Fire

Unwanted Connection

Asher walked me to the training room that morning but after that he had to go, sent out with the rest of the elite guards to comb the woods around the pass. I was nervous and distracted through the lesson with Juku, and he noticed.

“Little distracted there, Jess?”

I looked up to find him studying me with hard blue eyes, feeling self conscious. “Yeah. I guess I am.”  The fire wasn’t going to come right now, and I put my hands down, giving up trying to summon it. There was no way I was going to be able to find that “still small space” he kept talking about.

Juku sat down on the side of the cement circle we were practicing in. “What’s up?”

I shrugged, not sure if I wanted to unload all my worries on him. He might act sympathetic, but there was something hard about Juku, something that made me think he might just pretend to care. “It’s nothing.”

“Obviously it isn’t nothing.” His eyes crinkled at the corners, making his face look softer. “Something’s on your mind.”

“I’m just worried about the soldiers out there” I admitted, “and wondering if the rebels are still around.”

Juku raised his eyebrows at me. “One soldier in particular?”

Color instantly flooded my cheeks and I hated myself for it. “What do you mean?”

He smirked. “Well, I can’t see you really stressing over a bunch of elite soldiers you don’t know. So it makes sense it would be about Asher.”

“Well, if he gets hurt it’s kind of on me.” I finally gave in and sat down beside him. “I think I’m scared of him getting hurt because the rebels are going after me.”

Juku crossed his arms over his broad chest, expression thoughtful. “You think they’re still in the area, don’t you?”

Of course I’d been considering it, thinking about it over and over. But hearing him say it made me realize how true it was. Yes. Somehow I knew they were still here. My mother, Kari, was the leader, and there was no way she'd given up and run away. They were out there somewhere. Waiting to make their move.

“Yeah, I guess I do,” I muttered. “I’m pretty sure Kari wouldn’t give up that easily.”

“You mean she won’t give you up that easily.”

I blinked at him. He made it sound like it was a good thing. Like she was after me because she really cared or something. “Give up on me? You mean give up on using me.”

“You are an incredibly powerful weapon.” Juku leaned towards me, eyes sparkling. “Its kinda hot actually.”

I could feel myself flushing again, not sure if I wanted to smack him or not. “I’m not a weapon. I’m a person.”

“Yes, but you also have incredible power.” Juku grinned. “You’re a person with incredible power. That’s why both sides want you so bad.”

I frowned at him. “I don’t think that’s why I’m here. They said I’m allowed to leave whenever I want, after you train me…” I trailed off at the look on his face. “What?”

“Nothing. I didn’t say anything.” He kept his arms folded.

“You had a look on your face.” I mimicked his position, folding my arms over my chest and glaring at him. “just spit it out.”

“They’d be very stupid to let you go. You think they don’t know that?”

“They’re not like that,” I protested.