so he wouldn’t be in her way.
“Very good,” he said. “Now, sink into the stance a little more.”
She did so; he felt her body vibrate slightly as she engaged her core muscles to keep her balance.
“Good,” he praised again.
She peeked open one eye to glance at him. “You’ve been doing this pose since you were six years old, haven’t you?”
“Four, actually.”
She huffed, but the effect was ruined by the mirth in her eyes. She faced the sun again, which was just peeking over the horizon. The morning rays made her hair look even more vividly red, and he had to force himself to stop staring and focus.
“This is a basic stance,” he told her. “It’s a grounding pose. Now, I want you to keep your feet and legs where they are, but bring your forward hand down to rest lightly on your bent knee.” She did as he’d instructed, and then he guided her other arm down, letting her palm rest on the back of her extended leg.
He kept one hand lightly braced against the small of her back as he stood at her side, watching her carefully to make sure she didn’t overextend. “All right, you’re going to bring your front arm up as you bend it backwards, letting it curve into the air above your head, palm down. Tip your head back, letting your upper body bow backwards to follow your upraised hand.”
She shot him a slightly dubious look, but his chest heated as she followed his instructions without hesitation. She was a little stiff, and he had to make a couple of adjustments to her posture and form, but by the third time of doing the motion, Amryn was steadier and more confident. He probably didn’t have to keep his palm against her back.
He kept it there anyway.
She grinned as she came out of the pose for the last time, her cheeks a little pink as she looked at him. “That was—”
The ground shuddered beneath them.
Carver grabbed her, yanking her to his chest and covering her head with one hand. He braced his legs, trying to absorb the strengthening tremors. Something shattered inside the bedroom, and shouts rang out across the palace yard below. Amryn’s heart thundered against his own.
The earth rocked a final time, then stilled.
His grip on Amryn was slow to release. He didn’t trust the sudden stillness.
When Amryn eased back, her eyes were wide. “Another quake? Is that normal?”
Carver’s heart was still beating too fast. “It’s not unheard of,” he admitted. This region of the empire—including Xerra, where Esperance was located—experienced quakes occasionally enough that they weren’t uncommon. But it seemed a strange coincidence to experience two within such a short time.
Uneasiness filtered through him as he looked out over the city. There were no visible signs of destruction, but who knew what cracks now lay beneath.
Chapter 15
Amryn
AccordingtoAhmi,thequake was the talk of the morning throughout the palace. It hadn’t been classified as particularly strong or damaging, but it had been a startling way to begin the day.
Amryn was still a bit shaken, though it had been an hour or so since the quake. She was trying to sit still as Ahmi braided her hair, her nervous energy making it difficult not to fidget. She was beginning to think it was less about the quake, and more about what this day would bring. Carver had left to question Trevill, promising to come back and escort her to the emperor’s meeting. Then she had her interview with Keats and Morelli to dread this afternoon.
Her anxiety spiked just thinking about all the scrutiny she was going to be under. She needed Carver to guide her through some more meditative exercises. She certainly needed the calm he said it brought him. Though, if she were being truthful,calmwasn’t the word she would use to describe her experience with those stances.Exhilaratingorthrillingfelt more apt. But then, that may have had more to do with Carver’s touch than the actual poses.
Her cheeks flushed as she recalled the way his hands had lightly grazed her sides and back. The whisper of his warm breath at her ear as he’d leaned closer.
She had never been one for mornings, but if she could have that every day, she might just get over her aversion to rising early.
