Page 79 of In Violent Waves

Ridge chuckled and walked away. “Good luck, Lyra. You’re going to need it.”

When he had cleared the archway and was trudging up the hill to the palace, Wilder began.

“Alright, your legs and muscles are new. I don’t want to injure you immediately. Let’s jog a lap and then stretch. We’ll check your arm strength and your weapons capability before we move on to magic. You’re such askillful liar, I will have to see everything for myself.”

He could see an array of emotions flit across her face. Annoyance, apathy, anger, and finally, fear.

“Why am I training physically and with weapons? The bargain was to use my magic.”

Wilder glared at her as she conveniently skipped over her admission of lying. “Your magic comes from within you. It’s easier to wield when you can control yourself both mentally,” he pointed to his head, ”and physically.” He gestured to his chest, where it was covered in the light tunic he favored for training.

What Wilder left off saying was that she was weak. And using her magic in her current state would likely injure or kill her.

“I can control myself.”

Wilder reached out with two fingers and pushed her. She crumbled like a rotted tree in the Three Sisters. Not only did she not stay on her feet, but she also collapsed to the ground.

A cloud of dust plumed around her, and she coughed.

“That was unnecessary.” Her eyes watered not from the pain; he couldn’t scent any coursing through her. Perhaps it was from the dust she waved out of her face.

“You’re weak, Legs.”

Lyra clambered to her feet and charged at him, shoving with all her might, but she felt no bigger than a bird fluttering against him.

She huffed and struggled to shove him once more, and he chuckled. His laugh set her off, and she surged up with her knee, trying to kick the sensitive spot between his legs.

He blocked her with his hand, and she cried out.

“Ouch! That fucking hurt!”

“What was your plan there? Did you think I would allow you to hurt me?”

She rubbed her knee and then glared at him.

“You elvish males think you’re so big and strong.”

He smiled at her then, a sinister, bloodthirsty smile. “Because I am.”

Lyra rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. When her lips parted with what was surely a sharp retort, he cut her off.

“Start jogging, Legs. We have a workout to complete.”

She bit her lip and looked to where Otto and the guards had started their warm-up. “How many laps?”

Wilder shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “Until I say to stop.”

“No.” Lyra plopped onto the ground, crossing her legs.

He tilted his head back to the sky to keep from screaming.

“You made a bargain with the High King.”

Lyra wrapped her arms around her legs and squeezed them to her chest.

“Do you know what happens when you don’t uphold a bargain?” he prompted.

She refused to answer and kept staring at the willow branches that waved in the rising wind.