JOSH HIT THE ground with a grunt. Laughter echoed around him, some of it in the air and some of it in his head.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? You haven't let me do that in a long time, Joshie."

Sucking in a breath, Josh pushed to his feet. He grimaced, muscles locking and whining. "Yeah, I'm sure. Just treat me as an old man today, okay?"

Zaina stood before him, a wooden sword in her hand. She had a hand on her hip and an enormous grin on her face.

"But in my defense," Josh continued, "you do have help this time." He nodded to Zaina's side where Eli stood.  He also wielded a wooden sword in one hand while trying to smother his laugh with the other.

Josh tried to glare, but it was hard. Even four days after returning from the other dimension, earning a genuine smile from Eli had proven hard. Yet here he was, laughing so freely.

"Just give it time. As long as Boomer doesn't cheat, I'm going to put both of you on the ground instead."

It isn't cheating if I'm trying to protect two children from a cruel monster trying to attack them, Boomer argued, mock offense in his voice. Despite that, he didn't even raise his head from his position nearby,lounging on the sandy training ground. All he did was raise his eyelid a bitmore.

"That's right." Zaina returned to her stance and raised her sword. "You are a cruel monster, and we will end you here."

Josh grinned, dodging and parrying with his own wooden weapon as the two children charged him.

It took less than ten minutes before Josh was on the ground again, sand biting at his exposed forearm, taking deep breaths to ease his aching body.

At the very least, the children were sitting on the ground as well,their own breaths uneven. Eli left the wooden sword on the floor and shook hishands. He scowled.

"Did you have to swing your sword so hard?"

Josh beamed. "I didn't. I blocked. You swung too hard."

Eli huffed. He glanced away, his lips stuck out in a faint pout. "If I was, maybe someone should have told me to stop it."

"Josh used to do it too," Zaina said. "You should have seen all the times that Cale tripped him up because of it—"

"Hey!" Josh rolled up into a sitting position. "It was only twice."

"Three times, actually."

Josh twisted his head toward the staircase leading into the training area. Cale and Mara descended the steps.

Mara had been the one to speak. She grinned softly at Josh. "But it was all in one day. You learned quickly."

"On some things," Cale added, quiet enough Josh barely heard it. Mara elbowed him, but the barest lift of his lips rid any edge from his words.

"Oh yeah?" Josh pushed to his feet, and Boomer's eyes fell on him. "You want to see just how much I've learned?"

Cale quirked an eyebrow. His eyes slid over Josh's seated form. "You don't look like you're in a condition to..." He glanced at the children. "To spar anymore."

Josh shrugged and put on his most confident grin. "That depends on if you're more of a challenge then these kids."

Cale's eyes narrowed, though not in irritation like Josh would have expected a month ago. Instead, he appeared confused. "You're determined to spar."

"Hey, you're the one that challenged me. Though..." He gestured to the wooden sword in his hand, willing his expression to turn sheepish. Boomer huffed, though nobody acknowledged it. "Mind if we keep to the wooden swords? My body is recovering."

Yes. His body. The one that last time they practiced with wooden swords didn't feel the strikes as anything more than pressure. His smile almost faltered, but he caught it. He needed to know.

Do you? Boomer asked, sending the question through the bond. A slight plea that almost made Josh change his mind.

"Yeah, okay," Cale said hesitantly, stopping Josh from thinking more. Cale turned to Eli and Zaina. "Can I borrow your swords?"

"Sure," Zaina said.

"Don't kick his butt too much," Eli added, grinning as he handed over his wooden sword.

"Hey, Eli, come sit with me." Mara took a seat in the sand and patted the spot beside her. Once he—and Zaina—did, she continued. "I found something about the reaper when I was researching."

Josh raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I didn't know you were looking into those things. But that may be because I hope we never see them again."

"I hope we don't either." Mara pressed her lips together. She shivered. "Especially after what I found out. The second one couldn't be banished. Once their energy mixes with the energy of another creature, they become more... I guess you could say a solid form. It probably didn't happen often, so I don't know if Aharon and Moshe knew, but only a dragon could have defeated that one, not banishing it."

