Page 115 of A Silence So Divine

She nods.

I hum in consideration, looking off to the distance. Could that truly be the difference?

“And before? How did you feel the other times?”

Eden frowns, shrugs her shoulders. “Fear.”

Personally, the power of anger has always served me better than the power of fear. Backed into a corner, an animal will lash out irrationally. Thoughtlessly. But to be angry…

It’s safe to say I work best out of spite.

“Okay,” I nod. “We can work with that.” Before I drop my hand, I tug her chin up and press a quick kiss to her lips. “Wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Once released, she gives me a dirty look, but there’s a whisper of a smile on her lips. In an effort to hide the blush that creeps up onto her cheeks, she dips her head.

Ambling to the edge of the field, I lift the old metal water bottle to my lips and drink deeply. The liquid tastes tinny as it fills my mouth, but soon I’ll be too thirsty to care.

Making my way back towards Eden, I unzip my jacket and toss it to the side. Her eyes fall to my bare arms, throat bobbing on a swallow. A smug smirk twitches on my lips. Fortunately for me, she’s covered head to toe. Long pants and long sleeves ensure that my focus is perfectly intact. It’s a lesson I learned on our first day training. After one too many hours of working on her footwork, she complained of being hot and removed her sweater. Beneath was a simple gray tank top, but it may as well have been the finest piece of lingerie money could buy.

I was quick to excuse myself and took a very uncomfortable shower. She’s reduced me to a teenage boy.

“This time, I’m not going to come after you. I want you to focus and see if you can move me back.”

Eden tugs at her sleeve, shifting on her feet. Her face is screwed up in concentration.

I bounce on my knees, widening my stance to brace myself. It’s only been a few days of trying to get her to throw me the way she did Sylvie, but each attempt has proved futile. Not only has she not moved me, she also refuses to make a peep. Well, ‘refuse’ is my word choice. Eden simply says,

“I can’t.”

A rumble sounds in my throat, but I shove down my aggravation the best I can.

“Come on, try to think of something that really pisses you off. Like… I don’t know. What did Sylvie say to you?”

She averts her gaze, rolls a shoulder.

“Okay. What about your dad? He was an asshole. Think of him.”

She nibbles at her lip, but makes no other movements.

“Eden. You have to be angry about something. Your life hasn’t been rainbows and roses—”

“I can’t.”

“You have to try. We’re running out of time—”

She stamps her foot soundlessly in the grass. “I know!” The outburst has me blinking in surprise. If only she wouldusethat fury.

“So, what? You’re giving up because it’s hard?” My words aren’t angry, but they overflow with disappointment. I throw my arms helplessly to the sides.

A fire burns behind her eyes, but her fingers twitch with apprehension.

“I’d like to remind you that it was you who agreed to this training. I tried to stop you,” I say lowly, keeping my tone even and unaccusing.

“You promised I wouldn’t have to hurt anyone,”she shoots back.

My brows draw together.

“Is that what you think this is? I’m training you as some deadly weapon?”