Page 23 of Angel of Ruin

"Pathetic," he spits at a young man who's collapsed on the ground. "Get up, or you'll be eliminated right here."

The man struggles to his feet, only to be knocked down again by a swift kick from Sariel. I wince, remembering the strength behind those legs.

"You call yourselves worthy of wings?" Sariel's voice carries across the field. "You're nothing but vespids beneath our feet."

He grabs a woman by the arm, yanking her forward. She cries out in pain, but Sariel doesn't relent. "Show me you deserve to be here," he hisses, forcing her into a brutal sparring match.

I watch, horrified, as Sariel systematically breaks down each candidate. He's relentless, pushing them far beyond their limits. Some are left bruised, others fighting back a sob as he tosses them out of the way.

This is the real Sariel, I realize. Not the one who saved me from falling, not the one who touched me with surprising gentleness. This cruel, merciless being is who he truly is.

My stomach churns, and I feel sick. How could I have been so foolish? To think that he might care for me, that there mightbe something special between us. It was all a lie, a game he was playing.

I turn away, unable to watch anymore. My mind races, trying to reconcile the Sariel I thought I knew with this monster before me. The sound of another candidate's pained cry makes me flinch.

This is what the xaphan really think of us. This is how they see humans. As nothing more than playthings, objects to be used and discarded at will.

I clench my fists, anger and determination surging through me. I won't be fooled again. I'll win these trials, earn my wings, and prove them all wrong. And I'll do it without Sariel's help or anyone else's.

Over the next few days, I throw myself into training with renewed vigor, pushing my body to its limits and beyond. Every muscle aches, every breath burns, but I refuse to give up. The memory of Sariel's cruelty towards the other candidates fuels my determination. I won't let myself be another victim of his games.

It's the third day in a row that I have avoided him. I refuse to look at him, ducking out of the way as he approaches. He wants to train me, I know, but I can't understand why. And I need to keep away from him to keep my head clear.

As I practice a particularly difficult maneuver, I catch sight of Sariel watching me from across the training grounds. His golden eyes are unreadable, but I feel their weight on me like a physical touch. I stumble, losing my focus for a split second.

"Dammit," I mutter, steadying myself. I can't afford these distractions.

But even as I try to concentrate, my mind wanders back to Sariel. The feel of his hands on my skin, the intensity in his eyes when we were alone.

It's all a lie, I remind myself fiercely.He doesn't care about you. He's just playing with you, like he does with all the humans.

Yet a traitorous part of me wonders if there's more to it. The way he saved me from falling, the gentleness in his touch during our private training sessions. Could it all be an act?

I shake my head, disgusted with myself. These feelings, whatever they are, are dangerous. They're clouding my judgment, making me second-guess everything I know about the xaphan and their true nature.

As I move through the training course, I can't help but imagine Sariel's hands guiding me, his voice offering encouragement. The thought makes me falter, nearly causing me to lose my balance on a narrow beam.

"Focus, Lyra," I hiss to myself. "Your wings are what matter. Nothing else."

But even as I say the words, I'm not sure I believe them anymore. The image of Sariel's face, twisted in cruelty as he berated the other candidates, flashes through my mind. Is that really who he is? Have I been so blinded?

I land the final jump of the course, my chest heaving with exertion. As I catch my breath, I realize with a sinking feeling that these conflicting emotions about Sariel are doing more than just distracting me. They're actively jeopardizing my chances of earning my wings.

I need to stop thinking about this xaphan. I've made a mistake letting him in so close. Now, I just need to get through these next two trials and keep away from him.

If I don't, I can't stomach what might happen…

12

SARIEL

Ipace the training grounds, my wings twitching with irritation. Where the hell is she? Lyra's been avoiding me for days, and I'm sick of it. I've got a job to do — even if it's a self appointed one at this point — and she's making it impossible.

"Sariel." A voice catches my attention. It's Zephyr. "The human girl you've been training. I just saw her heading to her room from the cafeteria."

I nod curtly and stride off, my jaw clenched. It wasn't hard to get the overseers to keep an eye out for her. Not when growling out her name like I have been promises punishment, and that only excites all of them.

When I find her, she's huddled in a corner with a few other candidates, laughing at something. The sound grates on my nerves.

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