Page 25 of Deadly Alliances

Hadrian snapped his fingers and a projection began to play on the widest wall in front of us, though I had no idea where the projection was coming from. The video showed a man in shredded clothes being circled by black-clad opponents—vampires, I assumed.

The man let out a bestial roar, then every muscle in hisbody bulged and expanded, making him twice as large as he’d previously been. A coat of thick, brown fur covered his skin as his clothing ripped and fell away, his face mutating from that of a handsome man to a snarling, nightmarish monster. I wasn’t even sure I could call him a bear. Red shame flushed my face at the thought of what I must look like when I lost control.

As I watched, a visible disturbance rippled through the air, radiating outward from him. The ripple sent his opponents flying backward, and he leapt off-screen and out of sight. The projection faded like it was never there, the wall blank once more.

“Wow, I didn’t know ursas could do that,” I said, still staring at the naked wall.

“Few do,” Hadrian said. “Ursas aren’t as aware of themselves when in shifted form, so it’s rare they’re ever lucid enough to explore their powers. After all, such a thing takes patience, and ursas aren’t known for that virtue. But there are some that find a way to manage their emotions and hone their special talents. I would like to help you do this.”

“How?” I asked, incredulous. “I think we both know that if I shift, this room won’t be safe for you.”

A smirk curled Hadrian’s pale pink lips. He looked down and hooked his thumbs in his pockets as he strolled forward. “That’s why I won’t be in the room. I’ll be in a safe location, instructing you via intercom.”

And then he was gone, the click of the door’s lock the only evidence that he didn’t just vanish into thin air.

I took a step toward the door, but a puff of yellow gas assaulted my face, a painful sting forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut. I stumbled, hearing the hiss of the gas filling the room. Andbefore I had time to get angry or worry about what the gas might do to me, an insatiable, agonizing prickle seethed under my flesh—everywhere!I struggled to contain it, but it was no use. In several palpitating heartbeats, the beast unleashed, my thoughts, senses, and vision a blur of red and fury.

I slammed against the walls, clawing at the door. The urge to destroy was the only thing I understood.

“It’s no use, Arya.” Hadrian’s voice echoed around me. “I’ve had this room reinforced with a silver-steel alloy specifically for your training. You can’t escape.”

A guttural roar quaked out of my throat and rattled the mirror wall.

“The only way for you to get out is to concentrate.” His voice was muddled and distant, reverberating in my eardrums as if spoken through water. “Hone your breathing, clear your mind, and gain control. Do not be a slave to the beast. Be its master.”

Every one of my muscles ached with frustration, and the desire to go on a destructive rampage nearly overwhelmed me, like an itch that had to be scratched despite knowing that no amount of scratching could make it go away. I wanted tohurtsomeone. Anyone. Hadrian, especially.

No. I didn’t want that. That was the bear talking. I had to resist.

Clenching my oversized teeth, I closed my eyes and stood as still as I could. I tried to ignore the pain of irritation that seized my entire body, tried to drown out the wacky emotions that whispered all manner of angry demands.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breath in. Breathe out.

I repeated the mantra in my mind over and over, feeling each breath as it entered and exited my lungs. The itch slowly becameless intense, the fog that clouded my mind thinning ever so slightly.

“Very good, Arya,” Hadrian’s voice said, and I heard it much more clearly than before. “Now, shatter the glass.”

The bear wanted to ram an angry fist at the reflection it detested and savor the satisfying sound of glass crashing, but I had enough clarity to understand his meaning—I was to break the mirror without touching it.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and pushed my will outward from my core. The room shook, and the sound of exploding glass surprised my eyes open in time to see fragments raining to the floor.

Another puff of gas—green this time—sprayed all around, and in seconds I shrank, returning to my normal height, to human form.

Wobbling in place and disoriented, I saw Hadrian enter the room, clapping his hands. “Very well done, and on your first try. You’re nothing short of incredible!”

“Wh–what was that stuff you sprayed at me?” I asked, rubbing my aching head. The shifts had both been too quick, and now I felt sore, almost hungover.

“The first one was inducer gas, a toxin to force you to shift,” Hadrian explained. “And the second was inhibitor gas, obviously forcing you to shift back to human form. I apologize for using them on you, but they were necessary for this first exercise, don’t you agree?”

No.I never wanted to feel anything like that again. It was horrible. I felt violated and nauseous and ashamed—too many things to list. Just about the only good thing I felt was surprise at being able to access such a difficult ursa skill on the first attempt.

“Why was it so easy for me?” I asked, mostly to myself.

“The necklace.” Hadrian touched the turquoise stone on my neck. “Remember I told you it gives you more control? Without the necklace, you would’ve had little chance of making progress. But even with it, withstanding the ursine urges takes a great deal of willpower and inner strength, and that’s something that can’t be manufactured. I’m very proud of you.”

He rested a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, and I didn’t feel the impulse to jerk away this time. His praise felt oddly…good. His methods had been forceful, to say the least, but none of what he did just now had been meant to hurt me—or anyone else. Not like the general.

Maybe Hadrian wasn’t all bad. My mother had found something to love in him. Maybe he—

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