66. Elated

~ JESSE ~

On the sixth day meeting with Maya, I returned to my chambers later than usual. Usually I left her before lunch, but we’d been making progress, so she’d had food brought to us there at her rooms.

By the time I got back to the royal wing I was utterly exhausted, still slightly pissed at Maya, but also elated.

She had insisted that we spend the entire morning working on my awareness of the packmind and ability to link. Then she had proceeded to spend hours poking at me, goading me, and venting her frustration when I didn’t make progress.

At first I had despaired. It was the closest I had come to giving up since she started meeting with me.

As if she knew that, she grew disdainful—and kept pressing.

“Is this what you believe a Queen should be? Flinching and self-pitying? Or is it a ruse? I know there is strength within you. Do you pretend weakness to disarm an opponent? Is that how you work?”

“Maya, you aren’t my opponent!”

“Oh no? You fight the submission. You resist m