Insight

Chapter Ten

A week had passed since Jade's first combat training and Kylo decided she could use a break for a few days and she was ready to start with the force training.

This worried him slightly, she was showing abilities he did not possess. It was something she would have to learn how to control on her own. He needed to work on her mind, though. The walls around her thoughts were essentially nonexistent. Even though he had never read her mind, he could feel her emotions very easily.

The two sat at the center of the training room, Kylo dressed somewhat down from his usual robes and full armor. Jade's eyes were softly shut, a little tension in her brows, as she tried to focus. "Your mind is sacred, no one should be able to get through," Kylo began to speak to her, staring at her concentrated face. "No matter how hard someone should try, they will not get through. Say it". She repeated the phrase back to him in a somewhat monotoned voice, her eyes staying completely shut.

"Relax. Build the walls, feel your thoughts being sealed into a box. Lock that box. Bury it. Deep. Deeper." Her mind was slowly starting to go blank, the thoughts and feelings that once buzzed around were silent. All she could hear was her breath coming in through her nose and out through her mouth. She only thought about her legs touching the ground, her hands on her knees, her constant and slow breath. Kylo saw the switch in her face, what was once filled with thoughts and concentration was now blank. He knew she was there.

His legs scooted him a bit closer to her. "Keep them buried." His hand extended out in front of him, attempting to reach into her mind. Nothing. "Impressive." Another attempt, trying a bit harder this time, but again to no avail. "Good, open your eyes."

Her lids fluttered open, slightly squinting at the light streaming into them. She hadn't realized how long her eyes were shut until then. Suddenly, Kylo's brown eyes were met with hers and her heart raced a bit. She couldn't help but notice how close he was to her, their knees almost touching. His large hands that were placed on his knees just about touching hers. A gulp suppressed the sensation she felt in her chest.

Kylo sighed and shook his head, looking back into her deep eyes. "Those thoughts are what will get you in trouble," he simply said, a small smirk creeping across his lips. Jade scanned his face, mouth hanging open, as she scrunched her face together. "You could... Hear that?" A wave of embarrassment came over her as she looked down at her lap. "Not only could I hear it, I felt it too."

These words crept into her brain as their eyes met again. "W-What?" She muttered out. He felt it too? Did I make him feel it? Has he been feeling it this whole time like I have?

"Your thoughts are too loud," he said as he stood from his spot. Her eyebrows furrowed as she joined him by standing as well. "Okay, you can stop doing that now." Jade crossed her arms over her chest, clearly annoyed. She was doing so well before he had to go and ruin it. Kylo huffed as he walked over to the window, looking out it. "You can't get distracted so easily. It will not end well if you aren't focused when you meet with the Supreme Leader." He turned back around to face her, his hands clasped behind his back. "You need to learn how to control your thoughts."

Jade sighed as her arms dropped around her sides, feeling so defeated by her own mind. "It's harder than I thought," she whined, frowning down at her boots. "Can't we go back to combat training?" The offer made Kylo choke out a chuckle, a foreign sound to Jade's ears. He walked back over to her, gripping her shoulders, before guiding her to sit back down again as he did the same. "Let's start again but this time, do not close your eyes."

Their eyes met, locked in together, and suddenly Jade felt unable to breathe. What is it about him? "Bury your thoughts," he spoke roughly, intently looking into her beautiful eyes. Jade nodded, pushing the thoughts down further and further until they were gone again. Locked and buried. Just when she thought she had it, Kylo's hand met hers that rested on top of her knee. An immediately feeling of warmth rushed through her as his bare hand touched her soft skin. The feeling sent tingles through her. "Shut me out, you feel nothing. Say it." Jade's wide eyes were searching for something, anything in his. "I-I feel nothing."