The Reaper's Apprentices #1: Awakened by CS Patra Read Free Book Online Page B

said. “You can’t just learn them and not practice.”
     
    “We’ve practiced them!” Avani pointed out. “We’ve spent the last two nights practicing. We spent the last two nights learning about the different rivers! We know what the rivers are! We know what they do! We know where they lead! What else is left?”
     
    “A lot more than that!” he snapped. She took a step back, and he relaxed. “Sorry. I guess all this practice is taking its toll on me too.”
     
    “It’s taking a toll on everyone. Can’t we have one day to just have fun?” Kaska suggested. “I mean, I’d like to practice some of these new cheerleading moves. We’ve been working so hard on the other stuff that I have to save that for late at night.”
     
    “Yeah, I want to work on this new dance,” Yuka said, flexing her feet. “I should have had this memorized two days ago, but I only have the first half ready. We just want a little break.”
     
    “A break?” Sebastian didn’t seem happy with this suggestion. “We haven’t even started yet, and you want a break? Do you know how long it takes to master these powers?”
     
    “Well, we’re not going to learn them overnight anyway. We’ve practiced and practiced, and I don’t think we’re getting anywhere!” Tessa complained. “Can’t we just take five minutes to sit down and forget about this?”
     
    “You make that sound so easy.” Adair shook his head. “You can’t forget about it, girls. You can take all the breaks in the world, but you can’t forget about what you are.” He saw all the disappointed faces and decided to cave in. The last thing he wanted was more complaints. “I suppose a ten minute break won’t hurt anyone. We’ll resume this around 8:15, okay?”
     
    “Thank you, Master.” Tessa bowed to him. “I owe you one.”
     
    “Oh, I know you do.”
     
    “Finally, we’re getting a break!” Kaska sat down and leaned back in her chair. “I swear my hands are going to fall off from trying to harness Cocytus. Since when is water so hard to deal with? And just how am I supposed to turn it into ice?”
                 
    “Water to ice sounds a lot easier than making fire.” Yuka looked at the fireplace and frowned. “I have no friction when I rub my hands. Is that supposed to happen?”
     
    “Maybe we’re not concentrating hard enough. I just wish everyone would stop being so hard on us.” She shook her head. “I still have school in case anyone forgot. And I would like to gain a social life sometime in the near future. So far, I have not been very successful in that area.”
     
    “Since when did any of us have a social life?” Avani asked. “At least you guys get to go to school and learn stuff with other people. I’m lucky I’m a demon, and I get the ability to travel from place to place easily. Otherwise, I would not recommend becoming a model. People are always measuring you, telling you what you can and can’t eat. People complain any time you get the slightest imperfection. One minute designers want you for their campaign, the next minute they complain you’re too old.” She sighed and slumped back on the couch. “I would do anything to trade places with you girls. Although this Guardian business isn’t going to help my morale much either.”
     
    “Are we sure they are right about this?” Tessa asked, coming in with a plate full of cookies and crackers. Avani twitched at the sight of them, but said nothing. “I mean, they’re going off a sheet of paper with drawings on it. So we saw something no one else did! Maybe the other people didn’t count right. That’s always a possibility.”
     
    “It is, but I don’t think everyone would miscount the number of drawings,” Kaska said, taking a few of the cookies from the plate. “Anyway, I just hate the practices. They say we’re not supposed to get this overnight, but they treat us like we’re supposed to. We just found out about everything now! It’s