Lyra's POV
The cold ocean breeze cut through my training clothes like a blade. We had been at the coastal training grounds for barely an hour before Alaric herded us all outside into the windswept field. My teeth chattered as I watched the others struggle against the biting wind. Even Xander, usually immune to discomfort, had goosebumps crawling up his muscled arms.
"Couldn't we have done this somewhere with heating?" Xander called out to Alaric, his voice carrying an edge of irritation.
Alaric's expression remained stoic as he responded. "When you face vampires, they won't conveniently attack you in a warm room. We train in harsh conditions because the elements won't be our allies. Unlike us, vampires don't suffer from temperature changes."
"Yeah, I'm aware," Xander snarled back. "I sat through your vampire seminar two years back."
A cold smile spread across Alaric's face. "As I remember it, your performance in that class was barely adequate."
