Page 24 of Angel of Ruin

"Lyra," I bark. She jumps, her blue eyes widening as they meet mine. "Training. Now."

She hesitates, glancing at her companions. I don't give her a chance to protest, grabbing her arm and practically dragging her to the private training room.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" I snarl, shoving her inside. "You think you can just skip out on training?"

"I-I wasn't?—"

"Shut up." I cut her off. "You want wings? You want to be one of us? Then you train. Every. Damn. Day." I grit my teeth. "And you train with me like you are supposed to."

I see the hurt in her eyes, the confusion. Good. Let her be confused. Let her hate me. It's better this way.

"Now, show me what you've learned," I demand, circling her like a predator. "And don't disappoint me."

For the next few hours, I push her harder than I've ever pushed any candidate. I make her run until her legs give out, lift weights until her arms shake, perform complex maneuvers until she's dizzy and gasping for air.

"Again," I command each time she falters.

She doesn't complain, doesn't beg for mercy. There's a fire in her eyes that both impresses and infuriates me. Why won't she just give up?

"Come on, little nexari," I spit, even as she completes a particularly difficult sequence. The venom in my voice hasn't been there since we first met. "Is this really the best you can do?"

I see the tears forming in her eyes, but she blinks them away, gritting her teeth and pushing on. Something twists in my chest, but I ignore it. This is necessary. I have to distance myself from her.

As the session finally ends, Lyra collapses to the floor, her body trembling with exhaustion. I stand over her, my face a mask of indifference.

"Same time tomorrow," I say coldly. "Don't be late."

I turn and walk away, my wings rigid with tension. It's only when I'm alone in my quarters that I allow myself to feel the weight of what I've done. I tell myself it's to prepare her for the trials, that I'm doing her a favor by being so harsh.

But deep down, I know the truth. I'm scared of how she makes me feel, of the way she's wormed her way under my skin. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep her at arm's length, even if it means breaking her in the process.

I stand at the edge of the training grounds, watching Lyra push through another grueling session. She's different from the other humans - stronger, more resilient. The sight of her determination stirs something inside me that I can't quite name.

"Again," I bark, trying to keep the edge in my voice. But it's getting harder each day.

Lyra nods, her face set in concentration as she tackles the obstacle course once more. Her movements are fluid, graceful even. I catch myself admiring the way she moves, the fierce look in her eyes.

Fuck. This isn't supposed to happen.

I turn away, pacing the length of the field. I need to focus. I'm here to oversee these trials, to ensure the humans fail. Not to... whatever this is.

But my eyes keep drifting back to her. The way she helps up a fallen competitor, offering words of encouragement even as she fights for her own survival. It's a kindness I've never seen in our world, a strength I didn't think humans possessed.

"Time," I call out, my voice rougher than I intended. Lyra jogs over, her chest heaving with exertion but a small smile playing on her lips.

"How'd I do?" she asks, looking up at me with those damn blue eyes.

I struggle to maintain my cold facade. "Barely adequate," I mutter, but even I can hear the lack of conviction in my voice.

She sees right through me. Her lips press into a firm line, suppressing the smile. She never smiles around me anymore. But instead of taking the bait, instead of fighting me like shenormally does, she just shrugs. "I'll take that as high praise coming from you, Sariel."

The sound of my name on her lips sends a jolt through me. I clench my fists, willing myself to stay detached, aloof. But it's getting harder with each passing day.

"Don't get cocky," I snap, but there's no real heat behind it. "You've still got a long way to go before you're anywhere near xaphan standards."

Lyra just nods, that determined glint back in her eye. "I know. But I'll get there."

And the worst part is, I'm starting to believe she might. This human, this infuriating, captivating creature, is showing strength I never thought possible. She's making me question everything I thought I knew about her kind.

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