Chapter 17: Chapter Sixteen

Josie started clapping, “Only one real hit. You’re getting better.”

“Or my opponents are getting easier. Seriously I knocked out a rogue with one hit too at Jax’s,” I shook my head, mostly in disappointment, “The least some of these people could do is put up a decent fight.”

“See you say that, but it’s so fun to watch you beat these people up,” Jace said from the doorway.

“You should see my fights with Jax,” I said with a smirk. He walked over and embraced me, causing both of our dragons to reach out to one another and begin vibrating.

“Glad you’re okay,” he said into the top of my head.

“Of course I’m okay. Don’t you know nothing can take me out,” I said, patting his back before pulling away.

“I knew you two were mates,” Conner said from the floor.

Jace growled loudly, causing me to roll my eyes. “No actually we’re not. Lose the majority of your people and tell me if you aren’t close to those that are left.”

“You’re not going to tell him?” Jace mind linked me.

“Nah he doesn’t need or deserve to know anything past us not being mates,” I linked him back.

“What did you learn?” I asked, turning to Conner.

He scoffed, “That you fight like a girl.”

“In what way?” I smirked as he struggled to find his words, “I see. What you should’ve learned was using your opponent’s movements and emotions against them and how to be patient and keep a calm head even if the fight isn’t going the way you want it to go.”

“Whatever,” he responded, rolling his eyes, “You only fought like that because it’s the only way you can fight.”

“Okay. Center mat,” I said with a small smile.

We met again at center mat, but this time I didn’t wait for him to attack. I threw a punch, faking him out, so he dodged my left punch and wasn’t able to dodge or block my right hook. He attempted to hit me, but I dodged easily. We went back and forth, with me hitting him and him unable to get a hit in, until finally I saw an opening and went for a submission. Conner groaned from where he was laying on his back.

“I think that was better than last time,” Jace said with a smile. “Daniel wants to have a meeting with us, Josie and Alanza. Have fun Amaya.”

“Later guys,” I said with a wave of my hand, but not taking my eyes off of Conner. “So what did you learn this time?”

Conner growled, “I don’t know. I didn’t learn anything.”

“Why are you here?”

“Because you trespassed and you’re a self righteous royal who thinks she’s allowed to go wherever she wants.”

“I didn’t trespass. All of the leaders were notified of my presence in the Pacific Moon Pack. Your clan was no different. The only difference was your father and his feelings toward women and supernaturals that are different from him. So I ask again, why are you here?”

He seemed to be giving genuine thought into his answer, “To learn.”

“To learn what?”

He growled in annoyance, “I don’t know.” He looked up at me, but I just looked at him expectantly. “To learn h-how to be patient and calculating under pressure?”

“That’s part of it. You’re learning that as part of your hand to hand training. Bigger picture, what are you here to learn?” I sat down across from him.

“I’m here to learn,” he looked up at me with a furrowed brow, “To unlearn?” I gave him an encouraging nod, urging him on, “my dad’s beliefs on women and other supernaturals?”

I nodded with a smile, “So what have you learned so far?”

“Women are just as skilled as men and just as good? Fire dragons aren’t good?” I shook my head, “Women are more skilled than men and better? Fire dragons are very bad?”

I laughed, “You had the woman part right the first time. We are just as capable as men. Equal in all things.”

He looked down at his hands, “And fire dragons?” He asked quietly.

“Are no worse or better than any other dragon or supernatural or human. There are bad dragons just as there are bad wolves or cats or humans, but the actions of a few do not dictate the lives of the many.”

“Am I a bad person?” He asked sadly.

“I don’t believe so. You aren’t defined by your circumstances. It isn’t your fault how you were raised, but what will be your fault is if you choose to live in ignorance and bigotry. That’s what would make you a bad person.”

He looked down at his hands, “So my dad is a bad person?”

I blew out a breath, “He has done some bad things based on his beliefs, so, in my opinion, yeah he’s a bad person.”

“Do you think I can be better?”

“I think if you’re asking yourself those questions you already are.” I got to my feet, “Let’s go again.”

This time instead of trying to take him down, I instructed him as we sparred. By the end of it he was panting and sweaty, but I was barely sweating. “How are you not tired?”

“Conditioning. You should try running in the mornings. I usually start around two thirty or three and run for about thirty or forty miles.”

“Goddess you’re a crazy person.”

I grinned at him, “Probably, but at least I’m a well conditioned crazy person.”

Daniel walked in, “How’s it going in here?”

“We’re done for the day,” Conner collapsed on the mats in silent celebration, but Daniel gave me a questioning look. “We made some real progress today. I think at the most it will take a week before he can go home,” I mind linked Daniel.

“Do you think it’ll be a setback if you guys go on a mission during that week?” He linked back.

“I think so, but I think the progress we made today will help Alanza and Josie, if you let me go on the mission by myself. Has he been running?”

“You seriously think I’ll let you go alone,” he linked, giving me a hard glare. He rolled his eyes when I shrugged my shoulders, “Josie has been running with him, but she doesn’t run the same length she normally does.”

“I want it to get longer every time. He’s not well enough conditioned to spar as long as he should be.”

“Can you guys stop mind linking about me in front of me?” Conner said from the floor.

Daniel and I looked at each other, he shrugged, “Have you run today?” Conner nodded, “We’ll run again this evening, so we can get your conditioning up to where it needs to be. Go get something to eat.” He groaned but got to his feet and walked out of the gym, “what do you think?”

“You’ve definitely made progress. How’d you do it?”

“Kicked his ass two different ways, but then I asked him what he had learned each time. He couldn’t tell me, so I asked why he was here. He finally figured it out, and we moved forward. I taught him rather than just knocking him on his ass,” I smiled with a shrug.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward him, giving me a kiss on the top of the head. He pulled back to look at me, “You would’ve made your mom proud, Amaya. You’re becoming quite the queen.”

“Thanks Dad,” I said into his chest as I hugged his midsection. We pulled apart, “I’m going to get something to eat.”