Page 25 of Condemned to Love

Jessa laughs softly. "Come on, Elowen. It’s obvious there’s something there."

I brush off the comment, focusing on our sparring. "He's just trying to make sure I don't get myself killed."

"Yet, you've been spending a lot of one on one time together…" She ducks as I lunge forward and she gestures like I just proved her point. "Doesn't seem like you need that much extra training to me."

"So?" I counter, but there's an edge of defensiveness in my voice even I can't ignore.

"So," she presses, dodging another strike with ease, "you like him."

I scoff, though the heat rising in my cheeks betrays me. "He's an insufferable ass most of the time."

"Doesn't mean you don't like him," she retorts with a knowing smile.

Her words spark thoughts I hadn’t fully acknowledged before. Sure, Aldric is attractive—okay, more than attractive—but it’s more than that. There’s a connection forming between us that goes beyond the physical attraction. It’s in the way he pushes me to be better, the way he sees past my human exterior to the warrior within.

I shake my head, trying to dispel the thoughts. "We’re just training partners," I insist.

Jessa raises an eyebrow skeptically. "If you say so."

But as we resume our sparring, her teasing words linger in my mind. The idea of something more with Aldric isn’t just ridiculous anymore; it's a tantalizing possibility that refuses to be ignored.

With each strike and parry against Jessa's skilled attacks, I find myself wondering what it would mean to let those barriers down — just a little — and see where this unexpected connection might lead.

But I don't even know if he'd want that.

I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I don't move out of the way in time, and Jessa snatches my wrist, spinning me and pinning me in a position that could break my arm if I move too much.

"You're distracted," Jessa comments, loosening her grip on my wrist but not letting go entirely.

I roll my eyes, trying to shake off her hold. "Just caught off guard."

She raises an eyebrow, her hazel eyes glinting with amusement. "You know, Nikolai and I didn’t always get along so well either."

I stop struggling for a moment, curiosity piqued. "Really? You two seem inseparable now."

Jessa nods, releasing me fully and stepping back. "Yeah, but it wasn’t always like that. When we first met, he was...conflicted. Arrogant, even."

I snort, rubbing my wrist where she held me. "Sounds familiar."

She chuckles. "Exactly. We clashed a lot. But eventually, I found my way in with him. I learned about who he was underneath. And when it comes to vrakken," she continues, her tone turning serious, "the more you try to ignore it, the worse the pull becomes. It's fated."

I scoff at the notion. "Fated? That sounds like a load of crap."

Jessa crosses her arms, giving me a knowing look. "You can think that all you want, but I've seen it happen too many times to ignore it. The pull is real, Elowen. Maybe you just need to give in. At least try it."

"Give in?" I repeat incredulously. "To what? Attraction? I barely know the guy."

She levels me with a look. "Look. All I'm saying is there is a war coming. If you want something, go after it. Before it's too late."

I roll my shoulders, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling her words stir in me. "Well, I'm not about to let something you'veimagined—" She rolls her eyes. "distract me from my training."

Jessa sighs softly, almost sympathetically. "I just don't want you to regret it."

With that, she steps back into a fighting stance, signaling she's ready to continue our sparring session.

Determined not to let her words get under my skin any further, I lunge forward again, working my way out of Jessa's hold with renewed vigor.

We fall back into the rhythm of our training, but her words linger at the edge of my thoughts like an itch I can’t scratch.

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