A Glimmer of Hope (The Avalon Chronicles #1)(77)

“I’m going to try to forget you said anything about my scent.”

“Good luck with that,” Remy said with a smile, and he walked away.

“So, how are you feeling?” Harry asked as the pair walked toward Chloe. “It’s been a few days now. Your powers improving?”

“I’m getting a better handle on them, and I’m beginning to think I might actually be able to do this. And Terhal hasn’t bothered me since Grayson intervened.”

“That was crazy. Like, badass crazy. I’ve never seen anything like that. It hurt to look at Grayson when he walked over to you. It was as if power was literally coming off him in waves. After it was over, I asked him if he was an angel.”

“An angel?”

“Hey, a few weeks ago I’d have said there’s no chance, but after seeing monsters and magic and all this insanity, why not an angel?”

“What did he say?”

“He laughed as if it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. Eventually, when I felt as stupid as possible, he said no. Apparently he’s not an angel.”

“I don’t think he wants people to know what he is. It seemed like it was a big deal to keep to himself. Maybe one day he’ll tell us.”

“I kind of want to know, just so I can say I know. Does that make sense? I don’t like mysteries.”

Layla chuckled. “Yeah, I pretty much figured that out, considering you Google every film we watch for spoilers before watching it.”

Harry smiled. “I like to know where things are going.”

“This must be hell for you.”

“I can keep myself busy, so it’s fine. Besides, this whole world is something I’d never have imagined. It’s pretty crazy.”

“Tell me about it.” Layla stopped in front of Chloe. “Reporting for duty.”

Chloe stared at Harry. “You here for moral support?”

“No, I’m here because I want to hide from Diana. I think she might kill me.” He glanced over to where Diana was currently bench-pressing several hundred kilos as if it were nothing. “I’m going to go eat.”

Chloe waited for him to walk away before she said, “You’ve been doing well with your training.” She placed a pin on the wooden bench between the two of them. “I want you to push this pin through the bench, but without making a hole bigger than the pin.”

Layla stared at the pin. It was a regular pin used by tailors. It was two inches in length, and there was nothing special about it. Layla wondered what this would teach her.

“Control,” Chloe said, as if reading her mind. “This lesson is about control.”

“Control,” Layla reiterated. “Sure, why not.” She raised a hand toward the pin, which raised itself off the bench, the sharp point just touching the bleached wood. Layla closed her eyes and concentrated.

“Open your eyes.”

Layla did so, and the pin fell back onto the bench. “You made me drop it.”

“Yes. Because when you’re in a fight, you don’t have time to close your eyes and concentrate. You need to be able to control your power without stopping and thinking about it.” She removed her iPhone from her pocket, opened an app, and music began to play.

“I never took you for a disco fan.”

“This will hopefully help you learn control while you’re being bombarded with information.” She turned the music up and motioned for Layla to get on with it.

Layla managed to grab the pin without any problems, but the second she got it upright and ready to move, the music managed to distract her and she had to start all over. And if it wasn’t the music, it was Chloe, who either hummed along or made funny faces.

After what felt like the hundredth attempt, Layla managed to get the pin into position and began pushing it into the wood, but stopped when Chloe shrieked.

“Seriously?” Layla asked.

“Never said training was easy,” Chloe pointed out, pausing the music. “I know what it’s like to let the drenik take control. Mine did. And it took a lot of people to stop it. I allowed my emotions to get the better of me, and”—she clicked her fingers—“that’s all it took.”

“And now?”

“Now I can use the power of my drenik to great effect. I can even allow the drenik to take control for a short time, boosting its own power. We have managed to come to an agreement. It might not work for everyone, but it does for me.”

“How did you get past the drenik wanting to kill you and everyone you love?”

“I made him respect me. I made him understand me. I beat him before it could beat me. I made it submit to my will. Maybe it was easier for me because he was allowed out before I’d managed to assert my control over it and wasn’t as strong afterwards, or maybe he’s just not as big an asshole as Terhal. No real way to know. It’s your mind, Layla. You’re in control, not Terhal. You just need to realize that and things will be easier.” She pointed at the pin and restarted the music. “Again.”

Layla exhaled in one long, exaggerated motion, before going back to the pin.

“You need some help?” Rosa asked from beside her.

If I talk out loud, I’m going to look like an insane person, Layla said inside her head.