Sacrifice

Chapter 23 : Your Eyes Only

"Brake, sweetheart! Brake!" Jake screeches at the top of his lungs, his voice dripping with pure terror. He scrambles in his seat to reach for the grab handle on the car's ceiling. His fingers curl tightly around the handle, hard enough for his knuckles to turn white. No one notices how the prince also steps down onto the floorboard of the vehicle aggressively with his right foot. It's a wonder that he doesn't stomp a hole directly through the floor of the car with how intensely he's stepping down onto his imaginary brake.

As soon as the pyrokinetic prince's words register in your mind, you slam down on the brake, sending the vehicle lurching to a complete stop. Jake groans as he's thrown against his passenger side window, his cheek making a staccato-slapping sound as it smacks against the glass.

"Remind me why I'm in the passenger seat," Jake groans, peeling away and rubbing at the red spot on his otherwise unblemished face.

"Because you were the one being lazy and insisted that I drive initially," Jay snorts from the backseat, reaching up to fix a piece of stray hair that has fallen in front of his eyes. "Remember, princess: you need to slow down before you turn the car. If you turn too quickly, you risk the opportunity to flip the car. The chances are even greater now that we're nearing the end of winter when the snow is melting and the road is covered in ice."

"Sorry, I'm still getting used to this," you grimace, hands tightening against the steering wheel.

Jay chuckles, settling back into his seat, "It's alright. Jake and I weren't perfect drivers on our first try either. You'll just need some more time to adjust. You're already getting the hang of it."

"Right," you nod stiffly, readjusting your hands on the wheel again. Jay instantly picks up on your nervous habit and leans forward to place a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

"Breathe, little one," he soothes calmly, squeezing gently as he waits for you to follow. When you inhale slowly, he smiles encouragingly. "You can only drive properly when you're calm. Don't let your emotions influence your thoughts – similar to what you're trying to achieve with Jake during his self-control training sessions."

"Perhaps we should have taught the princess how to drive after she mastered navigating through Sunoo's illusions," Jake mumbles, slumping in his seat now that the car is currently stopped.

You can't help the giggle that slips past your lips, "Ouch, are you implying that I'm well composed in normal circumstances?" you manage to joke. The prince shakes his head in horror, his words becoming a blubbering mess as he tries to correct his mistake.

"It's a comprehensive process," Jay shrugs, ignoring the frantic prince in the passenger seat. "Let's try again. This time, follow my lead, alright?" You nod, exhaling slowly and rolling your shoulders down to relax the tense muscles. "Lift your foot off the brake and let the vehicle cruise forward by itself before gently pressing on the accelerator."

"Here were go again," Jake mutters under his breath, shifting to grip at the bottom of his seat. From your peripheral, you spot the undeniable smile threatening to curl against the corners of his lips. When he glances over, his lips stretch out wider and his gaze is nothing but adoring with a hint of teasing.

As the vehicle begins to pick up speed, you notice Jay nod approvingly in the rearview mirror. "There you go," he beams. "Now, when you feel ready, lift your foot off the accelerator to gradually brake so that you can make a turn."

Your mind blanks and all you can think about is your previous attempt. "Where should I turn?"

"Anywhere you want, sweetheart," Jake chuckles. "We're driving around on an empty plot of land."