Page 185 of Emylia

It was inhuman.

Refusing to run after him like some love-struck girl, I took my time—meandering toward the clearing that was now known as the sparring field.

Knowing that every delayed second I took would infuriate him further, brought an oddly satisfied smile to my lips.

Screw him.

He was used to being followed. Like a born leader—confident, in control, worshipped without question.

So I was going to push that. Until he broke.

Or until he yielded.

He may've summoned me to the fight, but I was the one who needed this war.

He was clearly fighting for control.

But I just wanted blood.

So let’s see who gets what they came for.

ChapterForty

The training ground—or what we were using for hand-to-hand combat—was empty when I arrived.

Until Ifelthim.

Maalikai stood at the far end of the field, back turned, shirtless. Golden scars caught the morning light like ancient etchings carved into stone. His presence was thunder before a storm. Cold. Still. Waiting.

Like his anger was barely simmering beneath the surface.

So pretty much, usual Maalikai.

“You’re late,” he said, still facing away.

“I wasn’t aware this was scheduled,” I shot back, folding my arms.

“It wasn’t.”

He turned then—eyes locking onto mine, dark and unreadable. Yet something flickered beneath the surface. His gaze traveled down my body, faltering at my hips and the blades sheathed there. A ghost of a smile pulled at his lips.

“You plan to wound me today, princess?”

I knew he meant the blades. But his tone rubbed me the wrong way.

If he wanted to say something—justsay it.

“I thought I already had. Straight through the heart. Don’t you remember? Or do you need a refresher?”

His eyes darkened—just for a second—before the cruel, controlled smile returned.

“Bringing up my broken heart isn’t going to help you,princess.”

He crossed to me in four unhurried steps. “You’ve been hiding behind element training. Theory. Honing your skills. But that won’t cut it with me.”

“You want brute force?”

“No.” He said, stopping in front of me, close enough to steal my air. “Youwant it.” That smile again—shadowed, slow, curling its tendrils around my already fractured heart.

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