Siege (The Warrior Chronicles, #5) - K.F. Breene Page 0,18
breathing came even and slow. She zeroed in on the red splotch in the middle of the target, ignoring all else. Trying to block out the wind ruffling her hair and the heat of the man standing a little too close.
She let go at the same time as blinking. That meant she’d also jerked just a tiny bit. “Dang it!”
The arrow was at the edge of the target, just as she’d suspected. “I’m better in the middle of battle. Or action. Just standing here…I think I’m too caught in my head.”
Tingles worked down her back again as the man surveyed her. “You are trying too hard. You are not giving in to it. Are you a virgin?”
“What?” she sputtered.
“In sex, there is a point where you can give in totally. Have you been to that point?”
“That’s… This…” She moved a step away and circled the air with her pointer finger. “That’s none of your business.”
His eyes sparkled but the sentiment didn’t reach his lips. He barely nodded. “Let’s see.”
“No!” Alena flinched away. “I barely know you!”
This time the corners of his lips pulled, hinting at a smile. “Let’s see you hold the bow again.”
“Oh.” She tossed her head, which would’ve looked a lot better if her hair had been tied in a bun and therefore unable to flick behind her shoulder. “Okay, then.”
She raised the bow a second time and quickly reached back for an arrow, but stopped when she felt strong fingers wrap around her wrist. “Wait,” he said.
He moved her arm back in front of her. “Speed is good, but technique is better. Do not move faster than your experience level. It will cripple you in the end.”
“You speak our language well,” she blurted.
“Yes. Now, try again.”
Biting her lip, she reached back slowly, feeling his direction as she did so. The change was minute, barely more than a flare of her elbow, but it felt so much smoother. Like a greased machine instead of a rusty one. “Weird.”
“Try again.”
She reached back, feeling his hand directing her. “It feels smoother when I do it your way, but at the same time, it feels like I am reaching wider somehow. Like it’ll take longer. It’s not the shortest distance between my bow and the quiver.”
“You are not using your muscle groups properly. You are thinking too much. Learn to listen to your body. Feel. Try again.”
Alena didn’t just try again—with his instruction and patience, she must’ve reached back ten more times, before being instructed to keep trying. “I think I have it,” she finally said.
“Yes. Your form is perfect. But to remain perfect, you need to teach your body. You are still thinking. When you stop thinking, you will have it. Let’s see you shoot.”
Alena’s sigh was a little too loud. Her arm was growing tired from all the reaching.
She sighted, and then let her mind go blank. Her breath evened out, and then came quickly again when deft fingers danced across her shoulders.
“You are too tight through here.” He tapped her shoulder muscles.
She tried to relax, but he was standing really close. He didn’t have the same respect for personal space as her people did. And also, he smelled really good. Like wild forest and springtime.
“Okay.” Alena dropped her bow and stepped away. “Can you just…wait over there?”
“If you would prefer.” He took two smooth steps away.
This time, with relaxed shoulders, she focused on her breath. She blocked out the breeze and tried to settle into the shot.
The hand on her shoulder made her jump. She hadn’t even heard him walk closer!
“You are blocking your surroundings. That is dangerous in battle.” Kallon stepped in front of her again, his eyes sweeping her face. “Mela noted that your people are trained incorrectly in that regard. It can be mastered, doing as you do, but it is so much harder, and shortsighted. Your Captain does not use this approach. Your commanders don’t. Yet everyone still tries to train with it. It seems those with natural ability find the best way, while those without stand in line to get killed.”
Alena frowned. That was a harsh thing to say. Surely there was some stock in their training if they could produce the army they had.
“Try again.” He stepped around her, his body nearly touching hers as he stood to the side.
She pulled back the string, sighted, and paused while he adjusted her elbow. His hands applied pressure to the side of her hips, turning her a fraction.