Hearts of Dusk

002. Two Hearts, Infinite Breaks

(possible triggers: blood, death/loss)

CHAPTER TWO:
Two Hearts, Infinite Breaks

• • •

"When are you going to learn to use something other than your precious knives?"

I gripped the hilt of my weapon tighter, slashing forward in one powerful stroke. Leira dodged the blow, striking my smaller blade with her longsword. Tumbling out from under her hold, I spun behind her, hooked my arm around her throat, and felt her stiffen when my dagger poked beneath her chin.

"Whenever I stop being so good at using them," I remarked in her ear before releasing her.

"Cheater." She shoved out of my hold and walked off, tightening the band that held her pale pink hair up.

"I didn't cheat! I stayed out of your head!" I hollered after her.

Leira waved her hand dismissively. She always was a sore loser, but I knew she turned her back to hide a smile.

A low growl rippled over the stones of the cave, and approaching me was a black tiger with golden stripes and sapphire eyes—the form I was most familiar with. Midnight blue mist expanded and swirled until Namjoon shifted into his true self and stood in front of me.

"Your ego is up here," he held his hand to the level of his eyes, "but it should be about here," he finished, hand dropping all the way to his waist.

My eyes narrowed despite the grin on my lips. "Need to practice your shielding?"

He nodded, and the two of us went to lean against the wall where we could watch the others train below the hanging rock crystals and blue moss. All twenty of us were present, which meant more grunting, more clashing, and more sparks of color echoed and bounced off the rock.

As much as I enjoyed improving my skills with knives and strengthening my mind's reach, watching the others train had always been my favorite part of the meetings.

"I need to practice too," Callyn said as he jogged up to us. I slid closer to Joon to make room.

"Who first?"

"I asked before he did," Namjoon drawled, already closing his eyes as he rested his head against the granite.

Without warning, I reached into his mind, guiding that silver tendril of my power toward his thoughts. It was the same as usual—enough space for me to make it in, but his voice was muffled behind the midnight blue, tightly coiled shield he'd placed. I caressed it, and the scaled barrier shuddered like a living, breathing creature. Under my coaxing, it hissed and unfurled, loosening  enough for me to make out what he was thinking.

Why is this still so hard? Is it normal to feel so exhausted so fast? Should I already be sweating like this?

"Definitely not," I answered aloud. Namjoon cursed under his breath, raking a hand through his hair. I withdrew from him and laughed. "You're still better than most. It's easier for me because of how close we are. If you didn't trust me—if I was just a stranger, I doubt anyone could make it through."

Namjoon only sighed, ever the perfectionist. It didn't matter to him that our connection put him at a disadvantage.

I understood his frustration. We'd never met another elf gifted with the same power as me, but that didn't mean they weren't out there. According to Seeva, mind gifts were likely common at the Royal Palace for their stealth and spying capability, which was why he had everyone practice the art of shielding with me. That way if we ever were caught and searched for information, they'd fail to get it so easily.