He was crouched to my level. Nearly nose to nose with me. “Now, summon a bird.”

He reached out a hand.

I didn’t want to take it.

But his eyes narrowed threateningly.

He’s going to make me.

Better my terms than his. I slapped my hand in his and felt his large fingers fold around it. Seeming somehow final and ominous. Lightning currents poured through me from where he touched me.

Glancing at his face I saw a bit of white light shudder across his green irises, turning them briefly white as we both stood. Him pulling me up.

What was that?

My immediate reaction was to cut the connection, but his grip was unrelenting. And when I tugged backward, he reflexively pulled me in.

I was still straightening and was yanked off balance. He used the momentum to turn me, so I faced away from him.

He stepped in so he was flush against my back and caught my wrist and lifted it.

***

He’s too close. I could feel his breath along my cheek. His temple pressed against the back of my head and his hand flattened over my stomach while his other gripped my forearm.

“Open your hand.”

I obeyed. Reflexively snapping it open. Willing to do anything to make him go away this moment.

And stop shouting at me in-front of the other mages.

“Summon the bird. Call to it. Here.” His hand lifted from my waist to tap my head.

I closed my eyes and did my best but all I could think of was his scent, his nearness. The goosebumps chasing over my flesh. The feel of his hard body against my back. The length of his legs framing mine. I was nearly in his lap.

“Hawk…” I said pleadingly.

“It’s too late to beg me for anything.” He said acidly into my ear. Bouncing my forearm. “Bird.”

But it was impossible to focus.

I peeled open my eyes and saw them lining the branches in the early morning light which filtered through the leaves of the tree canopy is sparkling gold haloes. Their tiny silhouettes hopping along the branches as they watched us unrelentingly.

Giving a short shout of aggravation he stepped aside. Ripping his shirt from the waist of his breeches and tossed it to the grass aside him. Turning he danced backward into the trees until he stood within those gold fingers of morning sun.

He pursed his lips and made a slight humming and in moments the birds descended from the branches in a giant flock moving as one. They landed on his hands, forearms, biceps and shoulders. Until they were so dense, they were landing atop each other and knocking others off onto the ground to cluster around his feet.

Tiny brown ones, dark ones, blue ones, and red ones. It didn’t matter.

They can’t get close enough to him.

My fear was that one day I’d be as pitiable a creature if I couldn’t resist his magic. Him.

I, same as the other female mages, stared at him standing in rays of light, his muscled brown body luminescing with health, hard chest and tight abdomen disappearing beneath the laces of his breeches.

A body I’m coming to know. Far too well.

For the first time I could remember, I considered fleeing the mages guild. Aware that the consequence of such could mean having Warlord hunt me down and kill me.

***

“Now,” Hawk shook like a dog tossing water to send the birds fluttering away then approached me purposefully. Collecting his shirt and eyeing me sideways. “was that so hard?”

I swallowed. Why does he have so much power?

Why can’t he be weak and foolish and struggling like the rest of us?

“Hawk!” A voice slashed over the Training Garden like a whip.

One we all knew.

Warlord.

The whole group of us turned like a herd of startled deer. Not daring to move our feet for fear of drawing his annoyance.

Annoyance which quickly surfaces with the Mage Commander. I winced as I forced my restless feet to go eerily still.

“I wish that man would give me half the attention he gives you.” I heard a female voice murmuring. It took a moment for me to realize she was speaking to me.

I turned and faced one of the other women that usually glared at me.

“He’s been shouting at me all morning!” I defended, keeping my head ducked and my voice low enough only she could hear it.

“You could change all that irritation, you know?” She curled her lip faintly. “I’d do it meself if he’d let me close enough.”

“What are you talking about?” I snapped.

“Satisfy the man. Stop taunting him. Obey him. It’ll make it easier on all of us. In-case you haven’t noticed…You’re not the only one he’s short on patience with since this little courting of yours began.”

“Courting.” I gasped.

Making Warlord’s head snap in my direction.

I froze with my head down as did Tanya, the other woman.

***

Once Hawk stood beneath Warlord’s balcony he looked up at the Commander.

“What is wrong with the Indo?” Warlord bellowed.

“She struggles with concentration.”

“Fix her.” Warlord snapped dismissively. Giving Hawk a dark look before rounding on his heel and heading back inside.

“Fine.” Hawk’s gaze landed on me and I shivered.