Chapter 14 #2
“My grandfather taught it to me. The physical stances help with breath control, and they can help clear your mind and aid in centering yourself.”
Her chin dropped to her knees, her arms tightening around her folded legs. “Does it actually work?”
“Yes. My grandfather always said we need to quiet the battles inside us before we attempt to battle anything around us. I try to do his meditations every morning. They’ve—” Kept me sane. “—helped me through some difficult times,” he said instead.
Carver had no doubt Amryn had noted the fluctuation of his emotions, but all she said was, “I’m glad you’ve found something that helps.” No questions. No prying.
He relaxed marginally, making it easier to shift to the next stance—one arm outstretched, palm up, the other lifted toward the sky as he sank lower. The slight burn in his legs was welcome, though he may have gone a little deeper than usual because he knew Amryn was watching.
“How do you remember all the poses?” she asked.
“Years of practice.” He glanced over at her. “Would you like to try?” He hadn’t meant to blurt out the words, but when her eyes widened, he got an unexpected surge of satisfaction from surprising her.
“That’s all right.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d probably fall over.”
“I wouldn’t let you fall, Amryn.”
The words hung between them, more profound than he’d intended. But he meant them in every way.
Her lips pressed together, and a sense of victory filled him when she rose from the chair.
She met him in the center of the balcony. Her shyness was obvious as she stood before him, and it only made him determined to help her find confidence in this.
He had her face the sunrise, so she wouldn’t miss it, and then he shifted to stand behind her.
His hands touched her sides, and her warmth instantly bled into his palms. It reminded him of what it had been like to wake with her in his arms. He tightened his hold on her, clearing his throat before he said, “Breathing is important. Don’t forget to do it while we go through the different stances. ”
“I’ve been breathing quite successfully for a few years now,” she quipped.
Ah. There was a hint of his red-haired harpy. Carver grinned. While Amryn could be tentative and soft-spoken, she had a streak of fire and wit that could spark to life without warning.
He gently poked her side. “Don’t interrupt me when I’m trying to teach you important things.”
Though he couldn’t see her eyes, he knew she’d rolled them. “Apologies. Please, teach me all about breathing.”
His lips twitched. “Thank you. Now, as I was saying, breathing is an important part of these exercises. Once you get more familiar with the poses, we’ll work on your breathing technique.”
“Just to be clear, I never agreed to wake up before the sun and do this routine with you on a regular basis.”
He chuckled. “Noted. You can close your eyes if you wish. Sometimes it helps with balance or focus, and sometimes it doesn’t. You can decide what works for you. For now, we’ll start with a basic pose. Put one foot forward and bend your knee, then set the other foot back.”
She did so, and though the skirt of her nightgown ensured she wouldn’t be able to fully sink into the pose the way his grandfather had taught him, it would be enough to give her the feel of it.
He kept a light hold on her sides, keeping her steady as she found her balance. “Arms up,” he told her. “One forward, one behind you. Keep them level.”
She once again complied, and he shifted a little so he wouldn’t be in her way.
“Very good,” he said. “Now, sink into the stance a little more.”
She did so; he felt her body vibrate slightly as she engaged her core muscles to keep her balance.
“Good,” he praised again.
She peeked open one eye to glance at him. “You’ve been doing this pose since you were six years old, haven’t you?”
“Four, actually.”
She huffed, but the effect was ruined by the mirth in her eyes. She faced the sun again, which was just peeking over the horizon. The morning rays made her hair look even more vividly red, and he had to force himself to stop staring and focus.
“This is a basic stance,” he told her. “It’s a grounding pose.
Now, I want you to keep your feet and legs where they are, but bring your forward hand down to rest lightly on your bent knee.
” She did as he’d instructed, and then he guided her other arm down, letting her palm rest on the back of her extended leg.
He kept one hand lightly braced against the small of her back as he stood at her side, watching her carefully to make sure she didn’t overextend.
“All right, you’re going to bring your front arm up as you bend it backwards, letting it curve into the air above your head, palm down.
Tip your head back, letting your upper body bow backwards to follow your upraised hand. ”
She shot him a slightly dubious look, but his chest heated as she followed his instructions without hesitation.
She was a little stiff, and he had to make a couple of adjustments to her posture and form, but by the third time of doing the motion, Amryn was steadier and more confident.
He probably didn’t have to keep his palm against her back.
He kept it there anyway.
She grinned as she came out of the pose for the last time, her cheeks a little pink as she looked at him. “That was—”
The ground shuddered beneath them.
Carver grabbed her, yanking her to his chest and covering her head with one hand. He braced his legs, trying to absorb the strengthening tremors. Something shattered inside the bedroom, and shouts rang out across the palace yard below. Amryn’s heart thundered against his own.
The earth rocked a final time, then stilled.
His grip on Amryn was slow to release. He didn’t trust the sudden stillness.
When Amryn eased back, her eyes were wide. “Another quake? Is that normal?”
Carver’s heart was still beating too fast. “It’s not unheard of,” he admitted. This region of the empire—including Xerra, where Esperance was located—experienced quakes occasionally enough that they weren’t uncommon. But it seemed a strange coincidence to experience two within such a short time.
Uneasiness filtered through him as he looked out over the city. There were no visible signs of destruction, but who knew what cracks now lay beneath.