Reflection

You follow Kyle a few steps away from Inigo. The boy remains on his knees, still breathing hard, eyes half-lidded and unfocused. Another trainer appears in the doorway almost immediately, as if he had been waiting for the signal. Kyle gives a short nod. The man crosses the room, takes Inigo by the collar, and helps him to his feet with practiced efficiency. Inigo sways once, then lets himself be led out without resistance. The door closes behind them with a soft click.

The room feels larger and quieter without him.

Kyle turns to face you fully. For a moment he says nothing, just studies your face. Then he exhales through his nose, a small, self-aware sound.

“I pushed too hard at the start,” he says. “I saw him starting to lock up and kept going anyway. That’s on me. You stepping in when you did was the right call. If you hadn’t, we probably would have lost him for the rest of the session.” He holds your gaze. “Good instinct. Don’t second-guess it.”

The acknowledgment lands heavier than praise would have. You nod once, the residual weight in your chest easing only a fraction.

Kyle continues, voice even. “Overall you handled yourself well. You listened. You kept control when it would have been easy to chase the heat instead. That’s the part most new Masters get wrong the first few times.” He pauses, choosing the next words more carefully. “There are still gaps. Things you haven’t been exposed to yet. The broader side of the work. We’ll cover them before you take your brother home. No need to rush the details today.”

He lets the statement sit without elaborating. The vagueness feels deliberate, like he is leaving the shape of the next lessons for later.

Kyle watches you for another second, as if checking whether the earlier doubt is still sitting behind your eyes. Whatever he sees, he doesn’t press it.

“Session’s done,” he says. “Go get some air. Drink something. Let it settle.”

He steps past you and opens the door to the corridor. Cool air drifts in from the outer hallway. Kyle holds it open with one hand and waits.