The Runner (Part I of the Runner Series)

Chapter 12

The dust kicks and swirls around us as we stand frozen in place, Will's grip sending an unexpected heat through my entire body. His jaw clenches as he stares at me, his unsettled eyes boring into mine.

He drops my hands abruptly and steps back, a strange expression marring his dark features. Oh gods, I can't think straight. I look over my shoulder and out onto the roof of the next building, suddenly feeling the urge to distance myself. Out of habit, I calculate the speed and the amount of momentum it would take to clear the distance. The old trick clears my mind and I am able to turn back to Will, swallowing once.

"Do you still want to learn how to run?" I ask.

He seems a little taken aback by the change in subject. "Not if you're suggesting we jump that gap you're eyeing."

"I suppose that is a little advanced. What say we try something more elementary?" I stride past him, moving so that I am standing over a narrow and seldom-travelled alleyway. "How does this suit your fancy?"

He joins me at the ledge and peers down into the street. "It seems higher, suddenly."

I crack a smile, "It's best to start out at a dangerous height."

"Why is that?"

"The bigger the risk, the greater the reward."

He glances in my direction, a strange look darkening his eyes. I ignore the nervous fluttering in my stomach and instead take a few steps backward, motioning for him to do the same.

"Now, unlike princess training, there is only one lesson in running." I scuff my booted feet on the roof, getting a feel for the looseness of the sand littering the surface.

"Avoid tripping?"

"That's on you—I will not be held responsible for your giant feet. What I was going to say is that you only need to believe you've already completed the jump."

"I don't think I follow." Will shuffles in place, awkwardly copying my movements.

"If you think for even a moment that you might fall, then you almost certainly will. The best thing to do is to trick yourself into believing that you've already made it." I make a show of stretching out my arms and legs, pressing my lips together to suppress a smile when he does the same.

"Fake it 'til you make it," he mutters doubtfully.

"You've got it." I grin.

"I'm beginning to understand where you get that ridiculous self-confidence from."

"Not only my good looks. Now, pay attention. You don't need to run fast, just look at your target, visualize yourself making a beautiful leap and do what comes naturally."

"What kind of lesson is this? How about you telling me something technical, like where I should place my feet?" There is a trace of panic in his voice and I pray fervently that I am not sending this tightly wound boy to his doom.

Although, the peace might be nice.

"Sorry, young William, this is one skill that can't be learned from a book. I guess you'll just have to trust me."

I wrinkle my nose at him before I dash off toward the ledge. An instant later I leap, sailing through the air and suspending weightlessly for a few precious moments before crouching into my landing.

I straighten and dust the sand from my hands, turning back to look across the narrow gap. Will remains stock still, his face noticeably paler.

"Come on, you've made this jump hundreds of times," I call over. "Don't doubt yourself!"