Pernicious | Kai Parker

Chapter 47

"Are you our dad now?"

Amelia kicked Kai under the desk as they went to sit with Julian in one of the studies.

"Oh, heavens no," said Julian, laughing heartily. "I would not wish to call myself your father. Perhaps, your mentor. Lily has already told me such great things about you both. A clever pair, good fighters, good at enacting revenge and always one step ahead of foes. It's a good combination of traits, and as Heretics... well, not to play favorites, but you certainly seem to be the strongest, even being as young as you are."

Kai seemed to puff out his chest, almost swelling with pride. "What can we say, we have to be able to keep up with those older than us."

"You certainly do," agreed Julian. "Which is why I'd like to offer you extra training. I hear you've learned to use swords. It's a good weapon, and I'd like for you both to practice fencing with me, at least a few times a week, to really hone that skill. The magic will be all up to you— after all, I am no Heretic."

Amelia pursed her lips. "Well, that doesn't sound too bad. What's the catch?"

Julian appeared bewildered. "Catch? There's no catch at all, Amelia. I just wish to see you both grow stronger. You have such potential, and unless you continue to train, it will all go to waste. Allow me to help you."

Neither Heretic expected that this help would happen so soon, or so early.

They were woken up at four in the morning to run. Julian had them run at normal speed, leading him around the town as part of a tour. When they got back to the house, he had them doing sprints in the backyard, trying to beat specific times and make it to specific destinations before a timer rang.

He'd done an evaluation to see where they were at. Sparring, weight lifting, jumping, hurdling, it was all tested, and though the Heretics couldn't get permanently injured, they did seem to have pulled several muscles.

But it all felt worth it. Julian was tough, but he was generous with his praise. If there was something that Kai and Amelia hadn't had enough of in their childhood (aside from stable and kind parental figures) it was acknowledgement for their success.

Julian was giving them so much of that acknowledgement, it was as if they were intoxicated. He critiqued, he pushed them, and yet, after each exercise, he pinpointed all the good things they had done.

Whether he was trying to win them over or just give them the fatherly validation they'd never had, it was working. By the time they'd moved on to learning how to fence, Kai and Amelia were following Julian around like puppies, eager to hear more of his wisdom, his jokes, his experiences.

"You two are a rare breed," he mentioned, when they were having breakfast with bourbon. "You're hard workers, you know what you want, and you fight to get it, no matter who stands in your way. Now, most people, they're too fearful to get what they want, because they're afraid to take it. You both, even without constant magic, were able to wreak such havoc... oh, I've relished in hearing the details of what you did at that wedding. It's fantastic. I can imagine the scent of all the blood was... heavenly."

"Oh, it really was," said Kai between mouthfuls of cereal. "It smelled like when you go into a Victoria's Secret perfume section."

Julian quirked a brow. "Who is Victoria and why does her secret have to do with perfume?"

Amelia giggled. "It's a store for clothes, lingerie, and other things. It's expanded a lot since it was founded. I've only taken Kai in a few times in the past three months, but he loves it. We compelled an entire store once to be at our disposal, and I tried on just about every piece of clothing in it, while he decided which looked best on me."