“Time,” Kai declared.
Tegan reached out and decreased the pace of the treadmill, starting her cooldown period. The door to the gym opened again and the other Sentinel from last night came in.
“Why are you in here?” he called out to his companion before he noticed Tegan properly. “Ah, I see.” He walked over to them both and she felt his appraisal of her also, much like Kai’s.
“You both seem to be fixated with my form?” Tegan snapped as she stopped the machine completely and stepped off.
“It’s a good form,” the dark haired one said with a grin. “I’m Darus.”
“Tegan.”
“How are you related to the Elite Elder?” Darus asked curiously as he stared openly at her. He seemed to be able to keep his eyes on her face at least, unlike the other one, Tegan noticed.
“It’s complicated.” All three turned to the voice and Tegan saw that Michael had come through the door, Sloane stumbling behind him, rubbing his eyes, looking like he had just woken.
“Tegan…” Michael trailed off as he looked at her. Something in his tone must have been unusual as it caused Sloane to look up in confusion, looking at Michael and then Tegan, before his own eyes widened in alarm.
“By the Ancients!” Sloane yelled, hurrying over to her, pulling off his t-shirt at the same time. “What are youwearing?” Sloane was in front of her, blocking her from the eyes of Kai and Darus. “Put this on,now.”
Tegan looked at him, the t-shirt and then down at her clothes, nothing was showing, except her stomach, otherwise she was completely covered. “Why?”
“Put the shirt on and I’ll explain.” Sloane’s jaw was set, his eyes were drilling into hers. Shrugging, she slipped the top on all the while looking at Sloane patiently – waiting for the explanation, but instead of talking to her, he turned to Darus and Kai instead. “Out.Now.”
Both males looked like they were going to argue but Michael stepped up beside Sloane and folded his arms as Sloane continued to glare at the two Sentinels. Tegan realised they were both trying to block her. She moved out from behind them, if they were going to come to blows, she needed to be able to defend them. Kai and Darus both looked at her as she moved out from behind her cousin and brother and Sloane and Michael mirrored her movement until again, she was behind them.
“He saidgo,” Michael growled at them both. “Are you defying a Ranked Sentinel?”
Darus and Kai both dropped their eyes in submission, shaking their heads, turning about quickly, they left the gym. Tegan heard them muttering as they closed the door behind them.
When Sloane was sure they had gone, he turned to Tegan. “What in the name of Delfar are youwearing?”
“My training clothes,” she pulled the t-shirt up to show them. “I don’t understand, I always wear this.”
“When you are at home and no one can see you!” Sloane exclaimed, “You just gave those two an eyeful that they shouldn’t be seeing from the Principal Elder’s daughter!”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, I’m completely covered,” Tegan protested as she looked to Michael in confusion.
“You are covered,” Michael agreed, shaking his head slightly at Sloane who had been about to protest. “But your clothes are quite… revealing.”
“That doesn’t even make sense! How can I be covered and be revealing at the same time?” Tegan exclaimed frustratedly. “Neither of you make sense to me when you speak. He’s standing there withnoshirt on, why aren’t you beratinghimfor being revealing?”
“Daughter?” Leonid walked quietly into the room and surveyed the three of them. “Are you alright?”
Tegan quickly took off Sloane’s t-shirt, tossing it to him in disgust as she strode to her father. “They both got agitated and altogether unreasonable at my training clothes.”
Leonid looked at her and frowned as he assessed her normal training clothes. “This is my fault. I apologise, daughter – I never gave thought to your training clothes.”
“This is ridiculous! There is absolutely nothing wrong with how I look.” Tegan scowled at Michael and Sloane.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with how you look.” Sloane agreed, coming to stand beside her. “You have a gorgeous figure,” he carried on, saving Leonid from having to explain and the elder male shot him a grateful look. “You’ve curves in all the right places and those clothes you’re wearing, leave absolutely nothing to the imagination. You may as well be naked.”
“But I’ve always worn this?” Tegan turned to her father in confusion, her cheeks warming as she thought of Sloane’s words,hadshe been showing too much?
“How many males of our age are you used to seeing?” Michael enquired softly, as he too came up to stand beside them.
“A few,” Tegan felt defensive and she didn’t know why. This was so frustrating. There was nothing wrong with her clothes – she was hardly naked! But the way they were looking at her, she felt exposed.
“Limited,” Leonid admitted with a look of resignation to both males. “Tegan, you will wear your fatigues to train in from now on.” Leonid’s tone was firm, Tegan went to argue but one look at her father’s face and she remained quiet.