I stretch my limbs while I pad over to the middle of the space. The fur is soft. I want to lie down and take a nap. A yawn escapes me before I can stop it.
“What are you waiting for? Get into lotus position.Now.”
I turn to Kazh. “We need to talk.”
She folds her wrinkled hands over the head of her cane and pins me with her intense gaze. “I’m here to train you, not chitchat.”
“Kazh, I need to find the dragon. Quickly. The training will have to wait until I do that, there are things that are about to?—”
She cuts me off. “Get in the fucking lotus now or I’m leaving.”
I clamp my mouth shut. For a heartbeat I stand there, glaring at her. But then, I lower myself to the floor and fold my feet underneath me.
Once I’m seated, hands resting on my thighs, Kazh approaches me. The rugs soak up the sound of her cane tapping on the floor.
“You’re scattered. Distracted.Greedy,” she seethes. “Blood debt. Pass new laws. End the reign of one of the oldest and most powerful families in the history of Ekios. Learn to kill with emotional manipulation, master the blessed trinity, bond the dragon.” She mocks me, mimicking my voice. I sit watching her, unmoving. “You can’t have it all at the same time, youngling. Choices and sacrifices must be made. I know it’s hard for the two brain cells of yours to fathom, but how about you at least try.”
“I know?—”
“Do you?” Kazh cuts me off. “Do you really? If you’ve learned anything by now, you’d know that despite the title you hold, you’ve got limitations. You’re only one person.”
Right then, Lorca stirs. I close my eyes with a sigh.
Master Oka Oya is right, the trickster god purrs.You’re such a stubborn student.
Fuck off, I snap before I can stop myself.
When the sharp claws touch my mind, they’re gentle yet threatening.And terribly rude.
Leave me alone, please. There are no souls for you to claim, I say with a better attitude.
I know, Lorca says with a sigh as if they’re disappointed in me.I was hoping to witness you learning at least one lesson.
Before I can ask what they mean, the god vanishes from my mind.
I don’t realize I’m making a face until Kazh says, “What is Lorca saying?”
I blink, refocusing on her. “Nothing.”
Kazh tilts her head to the side. “Stubborn little shit.”
I roll my eyes. “Let’s get on with it. What do you want me to do? I told you, plans have changed. Before, the priority was to master the blessed trinity and killing with emotional manipulation. Now, it’s to find my dragon and bond with it.”
“Yourdragon?”
“Yes. The one I had a connection to during the Trial of Wisdom.”
“Arrogant. That’s what you are.”
I glance behind her, to the archway where my Ezkai stand guard, and then back to her. Dropping my voice to almost a whisper, I say, “Kazh. Caligos are planning something. Noire and his spies are working to figure out the details. I got the warning from one of the Caligos they captured and…interrogated.”
She watches me down her nose for a long while.
“More reasons for you to master the blessed trinity,” she finally says.
My shoulders sag. “Kazh, please.”
She taps her cane, the sound dulled by the rugs. “Enough. Back straight, engage your core. Close your eyes and steady your breath.”
