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“Thanks, by the way,” I said, still sore about earlier.

“She is a person, Nyx, with feelings and needs. She needs to know she has support, and she wasn’t getting it from you.”

I had no rebuttal. That just made me feel like shit since I knew he was right.

“She needs a life. Let her have one.”

“I’m not against her having a life.” I was against her being unwilling to do what we needed to do. Even if it would kill me, she could do whatever she pleased after our magic melded.I had to accept that before we got too close.

“You are overbearing, and while I know plenty of fae seem to like that about you for some reason, it’s only in the bedroom they like it. It’s a little exhausting when it’s all the time.”

My brother was never one to spare my feelings, but these truths hit hard. He said nothing more, leaving me to stew over what he said.

I moved to correct a trainee’s footwork while he corrected the angle of a cut with another. Then we moved into drills, and all the while, I kept one eye on Hazel and Zaria. With a few fixes, she’d slotted easily into the class without much work on her part.

“Great work, everyone!” Hazel called out. “We are going to spar for the last hour of class. Grab the padding and helmets.” She wiped her brow with her forearm. As the students broke off to claim gear, Hazel handed Zaria a helmet. “With some practice, you will break those habits. I’m sure Nyx can help you there so you catch up faster.”

Zaria openly recoiled. “I’ll ask Kol.”

Hazel raised a brow, meeting my eyes over Zaria’s shoulder. “Kol won’t be here long. His flight will be back out soon, and I’d offer to give you extra lessons, but I have classes to teach. Nyx has more time than me, and you couldn’t ask for a better partner to learn from.”

“Does he not have duties?” Zaria hissed, obviously hoping I wouldn’t hear.

“He does, but those are mostly suspended while he’s back in training with you. His duty is to his ryder until you are ready for the field.”

“Oh...”

“Once this footwork is second nature and you stop overthinking it, you will be a formidable opponent.”

“Thank you,” Zaria said softly.

“I want you to spar first with Nyx.”

Zaria’s attention snapped up, and her body coiled with radiating tension. “Shouldn’t I pair off with another student?”

“Since you can read his mind if you allow yourself, he’s a better first opponent than those ahead of you in this class. Plus, he has a vested interest in not hurting his ryder. I don’t trust the rest of these morons to be careful with you. Sometimes their egos get in the way of their better sense. So, until you catch up, you will be sparring with him, both with swords and in hand to hand.”

I heated at the thought of grappling with her and had to catch myself before it had a chance to develop.

“Shall we, Sol?”

TWENTY

ZARIA

Hazel’s reasoning made sense, but it didn’t make me any less annoyed.

“Don’t look like someone punched your sprite,” Nyx snapped through our bond.

“My what?”

“Never mind.”

Kol laughed and tried to cover it with a cough.

“Can he hear us, too?” I glanced between the two of them.

Nyx made a face that told me Kol could.