Page 47 of House of Darkness (The Fallen Star #1)

ESTRELLA

Ileaned over and pressed my lips to Roman’s temple, his soft curls tickling my cheeks.

He slept heavily, which was good; I didn’t want him waking up to talk me out of this.

He would fear for my safety, insisting it was unnecessary for me to learn how to fight.

But I could no longer rely on him to be my strength.

I needed to cultivate my own, and I would do so or die trying.

Waking in his arms, my naked body nestled against his, his wings curled around me in a soft, feathered embrace, had been the sweetest temptation.

It beckoned me to forget everything else and sink deeper into his touch, to let him take care of me.

But I refused to be a useless doll any longer.

Roman had shown me that I didn’t have to be a plaything simply because I was raised to be one. I could be a warrior.

With light feet, I crept from what had become our bedroom, scrawling a quick note to Roman letting him know where I went.

Enso was exactly where I expected him to be.

He was an absolute vision, his caramel muscles glistening in the morning sun.

Upside down, he held himself aloft with one flexed arm, small puffs of smoky flames escaping his lips with each breath.

Strands of sweat-drenched hair clung to his face.

He smiled without opening his eyes. “Hello, Estrella.”

Surprise flickered through me but vanished instantly. He was a predator, every sense finely tuned to detect my presence, regardless of whether his eyes were open. “Good morning, Enso.”

With a dancer’s grace, he flipped to his feet, shocking for his massive frame. As he planted his left foot, he released a torrent of flames into the sand, the heat binding the grains into a shimmering slate. “Did you need something?”

I created a trench in the sand with my toes, suddenly losing my bravery. But I couldn’t falter now. “I was hoping you would train me.”

His fiery eyes, slitted like a snake, opened and took me in.

Enso had always seemed as though he was from a different time.

His eyes held a level of wisdom that only came from many more years than I could possibly fathom.

But they crinkled at the edges as he smiled in understanding, and it wiped away all that otherness and left only kindness behind. He stood straight.

“You wouldn’t feel better training with Roman?” He winked cheekily.

“You trained him, and I want to be trained by the best.”

He laughed, his abs flexing with the movement and his hair falling back from his face. “Don’t let Roman hear you say that.”

He looked over me once more, scanning me with intense thoughtfulness.

“You may be surprised, but I, too, understand feeling powerless. I will train you.” He paused for a moment, his face lightening once more.

“By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be able to fight a vampire with a hand tied behind your back. ”

My knees felt weak, a breath of relief running through me. I wasn’t sure why—I hadn’t doubted Enso would say yes—but it felt like I had conquered the first hurdle. “Thank you, Enso.”

“Bit by bit, it's horror to live. But no one must give up! The world turns, and times change.” His eyes partially closed as he recited what must have been a poem. He reopened his eyes and smiled once more. “Of course.”

His hands came together in a loud clap that resonated through me and made me jolt after his calm voice. “Well! Let’s get started.”

I recoiled as though he had shot flames at me. “I’m not ready! I’m wearing slippers and a dress.”

His eyes sparked with nefarious amusement, and he crossed his arms. “Do you think your enemies will wait for you to be adequately prepared? Come on, Estrella, I thought you were smarter than that.”

He had a point, I must be ready for anything. I kicked off my slippers and tied my skirts at my knees. “I’m doing battle training with the vampire general of war; it’s safe to say I’m not smart.”

He barked a laugh, little sparks releasing from his mouth. “True.”

“You’re going to finish warm-ups with me today.

These moves are designed to build your strength, flexibility, and mental resilience.

Without those, you have no hope of holding your own in battle.

” He moved beside me, planting his foot in a stretch with his hands raised to the sky, watching me expectantly.

My brow creased with determination. I could do this. The alternative was being helpless forever. I mimicked his position and planted my feet one in front of the other. My muscles shuddered and I wobbled, nearly falling. Enso chuckled and stepped in front of me, scanning me with a critical gaze.

“The warrior pose is designed to ground you, drawing strength from the earth beneath. Imagine you’re a conduit, your legs connecting to the earth, bringing that power up through your hands.

” Enso’s airy tone made my muscles relax enough to limit my wobbling.

That was until he used the flat of his palm to smack my thigh.

