The Ritual of Blood and Bone

Chapter Fifty-Seven

"I thought that you said once I could keep you out of my head for two minutes, we could move on," Seraphina moans at Nathanial after another lesson on mental shields.

Nathanial huffs in frustration and shoots her a nasty glare.

"Why must you question me? Can't you just trust I have your best interests at heart?"

Seraphina sighs and lies back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Again," Nathanial orders. "Alaric will be here soon to help you work ready for the ritual and then to take your little group training session."

Seraphina sits up with a groan and closes her eyes. In her head, she imagines her storms, powerful and raging. She pictures the winds hurling any threats away from her. She imagines her lightning burning up any who dare attack her.

She feels Nathanial pushing against her. She throws her storms at him, harder and harder. She grits her teeth in determination. A sharp pain twists at the back of her head as she pushes harder. 

It's no use. 

It takes Nathanial more time than it used to. Seraphina reaches four minutes keeping him out. But eventually, he smashes through her defences and squashes her storm. She lets out a huff in frustration and slumps back onto the floor.

"Not good enough," Nathanial says.

"Why?" Seraphina snaps. "I can keep you out on full power for four minutes now. I can keep my basic shields up without even having to think about it. My mind is pretty safe."

"Fine, you really want to know?" Nathanial asks with a vicious hiss. "At the end of this semester, there is the Winter Ball and this year, do you know who has decided to attend?"

Seraphina frowns and sits up, looking at Nathanial who has gone a little pale. Seraphina gulps, her mouth drying and her stomach sinking with dread.

"Who?" she asks, her voice barely a whisper.

"My father."

Seraphina gulps, her own face going white.

"Now do you understand why we are working so hard on your shields?" he asks. All Seraphina can do is nod. "He could break into your mind without even trying. So yes, your mind is protected from normal mind users walking these miserable halls. Well done. But should my father decide he wants a peak in here..." he trails off and pokes Seraphina's head. "Then how are you going to stop him?"

"Okay," Seraphina says, "I'll try harder."

"Yes, do," Nathanial says, but before he can order her to do it again, there's a knock on the door and Radomir walks in. Seraphina almost lets out a sigh of relief.

Three weeks have passed since that fight with him and the other riders and surprisingly, the lessons are going well. Even the one-on-one sessions Seraphina has with him in secret just before the group combat lesson.

Nathanial stands. "She's all yours," he says and walks out of the room without so much as a goodbye. Radomir raises an eyebrow and looks at Seraphina.

"What did you do?" he asks.

"Why do you suspect I'm the one who did something?" she asks defensively. He takes a seat in front of her.

"Because you bring trouble with you everywhere you go," he replies. Seraphina sneers at him and then rolls her eyes.

"Anyway," he asks with a bored sigh, "are you ready for today's session."

"Yes," Seraphina replies.

"Good, because this is important. It is less than two weeks now until you come to the Order and we perform the ritual to help discover your power. That is two more weeks to prepare because-"