Rina stared at the warrior squatting on a small water casket. The sight of him waiting for her, alongside a nervous and sweating Panikos, had stolen her breath and set her pulse racing. She'd only seen his impressive bearing from afar but when he deigned to visit Prostakáto, it usually meant something bad had happened. And so it had. Poisoning all Academy trainees was a bold move, a precursor to something worse.

The General had folded himself onto the casket. His chiton rose up, baring carved thighs; she struggled not to stare. His skin had a moulded-toffee appearance. There was strength in his arms, broad shoulders and barrel-like chest; his presence suffocating the air from her lungs. She felt overwhelmed in the confines of her small room as if the walls pressed down on her. But what had her trembling was the power emanating off him despite his mesmerising dark looks. His black hair was too long, brushing the white draping of his chiton. The piercing blue of his eyes didn't miss a thing.

She'd never expected to meet a Pallasian, let alone have him sit in her room. Rina curled her fingers into her palms, stilling their twitching. Jumping up startled him, but she ignored this and tugged the letter from under a pile of scrolls. They were gifts from Panikos to help her with her studies. She'd ask him for one on Pallasians if he wasn't demoted for aiding her.

"A life for a life?" Vaso asked, flipping the paper over as she'd often done, hoping to find more words or some sort of explanation. "And they accepted you? No sponsorship, no clear parentage?" He met her eyes briefly before looking away. His brow furrowed and she sighed, flicking her glamour back into place. Even the great and illustrious General Vaso found her colouring distasteful. "No more hiding," he said and rose to his feet. She did too, removing her glamour as she looked up at him. Pallasians expected obedience; she didn't want to find out what would happen if she ignored his command. As it was, she was lucky to have a roof over her head. "And do not drink the elixir. It is tainted."

Rina glanced at her hands; unhealed cuts crisscrossed her palms stained with dried blood. If she was careful, they wouldn't bleed anew. That is, until she could drink the elixir to heal her. A tiny vile appeared on her palm. The hand-moulded delicate glass had a red silk ribbon around its neck. Inside it, rich gold nectar glistened.

"But." She gulped down her words, afraid to disobey him before drawing in a shuddering breath and her dwindling courage. "Won't you need it?" He arched a brow, a slash of darkness across his temple. He then folded his impressive arms across his chest, a silent indication that he waited. Rina uncapped the lid, careful not to drop it, but hesitated. What if it too was tainted? His bulk shifted and she hastily tipped the contents down her throat before recapping the bottle. Pure nectar sang through her; a burst of heated happiness and she giggled, unable to curtail her joy.

"Your first time?" he asked, and for a fraction of a second, there'd been warmth in his voice. He took the empty vile from her tingling fingers and slid it into a hidden pocket. "I will return for you shortly," he said. The moment he left, her room resumed its former size, no longer as smothering. Giggling again, she dropped onto the bed and stretched out, testing each limb for former aches and pains. But as the effects of the nectar drained from her body, the reality of her situation settled upon her. What had he meant? Return for me why? And since he'd barred the portal to Earth, she had nowhere to run.

Rubbing the birthmark under her left collarbone, Rina whispered, "Panora?" Raising her chin to project her voice better, she pondered when the woman had first appeared to her. Panora had been there for her when she was sad or lonely. Was it strange that her only friends were a guard and a spectre? A golden light shimmered in the corner of the room and a beautiful long-haired woman formed, a bright smile curling her rose lips. Rina sighed, wishing her colouring was the same. Her flowing brown locks and soft brown eyes were the inspiration behind Rina's glamour.

"Greetings, Korina. How's fair's thee?" Her voice was soft and lyrical, but it was her speech patterns that had Rina believing Panora had lived many years ago. Numerous times she'd asked her who she'd been in her previous life, but Panora always brushed her curiosity aside.

"Better. Although, I met my first Pallasian today." Rina sighed, wondering how she would explain the sheer magnetism and godlike handsomeness of the General.

"You did?" Panora asked, her voice rising in alarm.

"Yes. Something happened to the other trainees; he's investigating it. But he found out about my trips to Earth and blocked it."

"He did? I shall reverse it." Panora's anger was swift and unexpected.

"You can do that? I thought you were incorporeal." Rina studied her friend for a moment, assessing her shimmering form. Panora was behaving in an odd manner; meeting her eyes with unusual directness, not smiling and nodding her head as if she heard Rina's words but didn't listen to her.

"I am not as insubstantial as you may believe, Korina."

"I wouldn't know! You don't tell me anything." She huffed; a physical manifestation of her frustration. Her actions were overdramatic, but she doubted Panora would understand her otherwise. "Regardless, the General rushed off to speak to Zeus."

"What?" Panora gasped, her figure wavering.

"I assume to update him on the trainees."

"How is your training going?" The topic change was sudden, but Rina didn't want to talk about Zeus or the General; not when both made her nervous. Restless energy surged through her and her fingers twitched. She'd held her spear for ten Earth days and now her palms missed the familiar weight.

"Well; I'm ready for the arena."

"Good. I shall attend as encouragement," Panora said.

"You will?" Rina gasped, jumping off the bed to do a victory dance. Panora had never offered to attend before and even though she might not see her amidst the crowds, it felt good knowing someone was there, supporting her.

"What are you doing?"

"A victory dance. It's a human thing," Rina said, dropping her arms as heat stained her cheeks. Having seen such dances on Earth, she should've realised she'd look as insane.

"Do not do so when you are victorious. Vow it."

"I vow," Rina said, chuckling. That was an easy promise to make.