Avia Academy

🌊Chapter Ten: Lessons and Leaps

Claire was fairly certain a human was not meant to contort their body to the shape Hadyn was insisting she hold for "just five counts," and she made her displeasure extremely apparent.

"Stop whining, do you want my help or not?" Hadyn rested her elbows on the barre.

Claire panted. "I don't see what these stupid stretches have to do with fixing me!"

The girls were practicing in the dance room, with permission from a slightly suspicious Miss Renata, and complaints from an even more suspicious Clarity Anika Sable. How could they practice water manipulation in a room without water? And more than that, what good would a fire Elemei be for that? Claire realized she really must be desperate if she was stooping this low.

"Your affinity is just like any other muscle," Hadyn said as she swept gracefully to touch her toes. Her voice didn't even waver. "If you don't stretch, you'll hurt something."

Claire grumbled, but did as Hadyn ordered.

Once the stretching was done, Claire shifted uncomfortably in place and glanced around. "Did you bring a water bottle or something?"

"Hm? Oh, no. Today we're just gonna focus on breathing, and talk a bit." Hadyn sat cross-legged on the wood paneled floor.

Claire opened her mouth to complain, but decided against it. She dropped to a sitting position as far from Hadyn as she could in the small studio.

If it bothered Hadyn, she didn't say one way or another. She simply closed her eyes and rested her hands on her knees, palms up. "Breathe in for seven, hold for seven, then out for seven."

Claire rolled her eyes. "Meditation, really?"

Hadyn opened her eyes to pointed slits, but didn't say anything.

"Fine, fine, fine." Claire mirrored Hadyn's pose and closed her eyes with a huff. Three breath cycles later, one eye popped open. "Shouldn't we be chanting or praying?"

"This is for our sake, not the Gods."

She frowned at Hadyn's tone. "You do believe in the Gods, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Believe, believe? Or Awakening believe."

Hadyn sighed and opened her eyes. "Does it matter?"

"Kind of." Claire shifted. "I don't really want to take lessons from someone who thinks the Gods are evil. Maybe they'll curse me and take my affinity away for real."

Hadyn brought her hands up under her chin and leaned forward with a smile. "Your affinity would still exist even if the Gods all dropped dead tomorrow. It comes from you, not them. And its yours. Its not to bring honor to your family, or make your cousin like you, or make that Trevesse boy think you're worthy of his time. Its all for you."

Claire didn't like that. It sounded selfish. But then again, when had Claire ever been a beacon of altruism? And, she thought, she didn't have to like it. She didn't even have to agree. If following Hadyn's instruction would allow Claire to rise through the ranks like Hadyn, then she would do it.

"Now," Hadyn continued, though Claire had said nothing in response, "Can you describe your affinity for me?"

Claire blinked. "I... don't think I follow."

"Everyone's affinity manifests differently. What does yours feel like." Hadyn stood and moved back to her place leaning on the barre. "Close your eyes again if that helps, just visualize."

Claire did as she was told, but a moment later she shook her head. "I don't know. Can't you just tell me what I'm supposed to see?"

Hadyn chuckled. "There isn't a black and white answer to this, Princess. You feel what you feel, I feel what I feel. There's no right or wrong response."