Nomi gives me a long, considering look before nodding. “Right. Zan, you took stock of the cottage, I assume? Come into the kitchen and tell me what you need.”
Zan gets up and leaves without a backwards glance, whichalsopisses me off even though he’s clearly attempting to respect the new boundary I’ve drawn between us.
I didn’twantthere to be a boundary between us.
“You should give him the benefit of the doubt,” Teren says abruptly.
My gaze moves from where it had been following Zan’s departure to my new student.
Me,Wrath,trusted to teach.
What a world.
“I did, and it turns out that was an error,” I tell him. “And my relationship with Zan is not your concern. I am also an adult and will handle it myself.”
“You’re an adult who hasn’t been allowed to handle relationships by yourself, unless I’m misunderstanding your history,” Teren points out. “I’m just suggesting you consider actually talking to him about why he did what he did, and why you’re feeling what you’re feeling, before you write him off completely.”
“I haven’t written him off completely.”
“You have gone from being completely comfortable around him to attempting to withdraw completely from your emotional attachment immediately, which might be a little bit of an extreme reaction to what he actually did.”
Manipulating my choice after I trusted him is pretty bad, actually.
Zan was right that I needed to know about this—about the reality of sages, and about Teren’s situation. But I don’t know why he couldn’t have justtoldme, rather than springing it on me—
Then again, he recognized that I needed to take action, to break the habit of thinking.
Is manipulation of my trust for my own good forgivable, or simply patronizing?
To Teren I explain, “It is a deliberate technique. The distance prevents me from lashing out at him directly, which is my wont.”
“Have you considered he might prefer the direct approach, too?”
I blink.
Habits indeed.
Even in this way, I hide myself.
Even in this way, I hold myself still rather than moving.
When moving is where I find my power.
This new sage, this new era, might have as much to teach me as I have to teach them.
“Maybe Ishouldjust punch him,” I muse.
Directanda method of conflict resolution I have more experience with than talking. I like it.
Teren’s eyebrows shoot up. “That isnotwhat I said.”
I flash a sharp grin at him.
His eyes widen for a second before he sighs. “You were joking.”
“Ehhh, maybe a little.” Still not sure it isn’t a good idea, honestly. “But your point is taken, and now it’s my turn.”
I stand up and motion him to join me.
