The Lunar Chronicles- Awakening

10. I learn to Handle a spear

"Today, we're just gonna test what you can do. Let's see how you do with a weapon." 

"So for your starter...hmm...let's use this. Aha." From the nearest shelf, Zane picked up a spear. It felt heavy in my hand. Maybe because I couldn't balance it yet.

"Weapons are the easiest form of defense when you can't use your body. But using them in the wrong way makes them completely useless. " He said.

With inhuman speed, he grabbed the spear and threw it towards a dummy that had been kept in the room for practice. The spear thrust into the dummy and tore it into shreds with sheer force even when Zane hardly used his strength. I whistled.

"When you've trained great amounts, you'll also be able to do it without almost no effort." He said guessing the question in mind.

"For now let's just focus on balancing the spear in your hand. When I say balance, I mean how you hold it." Again with his inhuman speed, he grabbed my hands where they met the spear from behind me. I could practically feel his breath on my neck. It was irritating, to be honest. 

"Quit breathing on my neck, will you. And the fact you're a vampire makes it worse." 

"Huh?" and then he chuckled.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You're a mere fledgling and yet you aren't yet slight nervous. That's unusual. You're even taking the news of existence a magical world better than I had thought. Vampires are predators but what makes them even more intimidating, is their appearance. However, you seem unaffected." I raised an eyebrow. 

"Now, I don't know about intimidating, but you sure are annoying."

"Aren't you afraid of me?" He said with a hint of a darker tone in his voice.

"Nope, should I be?" I said sarcastically.

He looked at me with those mesmerizing eyes and then chuckled.

"Let's see if you're this sarcastic when you're Queen." He smiled slyly.

There it was again. So? what's it going to be? That question. It scared me. Not these vampires, not demons, not warlocks but that question. It genuinely scared me. And somewhere inside me was a part who wanted to cross paths with my parents and ask them, why did you abandon me? Did they regret their choice? I could never know. A sigh escaped my lips. My chest felt heavy. 

"Are you okay?" Zane said and I snapped out from my thoughts.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Let's practice."

We practiced for three whole hours and I finally learned how to handle or use the spear.

"You know, to make an attack even more deadly, you can infuse it with your magic. That way more damage can be done." Zane said.

"But my magic is still weak," I said.

"Give it a try at least. Close your eyes. Think of fire. Channel the power to your eyes. And when you're ready create a fireball in your hand, open them." I tried concentrating but it didn't work.

"It isn't working. I can't focus." I wailed.

"Close your eyes." I did as he told me. That's when I felt a cold hand brush my arms. Fingers traced my arms until they made me purr. Purr? What the hell? 

"Now,-" He whispered in a deep voice in my ear, "Concentrate,-" His hands traced my back.

"If you keep doing this, I'll be distracted," I said. I'll admit it was annoying, but I felt eased and lazy.