Free Rock Bottom (Dragon Within #4) by Kyra Dune Page A

control of her powers. She was way more impressive
than I was.
         “Do you
know where his room is?” The words came out of my mouth before I had time to
think better of saying them. If I was going to ask a question like that I should
have gotten Hannah alone first.
         “I don’t
think that’s a very good idea,” Derek said. “You really need to focus on your
training right now.”
         “What
does that have to do with seeing Zack?” I asked.
         Derek and
Brandy shared a look. It was too much like the look parents share when their
kid wants to do something they don’t want her to do and they’re trying to
figure out how to talk her out of it without starting a fight. You know the
look I mean.
         “Zack is
an unnecessary distraction,” Brandy said. “And you need to focus on more
important things. Besides, if he wanted to see you he could have come here. He
hasn’t. That should tell you something. It isn’t as if he doesn’t know where
you are.”
         How do
you like that? Kind of a low blow coming from someone who was supposed to be my
best friend. Hot tears blurred my vision. Her words hurt more because they were
true. Some part of me was certain whatever had happened between me and Zack was
all in my head. But that didn’t mean she had to point it   out to everyone.
         “I’m
going to take a hot shower and lay down.” I got up and headed toward the
bedroom. “My head is killing me.”
         “Wait,
Abby.” Brandy started to follow me. “I’m--”
         I didn’t
slam the door in her face, but I did shut it firmly enough that she couldn’t
possibly misunderstand. To her credit, she didn’t come in anyway like I
probably would have. I held it together fine until I was in the shower with the
water spraying me in the face. Only then did I let myself break down and cry.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
                                             CHAPTER SEVEN

 
 
         Bright,
warm sunshine filtered down to us through the leaves of the trees. I took a
deep breath of pine scented air and sighed. It was so good to be outside again.
It felt like I’d been cooped up in the bunker forever already.
         “Why do
you keep this to yourself?” I asked, as Jonah and I walked down the dirt path.
“I bet everybody would love a chance to get outside once in a while.”
         Jonah
shook his head. “If Megara found out about the hidden entrance to the bunker
she’d close it off for sure. She has to have complete control of the comings
and goings. Maybe it’s selfish of me, but I can’t bear to lose my only bit of
freedom. I’d go mad.”
         It didn’t
seem fair to keep such a secret, even though I understood where he was coming
from. But I’d made a promise and it was one I intended to keep. No matter how
guilty I felt about it.
         At the
end of the path, a bubbling stream cut through a small clearing. Jonah hopped
up on a mostly flat topped boulder beside the stream. “Are you ready to start?”
         “I guess.
What is it were going to do, exactly?”
         He
smiled. “Have you ever meditated?”
         “Are you
serious?”
         “I’ll
take your answer as a no, then. I told you part of my training was to center
myself. Nothing does that better than meditation. So yes, I’m serious.”
         “Okay.”
Kind of weird, but I figured it couldn’t hurt. “So what, do I sit cross legged
and chant or something?”
         Jonah
chuckled. “Or something. Sit however you feel most comfortable.”
         Not so
easy to do seeing as how I had nowhere to sit but on the ground. I chose a nice
grassy spot and sat with my legs crossed at the ankles and my hands draped over
my knees. “Now what?”
         “Close
your eyes and clear your mind.”
         Right.
“How do I clear my mind?”
         “Focus on
the