Balance.
I understand.
Sheis my balance.
Light and shadows.
“On your feet, Raea,” Trysten says as he circles me later that night in the gym.
I roll to my stomach and push off, landing on my feet. A frustrated groan leaves my throat. “Why can’t I stay on my feet? What am I doing wrong?”
Trysten laughs. “You’re small. I’ve told you, use that to your advantage.” He stops moving and crosses his arms, daring me to argue with him.
“I’m not small, just vertically challenged,” I retort.
He laughs at me as he swings forward, knocking the air out of me with a punch to my ribs, hitting the Nakata corset that I’m training in tonight. I’ll give him this: he doesn’t hold back, and he hasn’t turned on my energy shield. Sparring with him has become more than routine. I actually enjoy it—I enjoy him.
“I’ve told you,” he starts. “Strike first, strike fast, and get away.”
I nod and take him by surprise when I slip past him and elbow him in the kidneys before kicking at the back of his knee. He manages to stumble instead of fall as he swings around, his fist coming fast at my face, but I launch out of the way just in time.
“Watch it,” I snap.
“Ooh, the feisty princess has come to play. I like it. You should get angry more often, Raea,” he taunts.
I step with my left and spin toward him, and my fist connects with his jaw. He just chuckles as his hand rubs the spot.
“You fight better when you’re angry. So get angry.” He punches for my ribs, but I sidestep him.
I groan. “But I’m not angry,” I say bitterly.
His responding smile is laced with knowing mischief. “Did you know that Sienna is only here to try and get closer to Ryker?”
He is taunting me. How he knows I despise her, I can’t fathom.
My sharp inhale gives me away. “Yes,” I bite out. “Pretty sure she’s made everyone aware of that fact.”
He’s circling me like prey. “Did Ry tell you that he’s the reason she’s in Taeolyn and not Veker with Cole?” Something ugly twists in my stomach. Jealousy. Always jealousy when it comes to her.
“He doesn’t even like her,” I snap. “Stop it!”
He shrugs as if this is amusing to him. “Maybe,” he says, but I attack, fed up with the taunting.
If he was trying to get me worked up, he succeeded. I can’t stand her. For the next few minutes, I allow my anger to build, fueling it with images of her hugging him and making her flirty comments; all of it makes the rage burn hotter.
Finally, I catch Trysten by surprise and knock his feet out from under him. He lands with a loud thud on the mat, and he groans. I drop my knee into his chest and give him a saccharine smile. I know that I’m boiling hot when a drop of his sweat hits my hand outstretched on the mat near his head.
“Anger is good,” Trysten grunts. “But that magic of yours, not so good.” He stands when I lift off of him. “You and Ry need to get that under control before you explode.”
I nod, chewing on my lip. I look down at my hands, shaking my head. This heat, I have no control. I know I don’t, but I can’t exactly ask for help. “I don’t know how.” I feel more on edge than I should. “I need to go. I need to cool off.”
“Good idea.” When I turn away, he stops me. “And Raea, Ry only put Sienna in Taeolyn so he could keep an eye on her. He doesn’t have feelings for her, never has.”
I don’t respond and just keep walking. I need to get to the river as quickly as possible.
“Who can tell me what the Treaty of Kenaf is?” Professor Isik asks.
The room is quiet. He looks around the room of juniors, and nobody raises a hand. I roll my eyes and lift mine. Tate chuckles beside me as I shoot him a playful glare.
