We still have some time before we leave for the mining settlement. Addison and I are going with Kate and Errol in the rover, but we have to wait for them to arrive. I decide to use the time in a productive manner.

"Wait, Addison. Hold it angled, like this..."

I adjust the shock stick, fixing her hold on it at the same time. If she does not master the hold, it will be knocked out of her hand before she can do any damage.

"I do not know if this is the best idea," Errol warns from where he is watching on the sidelines. "The stick needs more work before I would be comfortable relying on it as a weapon in a true battle situation."

"It is what we have. And it could possibly help even the odds in a fight," I return, stepping back. "I want her to at least know how to use it properly. And if the shocking aspect of it fails, at least it can still be used to bludgeon."

The long, club-like weapon has two metal prongs at the end of it. With meteorite glass inserted into the compartment in the middle, the energy from it can be channeled in such a way as to create a shock at the end. Strong enough to stun a human-sized creature and at the very least cause pain for anything we might encounter. I know it is not perfect, but I want to use everything we have at our disposal to ensure Addison's safety.

She was right when she pointed out that nowhere is really safe on Tajss currently. After she made that point, even the logical side of my brain had to acquiesce to her argument. Not just the emotional part of me, the part that wanted to give her anything and everything she desired.

In light of the fact that the attacks on our settlements are now clearly being coordinated, I do not want to leave her behind, leave her vulnerable here without me to protect her.

It is plain the invaders are looking for every angle they can exploit. Attacking multiple targets at once would fall in line with that.

That does not mean that I do not still have misgivings about bringing her along for relief efforts. I certainly will not be allowing her use the shock stick and engage in any kind of hand-to-hand combat unless it is strictly necessary, unless there is simply no other choice. And I do not think it will come to that. There are enough dragons going to the mining settlement together that I firmly believe the situation should be contained relatively quickly.

“Then I shall leave you to your endeavors.”

Errol nods at Addison, taking a step back. He has said his piece and decided to stop intervening while we practice, which I appreciate.

Addison watches him leave, her face concerned, pensive. When she turns back to me, I force my own face into optimistic lines, attempting to bring my mood up to match. She's been watching me intently and I do not want to frighten her. She displays a brave front at most times, but I am no fool. I know sometimes the outside only masks the true feelings within.

"Once more, Addison," I say, keeping my voice relaxed. "Make sure you do not leave yourself vulnerable when you strike." We start to circle once more. With the basics of holding such a weapon already taught, along with basic strikes and defense, I want to give her a taste of what a true fight would be like. Nobody will stand still to wait for her to hurt them. "You must be strategic, attack when you have the best possibility of success."

She nods, her gaze focused on me. Scanning. Watching. In a normal scenario, she would have absolutely no chance of defeating a Zmaj warrior. We are simply too well-trained, our reach and strength too much greater than a human's, female or male. Perhaps if she were lucky, caught one of us by surprise with a weapon such as this, she might have a chance.

However, she will not be facing the Zmaj. She will not be facing anyone in a fight if all goes as planned, but if it does not, her opponents will be the invaders. And they do not have the same reach, strength, or the ability to leap as high, wingless as they are.

And Addison is not a completely helpless female. After the human females created the sharpened poles to help them fight, they have been practicing with them, so Addison's footwork is not that of a complete novice.

I watch her, deliberately stumbling slightly as I move, giving her an opening... She lunges into my guard quickly, tapping at my chest with the shock stick.

"Excellent," I praise.

She smiles in response, her face aglow. "I know you let me do it, but I don't care!" she admits. "That was still great! Woohoo!" She thrusts her hands up in the air in victory.

I chuckle, happy to see her happy. "Let us continue then," I urge. "The more practice we are able to have before we must leave, the better it will be for you.”

She nods, focusing once more. “Okay. I'm ready.”

I mock attack her from different angles, going slower than I can so she can learn. When she leaves her middle vulnerable, I tap it.

"Do not take the attack if you will sacrifice your defense. Being mortally wounded defeats the purpose."

She nods, adopting a more serious expression as she steps back. While I continue to work with her, I realize something else. I am... having fun. Not what I expected, but I am enjoying her company, enjoying her enthusiasm, her focus. The physical closeness. Though that cuts both ways.

