Read Sanctuary's Assassin (The Complete Part 1) Page 13

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  “Close them.”

  She could not say how Nakali knew her eyes were open with her own so firmly shut. As Nakali sat before her with legs crossed in, back straight, hands upon her knees, Ren’ai could not imagine she held and awareness. Ren’ai squeezed obstinate eyes tight.

  “Good.”

  “How long do we do this?” Ren’ai could not stand it, sitting in one place for what seemed hours, drawing in slow, deep breath, thinking about nothing. She just wanted to hop into bed. Exhaustion overwhelmed her.

  “As long as it takes, Nai.” Nakali’s tone entered the room steady, calm but annoyance edged her voice.

  Ren’ai drew another breath. She tried to focus on nothing as Nakali had taught her, but thoughts kept flooding in. She thought of chopping wood with her father, carting it back and making things. She thought of her father’s commitment to perfection. How every piece that left the shop he worked and reworked until it met his exacting standards. She thought about the night he and Mother died. Caerwyn. Why was he there? He did not do those things, she knew it. But how did she know?

  “You’re thinking again, Nai.”

  How did she know? Did a hearer of thoughts sit before her? Ren’ai cleared her mind, slowed her breath, balanced the rhythm.

  “Better.”

  “Can we stop now?”

  “No, and we shall do this every day for your time here. This is where we draw our strength. Our speed. Everything starts here and everything ends here. Every day will start here and every day will end here. How long it takes is up to you.”

  Ren’ai wanted to huff her displeasure, but she dared not for Nakali’s strength and her resolve had quickly become apparent. Ren’ai closed her eyes tighter and tried to obscure the thoughts with slow, deep breath. She held her back straight as Nakali had shown her. An open hand pointed up toward the ceiling as one rested on each knee.

  A low scratching met her ear. Ren’ai’s eyes popped open.

  “Ignore them, Nai.” Nakali’s eyes remained closed, face forward. “Leave them to your sisters.”

  Ren’ai heard the patter of feet across the rock, a torch lifted free and then the low howl of a FlameChaser diverted. She sighed, focusing again on slow breath.

  After several more breaths Nakali rose, reaching to Ren’ai’s arm, signaling for her to do the same. Ren’ai hopped into bed. She hoped that sleep would quickly find her. She could only imagine what Lieten had planned for her on the next day. Hope filled her as thoughts of what he might teach her. Her body shook with fear of his methods.