The Witch & The Goddess: The Eden Duology

One

Eden

"Again."

Kiana sighs deeply, looking exhausted. "I don't want to spar with you anymore, Eden." She mumbles as she rubs her left thigh. "You're mean when we're training."

I roll my eyes, annoyed with all the whining I've received from the women I'm supposed to be training. I was excited to train them at first, and helping the nymphs with their nature magic has actually been extremely enjoyable.

But training them with swords and other weapons has been awful. There are only a handful of females that are eager to get into the physical aspect of battle. But only the nymphs and forest elves can use magic, the demon women and mortals such as Kiana and Lilly will be forced to fight on the battle grounds with us, despite their lack of magic.

They need to be prepared if they want to fight, which both of them have insisted on after hearing everything that's happened.

The look of shock on Lilly's face when I told her I was Jericho's mate would have been laugh worthy if I wasn't so depressed with his absence.

"I'm not mean, I'm being realistic. The enemy isn't going to take it easy on you, so I'm not either, you need to be prepared. Now, again." I ready my wooden sword, ready to practice with her again.

She hasn't gotten good enough with the wooden swords to advance to real ones, and I'm starting to think Kiana might not be up for this like she thinks she is. I know she wants to help, but I fear for her safety. The woman was amazing with her magic abilities, but now those have been stripped away from her.

She won't talk to me about it, but I know it's hurting her deep down, knowing her magic is gone. She'll begin aging as any human would, her immortality gone along with the light witch magic.

She lunges at me and we begin our practice match yet again. Our wooden swords smack together loudly in the large training room within the Reapers palace walls.

"Focus!" I swing for her left leg and she manages to dodge it swiftly, before bringing her sword up and knocking me on my head.

"There! Now can we be done?" Kiana asks, laughing at the fact she knocked me in the head finally. To say it's deserved is an understatement as I look at her bruised legs and arms.

"We can be done for the day I guess. Send in Lydia next." Lydia is the fiercest fighter I have for now, and I always look forward to a good practice with her.

"Lydia took the day off, you really hurt her yesterday, Eden. Whether you want to believe it or not you've been very harsh with all of us. And if I'm being honest, you're taking your frustrations out on everyone." Kiana tells me blatantly. That's one thing I've always loved about her, she always was one to call me out even when I didn't want to hear it.

I take a deep inhale, trying to steady myself. I don't want to acknowledge what she's said, even though she's right. I've been training from sun up till sundown, taking breaks to bother the seer's who have come to help in battle.

Hades forbid me from bothering them any longer, saying I'm distracting them with my endless demands to search other realms for Jericho.

We've tried so many different things and have come up empty handed, repeatedly. I've spent many nights letting my mind drive me insane with thoughts of where he could be and what could be happening to him.

Some nights my mind goes as far as to wonder if my mate is alive, but I don't dare dwell on those thoughts, surely they will drown me within the sorrows that lie there.

I don't think I could ever let go of the small bit of hope I hold that he's alive somewhere, waiting for me.

"Then I guess I'll call it a night. I'm going to retire to my bedroom for the evening. I'll see you bright and early in the morning?" I say it as a question, but Kiana has no choice but to be here bright and early for another day of ass whooping.