Page 67 of Daughter of the Serpent

“Awe inspiring…?”

“Violating,” Sylvie coughed, trying to hide the uncomfortability from her eyes.

“Fear not. With further training, you will be able to block me, push back.” He smirked,“but we have little time, and I must take every avenue necessary to ensure you’re prepared for the trials.”

“How do I know you're not fishing through things you should not?”

“You don’t.” He winked, an unfamiliar smugness creasing his lips, instantly driving her wild - with annoyance or curiosity, she wasn’t sure.

“I may be in your mind, but I will regard your privacy, unless given your permission.”

She wasn’t sure how to take his words, she barely knew him and yet he granted himself access to her mind without blinking. Haldor’s warning flashed to the surface, yet this was the only person who was offering her a chance to make it out of the trials alive, so when he offered her his hand, she took it.

As his fingers flexed around hers, a flicker of warmth reflected in his irises. However fleeting, her lungs expanded with indrawn breath. How handsome he was as she glimpsed beyond the polished stone of his exterior. She had mainly seen the harshness, the brutal world that had been fixed in the line of his jaw, the stiffness of his expression, but his eyes revealed something more - something deep, hidden. She found herself eager to dig it out.

Despite the severity of the upcoming task, the grueling training she knew she was about to embark on, she found herself swept up in the scent of wildflowers and rain, the energy of the dreamtime humming with unseen vibration. Like the soft pluck of the harp, it radiated through her body, her veins, amplifying all her senses.

“This place, it’s too beautiful to be real.” She observed. “Did I create this place in my head?” She asked, her eyes lingering. “Or did you?”

“It is the dream space I fixed into your subconscious, but it is vulnerable to your will.” He explained, “You can create anything here - with just a thought.”

Sylvie’s eyebrows lifted, a light dawning in her eyes. “Anything?”

“Anything.” He nodded. “This is your mind, your thoughts, your motivations. I am merely a guest. Close your eyes, focus on what you wish to create, and it will appear before you.”

Sylvie took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her mind zeroing in on the image she wanted to bring to life. Slowly, an arc of colours painted across the sky, shimmering overhead in a dance of glittering light. A rainbow so bold, so magical now stretched along the horizon, materializing before them in mere seconds.

She opened her eyes and gasped in delight. “This is incredible!” she exclaimed, a giggle escaping her lips as she marveled at the arrayof dazzling colors. They seemed to pulse with energy, casting a soft glow over the dreamscape.

His gaze lingered on her a moment longer than she expected, pouring into hers. “Anything can happen here, but we must be careful not to linger too long - the dream world is not to be trifled with. It can become too easy to stay in the illusion and forget reality.”

She nodded, digesting his words.

"Choose your place," he instructed, shifting his stance in preparation. "We shall begin."

"Place?" Sylvie asked, puzzled.

"A place for your training," he affirmed. "A place where you feel most comfortable."

Sylvie inhaled a breath before again closing her eyes, yet once darkness overtook her, the answer came easily. She focused, feeling the energies shift and the world swirl around her. Shapes and shadows grew, and she heard the distant roar of crashing waves. When she opened her eyes, they stood on a vast expanse of bedrock at the ocean’s edge. The salt breeze carried a gentle softness, a reminder of home, her safe space. The air hung thick with the scent of brine, mingling with the cedar and pine from the forest just steps away at their side.

This was where she felt most herself - where the ocean met the earth, under the open sky.

Axel nodded, his eyes taking in her choice and selection with an approving tilt of his chin.

“So be it.” He said. “This will be the place we shall meet each night, until the completion of your training.”

She nodded, preparing herself.

"Before we begin, I want to make something clear."

Sylvie tensed at his tone, her gaze sharpening as she studied him.

“If I am to teach you the ways of magic, you must forget everything you have been previously taught.” He said. “I am not here to teach you the ways of the light - nor what the elders would deemappropriate. I am to prepare you to face death, to be able to look into the eyes of the gods themselves and have the courage to best them.”

A chill ran through her. “And what of Rederick? The temple?”

Fear curled in her belly.