I attempt to remain sharp, to keep my mind on the task at hand, to touch her in a distant manner, only as a teacher would touch his student. But it is difficult. My hand wants to linger. I have the urge to be closer than I need to. My gaze lingers on her lips, the soft column of her throat, the sway of her breasts under her loose shirt when she moves quickly, the points of her nipples visible underneath, the shape of her backside when she lunges and her clothing tightens. It is taut and round, a perfect handful. I suppress a growl as I adjust her stance once more.

"If you do not keep your feet braced properly, a gentle touch can topple you. And no opponent will use a gentle touch."

She nods, her cheeks flushed, a slight sheen of moisture on her skin. I want to lick it off. I take a deep breath, but it does not help. I only succeed in taking her distinctive scent into my lungs.

I suppress a groan. This is torture indeed. Why did I think this was a good idea?

I am so distracted by the arousal coursing through my body that I accidentally react automatically when she attacks next, sweeping her feet out from under her. Realizing my mistake immediately, I reach out and grab her at the same time, turning so I fall to the ground with her on top of me, cushioning her fall.

"My apologies," I gasp immediately, worried that I was too rough. "Are you hurt?"

She shakes her head, out of breath. "No. I'm okay. Really."

And that is when I realize her entire body is pressed up against mine. The softness of her breasts, her belly, her legs tangled with mine. My hands clench on the curve of her hips, where my hands automatically settled of their own accord.

She watches me with wide eyes as the realization hits her as well, her cheeks, already flushed from exertion, turning even pinker. My eyes fall to her lips. Pink and plump, slightly parted...I want to kiss her, the urge nearly uncontrollable with her on top of me. With her mouth so close...I begin to raise my head...but then Addison turns hers abruptly. I quickly drop mine once more.

"Thank you for helping me learn how to defend myself, Melchior." She turns back to me, her face more composed now. "You're such a good friend."

I feel the blow in my chest, a sharp, clean stab. There and gone. It leaves a dull throbbing behind. I mask the pain she just inflicted with words that appear only sweet on the surface. I answer with the truth.

"I will always be here for you, Addison." I meet her eyes, hoping she can see that I mean every word I say. "Always."

Her eyes linger on mine for a moment...but then she simply nods, rolling off me to reach for the shock stick where it dropped during the fall.

"Thank you, Melchior," she murmurs, holding it with both hands. “I... appreciate that.”

I nod myself, reaching my feet more slowly.

"Of course." I clear my throat. After what just happened, I am reconsidering how we should move forward with the brief training. Sparring suddenly feels too dangerous. At least for right now, directly after the moment we just shared. "I think it best you repeat the movements now, the strikes and the blocks I demonstrated in the beginning."

She nods, her gaze turning inward as she adjusts her stance to stand with her feet shoulder width apart.

"Okay."

Then she begins, moving from one strike to the next, one block to another. She is a good student. She listens to everything I say. I reach out with my fingertips to redirect her when needed, adjusting her hold for different moves, tapping at her calves when her footwork is not exact.

I'm sure to keep my distance, only touching her as much as is necessary, and only from a good length away. But even as I maintain that careful amount of space between us, my skin remains fevered, so aware of her closeness that it almost tingles with it.

However, despite the uncomfortable heat pulsing within me, I cannot help but grin while I watch her. I find myself impressed by exactly how much she has learned in so little time. I continue to correct her here and there, but the corrections are more and more minor.

"Good?" she asks, slightly out of breath from the particularly difficult move she has repeated multiple times.

"Very good. I am impressed at your progress.” The praise is honest.

She grins, a touch of shyness to her expression and a vulnerability in her eye that tugs at me. Like everything else about her.

"Really?"

"Yes. Really."

Her smile widens, her cheeks flushing deeper with pleasure. Then I see her eyes drop to my lips. And her cheeks redden even more. The answering heat in me roars to the surface, stronger than ever. Never very far in her presence.

There is something between us. It is more than just my own attraction for her. That tension, that pulse of...something...

I take a step towards her without thinking about it, responding to her. And she does not move back, her eyes rising to meet my own. I can see the answering attraction in them, the answering heat.

I want to kiss her. Want to taste her, touch her... I take another step towards her, close enough now to wrap my arms around her. I start to lift my arms, start to make that irrevocable movement...

Just as someone bursts into the room with a message from Errol.

"The rover is back and ready to go!"

My hands clench at my sides even as I turn to acknowledge the messenger, frustration a bitter taste in my mouth after the sweet anticipation of just a moment earlier. I look over at Addison to see her attention is now on the ground in front of her.

Whatever this is between us...There is no time to explore it. Not now.

For the first time that I can recall, I feel true resentment for my responsibilities.