"I'm good," I say, though my gasping breaths betray me. My arms are dead weights hanging from my torso. My toes, hamstrings, and calves are aching from being in a fighting stance for so long.

Raith studies me. His eyes rake over me, assessing every weakness. "You're still too small. The things I'm teaching you may help you survive a duel. One on one when you can focus on one opponent. But what the hells are you going to do when it's more than one opponent? When they're all bigger and stronger than you?"

"So we're listing deficiencies? Is it my turn, then? Because you're an asshole when you're mad. And you are about as transparent as a fucking brick, so I have no idea why you're pissed and taking it out on me."

His jaw ticks several times before he responds. "I'm trying to keep you from winding up dead."

"And the only way to do that is to insult me and beat me senseless all night?"

"I'm training you. Preparing you. His voice roughens with intensity. I won't always be around, Nessa. What happens if your enemies come for you when I'm not able to help?"

"I was thinking I'd ask my giant water dragon to join the fight in that case," I say, even though Bastian's words from the other day ring clearly in my mind.

"There will be eyes on you."

Revealing Typhon won't necessarily reveal I'm unbound, so it'll still be an option in case of emergency. But he's an ancient.

"That is correct. Ancient. Powerful. Feared and revered."

"Don't go throwing yourself a party yet, Typhon. Ancients like you are all supposed to be mad. If people connect the dots, they're going to wonder why you're not entirely crazy."

"Entirely crazy? I'm not crazy at all."

"Debatable," I reply with a small grin to myself. "But even if they don't realize you're actually an ancient, they'll figure out you're powerful. And I imagine those people from Empire will feel the same way Serena did—that my tether to you makes me a valuable weapon they'll want to manipulate. And gods, Typhon... I'm tired as hell of people trying to use me."

"Then continue your training with the fire touched. Become strong. Make yourself worthy of my tether."

Raith is watching me with arms crossed. Ever since we tethered elementals, it's not entirely uncommon to see someone's eyes get a distant look. Usually, it means they're locked in conversation with their elemental.

"How do you two fight together?" Raith asks. "You and Typhon."

"What do you mean?"

He lifts the bottom of his shirt to wipe his face, giving me a glimpse of rows and rows of stomach muscles. So many that my breath catches and I forget for a moment what we were even talking about.