Chapter 18

Tessa’s POV

I groaned and bent forward, leaning my upper body on my thighs while I panted and tried to keep myself from crumpling into an exhausted heap.

“I can’t…go…on…” I panted at Zane, and he chuckled.

“That’s the attitude that’s keeping you from running the same number of laps every day. You need to push yourself. You can do it. You just don’t think you can.”

I straightened, trying to slow my breaths. “I really want to…” I paused to take several more breaths. “It’s just that.... it’s so hard.”

My breaths finally evened out but my legs remained rubbery and exhausted, my body weakened by the constant activity. We’d been at it for hours, teaching me some defensive combinations to try out after the laps I’d run around the training ground.

My size should give me an advantage in terms of speed and agility, at least according to Zane. Unfortunately for us both, it wasn’t happening. I was too slow, too clumsy, and too weak.

“Don’t worry. Just make sure you keep practicing. As long as you