Page 67 of The Fox Heir

I bristle at his words but say nothing. I lift my hands, summoning a glowing orb into my palm. The familiar sight sends a thrill of pride through me.

Tristan snuffs it out.

I gasp, stepping back.

“Again,” he commands.

I summon my light once more, focusing with all my strength. It’s brighter this time, pushing against the darkness. For a moment, it holds, before Tristan’s shadow slips through, devouring it. My frustration spikes.

Before I even ignite another orb, there’s a sudden shift in the air and a wall of darkness collides into me. Tristan’s shadow takes me by surprise, and I lose my balance. I hit the ground hard, my breath rushing from my lungs.

I sit up, rubbing my hip where it hit the ground. That will leave a nasty bruise.

Tristan stands over me, unimpressed. “You would be dead right now if this were a real battle.”

Anger sparks hot in my chest. “You cheated.”

Did I seriously kiss this man a few days ago? The Wolf stands over me, his posture distant and unforgiving. It’s like I’m a stranger to him.

“The world doesn’t play fair, Red. Get up.” His words are clipped, sharp.

I push to my feet, fists clenched. “This isn’t training. This is humiliation.”

He steps closer, shadows coiling at his feet like snakes. “You think I’m being cruel? I’m trying to keep you alive. Because one day, someone will come for you, and they won’t wait for you to be ready.”

I swallow hard, but the anger doesn’t fade. “And you think breaking me is the best way to teach me?”

“I’m not trying to break you. I’m trying to make you stronger.”

“Because everyone here thinks I’m so weak, is that it?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Are you sure you’re not trying to punish me for something?”

His jaw tightens. I’ve hit a pressure point. He doesn’t respond.

I cross my arms in front of me. “This is about Hunter, isn’t it?”

Silence stretches between us, thick and suffocating. My chest heaves, frustration twisting inside me.

“This is about learning to use your power.”

I scoff. “Well, I can’t control it like that. Do you really think humiliating me is going to change that?”

“You can do it!”

I step up to him, my skin radiating with fury. “I can’t!”

“Stop saying that!” He runs a hand through his messy black hair in frustration. Then, after a moment, he turns back to me, intense and close. “I saw you use your power to bring a man back from the edge of death.”

“That was different.” I sound petulant, but I don’t care.

“How? How was that different, Red?”

“I …” I stumble over my words. The truth is, I don’t know. When I saved Hunter, my instincts took over. It’s as if everything in me needed Hunter to stay alive. “I don’t know.”

Tristan watches me for a long moment. “Well, that’s what we need to figure out.”