Page 58 of A Kingdom so Crimson

He stood there, tall and composed, taking deep breaths to quell his frustration.

"So be it," he relented, roughly kissing my forehead before turning to leave. His footsteps echoed loudly against the floors, each step cracking my soul deeper into the awaiting darkness, begging me to finally collapse.

The following day, Calum left without so much as a goodbye. Another bitter ending, but deep down, I knew it was for the best. Shifting on my feet, I unleashed my frustration on the training posts Kaizen had set out in the estate grounds, each blow landing with a satisfying thud in the open air. We said nothing of our previous encounter with Calum, and I was grateful. I wanted to forget it—forget it all.

I let out a frustrated huff, rolling my neck and squaring my shoulders as I prepared for another round of punches. "Control it," Kaizen spat, his tone cutting through the air like a blade. "Use those emotions to drive you, not to lose control."

I shot him a defiant glare, his cheek still swollen from yesterday, but looked less bruised…somehow. "Feeling up to getting punched today?" I snarled, delivering another jab andcross hook at the post with all my might, splintering the wood and splitting open my skin. Again and again, I unleashed my fury, each blow fueled by the raw intensity of my emotions, until both knuckles were bleeding, staining my wraps with their crimson hue.

"Enough!" Kaizen's voice thundered, but I paid him no heed, lost in the primal satisfaction of inflicting pain. "I said enough!" He finally intervened, grabbing my arm before I could deliver another lethal blow, peeling my skin right off.

I threw my arm back, shaking off his hold, and swung my other arm right for his side, knocking the wind out of him. He only grinned, a low chuckle of amusement escaping him, fueling my anger.

"Why don't you tell me whyyourhands were scabbed over yesterday?" I spat at him, throwing another blow to the side, only to have him block it like a viper, clutching onto my bloodied hand.

"I'm not particularly fond of talking to anyone with emotions they can't hide," he replied coolly, his tone aggravating me further.

I stood up tall, ripping off the bloody wrappings. "No? Well, what about me being left with unanswered questions?" I retorted, echoing his own response to my inquiries the day after meeting him.

He shook his head as if forcing himself not to answer and quickly grabbed a sword, tossing me one before weighing another in his hand and stalking away from the posts.

I huffed, raised the sword, and followed him.

"Let's see if you can still keep up with me," he challenged, swiftly lunging and striking my blade, reverberating into my arm.

We danced in battle play, dodging and striking. I watched his chest rise and fall before deflecting a deadly blow that he aimedat me repeatedly. Though a bit of stiffness crept into my body, I shook it off like shedding a dress and bounced back with renewed mental sharpness and strength. Perhaps all I needed was a week's worth of sleep to feel…alive.

I saw a moment of hesitation and struck; he barely dodged my sword and grinned.

"Better…for an amateur," he sneered, igniting a fierce anger within me. I lunged forward, turning in a swift motion and striking his blade with all my might. The resounding clang echoed through the misty morning, silencing all living things around us.

I focused solely on my breathing, remembering the breathing techniques Levon had been teaching me and letting it become the rhythm of my vigor as I felt the fiery rage inside me intensify.

I jutted my foot out, disrupting our dance as Levon had done on my first day. He managed to catch himself before I could unleash my fury upon his sword.

We came to an abrupt stop, both frozen in place with our swords shaking against each other. A sly smirk played on his lips, and his hair fell, covering his cheeks as he dropped the sword.

I took a deep breath, attempting to regain control over my breathing, and brushed back the strands of hair that had fallen from my braided crown. "Are we done here?"

His jaw flexed, his fingers tensing in unison before he released a long, irritated sigh. "No. Levon's prepping for the departure and asked me to ensure you remember youretiquette."

For a beat, my heart deflated, knowing he didn't want to see me. But then, a surge of conflicting emotions washed over me, leaving me uncertain if I could even bear to face him myself.

"First, I'll never dance with you, and second, I can't picture you being refined enough for it," I snapped, my irritation evident as I turned sharply toward the estate.

"I believe you already have," he mocked, quickly grasping the sword from my hands and shoving it into the barrel.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, flexing my hands; my knuckles stung in the open air as I proceeded forward. His footsteps trailed behind me, their crunch on the grass only adding to my annoyance.

"Wrap your hands, or Levon will kill me for letting you sully his home inyourblood," Kaizen demanded, throwing me a roll of the same tape I wore when fighting.

"Hm, perhaps that's not a bad thing," I retorted, slowly wrapping my hands back up. When we reached the foyer inside, I could hear him heading off in a different direction, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

After freshening up, I hurried down to the kitchen, hoping to persuade Elise to take over dancing duties from Kaizen and to express my gratitude for everything they'd done. As I descended the stairs, I found Saasha slicing potatoes and Elise bending down to retrieve something that had fallen. Other members of the staff were busy cleaning or baking. Despite the kitchen being stationed below, the heat was sweltering even with the windows open, making me cough amidst the steam and fragrant fumes of the cooking food.

"Eliah!" Elise chirped, running toward me and embracing me. Saasha gave me a smile and a shrug, stopping mid-chop.

"Need help?" I offered, stepping into the bustling kitchen.

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