Enchantment (69 page)

Kerrigan
felt
the
old
pang
of
j
ealousy
rear
its
head
again.
He
wished
he
could
have
been there
to
see
her
training.
“Don’t
get
a
n
y
ideas.”
His
teeth
snapped
together,
a
clear,
unspoken threat.

“You
m
ade
y
o
ur
concerns loud and
clear
the first ti
m
e,
Kerrigan. So,
j
u
st
what is
s
he to
y
o
u, an
y
w
a
y
?
”

“J
u
st
don’t
get
any
ideas,
pl
a
y
bo
y
.
And
w
hat
she
m
eans to
m
e
is
none
of
y
o
u
r
business.”

Str
y
k
e
r
laughed
at
hi
m
.
“
Y
ou
know
the
old
sa
y
ing.
If
y
o
u
stand
too
close
to
the
flames
y
o
u’
r
e
gonna
get
burnt.”

Kerrigan
glared
back
at hi
m
,
and
then
turned
to
watch
the
garg
o
y
l
es
training
in
the
distance. “There’s
one
m
ore
thing,
St
r
y
k
er.
A
s
sign
a
warrior
or
two
to
discreet
l
y
watch
Thalius.”

“N
o
w
y
o
u
’re talking!
I
don’t
trust
him
one
bit.”

“Neither
do
I. I
want
to
know
w
here
he
goes
and
what
he’s
doing.”
Kerrigan
turned
to
stu
d
y the
doorw
a
y
Meeka
had
vanished
through.
I
m
pa
t
ience
and
concern
tangled
like
loose
threads within
h
i
m
.
If
she
didn’t
s
how
in
a
m
inute, he
was
going
after
her.

Str
y
k
e
r
stretched
his
aching
ar
m
s
over
his
head.
“
D
a
m
n,
the
girl’s
good.
I
haven’t
felt
this
s
ore
for
a
long
t
i
m
e.
Wait until
s
he
w
hoops
y
o
ur
sorry
a
s
s,
my friend.

Kerrigan
s
m
irked.
“I’ll
look
forward
to
the
da
y
.
W
h
y
don’t
we
m
eet
at
my
ho
u
se
to
m
orrow at
about
this time for
round
tw
o
? At
least if
we’re in
my house
training, the gargo
y
l
e
s
w
on’t
have to
see
both
our
a
s
ses
get kicked
by
a
girl.”

Both
laughed
as
Meeka
and
Catz
appeared
from
the
shower
roo
m
.

Meeka
had
a
haggard,
drawn
look.
Dark
circles
under
her
e
y
es
revealed
her
exhaustion
m
ore clear
l
y
than
w
ords
ever
could.
Kerrigan
knew
s
he
needed
m
ore sleep.

She
approached
Str
y
k
e
r.
“I
real
l
y
j
u
st
wanted
to
say
how
sorry
I
am
one
m
ore
time.
I
can’t describe
h
o
w
I
feel about
w
hat
I
al
m
ost
did
to
y
o
u
.”

“Enough
out
of
y
o
u.”
Str
y
k
e
r
took
her
by
the
shoulders
and
gave
her
fi
r
m
shake.
“
D
on’t forget
who
and
w
hat
y
o
u
are.
Whether
y
o
u
believe
it
or
not,
y
o
u
are
destined
to
be
a
warrior.
Y
ou
sure
in
the
hell
fought
like
one
toda
y
.
I
wanted
y
o
u
to
fight
back.
There
is
no
room
for
pi
t
y here.
I’ll
expect
y
ou
to
train
dai
l
y
so
y
o
u
can
i
m
prove
on
y
o
u
r
skills.
Like
a
newborn
learning
to walk,
y
ou
m
ust
continue
y
o
ur training,
and
do
not
dwell
on
the
negative.”

Meeka
ad
m
ired
his
teaching
abili
t
y
.
She
hung
her
head,
asha
m
ed
of
her
behavior.
St
r
y
k
er w
a
s
right—she
needed
to
start
behaving
like
a
warrior,
not
a
child
in
school.
“You’re
right.”

“I’m
being
straightforward.
Lesson
two
will
be
to
m
orrow
at
the
sa
m
e
t
i
m
e
in
Kerrigan’s training
roo
m
.
Get
y
o
ur
rest,
Meeka.
I
have
no
s
y
m
p
a
th
y
for
beings
w
ho
don’t
take
my
time seriousl
y
.” He
bowed
to
her and
walked
aw
a
y
to
the
s
howers.

Kerrigan
gri
m
a
c
ed
at
Str
y
k
e
r’s
words,
but
perhaps
being
tough
on
her
m
ight
be
what
s
he needed.

“Meeka,
St
r
y
k
er
is
right,
y
ou
know.
We
are
concerned
about
the
powers
y
o
u
wield.
It’s dangerous
to
y
o
u
rself
and
all
of
u
s.”
He
draped
an
arm
around
her
shoulders,
his
heart
thudding at
the
contact.
“
I
don’t
m
ean
to
be
un
s
y
mp
a
t
h
et
i
c,
but
I
need
to
know
y
o
u
can
protect
y
o
urself
if I’m
not
with
y
o
u.
N
o
matter
what,
Meeka,
y
o
u’re
stronger
than
y
o
u
think,
and
we’re
going
to
be there
to
see
y
ou
through
this.”