Chapter 56

Khai regarded her for three seconds before concern flashed his face. "You're sweating, your face is flushed! Are you okay? Are you coming down with something?" He placed the back of his hands on her forehead to check her temperature.

Ana stepped out, brushing off his concern before he could enter her room. "I'm perfectly okay. Let's go, I could use some fresh air."

"Are you sure you aren't over exerting yourself? You've been so tired this week, we can skip training today if you're exhausted."

Ana shook her head and simply took his hand in hers as they walked out of the women's dormitories.

She wondered if he would act any different because of what happened this morning or on the grounds after the match, but he seemed his usual apathetic self. Ana blushed as a sudden memory of their last kiss flashed her mind.

Khai seemed oblivious to her inappropriate thoughts as he spoke to her. "We'll leave after an early lunch tomorrow. Do you need to shop for anything? We can stop in Monserrat on the way."

"No, I have everything I need." She took off her bulky t-shirt, tossed it aside and started to do her usual stretches.

Khai pushed Ana's limits that day during her warm-up, having her run four rounds on the training ground instead of the usual two. By the end of the third round, Ana was exhausted, sweating profusely, and feeling like she couldn't go on. She briefly wondered if Khai had somehow found out about Meghan's present and decided to punish her at training today.

"Do you really expect me to train after this warm-up?" she asked Khai, her tone accusatory.

Khai smiled, simply urging her to go on. "One more round, you can do it. Come on. I'll run with you."

Ana noticed that Khai wasn't even jogging, but just walking to keep up with her, only fueling her resentment towards his superior speed and stamina. She was beginning to feel like he was trying to embarrass her. As she completed the last few meters, her thighs were throbbing, and her ankles started to hurt.

Exhausted, she fell to her knees and looked up at Khai with a troubled expression. "I don't think I can train anymore, Khai."

Khai covered his face with his hands and laughed softly, then offered her his hand to help her up. "Okay. Let's try something else then."

They walked to a smaller room in the main building that had access to the training ground. The room Ana entered was deceptive from the outside, with only a small door the access it. But as she stepped in, she was struck by the size and organization of the room. It was long and narrow, with a shooting line marked on the floor near one end and a series of targets set up at the other end. The room was well-lit and had safety netting and barriers in place to protect the archers and spectators.

"How come all the training grounds and gyms are empty when we train?" Ana asked, noticing the lack of people.

Khai went to grab some safety gear as she explored the room. "Wahrens train rigorously for more than eight hours a day without a break. If there isn't a class scheduled for them, they choose to rest or socialize. Training can be draining, especially in the first few months when they aren't used to that amount of exercise," he explained.

Ana nodded, agreeing with his explanation. Every Wahren she had seen had grown leaner and more muscular since she first arrived a few weeks ago. She shuddered at the amount of training they must all be undergoing.

He strapped the safety gear on her and handed her a bow and arrow. Ana looked up at him vacantly, not knowing how to start.

Swallowing loudly, Khai pushed Ana to stand on the shooting line. Moving to stand behind her, he slowly positioned her hips, his finger tips grazing on the little skin on her waist that was peeking out between her top and leggings. With his hands resting on her hips, he adjusted her stance. "You want to make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart," he said, shifting her feet slightly.

Ana gasped softly, even the lightest of his touch was starting to make her feel strange things. His brawny arms encircled hers as he guided her hands to hold the bow. The heat from his body radiated onto hers, causing her heart to race with desire.

"Now, grip the bow like this." He wrapped her fingers around the bow, his own fingers guiding hers.

Ana could feel the heat of his body against her back and the brush of his breath against her ear. She tried to focus on the lesson, but her mind kept wandering to the intimacy of the moment.

Khai reached around her and grabbed an arrow, fitting it onto the bowstring. "Now, you're going to pull back on the string, keeping your eye on the target. Like this..."

He seemed to aim for her, as her head was in no position to think about her target. Ana tightened her grip on the bow, making sure it wouldn't slip through her sweat slicked palms. She did not dream for this lesson to take such a sensual turn, but lately, anything Khai did was torturously seductive. She licked her lips, trying to focus on the lesson.

Her stomach fluttered as he whispered in her ear. "Focus Ana, take a deep breath, and then let it go."

Ana did as she was told, pulling back on the string and taking aim. She released the arrow, and to her surprise, it struck quiet close to bullseye on the target.

Khai beamed with pride. "That was a great shot! You seem to be a natural. Let's practice more."

The rush of pride and accomplishment that Ana felt was quickly overshadowed by his touch, as he prepared her for the next shot. She could feel the electricity between them, the air between them seemed to turn thicker lately. With each shot, she could feel herself falling deeper and deeper under his spell.

It came to a point where her hands started to tremble from the nerves and anticipation. Her yearning for his touch grew so intense that shame evaded her when Khai finally stopped the lesson because she was too distracted.