I’ll have to find another psychic willing to train with me. Though, I don’t know any with her strength…unless Vithos is coming?”
“He is.”
“Good.” Alex looked at Effie inquisitively. “You haven’t told me if you’re coming or not.”
“You want me to?” It wouldn’t change Effie’s decision. But she was curious.
“I do and I don’t. That’s also how I feel about myself going.”
“And that’s how I feel about staying.”
He nodded. “Danger is more often the path chosen than the one forced upon us.”
When Effie realized he was right, she couldn’t help but wonder. “Why is that?”
Alex’s eyes lifted to the ceiling. It was clear he didn’t know. He looked back at her and smiled. “Because you’re beautiful.”
“That has nothing to do with anything,” she said with a laugh.
Then he kissed her, ending the conversation.
After she and Alex finished dinner at the dining hall, Effie returned to her student house feeling impatient to speak with Reela.
It was a relief that not only was Reela home, her bedroom door was open.
“Are you feeling any better?” Effie asked.
“I’m still angry with Cleve and Rek, if that’s what you mean.”
Does that mean now is a bad time to ask her if she’s leaving tomorrow?
Reela stood, setting her book down. “You can ask me whatever it is.”
Damn psyche. “Did your instructor tell you everything about tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’m going with Vithos and the others. Are you staying here?”
Effie hadn’t been sure how she’d feel about Reela’s answer, but now that she’d heard it, sheer disappointment came over her.
She shook her head. “Steffen and I are both staying.”
“You should come,” Reela said flatly. “It’s going to be weird to fight without you.” Reela shook her palms. “I shouldn’t try to change your mind. If you’re coming, I want it to be your decision.”
“I appreciate that,” Effie said. “But I’m not going.” She reflected upon what Alex had said earlier. “I don’t feel comfortable putting myself in such danger when I have the choice.”
“I don’t either,” Reela agreed. “But I feel even less comfortable staying while Cleve and one brother have practically abandoned me. I have the chance to fight with my other brother. I feel I must take it.” She quickly asked a question before Effie could reply. “Is Alex coming?”
“He is. He wants you to help him train against psyche on the way there.”
Reela hummed. “Yes, I suppose I should, though it’ll be quite uncomfortable.”
Effie realized she hadn’t the faintest idea what was required to train Alex to resist psyche. “Why is it so weird?”
“It’s like an intimate dance,” Reela said. “Are you sure you want to know?”
Effie’s arms folded. “It’s not like you’re going to be touching while training, right?”
With a wide smile, Reela seemed to be enjoying Effie’s reaction. “Not physically touching.”
That confused Effie even more. “Well, then what?”
“Debilitating opponents with pain is a manipulation of their feelings. In order to resist it, Alex needs to learn how to keep himself from being manipulated. That means I’m going to be twisting his emotions, making him feel things he doesn’t want to feel while he tries to stop me.” Reela brought a finger to her lips as her eyes shifted to the side. “Maybe dance wasn’t the right word.” She looked back at Effie, her stare intent. “It’s more like wrestling.”
She couldn’t help but imagine Reela and Alex actually wrestling. It wasn’t a comforting thought.
More out of curiosity than for specifics, she asked, “Can you teach me how to resist psyche?”
“I—”
“Just for a little bit,” Effie interrupted. “I know there isn’t much we can do in such a short time, but I want to get a better idea. Then maybe I can practice while you’re gone.” She had a sad realization. “I’m probably going to be bored with everyone
“He is.”
“Good.” Alex looked at Effie inquisitively. “You haven’t told me if you’re coming or not.”
“You want me to?” It wouldn’t change Effie’s decision. But she was curious.
“I do and I don’t. That’s also how I feel about myself going.”
“And that’s how I feel about staying.”
He nodded. “Danger is more often the path chosen than the one forced upon us.”
When Effie realized he was right, she couldn’t help but wonder. “Why is that?”
Alex’s eyes lifted to the ceiling. It was clear he didn’t know. He looked back at her and smiled. “Because you’re beautiful.”
“That has nothing to do with anything,” she said with a laugh.
Then he kissed her, ending the conversation.
After she and Alex finished dinner at the dining hall, Effie returned to her student house feeling impatient to speak with Reela.
It was a relief that not only was Reela home, her bedroom door was open.
“Are you feeling any better?” Effie asked.
“I’m still angry with Cleve and Rek, if that’s what you mean.”
Does that mean now is a bad time to ask her if she’s leaving tomorrow?
Reela stood, setting her book down. “You can ask me whatever it is.”
Damn psyche. “Did your instructor tell you everything about tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’m going with Vithos and the others. Are you staying here?”
Effie hadn’t been sure how she’d feel about Reela’s answer, but now that she’d heard it, sheer disappointment came over her.
She shook her head. “Steffen and I are both staying.”
“You should come,” Reela said flatly. “It’s going to be weird to fight without you.” Reela shook her palms. “I shouldn’t try to change your mind. If you’re coming, I want it to be your decision.”
“I appreciate that,” Effie said. “But I’m not going.” She reflected upon what Alex had said earlier. “I don’t feel comfortable putting myself in such danger when I have the choice.”
“I don’t either,” Reela agreed. “But I feel even less comfortable staying while Cleve and one brother have practically abandoned me. I have the chance to fight with my other brother. I feel I must take it.” She quickly asked a question before Effie could reply. “Is Alex coming?”
“He is. He wants you to help him train against psyche on the way there.”
Reela hummed. “Yes, I suppose I should, though it’ll be quite uncomfortable.”
Effie realized she hadn’t the faintest idea what was required to train Alex to resist psyche. “Why is it so weird?”
“It’s like an intimate dance,” Reela said. “Are you sure you want to know?”
Effie’s arms folded. “It’s not like you’re going to be touching while training, right?”
With a wide smile, Reela seemed to be enjoying Effie’s reaction. “Not physically touching.”
That confused Effie even more. “Well, then what?”
“Debilitating opponents with pain is a manipulation of their feelings. In order to resist it, Alex needs to learn how to keep himself from being manipulated. That means I’m going to be twisting his emotions, making him feel things he doesn’t want to feel while he tries to stop me.” Reela brought a finger to her lips as her eyes shifted to the side. “Maybe dance wasn’t the right word.” She looked back at Effie, her stare intent. “It’s more like wrestling.”
She couldn’t help but imagine Reela and Alex actually wrestling. It wasn’t a comforting thought.
More out of curiosity than for specifics, she asked, “Can you teach me how to resist psyche?”
“I—”
“Just for a little bit,” Effie interrupted. “I know there isn’t much we can do in such a short time, but I want to get a better idea. Then maybe I can practice while you’re gone.” She had a sad realization. “I’m probably going to be bored with everyone
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