ELENA WATCHED THE GIRLS RELAX further and further into their seats and continued.'I want you to become aware of your hands. With your mind's eye feel your way around and through them, until you are intimate with them.'LOI FELT THE TINY HAIRS on the back of her hands prickle when she traced over the skin in her mind, the creases and cracks, even the roughened edges of her nails. She focused her mind on them until she could see how the nails were woven together. Then moving inside, followed the veins and pricked at the nerve endings. Her fingers jerked and her muscles twitched as she tugged and probed at them. It's fascinating, she thought, I can truly see how my hands work. She pushed deeper until she came to the bones, seeing the cartilage between the joints and the tendons which fastened them together.ELENA SMILED AS SHE WATCHED their hands twitch and the frowns they wore while they studied them.'I can see you are aware of your hands, so I want you to focus on your heart.

THEY CONTEMPLATED THE SITUATION IN silence. Sabyn now began to understand Alek's predicament, a little.'But that sort of spell can't force a person against their will?' Daron looked confused. 'So if there was, or is, a genuine attraction then it would mean-,' he stopped, looking a bit wild-eyed.'Yes. It would mean you've found your soul mates,' Elena looked amused at their dazed expressions. 'I find it rather strange that so many would kill to be in your positions, yet you all look terrified.''But what if we're not? ' Rumal asked.'Then it won't work out. In some ways this will be very similar to any other relationship you may have been in. The difference will be that this one should feel easier and give you a sense of completion or wholeness. Though as I have never found mine, how can I tell?'The men gave her unimpressed looks.'Oh stop that,' she snapped, her eyes flashing with annoyance. 'Be as childish as you like, but I will tell you this. Those girls did not cast that s

YAKOV WASN'T WRONG. I WOKE just before dawn and stretched hard in bed then relaxed. Huh. I actually feel like a run. The thought made me smile and I felt a buzz of delight, my first genuine smile in days. I got out of bed and slipped quietly around the bedroom, getting ready. The other three snored on, oblivious. Nnelg had slept over again and watched curiously. It amused me when he quickly turned his back on me as I changed; it wasn't every day I made a dragon blush. Audi and I slipped out of the room.ALEK PACED THE CORRIDOR, AGITATION rippling through him. Yakov said he'd strongly recommended Cat go for a run. He knew she'd do it in the morning but when? He'd paced this section of floor for a good half hour.What if she doesn't come? Then what? He gritted his teeth at the annoying butterflies he felt. I want to see her.Hearing a noise Alek froze and listened. It sounded like footsteps. They sounded light.Yes, I hear a dog. What do I do? His mind went to pieces on him when

MY FEET DRAGGED AS WE headed to the library. The guys and the Lieutenants of the General Guard would meet us there.'It'll be okay, Cat,' Sian gave my hand a squeeze. 'At least it's out in the open now.'Kassie sniggered. 'Very out.''Humph.' The butterflies in my stomach appeared to have permanent residence at the moment. Ugh, it'd be so nice to have everything back to normal, whatever that is. We reached the library and paused at the doors. My hands trembled so I jammed them into my pockets.I hope I haven't ruined everything.The pause at the door got longer.Yakov cleared his throat behind us. 'C'mon then, let's get this over with.' He pushed past us to open the doors and bowed low to Elena when she passed.I blinked in surprise. It almost looked like she'd traced her fingers against him.The three Lieutenants sat on the couch opposite the guys. Elena took a seat at the head of the couches and Yakov pulled a chair up beside her. Alek sat next to them.I gulped.There wa

WE HEADED TOWARD THE GREAT Hall, all the while discussing creative ways to get back at Nnelg. Well, I swung between those ideas and some others in my mind, but I wasn't sharing those. When we reached the Great Hall laughter and applause greeted us. Nnelg sat centre table, preening his wings and looking very proud. Yakov and Elena attempted disapproving looks at the little blue cretin but failed.'Gee I wonder who gave Nnelg the clever idea,' Loi said sarcastically.The guys and others teased us through most of lunch but I didn't care. My appetite had returned in a rush, it was so good to enjoy food again. Alek pulled my chair close to his, so we leaned against each other while we ate. Everyone promptly switched from teasing us girls about Nnelg, to teasing Alek and me. I smiled smugly and continued eating.After lunch we followed Yakov and the Lieutenants to the training room. We could hear a loud murmur of voices as we approached. Yakov glanced back and gave us a warm smile. 'The