Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Because under the gruffness was a man with a heart as big as his mate’s.
At this point, I’m far beyond willing. If we watch, we may work out how he does this without losing his mind.
As it was, to say that Galen’s teaching technique was gruff was a vast understatement. “Do you want to be a squashed egg on the gorge floor?” he asked the two children who stood before him later that day, his arms crossed over his chest, his biceps taut.
Both Aanisa and Phoenix shook their heads at once, their eyes wide as they stared up at a man who was, to them, a giant.
“Good. Then don’t practice without supervision. Your parents will be sad that you’re squashed eggs, but I’ll just scrape you up and throw you down again because you did something dumb after I warned you not to.”
Raphael, why do children like Galen? Elijah’s tone was mild, but Raphael knew that he was watching with a hawk’s dangerous attention.
Because he is a barbarian just like them.
“So,” Galen demanded, “are you dumb?”
“No!” two small but determined voices cried.
“Hmm, let’s see you prove it. Behind me is an area set up for you to practice flight training safely. Doesn’t matter if you fall a hundred times here, you won’t break. So if you want to try to fly, do it in that space.
“But,” he said before either child could so much as twitch toward that zone, “it’s not just about falling or gliding—it’s about learning your musculature.” The weapons-master spoke to the two as if they were full-grown adults, and they seemed to listen as intently.
“Now,” Galen said, “we’re going to do a set of controlled descents—you’ll be wired up, so you won’t get to just dive. This is about…?” A quirked eyebrow.
“Learning mas-cu-cha!” Aanisa and Phoenix said almost at once.
“Good. Now, who’s first?”
Both hands shot up, so Galen flipped a blade. “Lands point down, it’s Aanisa. Lands flat, it’s Phoenix.”
Aanisa jumped when she won. The sunlight coming through the sky windows glinted off the beads woven into her fine braids—which were then pulled back into a short ponytail. “Nixie, I’m gonna fly!”
Raphael was glad to see that while Nix was disappointed at losing the toss, he didn’t linger on it. Instead he cheered on his friend as Galen hooked her up to the wire system that Raphael had never actually seen.
He hadn’t been in this particular training area, either—a huge enclosed warehouse in a sheltered corner of the Refuge carpeted with a foamy material that would absorb the impact of small, falling bodies without doing them harm.
When did you come up with this, Galen? he asked from the other side of the warehouse—where he, like Eli, stood wrapped in glamour.
Few centuries back. I stopped on a roof that overlooked a live exhibition in Times Square and saw how humans “fly” when they do their stage shows. It gave me the idea to build something to train young muscles. He tugged on a strap to ensure Aanisa was secure. Eli?
Watchful but not about to murder you just yet.
Expression still outwardly stern, Galen’s mental voice nonetheless held laughter. He’ll love this.
Out loud, he said, “Ready, Aanisa?”
At her nod, he pushed a button that lifted her off the floor in a slow ascent to the cavity at the top of the roof. She waved excitedly at Nix, who was up and jumping now. “Anise, you’re so high!”
Galen pointed a finger at him. “Sit. Don’t distract her.”
Nix sat down on a nearby bench, his entire body taut with suppressed excitement. The instant Galen began to talk, however, coaching Aanisa on what muscles she needed to exercise, Nix went still and listened.
“When you gain that muscle control,” the weapons-master was saying, “I’ll release the straps that hold up that part of your wings. Muscle group by muscle group, until you’re descending on your own.”
I see it now, Raphael. Elijah’s voice had considerably warmed up. He might not be gentle, but he is kind.
You can trust him absolutely with little Anise, Raphael said. There’s a reason so many of those Galen has trained over the years still come to visit him anytime they’re in the Refuge.
I believe you—but I will still come by to watch these sessions. Elijah’s lips curved. Simply to see my girl fly.
Because Aanisa was shouting with joy now as Galen lowered her. “Look, Nixie!” she said, her dimpled cheeks aglow. “Look!”
Nix clapped, his grin huge. “You’re flying!”
Galen didn’t disabuse either child of their excitement even though the truth was obvious—the rig was doing most of the work. Because this was a first lesson, and in this one, they needed to find only joy and excitement.
Which they did aplenty.
Phoenix, when it was his turn, surprised Raphael. It was clear that his and Elena’s boy had listened carefully while Galen was teaching Aanisa, and now put himself in the correct formation in the rig.