I was Kidnapped for Revenge by a Ruthless Alpha-Chapter 160: Mental Fortitude training pt 1

***Author’s note: Thank you SpicyReads for your love, I know I am failing you with updates. My whole house has been going through the same sickness one right after the other, I’m the last to catch it, so these next few Chapters have been written intermitted with waves of ick.***

~ODETTE’S POV~

My gifts were amazing and the ones I gave were loved. Ambrose started reading Dune that night. In all my days with him so far, I’ve never seen him pick up any of the books he has in his room or his library. Raven had been wearing the things I gave her. Emalea adores her scarf and hasn’t taken it off. The same goes for me, even if the scarf she made me didn’t match my outfit I would be wearing it.

Christmas was so beautiful, it was weird not having my family around this time. But I did have family.

The family I made, the one I chose.

Still blows my mind how being kidnapped and held captive in a foreign kingdom gives me more freedom than I had living with my own family.

Artemasia had something to do in the morning, so our training was postponed till later in the day, giving me the rare opportunity to be lazy in the morning.

My family would be here in a few days, and the palace was buzzing with activity preparing for ’foreign dignitaries’ to visit the palace. Ambrose would be busy the next couple days, preparing and sorting through his soldiers to find the ones who would remain at the palace and guard with discretion. Damon would be training the new recruits today.

The war was fast approaching. And we had to be ready.

When the time finally came to meet with Artemasia I was surprised to receive a note to meet her at her abode and not at the training grounds we’d been working at.

She was a weirdly private witch, I wonder why she’d be inviting me over?

I walked to her house from the palace; it was convenient since it wasn’t far.

She was leaning in her doorway, tapping her foot impatiently.

"You’re late." I check my watch. 2:02 pm.

"Oh, come on, it’s two minutes, the walk was nice I took more time than I expected. I have to fight a life threatening battle, let me enjoy the flowers."

"There are no flowers, it’s winter. There’s not even snow, just naked trees and dead looking grass." She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Yes, here on the grounds, but look at the mountain." I pointed to the one that stood in the distance behind her. The mountain I ran up and met Phera on. It was still shrouded in mystery hidden by a storm that never stopped. But it had been lightening up, the storm looked less violent on the mountains, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it had anything to do with Phera leaving the mountain.

"Yeah, a mountain. With snow. So cool. Now, get inside." Artemasia stepped back from the door leaving enough room to invite me in.

This is the second time I’ve ever been in her house. And it wasn’t any less weird the second time.

Her house was dark and mystical, something you’d picture straight out of the book.

"So why are we meeting here instead of on the training grounds?"

Artemasia rolled her eyes "Training isn’t always combat. Odette. It’s also mental fortitude. You’re a psychic vampire; you feed off emotions and feelings and life forces. And so does the enemy. Are you prepared to mentally battle a monster in your mother’s skin?"

The question hit me like a sack of bricks. Was I ready?

No. I wasn’t. I thought about a thousand scenarios, but when I start to think too deeply, I feel the pressure start beating down on me. The weight of the reality, it’s too much so I stop the scenarios.

As if reading my mind Artemasia said "Exactly. So, that’s what we’ll be working on today. Your mental fortitude. I will place you under a sleep spell where you will practice facing Ezelreth as your mother."

"Woah, woah, woah, I was not prepared to do think kind of exercising today. It was just Christmas!" I yelled at her.

"Yes, and that’s the point you aren’t prepared. You’re less than focused. It will give us the most accurate reading on what you can do, so we know what you need to learn. To be prepared, you have to know what facing the enemy will be like if you are unprepared."

I didn’t like her logic, but I respected it. She was a great teacher; I’d gotten so much better with my magic since starting my training with her. So, I trusted her judgement and her methods, even if I didn’t agree with it.

Because somewhere beyond these walls, my mother, my sweet, gentle, soft-voiced mother, was trapped inside her own body, held hostage by an ancient monster who spoke through her mouth.

Ezelreth.

A name like a breaking bone.

A presence like a cold hand around your throat.

And if I failed, if I couldn’t learn to withstand him...

Then the next time I saw her, I might have to choose between saving the world and letting her die or saving her to let the world burn. And that terrified me.

I was forced to pick in my last life, and I had to sacrifice the one I loved to save the world, and if training with Artemasia, however weird and senseless it is too me, I would do it. I would do it to save her and save the world. To not have to lose one to keep the other.

Artemisia stood in front of me, tall and graceful in her black robes Her eyes held that sharp calm, like one before a storm.

She laid me down on the floor in the center of a spell circle candles at each point.

"Odette," she said, voice low but iron-strong,

Artemisia crouched in front of me, her face close to mine, "You must allow yourself to feel everything, Odette. But you cannot let your feelings rule you. Not in this. Especially not in this."

"Right," I whispered, though my voice shook.

"And remember, he does not simply push pain. He amplifies what already exists."

My stomach twisted.

Because I had so much for him to work with.

Anger.

Fear.

Grief.

Helplessness.

"Ready?" Artemisia asked.

No.

Not even a little.

"Yes."

"And so, we begin. Trial one."

It was then I noticed glowing runes and symbols I didn’t understand were placed strategically around me. She chanted a few words and the candle lights flickered. The runes glowed brighter.

Seconds later I felt myself drift. Not like I was asleep, but like I was second bystander in my own mind.

Suddenly I stood in a my old home hallway to my room.

"Mother?" I whispered.

A soft humming answered from down the hall.

Her humming.

It was her gentle, warm, voice. The sound that soothed every childhood nightmare.

My heart pounded. Anxiety was funneled into me like a shady business deal.

"Mom"