Spitfire - Eric Coulter

Chapter XXVIII

Again that stupid smirk. I blush, but instead of commenting, he only grabs my hand once more, finally reaching the bottom of the staircase and pushing through a pair of double doors.

Inside is a pool, like the ones on the roofs of Erudite.

Eric holds out a bag that I haven't noticed before.

At first, I think it is underwear, but it is a different material. Once more it is exactly my size.

"It's swimwear."

"I can't actually swim..."

"Yet you are not afraid of water."

"Never had bad encounters with it I suppose."

"There are changing rooms to the left", Eric explains. But I decide differently.

"What was it that you said about that jacket the other day?"

Eric is towering over me in a few seconds, his signature smirk on his face.

"You are in a feisty mood this day", he whispers in my ear, hands sliding around my torso, a soft kiss now placed on my jaw, down my neck, to the zipper of his sweater. He looks up at me and then unzips it, with his teeth. A groan leaving him seeing that I am wearing my sports bra beneath it. Again, he brushes his fingers up and down my sides, sliding the sweater off my shoulders, then pulling me close.

"You are going to drive me to madness", he groans, then pushes me away, holding out the bag once more.

"Get changed."

It turns out that I am a natural at swimming and Eric is a natural at picking out clothes for me. The deep burgundy set fits my skin tone and curves perfectly, as Eric repeats about four times. But when he thinks I am not looking there is worry on his face, a hint of anger, and maybe grief. But as soon as he turns to me it is replaced with the softness I had come to know from him. After a few swimming lessons, Eric has to leave for a meeting. Even my pout cannot stop him from leaving. Instead, I walk through the corridors, my hair in braids, cursing as I cannot find my way back. The easy routes I finally memorized, but this...I walked back up the staircase, but I think I might have gotten off at the wrong level. I throw my hands up in exasperation.

It is lunch by the time I finally find my way back to the main hall, Eric nowhere to be seen.

~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~

The testing room was the same as always and yet it felt different. Eric is the one testing me once more, keeping a professional face on the entire time.

"Sit down, initiate."

"And I thought we were beyond titles by now", I say in a teasing tone, yet Eric doesn't respond, doesn't smirk.

"The testing will be different this time. Your objective is not to only calm down, but to find a way out of the situation you find yourself in. As before your time will determine your ranking, but this time also your planning and your ingenuity concerning the way you solve the situation."

"I...and if it is more of an emotional fear?"

"I am sure you will figure it out", he says, setting the needle to my skin and pushing the liquid inside.

"Alright, off to hell I am...Sir."

It's dark. I stand on a field, the sky filled with black clouds, rain thrumming down on me. A crash tears apart the sky, making the ground shake and a bolt of lightning slams into the ground. I yelp.

Thunderstorms. Everything will be fine. It is just a thunderstorm. Deep breaths.

I look around, taking in my position. I am on a small hill, a tree close by. The first instinct would be to run there, to find shelter from the rain. But with the lightning being elevated and by an isolated tree would be the most stupid thing to do. But there, barely recognizable, seems to be a small ravine. Low ground. But what about the water. Yet it is my best bet. I hurry towards it and when arrive start to slowly climb down. Halfway down I find an opening in the rocky surface. A cave.