Page 266 of A Flame of the Phoenix

“In my experience, siblings only inspire jealousy and want you dead.”

Nik turned back with a grin. “Your experience is very limited, having only just discovered you have a viciously jealous sister out for your power.”

The reminder itched her skin to seek out Edith.

“I got my power back without you,” Zaiana said.

Nik canted his head slightly. “Things can catalyst into others in the most subtle ways.”

“Don’t visit me in my dreams again.”

“I might have made the first contact, but it was often you who called me back, even when you didn’t realize it.”

Zaiana’s mouth opened to counter, but Nik went on before she could.

“Seeking help isn’t a weakness. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.”

“Why did you help me?” she asked. “At that time, I was still the enemy.”

“If I’d thought you the enemy, I would have shattered your mind that first night. It would have been so easy—you were completely at my mercy.”

The tip of Zaiana’s spine tingled. Even though it was a while ago, the realization of how silently and dishonorably she could have been killed that night racked her.

“I managed to throw Agalhor out of my mind before he killed me,” she said.

“I can’t speak for what happened between you. But I have no doubt you could have tried to throw me out and would have lost.”

She wanted to shatter his confidence. Prove him wrong. But she stared into those unblinking emerald eyes and believed him.

“Can you teach me how to strengthen my mind? Against conscious and unconscious infiltration?”

Nik’s cold eyes filled with warmth. “Look at you, reaching out a hand. It would be my pleasure, Zaiana. If you ask Faythe, she should tell you how excellent of a mentor I am.”

She was already beginning to regret her request with his devious aura.

“Speaking of, good luck training her with the ruin. Faythe is very persistent but often gets ahead of herself with impatience.”

Just great,Zaiana thought. She’d trained many darklings in her life—she was a master of patience—but Zaiana was prepared for Faythe to test her worse that any child.

Nik turned away, and she thought he was about to abandon her until he called over his shoulder, “I find it best to train the mind while the body is at work.”

She quite admired High Farrow’s training arena under the castle. It had every weapon she could hope to find, several raised platforms for combat, and space enough to train a whole squad at once. It was far more fanciful than the pit or mountain fringe she’d had to train in growing up.

“This was a terrible idea. You’re hardly in league with me,” Zaiana said, holding her sword with little enthusiasm.

Nik leaned on the Farrow Sword—an impressive blade indeed. “You haven’t even seen me fight.”

“I don’t need to. Trained in combat since birth, maybe, but against palace guards who couldn’t really give their all against their precious princeling. Probably let you win to spare your feelings too. You don’t know what it’s like to truly fear for your life even in a friendly competition.”

“I’ll admit there might be some truth there, but still, you might be surprised.”

Zaiana smirked. If anything, this would provide some amusing distraction for a while.

“No lightning,” he warned.

“That would be no fun. You’d be on your ass in a second.”

His green sparkled with the challenge. It wasn’t often Zaiana sparred for entertainment. She had to remember this was just a game, but that didn’t mean she would go easy on him.

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