Asteria

“You shouldn’t have let me sleep,” said Elsa.

“No, you weren’t ready,” I said. “It’s just the first day, so don’t be impatient. We need to establish a bond of trust and spend more time together before I can get you there.”

“How long do you think it will take?”

“It took me ten years because I was a child. I had to wait until I had grown up to strengthen my body before I could cast the required spells, but it should be easier for you since you’re already an adult,” I said.

“How long?”

“At least a year,” I said.

“We agreed on two months!” said Elsa.

I shrugged. I was sure that once we made progress, she’d change her mind.

“Let’s not worry about it. I’d rather we just focus on your training,” I said. “Same time tomorrow?”

“I guess so. It’s not like I really have a choice,” said Elsa.

That’s right, she didn’t have a choice. Neither did I.

“Whatever happens, I promise you you’ll be fully trained by the time I leave,” I said. “We’d better show our faces in the main cabin. Otherwise, they’ll be worried.”

I packed up the leftover food, and we made our way to where Seraphiel and the others were waiting.

“How did it go?” asked Sariel.

The three ELs were sprawled all over the living room. Uriel and Sariel had their feet up, playing a card game while Seraphiel was reading a book on greenhouse plants.

“Don’t ask,” said Elsa.

“Well, if it was easy, everyone would do it,” said Uriel.

Seraphiel pulled me down beside him. I curled up on the sofa with my head resting on his shoulder. I read the page he was reading. “Um, you’re not actually thinking of planting a bunch of carnivorous plants, right?”

“Mmm.” Seraphiel didn’t answer.

“Hey, what are the two of you doing?” asked Elsa. She glared at Seraphiel and me.

I batted my eyes and gave her an innocent look. “What? We’re not doing anything.”

“Are you sure you aren’t cheating?” asked Elsa.

“Cheating? Me? Why, I would never!”

“Listen, I only agreed to the celibacy thing since you said it was necessary, and that you would also practice celibacy while training me,” said Elsa. “But it looks like-”

“Wait, a minute!” said Sariel. “Are you saying you’re forcing Seraphiel to remain celibate while you’re training her? Won’t that take months or even years?!”

He and Uriel looked shocked. Seraphiel didn’t look up from the book he was reading, pretending that he wasn’t involved in the conversation.

“Yes,” I said. “Traditionally, both men and women who train in the spiritual realm remain celibate. Preferably virgin, actually.”

“But that’s only for students, not their teachers, right?” asked Uriel.

The two ELs were giving Seraphiel disbelieving looks.

“Excuse me, but that’s actually none of your business, isn’t it? Don’t ask me about it,” I said.

“Girl, are you crazy? Seraphiel will die!” said Sariel.

“He won’t die,” said Elsa. “Only Asteria and I need to remain celibate.”

“What? You think he’ll find some other girl?” Sariel rolled his eyes dramatically.

“I mean, he has hands, doesn’t he? He’ll be fine,” said Elsa.

“Oh my gosh!” My face turned red, and I covered it with my hands. “Stop talking about it!”

“Besides, I know those two are cheating. This morning, I saw Asteria and Seraph coming out of the hot spring room together,” said Elsa.

“I was just helping Ely wash his hair, that’s all,” I said.

“You expect me to believe that the two of you were naked together in the hot springs, and you didn’t do anything? Yeah, right!” said Elsa. “Well, if you’re not actually staying celibate, neither am I. I’ll have my boyfriend visit me next week.”

“It’s true, we really didn’t do anything,” I said. “Right, Ely?”

Seraphiel finally looked up from the book that he was reading. “Yes, it’s true.”

“Asteria, do you think it’s right to torture him that way?” asked Sariel.

“It was his idea!” I said.

“I bet it was,” said Elsa.

“Poor guy…” said Uriel.

All of them kept blaming me for the whole “celibacy” thing, but it wasn’t my fault that the traditional method of training in the spiritual realm involved fasting, abstinence, and celibacy.

Elsa complained so much that I finally tired of it and said, “Fine! If celibacy is that much of an issue for you, we can try training you without it.”

The moment that I finished speaking, Seraphiel put his book down, stood up, and pulled me up beside him.

“Yes!” said Elsa. “I need to send a message to Magnus right away!”

Seraphiel was walking to the door and pulling me along with him. I said, “Wait, where are we going?”

“Have fun!” Sariel called out after us.

“Are they going off to…?” I heard Elsa asking him.

“All I can say is, thank goodness that Asteria can cast a sound privacy spell,” said Uriel.

That was when I realized that Seraphiel was pulling me towards his bedroom.

Time for another sound shield.

Here's a webcomic related to the last scene of this chapter. ;)