I should have known as truth,” I said.
Fate grinned. “You’re going to have your hands full, but we have faith it will work out. Though, she has her own free will. We might have deemed the two of you the perfect match, but it’s up to both of you to make it work. Meraki doesn’t mean utopia. You still have to fight for the love you desire.”
I’d already been fighting, but it had been for the wrong reasons. I’d been fighting the feelings Kali stirred within me, but not anymore. I’d show her I could be the man she deserved, and I’d never stop, even if or when she forgave me for pushing her away.
Chapter Sixteen
Ryland didn’t show for my final test, but I told myself a million times that it didn’t bother me. I didn’t need his approval of my progress. I didn’t need him for anything, no matter what my soul thought. I was a badass, and I’d do what needed to be done with the people who actually gave a crap about me.
Stryx was perched on the edge of the table and hooted at me. “So, your final test isn’t so much a test, but more like show and tell. I want you to demonstrate to me what you’re comfortable doing and answer a few questions. There is nothing you can do that is wrong. We just need to simulate some scenarios to make sure it’s safe for you to leave Arvayta.”
Nodding in agreement, I kept telling myself I was ready enough for whatever little test they wanted me to complete. I wouldn’t let any obstacles keep me down.
Jordan and Oliver were present and standing beside Stryx. Without notice, Jordan tossed a fire orb at me, but I doused it in water before it could burn my skin.
“Not today, Satan.” I grinned and thought about how I had called her Satan before I knew she had an affinity for fire. It was constant entertainment for me.
“I’m only warming up, and it’s two against one, so I wish you luck, Chuck.”
Just as she reminded me Oliver was capable of taking me down as well, a vine raced up my leg, but I pulled my training dagger from behind my back and cut it into bits before the creeper wrapped around my waist.
All without cutting myself, which was an improvement on its own. Normally, I was fairly good at drawing blood whenever I was using the blade Stryx said would help me prepare for the ones I needed to wield against Alaryk.
Jordan continued to distract me with flames or fire orbs while Oliver attacked me with vines and the occasional hole in the ground. Those would randomly appear when I was dodging the fire before using my water affinity to keep as many of their hits at bay as I could.
After I’d been singed no less than five times, twisted both ankles, and had bruises from the vines strangling me all over my body, Stryx finally called them off. “I think that’s enough defensive work. You did well, Kali, but that’s not enough to keep you safe. There are a certain number of people surrounding us right now. Call out the location of each one or you’re as good as dead.”
This was always harder for me, because while I could call on water easily when I was in danger, I still struggled with properly utilizing it when I couldn’t see my attacker coming for me.
Closing my eyes, I took in a deep calming breath and connected to the water in the air around me. Then, I moved that connection further down and into the ground beneath me. Water was everywhere, which should have made wielding it that much easier, but instead, it was almost overwhelming.
Picturing the connection like a bubble, I pushed it slowly away from me while keeping my eyes closed. I sensed the moment Jordan, Oliver, and Stryx were within it, even felt the warmth in Jordan’s hand as she likely considered playing dirty and hitting me with fire while I was focused on something else.
The further out I searched, the more strained my body became, and my jaw tensed as I pushed my senses beyond any distance I’d attempted before.
“Behind the boulder to our right, one man,” I called out. “Two more in the trees to my left.” The process continued until I’d found nineteen people and was barely standing upright from the amount of energy and focus the task was taking from me.
“One more, Kali.