His touch wasn’t hard, but it sent me off-balance, and I fell into the sand with a thud.

I ground my teeth and wiped the sand from my cheeks, forcing back my screaming frustration.

These were his warmups, and I couldn’t even manage that.

My own ineptitude reared its ugly head like it had my whole life.

Enso clicked his tongue. “Your own mind is in your way. You’re putting too much pressure on this, and it’s making you tense.”

He reached out his hand to me, and I took it appreciatively. He lifted me from the ground without so much a flex of his muscles, causing me to feel weightless as I surged upward. I stumbled to my feet and dusted off my skirts. “I can’t even manage this pose. I must be your worst student.”

“My first human student, yes.” He patted my shoulder. “But there is no such thing as a bad student. Only a bad teacher. We’re just getting started, don’t give up on yourself before you’ve given yourself a chance.”

I dipped my head. I could already tell there was no such thing as a bad teacher when it came to Enso. He was patient and kind. I released a breath and got back into position.

“Settle into the pose—relax your body. I shouldn’t be able to tip you over.

” I did as I was told, letting my muscles relax as best I could and sinking into the pose.

Though every bit of my body was tense, I felt sturdy.

He smacked my thigh again with a flat hand, but I didn’t waver. Our eyes met, and I grinned.

He smirked back. “I told you.”

With that we moved into our next pose, and the wobbling started once more.

Minutes passed, and soon I was sweating in places I didn’t know were possible.

My entire body shook with strain, strands of hair plastered to my face.

I struggled to focus on the spiritual meaning behind each pose as Enso explained them, but it didn’t help that every bit of sinew and bone in me was crying for help. Not to mention he kept smacking me.

I was curled over, hands and feet on the ground, my rear in the air when I heard the beating of wings and a brief, blissful wind brushed over me. Roman appeared in front of me in a flurry, small down feathers dancing about him. I arched my head to meet his glistening, panic-struck eyes.

“I woke up, and you weren’t there. I thought—” he ran a hand through his hair and released a shuddering breath.

Dread seeped through me, and I scrambled upright. “I’m sorry, Roman, I thought you would see my note—”

“—you couldn’t just wake me up?!” He barked, walking toward me with rapid strides. His hands clutched my shoulders and yanked me to him.

“Gods, Estrella I thought I lost you again. You can’t do that, I can’t—I can’t handle it.” He shuddered and buried his face into my hair. His fingers shook as they ran over my back.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think.” I hadn’t—hadn’t thought about what sort of panic my absence would cause him. I never meant to do that to him. I sunk into his grip. It was hard to look past all my jagged pieces to remember that he was cracked too.

Enso coughed behind us. “Roman, you know what happens to those who interrupt my training sessions.”

Roman lifted his head from mine but didn’t let go. I couldn’t see it, but I was sure he was glaring at the war general. Then he dipped to meet my gaze, his eyes wide and questioning. “Training?”

I tensed, ready for an argument I wasn’t willing to lose. “I want to learn to fight. I can’t be helpless anymore. I don’t want to rely on you to protect me.”

His eyes softened. “Why didn’t you ask me to train you?”

“Because I’m a better trainer,” Enso called. I shot an incredulous glare at the general, at which he smirked. “Her words, not mine.”

Roman looked at me, then at Enso. He straightened. “She must just be misinformed.”

Enso laughed. “I have three centuries on you, child.”

“And yet, I’m the better fighter,” Roman purred.

Enso snorted. “Get in position, Tsarling, before I torch your ass.”

Roman smirked but gave me one last look. Something akin to pain glistened in his eyes. “I support you in anything that makes you feel strong. I just wish you had trusted I would.”

My gut twisted. I had assumed he cared more about keeping me safe than letting me be free, but I should have known better. He was protective but had always trusted me and defended my right to choose. He stepped away from me, but I grabbed his hand and squeezed, hoping he understood.

Enso stood in front of us, displaying the next position with practiced ease. I lifted my foot and pressed it to my inner thigh, wobbling but refusing to fall over. A chilled hand touched my hip, stabilizing me with just the breath of a touch.

“Let your body do the work, little warrior,” Roman murmured.

He stepped back to his spot beside me, and just like that, with my tsar at my side and the eternal general of war in front of me, my battle training had begun.