The Frozen Prince (The Beast Charmer #2) - Maxym M. Martineau Page 0,77

fingertips. Kaori had stiff-armed me, and she still held her pose as she determined whether I’d retaliate. In her flowy pants and loose camisole, she looked liable to be carried away by a strong breeze. But I knew just how sturdy that stance was. How she grounded herself and made it nearly impossible to take her down. Ozias would be impressed. Hell, I certainly was.

“Good,” she said as her arms relaxed and fell to her sides. “It seems losing no longer triggers your anger like it used to.”

“I didn’t lose,” I said. Heat simmered just beneath the surface of my skin at her insinuation, threatening to spill over and drown my senses. With a steadying breath, I pushed it away and met her cool gaze. I still hadn’t figured out how to read her. How to decipher exactly what was going on in those dark eyes. Ever since I’d woken up in Hireath, I’d spent nearly every moment training with her. Still, nothing.

“You’re the one on the ground. Not me.”

“We both know that if I’d used the shadows, that wouldn’t be the case.”

“Using the shadows teaches you nothing.” She turned to the creamy chaise longue behind her. The previous one was a deep blue, but I’d destroyed that by accident during our first session. She scooped up an off-white sweater that fell to her knees and slipped her arms through it. “You already know how to control those. Your temper, on the other hand… Not so much.”

My bones creaked as I stood. We’d been at this for days. When she’d first recommended sparring as a way to subdue the beast within me, I couldn’t have been more excited. And a bit reserved, if truth be told. I never was any good at holding back, and I didn’t want to hurt her. But none of that mattered. She’d put me in my place within five minutes and had been doing so ever since.

The first few times, I’d snapped immediately, shifting into the monster I still didn’t fully understand. And I was never in control. The transition was violent—immediate—and it was as if I were suspended above my body, watching the horror unfold. I couldn’t calm myself down. Couldn’t keep myself from gouging the tile with my swordlike claws. I screamed at myself to stop, but my voice was always silent. Just…gone. Kaori never flinched. She’d simply wait for me to strike. And I always did. Always. I’d lunge at her without thought or care, and she’d deftly avoid my attack. Again and again she’d dodge until I’d burned through my anger and my body changed back in a trembling heap.

She crossed the room to stand before me and gently touched my chin, tilting my head left and right. She frowned as she studied whatever it was she saw in my gaze. “An hour of meditation, and then we’ll start again.”

“What?” I moaned, pulling away from her grip. “That doesn’t help me at all.”

“One hour.” She made her way for the door, then paused as she gripped the smooth, silver handle. “All forms of training are equally important. We can’t always let our beasts out, so we must also learn how to calm them.” There was a faint hint of a smile there as she added, “You can do this, Calem.”

With that, she exited her quarters and locked the door behind her with a definitive click.

“For gods’ sake.” I dragged my hand over my face. Grumbling, I snagged an oversize, indigo pillow from the ornate bed on the far side of the room and dropped it on the floor. A quiet chuckle escaped my lips. Strange to think I’d spent all this time in her quarters and the only thought I had when looking at her bed was for sleep. With her constant drills and mental training, I’d barely had time to think of anything else.

For a moment, I ignored the pillow and instead glanced around. Kaori was just as organized as Kost. There wasn’t a single item out of place. No clutter or trinkets taking up space on her open shelving. Minimalist furniture, not a speck of dust anywhere. Part of me wondered if it was yet another tactic to keep her beast controlled. If that were the case, I’d be in trouble. I edged toward the tall windows, damning pillow still visible in my peripheral vision. I wanted to go outside. To explore. Meditation was…boring.

But necessary. I scoffed and tipped my head back to the ceiling. My voice or hers?