Demon's Design

Chapter 19

Opening the door, she stopped as Henry was standing in the hallway with a towel wrapped around him, his hair still dripping wet. He turned to her and smiled, "I decided to check out the pool for a bit, to help ease my muscles."

His body was toned for sure, but he wasn't built like Fen was. Zandra nodded to acknowledge his statement, "its features don't get used enough for sure." She said to him and then attempted to continue walking, hoping to get some distance between them.

As she walked by him, he reached out and grabbed her arm with a gentle grip. She stopped and turned back to face him. He dropped his arm then spoke, "sorry, I just..." he sighed, expressing nervousness with speaking with her. "I was wondering if we could spend a little time together. Since we've been here, I've—I haven't seen you much."

The pressure on her chest came back as she saw the uncomfortable expression that appeared on his face. She was quiet and waited for him to continue as it looked like he had something else he wanted to say.

"I'm going to grab something to eat if you wanna join me," he asked her and signaled towards the kitchen.

Zandra wasn't sure what was possessing her to spend time with him. Was it because they had been friends when they were younger, or was it something else? It wasn't a habit of hers to get to know anyone. "Very well," she said and started walking towards the kitchen with him following behind her.

Once inside the kitchen they started gathering things for a small meal and made something simple and quick to eat. A few of the farmers would come back a couple times a week to stock the kitchen for them, so there were always fresh foods to choose from. Sitting down with them she felt a sudden sense of vulnerability she had never felt before. Was he expecting her to be Zafina? It had been so long since she referred to herself as such, hell since she had thought about anything or anyone connecting to her past. Having him sit in front of her she was remembering the times she had spent with him when they were kids. The trouble they would get into.

"You were right about Fen's training. If I hadn't ditched earlier and found my way to the pool, I'm not sure if I'd be standing right now. How does he have so much energy?" He said with a soft chuckle and rolled his shoulders. It had been his attempt at easing the tension forming in the air.

"I have wondered that myself some days," she said feeling some heat forming within her at the thought. Although that wasn't what she wanted to think about right now.

"I gotta admit I am feeling better. I'm starting to feel stronger. Faster. Lighter. It's such an amazing feeling." There was a satisfied grin on his face.

She took a small bite of food and swallowed before speaking, "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

He nodded, "I got to keep going. I have a long way to go if I'm going to catch up to either of you. Though, I'll admit I don't think I'll ever catch to Fen. That man—I don't think he's a man to be honest. More like a demon in disguise." Henry's face winced as he mocked his own stiff muscles.

Zandra laughed a little, there were times she had felt that way herself. Fen made so many things seem easy, but it was because he never stopped practicing. "He has been working hard for so long, it's only natural to be good at so many things." There was a hint of remorse in her tone she wasn't sure if she hid well enough.

"How's your training going?" Henry asked keeping the conversation going and then took several more bites of his food.

Shrugging she let out a small breath of dismay, "decent, I guess. I don't feel like I'm learning fast enough. Controlling my energy is difficult at times."

"How do you channel energy?" He asked with some curiosity.

Her eyes took a brief second to look him over and she found herself watching his bare chest move up and down for a moment before she snapped out of it. "You need to reach a certain point in your meditations to feel your energy."