Page 195 of Axis of Fire

Emotionally drained.

Training was the last thing I wanted right now.

And yet...

Here I was.

Alongside the usual targets stood a strange wooden structure.

It looked like a miniature obstacle course.

Or an oversized hamster playground.

“Trying to impress me with your creativity?” I asked, raising a brow as I glanced sideways at an annoyingly calm Airis.

“Why not?” he replied with a shrug.

But I stayed silent.

Waiting for an explanation.

“As much as I hate lowering his status in your eyes, that thing was invented long before Istmond’s most overconfident pretty boy was born,” Aars said, stepping into view. “It’s used to teach energy control. Which, unfortunately for you, you still completely lack.”

He let out an exaggerated sigh.

“So this idiot is probably just trying to show off for once.”

“We’ll start with the targets,” Airis said, flicking his hand and summoning two more beside the original three. “If you hit all five, we’ll move on to the next exercise.”

I snorted before I could stop myself.

“You seriously think I can hit five targets right now?”

I could feel irritation building inside me.

His composure was driving me insane.

His inability—or unwillingness—to understand what state I was in.

And somehow, the second possibility felt even worse.

“This,” Airis said firmly, “is exactly when you need to pull yourself together and perform.”

His voice was sharp.

His expression even sharper.

“No one at the Selection will care whether you’re emotionally stable,” he continued.

“And war certainly won’t.”

He was right.

As much as I hated admitting it.

“Harold Moss’s people could infiltrate the Selection. They’ll try to provoke every possible emotion they can out of you, and some worlds will gladly help them.”

“You mean some worlds actually support his views?” I asked immediately.