I am running as fast as I can but those things are faster , I was never going to out run them I just wanted more time. The bat like creatures are roaring as they get closer. My lungs are burning from the effort and soon enough I am slowing down. Something grabs at my shirt and I am being lifted from the ground, I try to wriggle free to no avail. This is where I die.

Gasping awake, I sit up and brush my hair from my face, my hands clammy. The room is still dark and there is no noise outside so I know it is still night time. I lay back to face the ceiling and take a few deep breaths trying to calm myself down from that nightmare, replaying it in my head it seems to be from when Alina, Mal and I entered the Fold. Was I running? did one of the Volcra catch me? is that the I showed my gift? How many of them did I kill? I still have so many questions but no one to give me answers. I fall back into a fitful sleep until I am awoken by a sudden noise. Opening my eyes and looking around my room I see Darla standing at the foot of my bed. She flashes me a smile and says "morning sleepy head" she comes over and throws the covers off of me letting the cold air in. I suck in a breath and glare at my friend before hiding under the covers, I hear her sigh and she says "The Commander wants you to train today" I scoff and roll over. "tell the commander that if he wants me to do something he has to come and tell me himself" I mutter and a few minutes later there is a dip on the bed where someone is sitting down.

That person touches my shoulder through the cover and a male voice says "I heard you didn't get out of bed" I silently curse and peek my head out of the covers. General Kirigan is sitting there an amused look on his face "what time is it"I ask and he pauses "five in the morning" groaning I grab a pillow and hit him with it making him laugh "give me an extra hour" I say burying myself again. A few seconds later I feel The Darkling grab my arm yanking me off of bed. I am caught of guard and therefore fall onto the floor, I groan again and look up to see him leaning over me. He offers me a hand which I take brushing myself off and I say "you are a horrible person" he gives me a wicked grin "so I've been told" we share another smile and Darla comes back in.

"Darla get Salem dressed in a kefta and bring her down to the courtyard. I will be overseeing her training today" The Darkling says his voice like honey, Darla dips her head and he disappears out of the door. My friend leads me to the bathroom and sits me down in the tub "I have never seen him like that" she muses as I wash myself, she is sitting in a chair in the corner. I look over to her surprised, "he is always uptight and brooding but with you and the Sun Summoner he seems more human" I snort and grab the dressing gown and wrap myself "we are just a novelty. I'm sure it will pass" she shakes her head and then brings out a black Kefta "I thought black was his colour?" I asked and she shrugs "its what he wants you to wear" I frown but put it on anyway, leaving my brown hair down, falling around my face like waves.

Darla and I make our way to the courtyard, black uniformed guards following us, "where did you live? before I mean" she asks and I look up at her, her hair is in a tight bun and her eyes are a beautiful blue colour. "Keramzin, Alina and I grew up in an orphanage there" when I tell her that she gives me a look of pity and a pit forms in my stomach. Reaching the courtyard I notice Kirigan standing in the open and black Kefta swallowing everything around him, he turns noticing our presence and he smiles "lets get started shall we?" he asks, Darla bows slightly and heads back inside. I turn my head and watch her go in and by the time I turn around he is throwing a punch to my face. I narrowly dodge it, my eyes wide "first lesson" Kirigan says stalking backwards "always be prepared" I brush my hair over my shoulder and frown "that was hardly fair, you hadn't told me you had started" when he turns to face me his eyes sparkle with something between excitement and joy.

"How much training have you had?" he asks smoothly and my mind goes back to the day when Mal was teaching Alina and I to throw a punch. I got it quicker then my cousin and apparently I am a natural but when I answer I say "not very much I was a cartographer remember? fighting isn't apart of our regime" Kirigan steps forward and places his hands together, "you will learn how to defend yourself. You won't be on any battle fields, considering your worth but you will have a target on your back and I won't always be around to help you" I smile crossing my arms under my chest and tease "some knight in shinning armour you are" he mirrors my expression and we start training.

By the end I am panting for breath and I have a stitch in my side, "how did I do boss?" I ask between gasps looking up to General Kirigan from where I am sitting on the ground, he didn't even raise a sweat. Asshole. He offers me his hands and I take it, I concentrate and I yank his arm pull him on the floor, I manage to flip him over me and he is on his back. I stand up and brush myself off offering the man a hand, he takes it and I help him up. "Better then when we started but still lots of room for improvement" I pull a face and he laughs, "I have never met someone who is as quick at learning as you are" he compliments and I look down at my boots "thank you?" I ask and before anything else can be said he is half way across the courtyard to talk to his heart renders.