Josh flinched. Aharon. A flaming spear. Nothing he could do—

He didn't realize Boomer stood until his head bumped against Josh's shoulder. It jarred him out of the memory. Shooting his dragon a grateful half-smile, Josh reached over and patted his snout.

"Really?" Eli asked, sitting up straighter. The news added a color to his cheeks Josh hadn't realized had been missing until then. "So, I didn't mess up?"

"You never had," Mara assured, ruffling Eli's hair. "You were brave, doing the only thing we thought would help. I would never call that messing up."

Josh stared at Mara. His girlfriend, he guessed. They had never really used the term before, but there was no other way to define their relationship. And man, did he enjoy their relationship. He really liked her, and moments like this reminded him it wasn't just because she was beautiful.

"Anyway." Josh tore his gaze from her and faced Cale. "Interesting discovery aside, you ready?"

Taking that as his signal, Boomer backed away and found another spot to lounge on the ground, giving the two enough room to spar.

Cale spun the two wooden swords he wielded, eyes scanning Josh. Trying to make sense of this decision, no doubt. "I am if you are," he said.

"Go easy on him," Zaina called from the side. "Josh has been extra lame today."

Josh stuck his tongue at her. All three of those seated chuckled.

"I'm ready," he said, falling into a fighting stance. His right arm rose out of habit despite lacking a shield. He hadn't thought to grab one earlier. Not that it mattered. For his purpose, he shouldn't have the extra defense.

Cale's eyes flickered to the movement. "If you want, you can—"

Josh charged forward and swung. Cale intercepted the attack with one sword and attacked with the other. Josh stepped back to avoid it, dragging his sword downward so that it slid off Cale's raised sword and smacked against the hand holding the attacking one.

The confusion from earlier vanished. The usual annoyance from before took its place as Cale glowered.

"Sparring does not require something as dirty as attacking early," he said.

Josh snickered. "You're just angry I got a hit in."

Boomer sighed. You really know how to ask for it.

That Josh did. Cale's eyes flashed, and the flurry began. Josh hadn't realized how hard blocking two swords with no shield would be, but the next handful of seconds consisted of him struggling to block attack after attack.

Left. Right. Above. Both sides at once so he could only jump back. Man, he really had hit a button.

The wooden sword connected with Josh's right side, exposed with the absence of his shield. He froze as pain spread from the spot, then yelped as it let Cale get in another blow, bringing the sword down on his shoulder. The same shoulder that had been sliced by the reaper.

Josh yelped and fell to a knee.

"Caleb!" Mara snapped.

Cale stared down at Josh. "I hit him easier than usual. I..." He blinked. "I didn't realize you were still that injured. I'm sorry."

Josh shook his head, free hand rubbing at his shoulder. He gulped, throat tight. "No, you're fine. I didn't either, I guess. Like you said, you didn't even hit hard. Mostly just speed."

Yet his shoulder and ribs throbbed. He reached toward the bond, feeling it there even as his eyes flickered to Boomer.

His bond was still intact, there was no denying that.

But, just as he'd feared, his pain tolerance was gone.

Boomer looked away, but hiding his expression didn't stop the sadness Josh could feel coming from him.

You got your answer, Boomer said, trying for casual but coming out as a monotone. Now you can go on to step two.

I'm sorry, Josh said.

Yeah, I am too. Sorry he hadn't been good enough, even if Boomer wouldn't say that aloud.

That wasn't how Josh meant any of this, and Boomer knew it, but it couldn't stop the swell of guilt in his chest.

"—tell him soon. I still need to talk to—"

His dad's voice cut off when Josh opened the door wider. His mom and dad sat in the living room around the coffee table. Their eyes flicked to him and Eli as they stepped through the door.

"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. I helped Zaina kick Josh's butt," Eli piped up from Josh's elbow.

Josh whacked the back of Eli's head when he dipped past into their apartment quarters.

Their mom smiled. "I'm not sure that's a very nice thing to do to your brother." Her eyes moved to Josh for the briefest of moments before darting away.

Josh frowned. Okay, that was weird. If anyone should be avoiding gazes, he should be avoiding theirs. What would he have heard if he hadn't interrupted the conversation?

His dad chuckled and held out a fist for Eli to bump as he approached. "Good job. At this rate, you'll be throwing Josh around when you're his age."

