“No, it’s not. But it should be.”
I cross my arms and stare at him. Finally, he says, “I’m sorry, Mae.”
“Well, that was easier than I thought,” I grumble sarcastically.
He laughs again. His laugh is nice, and his smile softens his face. He says, “Here’s some advice for you, my Queen. You have a backbone. Keep it. Don’t roll over for anyone.”
I nod at him and say, “Thanks. I guess. Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your…squatting or whatever you’re doing.”
“Feel free to stay and watch,” he says, winking at me over his shoulder as he turns back toward the squat rack.
“You wish,” I throw back as I begin to leave the training center.
“Let me know if you need someone else to choke you,” he calls behind me.
I stifle my laugh, intent on not responding to him. He’s still a dick.
Elle plops down on the cream sofa back in my wing before untying her boots and tossing them on the floor. I sit next to her, crisscrossed and facing her.
“Okay, teach me how to detect bullshit,” I say.
“Well,” she says, seeming uncomfortable. “We don’t know if it’s an ability that you have. It’s rare. Only some of the deer hybrids have been gifted with it. So, we can practice, but it’s possible you just don’t have the ability.”
I motion with my hand. “Okay, let’s get to it.”
She laughs and sits back against the sofa. “What do you know so far?”
“Holly said it’s like casting a net and seeing if anything snags. But then she said it was more of your domain and didn’t say anything else.”
She nods. “She’s right. If there’s deception in a statement and your net is cast, it will feel like a disruption in your magic. The truth is smooth—like a calm river. A lie is like an object sticking up in the middle of the water. Sometimes it’s a small branch, and it’s not easily detected, but sometimes it’s like a massive rock.”
Seems easy enough.
“Can people lie without me knowing?” I ask.
She tilts her head in consideration. “Yes, but it’s difficult to do if your net is cast. They’d have to be highly skilled at lying, so much so that they have to truly believe that the lie is true in some way. You should also know there are ways around the truth that don’t constitute lying. I want you to ask me some factual questions, and I’m not going to lie, but I’m not going to tell you the truth.”
I nod and say, “Okay. Is your name Ruby?”
“My name is one of many, and Ruby is one of my favorites,” she says, stone-faced.
I didn’t feel anything. I look at her, head cocked. “Is it really?”
She laughs and says, “Yes, I love that name. Next question.”
“Um…Do you like my outfit?” I smile widely and stare at her expectantly.
“That’s an opinion without fact to back it up,” she says, rolling her eyes. “That’s easy to get around.”
“So, you just talk in circles, right?”
“Pretty much,” she says, nodding. “Now ask me some more questions, but cast your net.”
I nod and sit up straight, imagining my magic forming a net. I imagine the air around me is a river, and I picture a net surrounding the space, bobbing on the water as it flows along the river.
“I’m going to start with truths so you can see how it feels,” she says.
My eyes are closed, and I nod, focusing on maintaining the image of the net and the water.
