Devotion

'Hmph,' I grunted as my fist slammed into the bag. 'Are they always so intense?'

'Martin says they can be. I guess it's better than boring. I could have killed Sophia for making me go to those meetings.'

An 'I know' almost slipped from my lips, which would have required an explanation, so I simply hummed in agreement.

'I think she did it just so she wouldn't have to be alone with all of them,' Char continued as she circled me and the punching bag, eyeing my technique as I threw the punches. 'They can get … intense, as you said. Especially when it comes to the next daughter.'

'So I noticed,' I muttered.

'Now practice with your left,' she said.

I threw what I thought was a left hook. Tristan said it was more of a jab and showed me the correct way, then put me to work, repeating the move.

'I don't see why they're so uptight about another daughter,' Charlotte went on. 'If Rina and Sophia say it's going to happen, we need to let it happen when it's supposed to. Otherwise …'

I slowed my moves when she didn't finish. 'Otherwise what?'

She tapped her finger against her lips. 'Well, there's a reason Dorian came by himself, right?'

I stopped my punches and stared at her.

'Charlotte,' I said, 'do you know Chandra very well?'

'Sure. I often work under her when I'm in India or the surrounding area. Why?'

'She mentioned something about Dorian not going to the Daemoni.'

Char pressed her lips together and nodded. 'Some people want to believe that. In fact, some think he might even be able to lead the Amadis.'

'What?' My eyebrows flew up. I glanced at Tristan, but skepticism darkened his eyes.

'Martin has mentioned it, but I don't see how. We've always been a matriarchal society.' She shrugged. 'It's not my forte and it's pointless to speculate. My job, at least for now, is to teach you how to protect yourself. Tristan, let's show her some kicks.'

After I practiced a variety of kicks, we moved on to combination moves. At first it was exhilarating, even fun, but eventually it became tedious as they made me practice the same moves over and over again. My body, into the rhythm, did everything on its own, while my mind wandered, thinking about Dorian, the council meeting, the 'voices' and what the one said about the girl. Then I thought about Rina and wanting to work with her instead of doing these silly exercises.

'Alexis!' Tristan's bark snapped me out of it. 'Pay attention!'

My mind returned to my surroundings. The punching bag I'd been working with swung violently on its chain, its insides bursting out of a huge hole.

'Did I do that?' I asked, jumping out of its way as it swung toward me.

'Yes! Because you're not focused.' Tristan's angry growl bemused me.

'I'm sorry. I'll fix–'

'The bag's not a problem,' Charlotte said, her voice much calmer than Tristan's as she waved her hand. The stuffing sucked back inside the bag and the hole closed itself. 'But your lack of concentration is.'

'Yes, it is a problem,' Tristan said. 'You have to focus. When you're in the middle of a fight, your mind must be one-hundred-percent directed on what you're doing. You can't let it wander.'

'But I'm just doing the same hits and kicks over and over–'

'You need to learn the moves. Your muscles must memorize them.'

'Which they seem to be doing very well,' Charlotte added, more kindly than Tristan's tone, but then her voice became firmer. 'But you must be alert and aware at all times, regardless of how mundane the situation seems.'

I shook my shoulders and arms out. 'I'm sorry. I'll focus more.'

Tristan walked away from the punching bags, over to an open area. 'Practice on me, not the bags. Maybe then you'll pay attention.'

'I said I'd focus.' I didn't understand why he seemed so upset. You'd think the punching bag might suddenly grow arms and fight back when I wasn't watching.

'I want to see how much strength you're putting into it.'

I blew at the hair that had escaped my ponytail and fell in my face. 'Fine.'

'Do the jab and roundhouse combo,' he said. 'Full strength.'

I did the move several times. He could take my full strength, although his balance faltered more than once.

'Good. You could probably knock out a large man with that kick. But you don't always need to make them unconscious. Sometimes you only want them on the ground. Use less strength.'

So I did. Tristan's anger ebbed as we did the moves several times and I controlled my strength.

'Now,' Charlotte said, 'pretend Tristan is a Norman about to enter danger and you only need to scare him so he'll run away. Hardly any force. Just enough to grab his attention.'

I lightened up more, barely striking Tristan with my hand or foot. I continued the moves as long as they kept saying, 'Go!' and, as I swung my leg around in what felt like a lazy roundhouse, I wondered how much longer we'd be at this because it really was ridiculous. Fist fighting? Really? When I could shoot a lightning bolt out of my hand? This was a waste of time I could be spending with Rina.

The next thing I knew, my leg became trapped and my body suddenly flipped over, my stomach flipping with it. The hand released my leg and two arms caught me right before I hit the ground, breaking my fall. Still, they felt like two bars of steel against my back, knocking the wind out of me. The beams above swam in and out of focus. So did Tristan's face as he laid me on the ground and stood over me, his hands on his knees, his arms braced as he glared down at me.

'I said harder,' he snarled.

'I didn't hear you.' I meant to match his ferocity, but I was still catching my breath.

'Exactly.' He turned and walked away.

I forced myself to my feet and found disappointment written all over Charlotte's face.

'If you don't focus, you can easily be taken out,' she said, her voice low and calm.

Tristan spun around and suddenly stood in front of me. 'In other words, you let your mind wander and you could be dead.'

'I'm pretty sure, in a real fight, I would be completely focused. This just seems pretty freakin' stupid. As if we'd ever fight this way.'

'How did you fight Vanessa?' Tristan asked, his voice still venomous. 'Wasn't that hand-to-hand?'

'Of course it was. I didn't have powers then, remember?'

'You can't always rely on your powers!' He whirled again and paced.

'Alexis, you have to be prepared for any situation,' Charlotte said. 'We're not gods who can go around wielding powers out in the world. Sometimes we go face-to-face, mano-a-mano. Sometimes we use weapons. Sometimes we use our powers. You must know how to handle every situation. You must be prepared.'

'Okay, I get it.'

Tristan appeared in front of me again, too fast to see him move. 'Are you sure? Because that just now, in the real world, would have been the end of you.'

'I said I get it. Sorry if I have a lot on my mind!'

He opened his mouth, but Charlotte interrupted him.

'I think we've done enough for today,' she said.

'I agree!' I stomped to the changing room to retrieve my clothes then stomped out of the building, toward the mansion. Tristan appeared next to me, pacing his strides to mine.

'Lexi,' he said, 'I'm sorry.'

'You should be!'

'I had to get your attention. Your mind–'

'Was elsewhere, I know. You didn't have to throw me on the ground.'

'Well, technically, I didn't. I threw you into my arms.'

I gave him a sideways glance and saw the smirk I expected. 'I sure hope that's not your idea of romantic