Josh rolled his eyes, but he didn't miss the meaningful glare his mom shot his dad. "I went easy on the kids, obviously. Anyway..." He paused. He didn't know if his nerves or Boomer's turned his stomach into knots. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey, Mom, can I talk to you?"

Her eyebrows drew together. "Of course you can, sweetie."

He swallowed. An image of her with slitted eyes and wings flashed through his mind. "Alone, that is."

Her lips twitched in a small smile. "I figured. Would you like to go to your room?"

He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "Actually, could you follow me?"

"Sure." She patted Eli's head. "Make sure your father behaves for me, okay? And Micah..." She said no more, but a shared glance between his parents passed along whatever words she'd intended on saying.

His dad nodded. "Will do."

She gave him an appreciative smile before walking over to Josh. "Lead the way."

Nodding, Josh turned on his heel and proceeded toward his destination. The door clicked when his mom shut the door, then her footsteps thudded as she followed.

He should stop. Turn around, tell her it had been nothing, and go back. End this before he said something he didn't think he could take back.

The strange image of his mom from his dream reappeared in his mind, followed by the backward snap of Aharon's head from the flaming spear.

Josh trudged along.

His mom's curiosity rolled off her in waves, but she remained silent as he led her through the few hallways before stepping out into the main hall. To his left would be the courtyard.

He turned right to the outside.

His mom hummed her surprise but followed along.

It was nice outside. The sun beat down, but a pleasant breeze kept it cool. They had entered December a few days ago. Christmas would be upon them soon, yet Josh felt comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts.

Did the Sanctuary even celebrate Christmas? It had been odd enough to go a year without Thanksgiving.

Though, he supposed with his plan, he wouldn't know.

Boomer whimpered.

Josh licked his dry lips, rubbed his palms across his shirt, and walked to the edge of the Sanctuary. He lowered to take a seat, legs dangling off the edge. After a moment, his mom joined him, but she kept her legs tucked safely at her side.

He had planned this for the last couple of days, but looking out at the vast ocean, his head emptied. Thankfully, his mom stared at the view, giving him time to think.

"You know," he started, once more rubbing his palms dry. "I used to have dreams that I would fly over the ocean as a kid. I mean, I had the dream some other times, but mostly when I was a kid."

"I remember. It made you determined to be a pilot for at least a year at one point." His mom spoke with amusement, but something else slithered beneath it—pain.

Josh sunk his hands into the grassy ground, one finger digging into the dirt. "How much do you know about what happened in the fight right before we left the other dimension?"

At this, his mom tore her gaze from the ocean to peer at him. "I know you used far too much electricity, and it drained your body. But it also helped Xander regain his connection to his dragon and get you guys out of there."

Josh nodded, more to himself than to her. "Yeah." He picked harder at the ground. His nail scraped across a rock buried beneath the dirt. "I think the electricity almost killed me."

She went rigid.

"I may have almost died twice. I'm not sure. One time was from poison. It wasn't lethal, but man, it hurt enough that maybe it actually was." He took a deep breath. His mind roamed back to the moment, letting it swallow him rather than watch how his mom would react. "The first time, this voice spoke to me. I don't know how to describe it, but I think the voice was trying to help me wake back up and guiding me toward what I had to do.

"Then, when I woke up, I got the idea to attack the reaper—the monster attacking us—with Boomer's energy. And yeah, it kind of went out of control, and for a moment, I thought it was about to overwhelm me. But then, that voice reappeared, and I felt a presence. A very familiar presence."

He turned to her, meeting her full on, seeing the wariness put a shield over her expression. "Mom, who is Thysia, and why did her presence remind me of yours?"

Fun Fact: Zaina actually has a Paladin sister!  It's why she's at the Sanctuary.  Who knows?  Maybe you'll get to meet her at some point :D

So, pain tolerance has poofed, and there seems to be a subject Josh and Boomer just keep dancing around.  Wonder how that all connects with this sudden question to his mom :D Would love to hear theories from you all. 

Let me know your thoughts on the chapter down below, and if you enjoyed it, don't forget to vote and comment! I also have a discord open to anyone who wants to join, and we have a section there to discuss the book :D It's in my bio if you'd like to join!